Arriving by Air

Berlin is served by two international airports, Tegel and Schönefeld. A new regional hub, Berlin-Brandenburg Airport (BER, or Willy-Brandt-Flughafen), is to be opened in late 2020 to replace them.

Tegel Airport (TXL), about 8 km (5 miles) northwest of the city centre, has excellent public transport links into town. Buses 109 and 128, and the express buses X9 and TXL (both of which stop right outside the terminal) connect to convenient S- and U-Bahn stops, and to the Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Berlin Central) and Zoologischer Garten stations, taking about 20 minutes.

Schönefeld Airport (SXF) is about 18 km (11 miles) southeast of the centre. The fastest way to get there and away is the S-Bahn commuter train or Deutsche Bahn’s RB14 and RE7 Airport Express trains, which whisk you to Berlin Hauptbahnhof in around 30 minutes. City buses link the airport to the U-Bahn network.

Arriving by Rail

The city’s gleaming new main station, Berlin Hauptbahnhof, is centrally located and close to the government district. All long-distance trains arrive and depart from here. Other key stations include Gesundbrunnen on the northern side of town, Zoologischer Garten in the west, Ostbahnhof in the east and Südkreuz in the south. The stations connect seamlessly to the S- and U-Bahn and city bus networks.

The national railway, Deutsche Bahn (DB), often gives steep online discounts on regular fares. Buy train tickets in advance, as onboard fares are more expensive. DB’s high-speed ICE trains link Berlin to Hamburg (2.5 hrs), Munich (6.5 hrs) and Frankfurt (4.25 hrs). Private rail Harz-Elbe Express (HEX) has cheap fares for journeys to Magdeburg and Harz Mountains ski resorts.

Arriving by Road

The central coach station, named Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof (ZOB), is near Charlottenburg’s Funkturm and offers good-value links from all major German and European cities. The ZOB website lists daily departures and arrivals as well as coach lines, which include Eurolines, FlixBus and Berlinienbus. Seats fill up fast during the summer and holiday seasons, so book early.

When driving to Berlin, you will arrive through the Berliner Stadtring, the orbital motorway which goes around the city. From the south you come in on the A115 (the Avus Autobahn). From the north you arrive on the A111 via Stolpe in the direction of Autobahndreieck Funkturm. The speed limit on the Stadtring is generally 100 kmh (62.5 mph), and on urban motorways around 80–100 kmh (50–62.5 mph). Drivers should be aware there are frequent radar checks.

Travelling by Underground

The transport network is run by the Berliner Verkehrsgesellschaft (BVG) and Deutsche Bahn. BVG tickets are transferable between all modes of public transport in Berlin.

The Berlin U-Bahn, or underground railway, has one of Europe’s largest networks and provides a fast, convenient means of getting around the city. There are 10 U-Bahn lines, each identifiable by number and colour. The U-Bahn runs from 5am to 1am; at weekends most lines run throughout the night. The station indicated on the platform is the train’s final destination.

The Stadtbahn or S-Bahn (city commuter railway) has 15 lines connecting the centre with the suburbs. They run every 5 to 20 minutes. Many lines share tracks so you need to pay attention to indicator boards.

Berlin is divided into three fare zones: A, B and C. Most destinations are covered by an AB ticket, available from BVG ticket machines. For most visitors, the best value is an AB day ticket at €7, valid until 3am the following day. A single AB journey costs €2.80 and is valid for two hours in one direction. A Kurzstrecke (short distance ticket) is valid for up to three S- or U-Bahn stations or six bus stops, and costs €1.70. Children under 14 years pay a reduced rate; those under six travel free.

Travelling by Bus and Tram

Buses and trams are also operated by BVG. Berlin has a dense bus network. All lines have three-digit numbers except for express services, which are preceded by “X”. Buses and trams marked “M” go to areas that have no direct S- or U-Bahn links. Board via the front door (unless you have a buggy, in which case the back door will be opened) and present your ticket or fare money to the driver. Trams operate only in the eastern part of the city.

Tickets for buses and S- and U-Bahn trains are available at stations and from bus drivers. Trams and some buses have onboard ticket machines. At the station, you must validate your ticket in the red or yellow machine before boarding; on the bus, find the yellow validation machine after you board.

Travelling by Car

All of Berlin inside the S-Bahn ring is a green zone, which means that only vehicles bearing a special environmental badge are allowed in. Order these in advance through Green Zones, which processes 24-hour rush orders for an extra fee. Drivers without this badge face a €40 fine.

To hire a car you’ll need a valid full driving licence, passport and credit card; some agencies will only accept customers over 21 years. There are rental agencies at the airports and across central Berlin. Search websites such as billiger-mietwagen.de help find the best deals.

Travelling by Taxi

There are taxi stands all over Berlin, and you can also hail a taxi in the street. Taxis from companies such as Würfelfunk, City Funk, Taxi Berlin and Talixo can also be booked on the phone or online. The starting price is €3.90, and a further €1.50–2 is charged per kilometre (0.6 mile). If you hail a taxi, you can travel up to 2 km (1 mile) for €5 but you must ask at the start for the Kurzstrecke (short distance tariff).

The Velotaxi (bicycle rickshaws) is an unusual way to explore the city. These can be found in the city centre at several popular visitor locations from April to October.

Travelling by Bicycle

Berlin is a bicycle-friendly city and has an extensive network of cycle lanes, although most run directly along the street. The red-and-silver bikes of DB’s Call a Bike scheme are found across the city. You have to pre-register and provide credit card details. The website is only in German, but the phone hotline usually has someone who can speak English. There are bike hire places all over town, and hotels and hostels often rent cycles to their guests for €5–10 per day.