Berlin S-Bahn: shock, horror!

The very day I wrote my first post, commending German public transport, Berlin's S-Bahn system went almost right off the rails.

According to the BVG, the S-Bahn service in Berlin is "limited", due to technical difficulties and "extensive special maintenance problems".

Grumblings around here blame "greedy private operators" for their unwillingness to dent their profits by paying for required safety checks and maintenance programs, until investigation of an S-Bahn accident lifted the lid on the neglect.

While it's unbelievable that in Berlin, the S-Bahn system is not expected to be running as normal until December (5 months away!!!), there are alternative ways of getting around. It may take longer, and it may require more planning, but it's still possible to get from A to B (even if some trips have become simply too inconvenient to bother making).

The "disgruntled passenger" in this Time article, who described the transport chaos as like "being in the Third World", should really try travelling by public transport outside Germany. Many developed nations' public transport systems are still worse than what's currently on offer in Berlin. And in the developing world... well, let's just say that "disgruntled passenger" would get a serious shock.