Adlershof: Firefighters block the next tram line

Berlin’s long-delayed Ostkreuz tram project faces fresh setbacks as disputes over safety measures stall progress. The latest conflict involves the fire brigade blocking dual-track expansion along Dörpfeldstraße in Adlershof, leaving a key tram route suspended. Passengers now face longer journeys, with no clear resolution in sight.

The suspension of Line 21 between Holteistraße and Marktstraße has disrupted travel for thousands. Over 6,300 passengers used the route on Saturdays in June 2025, but now face a 20-minute detour via Bus 240. The line’s closure follows ongoing disagreements between BVG and the Berlin Fire Brigade.

The fire brigade insists on a second emergency exit for buildings along the expanded tram route. Without this, overhead line construction cannot proceed, halting dual-track plans. No public records identify who is leading discussions on this issue. This is not the first time the fire brigade has delayed a tram project. A similar dispute arose during the earlier Ostkreuz connection works, only resolved in spring 2025. That solution allowed remote shutdown of overhead lines during emergencies, with manual power cuts as a backup. Meanwhile, the new Adlershof depot is nearly finished, making the Dörpfeldstraße line essential for operations. BVG had planned a high-capacity route here, but the expansion remains stuck. The Ostkreuz project’s approval process is also frozen, as revised documents from the sponsor are still pending.

The impasse leaves Line 21 passengers with longer travel times and no tram alternative. Until safety concerns are addressed, the dual-track expansion and depot connection cannot move forward. BVG and the fire brigade must now find a compromise to restart the stalled works.