Nearly 600 S-Bahn (suburban train) arches shape the cityscape in four different districts of Berlin. With their bowmauers and the old brick walls, they give the streets a special flair. The arches are numbered, similar to house numbers, starting at the Schlesischer Railway Station to Savignyplatz Station, just in front of Bleibtreustraße. Some of these arches can also be found in Berlin Mitte, more precisely on Dircksenstraße – directly opposite the ALEXA. Restaurants, grocery stores and other stores are located here.
History of the S-Bahn arches
The S-Bahn arches in Berlin have a long history. They run along the Berlin S-Bahn, which was built in the 19th century. The first lines were opened in 1924. The first regular line with an electrified railway in Berlin was the one from Stettiner suburban station to Bernau. Formerly, the S-Bahn arches were mainly used for storage and garage use and are now listed as monuments. They are over a total of 12 km long and go through the districts of Friedrichshain, Mitte, Tiergarten and Charlottenburg. Because of their special charm, the use of the arches has changed nowadays. Many restaurants, small cafes, museums and retailers have settled in Berlin’s nearly 600 arches.
The shops on Dircksenstraße
Dircksenstraße is located right next to Alexanderplatz. Through the main entrance Grunerstraße you enter the ALEXA and you will be guided outside past the MediaMarkt on the right side: There you can cross the road and reach the shops in the S-Bahn arches. The characteristic arches are already visible from afar.
In the S-Bahn arches at Alexanderplatz you will find some of our stores:
Dalink Stoffe
Fabrics and more – that’s Dalink Stoffe. At Dalink Fabrics you get everything you need for sewing, friendly advice and various African and South American products.
Asia Markt
The large Asia Markt on Dircksenstrasse, is located directly opposite the ALEXA and fills three arches of the S-Bahn. Here you will find a large selection of Asian products.
Mammut Store
On 190sqm in the S-Bahn arches, outdoor fans are in heaven. In the Mammut Store you will find everything from trekking equipment to hiking boots and more.
AmericanFood4you
You are dreaming about American candy? Then AmericanFood4you is your store! There you can browse through the sweets and drinks, straight from the USA.
Kochbox
Kochbox is the cooking school of the TV and show chefs Dirk Müller and Heiko Schulz. Here food creations are created on the go. Kochbox offers first-class catering, cooking classes and cooking events directly in the S-Bahn Arches of Berlin.
Indian Village
Fancy authentic Indian food? Indian Village offers Indian curries and more from different regions of India. Enjoy!
Viet Street
You can enjoy the best Asian cuisine at the chefs of Viet Street. Whether it’s a business lunch or a romantic dinner – Viet Street is the perfect location to have a delicious meal.
Yakuza
You’re into fancy, rocky clothes? Then stop by the Yakuza Shop in the S-Bahn arches.
Jet Foto
Jet Foto is your contact for photo and film in the S-Bahn arches. Whether you need a passport photo or event photography – Jet photo is on the spot.
Classic Tattoo
The wide selection of stores in the S-Bahn arches offers also a tattoo studio. At Classic Tattoo, you can get your favourite design under your skin.
If you are lost, you can find the stores on our center map.
Before visiting: collect discounts!
Are you planning a visit the ALEXA and the S-Bahn-Bögen Berlin Mitte? Then you should definitely take a look at our promotions and our VIP-Shopping Booklet beforehand. There, we have listed great offers and discounts for different stores. The VIP-Shopping Booklet is available online and offline. You can pick up your offline version, the VIP Paper Booklet, for free at our customer information. The online booklet with all vouchers can be found on the website.
We wish you a great time shopping!