I live in Berlin and I recognise the Ringbahn as a place of daily crossings and small histories. From 28 August to 20 September 2026, the circle becomes a stage.
What it is
What If Berlin is a programme of six themed guided tours that use the S41 and S42 to present 27 unrealised architectural, cultural and urban proposals at Ringbahn stations. The S‑Bahn operator describes the project as turning the Ringbahn into a stage for "forgotten future visions" (S‑Bahn Berlin).
Who and where
The series is curated by Japanese artist Akira Takayama and presented by the Berliner Festspiele as part of their 75th anniversary programme (Berliner Festspiele; press release).
Tours start at one of three Ring stations (S‑Bahnhof Gesundbrunnen, S‑Bahnhof Sonnenallee or S‑Bahnhof Hohenzollerndamm) and move along the S41/S42. The S‑Bahn site lists the six tour routes, start and end stations and practical details (S‑Bahn Berlin).
Why it matters
The project collects items from the Festspiele archives and from architects’ and institutions’ records. It makes visible projects that once aimed to reshape the city. The format asks people to remember and to choose: after a tour, attendees can vote online for up to three of the 27 visions to register renewed public interest (nachtkritik).
“In their 75th anniversary year, the Berliner Festspiele will not only examine how their development has been filled with tradition and transformation and their enduring connections with post‑war history in Germany and Europe, but they will also look forward and consider the radical cultural and geopolitical shifts of the present day.” — Matthias Pees, quoted in the Berliner Festspiele press release (Berliner Festspiele).
Practical note: tickets are listed at €12 on the S‑Bahn/Festspiele pages. The short tours run for about two hours and move by train between stops (S‑Bahn Berlin; nachtkritik).
If you want the full list of the 27 visions or the detailed timetable, the Berliner Festspiele and S‑Bahn pages carry the official programme and ticket links.
