U8 (Berlin U-Bahn)
The U8 is a north–south line of Berlin’s subway system. It runs from Wittenau in the north to Neukölln in the south, passing through Gesundbrunnen, with 24 stations over about 18 kilometers. It’s shown in dark blue on maps and is operated by Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG). The trains use standard-gauge track and 750-volt DC third-rail power.
History in brief: The line began as the GN-Bahn, a planned north–south route first proposed in the early 1900s and originally meant to be a monorail. Construction started in 1912, but progress was slow due to war and money problems. The line opened in 1927 between Boddinstraße and Schönleinstraße and was expanded over the years, eventually linking with other lines and creating a major transfer hub at Alexanderplatz. After Berlin was divided in 1961, several U8 stations in East Berlin were closed to passengers (ghost stations) and the line’s usefulness declined until reunification. The line was extended again in the 1970s–1990s, reaching Osloer Straße, Paracelsus-Bad, and finally Wittenau in 1996.
Today: U8 trains run roughly every five minutes, though on the stretch between Paracelsus-Bad and Wittenau the interval is about ten minutes. Night service has operated on weekends since 2003, with the N8 bus supplementing at other times. The line uses F74/76/79 rolling stock and features station designs by architect Rainer Rümmler in its newer sections.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 05:10 (CET).