Construction work begins on the underground BBI station

Berlin Airports have tackled yet another key section of the Capital Airport BBI. Construction work on the structural framework of the six-platform BBI station, which is being built by Berlin Airports on behalf of Deutsche Bahn, has begun as planned. Dr. Rainer Schwarz, CEO of Berlin Airports on the start of construction: "Over the next few months, you will be able to see the underground station growing bit by bit."

The 405-metre-long and approx. 60-metre-wide BBI station, part of which will lie directly beneath the airport terminal, also forms the foundation for the passenger terminal yet to be built.

Construction work is currently focused on laying the foundations, which are being built using a so-called combined pile-raft foundation. Supporting the BBI station are around 236 concrete piles, which are piled up to 20 metres below the ground surface. Once the foundation work has been completed, work can begin on the actual concrete for the structural framework of the station. The first 185-metre-long section is scheduled for completion in mid 2008, thus clearing the way for the construction of the terminal building from mid 2008 onwards. The station's structural framework is scheduled for completion in early 2009.

Once the structural framework and the bordering tunnel have been completed, Deutsche Bahn will undertake all services related to linking the station and the tunnel via rail, such as expansion, the rail system and engineering equipment.

The concrete required for the work comes directly from BBI's own on-site concrete factory. Up to 10,000 cubic metres of concrete can be produced here per day. All aggregates are delieverd by rail in an environmentally friendly way and with a minimum of noise.