Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) has commenced construction on a new electric bus depot in Säntisstraße, the first such facility to be built in Berlin in more than six decades.
Scheduled for completion in 2027, the depot will accommodate around 220 battery-electric buses and will be equipped with charging technology, IT connectivity, and a maintenance workshop.
The facility will include two workshop halls, an administration building, loading bridges, and dedicated high-power chargers for faster turnaround. Buses will be charged automatically via roof-mounted pantographs.
The site will also provide parking for staff in an underground garage and serve as a workplace for around 180 employees.
Ute Bonde, Senator for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment said:This depot represents the future in its purest form. The first new depot in over 60 years is being built here. Upon completion in 2027, this depot will be the base station for around 220 electric buses, featuring modern charging technology, IT connectivity, and a depot workshop. Together with other e-bus depots on Köpenicker Landstraße and Rummelsburger Landstraße, the State of Berlin and the BVG are setting standards in the transition to emission-free mobility.
For the first time in the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) network, the depot will use an automated management system to coordinate vehicle deployment, parking, charging, and maintenance schedules. The design incorporates fire safety measures and infrastructure intended to maintain reliable operations.
According to BVG, the depot will form part of a wider network that includes other electric bus facilities on Köpenicker Landstraße and Rummelsburger Landstraße. With approximately 280 electric buses already in service, the operator expects to have around 500 by 2027 (about one-third of its fleet of 1,500 vehicles) and aims to transition to an entirely emission-free fleet in the early 2030s.
Alongside depot construction, BVG is expanding charging infrastructure across the city, with plans for installations at up to 36 terminal stops.
Henrik Falk, CEO of BVG said:This depot is a milestone on the path to securing our connection to the future. We are finally creating the infrastructure for stable mobility, clean air, and modern workplaces that Berlin deserves. Our seventh bus depot will be an important pillar for stability in the bus system and impressively demonstrate what half a century of technological innovations has brought. It will redefine the benchmark for future projects.
