Trees instead of taxis: Europaplatz at the main train station is getting green!

Trees instead of taxis: Europaplatz at the main train station is getting green!

In the past few years, a lot has happened in traffic around Berlin Central Station. In 2023, the Berlin building administration announced that it would green the Europaplatz and upgraded it with a so -called "green umbrella". The plan was to transform the currently unsteady asphalt area into an inviting green area and thus make a contribution to the design of a living city. But the implementation of these plans quickly stumbled.

at the end of 2023 the taxi vibration on the north side of the main train station was surprisingly closed and closed without announcement. This came unexpectedly for many, especially for the taxi associations, which reacted to the move to the south side with protests and demonstrations. These massive changes led to taxis and rental cars in Invalidenstrasse blocked the bus track. The BVG could no longer start these stops and even threatened to withdraw some bus lines. Suddenly the greenery project seemed to be standing in front of the end because the chaos spread on the streets.

renewed hope for the Europaplatz

In order to calm the situation on Invalidenstrasse, the traffic administration finally enforced a new taxiVor trip directly in front of the main train station. This decision could help to ensure that the planned greening of the European Platz may still be realized. This increases the hope that the place will not only be more pleasant for the passers -by, but can also serve as an upgraded urban meeting point.

Mobility in cities is currently more in focus than ever. Cities and municipalities play a crucial role as part of the mobility transition, which increasingly relies on new concepts and alternative means of transport. One does not aim at waiving, but on a varied use of transport offers. At the main train station, too, the reorganization of the traffic flows can contribute to the fact that more people switch to bus and train instead of using their car for the mostly short distances. Almost half of all trips to the Germans are covered by car. A clear potential to achieve effective improvements here!

The Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport (BMDV) supports projects that advance sustainable city and traffic planning, for example with the Innovation Initiative Mfund. Work in the context of such initiatives shows how important reliable data is to evaluate mobility in cities. In the course of such projects, such as the development project TwinCity3D, digital twins from cities should help to optimize the planning processes and to better monitor air quality and traffic flows.

The coming months will be decisive. Will the greening of the European platzes reality? And can the main train station become a model for a modern, green and mobile city? Time will show it.

For more information on developments related to the project, you will find more details on ARD Mediathek , Tagesspiegel and bmdv .