Category: Politics/Operations
Statement: War and Division Tariff, Border, Simple System/Mass Transit
Accompanying Items: Ticket Machines, Ticket Punches
The fare system of the Berlin S-Bahn could fill an entire book, having evolved and changed many times over the decades. However, one aspect remained largely consistent from 1944 to 1991: the distance-based fare system with price levels. These two tickets symbolize a unique aspect of this history: while the standard print colour for ticket text was black, the fare system adapted to the divided city with two different currencies—initially Deutsche Mark (West) and Deutsche Mark (East). After the division of Berlin in 1948/49 and the establishment of two German states, the Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR) introduced a simple distinction: tickets issued in West Berlin were printed in red ink, while those in East Berlin remained black. This change persisted until the S-Bahn was transferred to the Berlin Senate on January 8/9, 1984. Despite the political divide, both ticket types remained valid across the Berlin S-Bahn network. Ironically, in this case, West Berlin was "red."