Arrival to Berlin, Germany
By plane
According to ETAIZHOU.INFO, Berlin’s only airport is Berlin Brandenburg Airport BER on the south-eastern outskirts of the city. Berlin Tegel TXL Airport in north-west Berlin ceased operations in 2020.
From BER airport to the city center
When you arrive at BER Airport, you have several options for getting into the city.
There are three terminals at BER . Terminals 1 and 2 were newly created when the airport was completed, Terminal 5 dates from the time of the former Berlin-Schoenefeld Airport, which is still used for passenger handling.
With the S-Bahn and the Airport Express
The train station “Flughafen BER – Terminal 1-2” is located directly below Terminal 1. From here you can take the S-Bahn and the Airport Express (FEX) as well as several regional trains to Berlin.
The Airport-Express FEX takes you to Berlin Central Station in about 30 minutes . On the way there, the FEX passes the Ostkreuz and Gesundbrunnen stations.
The regional trains RE7 and RB14 run hourly between 4:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. directly to the city center and stop at the Ostbahnhof, Alexanderplatz, Friedrichstraße, Hauptbahnhof, Zoologischer Garten and Charlottenburg stops. This is definitely the fastest option towards the middle .
If you are heading towards Potsdam, then we recommend the regional train RB22, which takes you to Potsdam every hour.
The S9 runs every 20 minutes , connecting the airport with the eastern and northern parts of the Berlin Ringbahn. After about 30 minutes you are z. B. at Ostkreuz, where you can change to other S-Bahn trains.
The S45 also runs every 20 minutes and connects the airport with the southern and western parts of the Ringbahn.
Note : The S-Bahn stops at the two stations “Terminal 1-2” and “Terminal 5”, the FEX and the regional trains only stop at “Terminal 1-2”.
By bus and subway
The X7 and X71 buses run right in front of both terminals and will take you to the Rudow underground station (U7) in just a few minutes. The connection can be worthwhile for you if you want to go to Neukölln, Kreuzberg or a place that is right next to a U7 train station.
There is also another express bus, the BER Airportshuttle Bus . Here you pay an additional surcharge for the express bus in addition to your normal public transport ticket.
Buy a ticket
In Terminal 1 of the airport you will find ticket machines on levels E0 and U2 . In Terminal 5, a ticket machine can be found in section L.
However, if several planes have just arrived at once, you might have to queue there in a long line. Also, don’t forget to stamp your ticket before departure . You will find the machines for this on the respective platform.
For all the options presented here, you need a single ticket for the ABC fare zone (EUR 3.80).
If you are taking the bus, you can easily buy your ticket from the bus driver.
By train
Traveling by Deutsche Bahn is often worthwhile. Most of the time you arrive at the Berlin Central Station and can change there to the S-Bahn. Many trains also stop either at Südkreuz and Gesundbrunnen or at Ostbahnhof.
Click here to find a cheap train ticket to Berlin .
By car
Parking spaces in Berlin are either scarce or very expensive. You also need good nerves for city traffic.
If you come by car, you should find out beforehand where you can park or whether your hotel offers parking spaces.
Frequently asked questions about Berlin
When is the best time to travel to Berlin?
Berlin is always possible! There is also no real off-season anymore, where maybe there is less going on. You can have a great time in Berlin at any time of the year and there is always a lot going on.
In spring, Berliners are drawn to the cafés and restaurants.
In the summer, all of Berlin is outside. Open-air cinemas are opening up everywhere, the parks are getting fuller, and there is always something going on at the markets.
In autumn, the operas, theaters and stages return from the summer break, and there are many exhibitions and events. It will also be colourful, e.g. B. at the Festival of Lights.
In December it gets Christmassy at over 60 different Christmas markets. In the cooler winter months you can go shopping or relax in wellness oases.
How many days do you have to plan for Berlin?
A weekend in Berlin is always a good start to get to know the start. As is so often the case, when you have more time, you can explore a city in a more relaxed manner and immerse yourself even more in city life.
It is best to plan a long weekend and maybe even stay until the beginning of the week, then the return journey is usually cheaper and you have more time to explore Berlin.
Is it safe in Berlin?
Berlin is generally a very safe city. Of course, there are always media-related incidents.
However, you should consider the following when traveling to Berlin:
As in any city, you should watch your valuables and maybe not walk alone through any unlit parks in Berlin in the middle of the night.
Alexanderplatz and especially the square around the TV tower is not that cozy late at night and there are a lot of questionable characters hanging around. There is a police station here, but it might be better to walk around it.
