Passengers at Berlin’s main train station struggle amid escalator crisis

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - Technical problems continue to plague Berlin's main train station, where more than half of the escalators remain out of service with no clear timeline for repairs, Germany's national railway operator said Tuesday.

Deutsche Bahn said 27 of the station's 52 escalators are still closed after inspections revealed defective gears in the escalator drive systems. The railway operator completed its inspection of all units at the main train station, identifying the root cause of the failures that forced dozens of escalators to shut down.

"Defective gears in the escalator drive system make safe operation of the units impossible," it said in a statement, adding that safety remains its highest priority.

The repairs could take considerable time, as Deutsche Bahn is waiting for replacement parts from the manufacturer before beginning the complex work of replacing the transmission systems. The company declined to provide a specific timeline for completing the repairs.

Deutsche Bahn has deployed volunteer helpers and service staff at Berlin's main station to assist travelers dealing with the disruptions. The station serves approximately 330,000 passengers and visitors daily, making it one of Germany's busiest transportation hubs.

The technical issues extended beyond Berlin. Deutsche Bahn took a total of 130 escalators out of service at stations across Germany for inspection, including facilities at Cologne/Bonn Airport station, Frankfurt, Dresden, Essen, Hamburg and Duesseldorf.