Everybody who has been to New York in recent years has been to the High Line, which has clearly become one of the main tourist attractions. What used to be simply an abandoned elevated train line with trees and weeds growing on it in the middle of the Meatpacking District, was renovated in different stages and made publicly accessible as an urban park. The unusual elevated setting, the fact that it’s actually poking through entire buildings and the great architectural redesign made the High Line a must see for every visitor in town. While I knew all that, what I didn’t know was that Berlin actually had a High Line as well…
Well, that is to say that Berlin had a High Line in the first stage. It had an abandoned elevated train line with trees and weeds growing on it, but that was unfortunately where the story ended. The Siemansbahn, as the abandoned train line was called, had not been converted into a nicely designed park and it had not been made publicly accessible, but I couldn’t help and think that this was quite a shame since the structure itself was actually quite beautiful, even if it was is a state of decay.
The High Line of the Meatpacking District in New York
Actually the state of the decay the Siemensbahn was in was part of the attraction since there was always something really compelling about the interaction of man-made buildings or structures with nature. This was especially true when nature slowly started to reclaim its property, exposing the morbid existence of our material world and showing us what would happen to our built environment without continued human interference.
Anyway, as it turned out, the Siemenbahn was built in 1927 as an extension to the S-Bahn Ring to connect Siemensstadt, a newly constructed worker town at the then outskirts of Berlin, with the center of the city. After the partial move of Siemens to Munich and a better connection to the area by subway, the S-Bahn became completely obsolete and was finally shut down in 1980. Nowadays the Siemensbahn is a landmark, consisting of three abandoned stations, a rusting bridge over a canal, a control tower and a few kilometers of elevated tracks.
Impressions of the Siemensbahn
Abandoned S-Bahn Station Wernerwerk in Berlin
Siemensbahn Station Stairway and Roof above the Platform
Overgrown Station Platform of the Siemensbahn in Berlin
Abandoned S-Bahn Platform in Siemensstadt, Berlin
Completely Overgrown Tracks at the Station
Elevated Single Track Siemensbahn without Rails in Berlin
Double Tracks without Rails of the elevated S-Bahn in Siemensstadt
Double Rails of the Siemensbahn on a Forested Dam
Electric Rail Connection of the Siemensbahn in Berlin
Completely Overgrown Tracks of the Siemesbahn
Where to find the Siemensbahn
From the subway station Siemensdamm of the U7 it’s a really short walk and the elevated train line crossing the streets can already be seen.
Disclaimer: This is not really a publicly accessible place and reaching some areas might require jumping a fence. This is obviously something I wouldn’t do and I would strongly discourage you from doing so either!
Uncertain Future of the Siemensbahn
Abandoned S-Bahn Station of the Siemensbahn in Berlin
Proposals to reactivate the train line and add a connection to the airport Tegel have not been approved and thus the fate of the Siemensbahn continues to be uncertain…
What would you do with the Siemensbahn? Would you tear it down, leave it like it is, create a High Line park, or try to reactivate it?
I’m going to Berlin in less than 5 weeks so I will have a closer look at this historical architecture :-)!
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Thanks for paying close attention Agness
Berlin is actually full of historical architecture, some nice and old and some restored to an unrecognizable shiny version of its former self. The Siemensbahn happens to be nice and old, even if in a sad state of neglect. But it’s great to hear that you are visiting Berlin, certainly try to check out this abandoned rail line if you get the chance… 
Somehow I missed them both. We were in New York (for the first time) last July and Berlin in 2012. I love your photos. My teen hopes to live in Berlin some day, so maybe I will get another chance.
Visiting from Travel Photo Monday
Rhonda Albom recently posted…Jumping Into the Vivid Turquoise Waters at To Sua Ocean Trench, Samoa
Thanks for stopping by Rhonda! It’s great to hear that you have been to NY and Berlin, even if you happened to miss both rail lines. But on the other hand it almost gives you a good excuse to finally move to Berlin. You can visit the Siemensbahn in town and take a trip to NY to see the actual High Line as well…
What an interesting place. I hope it is either left how it is or revived into parkland like NYC’s. I certainly hope it is not demolished. That would be sad.
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Thank you very much Jan! You are right, keeping the Siemensbahn in place and making it publicly accessible would be a great solution. Ideally it should maintain some of its morbid charms, but getting rid of it would be a real shame…
What should be done with the Siemensbahn? turning it into an urban park like the New York high line seems like a good idea.
Rachel@safari254 recently posted…Oloolua Nature Trail
I agree with you Rachel, creating an urban park would be great, especially because it would make good use of the old Siemensbahn structure…
another great abandonded place in Berlin worth checking out. Thanks for posting it.
Marta Kulesza recently posted…10 NATURAL WONDERS OF BOLIVIAN ALTIPLANO
I am glad to hear that you like abandoned places as well Marta! The Siemensbahn definitely is an interesting place to check out when visiting Berlin…
Dennis, I’m going to visit the NYC High Line this summer, so I’ll have to keep this pseudo High Line in mind for the next time I’m in Berlin. Love the trees and rails photo!
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Thanks Corinne, I am sure you will love visiting the High Line in New York and now that you have seen the Siemensbahn, at least you know how the High Line once used to look like as well…
This is cool. I really liked the High Line in NYC. I think more cities need to look into this High Line concept. It’s such a great way of bringing new life to an otherwise underused area.
Adelina | PackMeTo recently posted…Chania – A Stunning Discovery on the Island of Crete
Totally agreed Adelina, the Siemensbahn really is a cool place and I am sure the High Line concept will catch on in other places as well. The one in New York turned out to be really popular and a park is definitely a great use to bring back some life to abandoned rail lines…
Sites like this amaze me, and not only train lines, but any abandoned structure. I haven’t visited the High line, but I’ve seen lots of photos around. It’s really cool how they turned the site around, and gave it a new purpose. They should do the same with Siemensbahn.
frankaboutcroatia recently posted…Snorkeling in Croatia
You are right Frank, there is always a certain fascination about all sorts of abandoned sites. The High Line in New York really was a great project and I am sure good use could be found for the Siemensbahn as well. Unfortunately its missing the prominent location, but it still has loads of character and even three complete stations that could be used as well…
Oh how sad it’s fate is so unknown. But those trees are pretty! Thanks for linking up with #SundayTraveler
SJ @ Chasing the Donkey recently posted…How many of these facts, lies and myths about Croatia do you know?
The fate of the Siemensbahn is unfortunately really unknown SJ, but since there are a few different options for its future use, we can only hope that one of them will actually come true at some point. Ideally this would be an option maintaining the charming structure in its entirety…
I love visiting abandoned sites and this looks so cool! Thanks for linking up to the #SundayTraveler!
Ashley @ A Southern Gypsy recently posted…Prepping for Long Term Travel : Month Nine
Ashley you are right, the Siemensbahn was definitely a really cool abandoned place to see…
Great article, fabulous pictures. Historical structures have always moved me deeply. Looking at the pictures has had a stirring impact on me. Keep writing and posting man. Cheers!
Thanks a lot Joseph! It’s the same for me, I love all sorts of historical buildings and especially abandoned ones. The Siemensbahn was no exception and it was quite an interesting place to see…
You’re the first to show this attraction.
Very interesting. I think it could be turned into a recreational area that cuts across neighbourhoods.
Park, bars, sports facilities…
Did you see the Turia Gardens in Valencia?
I’ve been there in 2013, it was unbelievable what they made out of the riverbed. They diverted the River Turia and create a vast green area at its place (I covered this subject on my site).
Thanks a lot! You are actually right, the Siemensbahn is not a really well-known place to visit in Berlin. I haven’t been to Valencia yet, but the project looks quite interesting as you covered it and it would be great if a similar use could be found for the Siemensbahn as well…
I cannot believe we spent four months in Berlin and we didn’t make it here, I’m so sad about it. I love discovering abandoned places, this one is particularly special too. I wish I stumbled on your post way earlier, I have a feeling that somehow we’ll end up in Berlin again at some point and hopefully we won’t forget to check this place out.
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You are right Franka, the Siemensbahn would have been a nice place to visit in Berlin, but at the same time it’s not the most obvious attraction. That is probably part of its appeal as well, but overall I too am sure that you are making it back to Berlin at some point, hopefully in the summer, and the abandoned Siemensbahn should still be there waiting for your return…
this place is really cool. we were there almost at the same time as you: http://fotostrasse.1982.us/siemensstadt-s-bahnhof/
You are right Felipe, the Siemensbahn really is quite a cool place to see in Berlin, even if it hasn’t been transformed into a High Line yet. But maybe that is part of its appeal. By the way, your photos are really great as well…