Need To Know

Welcome to Berlin!

This city is the perfect mix of old and new, of trendy and low-key, of posh and underground. Anyone who visits this city finds something according to their interest so I promise you, you won't get bored!

There are different ways to move around Berlin:

The cheapest way: Public Transport

Public Transport is one of the best ways to move around the city, it has buses, trams, U-Bahn (subway), S-Bahn (train) and regional trains. The price of the tickets depend on the time and areas you'll be using the transport for. The zones are: AB for the city center that include the S-Bahn ring, BC outside of the S-Bahn ring and other neighbourhoods and ABC all of Berlin including Schöenfeld airport and Potsdam. A single ticket valid for 2 hours go from 2.80 € to 3.40 € depending on the zone. There's also the option of a daily ticket for 7 € or 7.70 € and a weekly ticket for 30 € or 37.50 €.

The most important thing about public transport: ALWAYS validate your ticket before getting on or as soon as you get on so as not to get a fine of 60 euros. Public Transport is included in the Berlin WelcomeCard choosing either AB or ABC zones and you can also choose to include it in the Berlin Pass.

The most comfy and Panoramic way: Hop on Hop off Buses

- Best of Berlin buses: you can choose between 24, 48 and 72 hour tickets and two different lines, the yellow and purple ones, that include different attractions. The price goes from € 18 per person. You can check more details and buy tickets through this link.

- Red Buses: you can choose between 24 and 48 hours tickets, which include stops in 18 different locations, such as Brandenburg Gate, Potsdamer Platz and Checkpoint Charlie. The price goes from € 20 per person. You can check more details and buy tickets through this link.

Food is usually served early, between 12:00 and 14:00 at lunch and 18:00 at dinner. Many kitchens close at 22:00 or 23:00, but you'll definitely find something open at anytime. 

Shops tend to open at 10:00 and close around 20:00 and 21:00 at night.

Contrary to popular belief, many Germans don't speak much English, so you may find it a little bit hard to communicate sometimes. However, in most touristic places they definitely will. Here are some words and their meaning if you want to try some of them:

Ja -- Yes

Nein -- No

Bitte -- Please

Danke -- Thanks

Danke schön -- Thank you very much

Hallo -- Hello

Guten Morgen -- Good Morning

Gute Nacht -- Good Night

Eingang -- Entrance

Ausgang -- Exit

Berlin is a pretty safe city, you have to be careful as in every other big city. I recommend to always be aware of your stuff in crowded places.

There are different ways to get to the city center from Schöenfeld airport, and the best are:

The cheapest way: Public Transport.

Regional trains RE7 and RB14, known as Airport Express, get to Berlin Hauptbahnhof in 30 min. They have different stops, like Berlin Ostbhanhof, Alexanderplatz and Berlin Zoologischer Garten. Lines S9 and S45 from the S-Bahn gets there too, but you have to change in Ostkreuz and Südkreuz respectively. Single tickets cost € 3.40. Remember to validate the ticket before getting on the trains! These lines are included in the Berlin WelcomeCard choosing ABC zones.

The comfortable door-to-door option: Private Transfer

With this service your driver will be waiting for you at the arrival hall and you'll avoid long queues for a taxi. The price is €63 per group up to 3 people and it takes approx. 45 min. to get to destination. You can book a transfer in this link.

The other door to door option: Taxi.

It usually costs between €45 -50 and it takes around 30 min. to get to the city center.

There are different ways to get to the city center from Tegel airport, and the best are:

The cheapest way: Public Transport.

The bus is the best option. The Express Bus TXL runs every 10 min. directed to Alexanderplatz en Mitte and gets there in 40 min. It has other stops, like Berlin Hauptbahnhof where you can change to S-Bahn and U-Bahn. Express Buses X9 and 109 go to Berlin Zoologisher Garten train station. Single tickets cost € 2.80 and you can buy them in machines in the terminals. Remember to validate the ticket before getting on! This lines are included in the Berlin WelcomeCard.

The comfortable door-to-door option: Private Transfer

With this service your driver will also be waiting for you at the arrival hall and you'll avoid long queues for a taxi. The price is €34 per group up to 3 people and it takes approx. 30 min. to get to destination. You can book a transfer in this link.

The other door to door option: Taxi.

It usually costs between €25 -30 and it takes around 15 min. to get to the city center.

There are some passes that will make your visit easier:

- Berlin WelcomeCard: This card can be bought for 48-hours, 72-hours, 4-days, 5-days, or 6-days. With it, you'll get to ride unlimited public transport in the AB (including Tegel airport) or ABC zones (including Tegel and Schönefeld airports and Potsdam), you'll receive discounts on city tours, entrance to attractions, museums, restaurants and others, like the AquaDom & Sealife Berlin, Madame Tussauds and the TV Tower. The price goes from € 20 per person. You can check more details and buy it through this link.

- Berlin Pass: this pass can be bought for 2 or 3 days. It includes entrance to over 60 attractions, such as Berliner Dom, Pergamon Museum and LEGOLAND, a Hop on Hop off Bus Tour and it can include public transport if chosen. The price goes from € 99 per person. You can check more details and buy it through this link.