The Berlin tram system has 22 lines and nearly 400 stations. It is not only one of the oldest tram networks in the city, but also one of the longest. It was the most developed and used means of transportation during the Cold War.
Built in 1865, the trams in Berlin were first drawn with horses and slowly evolved up until the end of World War II, when the city was divided into East and West Berlin. The transport company also suffered the same fate, and was split into two.
By 1967 most tram lines that ran along West Berlin had closed, maintaining only two lines running.
In 1992 Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, the city's most important public transport company joined after the fall of the Berlin Wall; however, the trace of the division is still visible, since most tram lines are still in East Berlin.
Remains of a divided city
If you are curious to see how the city was divided during the Cold War, we recommend you take the tram M10 to Warschauer Straβe (the last station of the line). This station was once extremely close to the Berlin Wall and nowadays visitors can observe how the division of the city affected the development of Berlin’s public transport. The longest section of the Berlin Wall still stands near the station, now transformed into the East Side Gallery.
You can check out the tram tariffs and of the rest of the means of transport in Berlin on the following webpage: Berlin Transport Tickets and Fares