Berlin Transport Infrastructure

Airports

Berlin boasts of three airports:

Tegel - the largest of the 3 is about 7 km from the city centre. Buses run from 5 am to midnight into the city centre and taxis are in abundance.

Schönefeld - situated on the South East of the city, Schönefeld is to being upgraded to replace the existing 3 airport structure into just one main one - the Berlin Brandenburg International airport in 2011. It is currently servicing lots of the budget flights. The train station is an easy 5 minute walk and a 25 minute journey into the city. Again taxis are available.

Tempelhof - was closed in 2008

Public Transport

Public transport is all operated by BVG and all forms of public transport are well integrated, efficient and inexpensive. The signs are all easy to follow and tickets are easy to purchase from machines at stations and drivers. A useful tip is to remember to validate them when getting on public transport by punching the ticket in the required machine.

The network is split into 3 zones A, B, C and priced accordingly. Various ‘offers’ are available to cut down on costs such as the daily ticket, the small group ticket, the welcome card (for visitors) and the city tour card. For longer stays a monthly ticket can be purchased.

U-Bahn - this forms the backbone of the public transport system and is both punctual and clean with ample space. It runs both under and over ground and services commence at 4 am and run until 12.30am. For party goers it runs all night on a Friday and Saturday.

S- Bahn - connects the city with the suburbs.

Buses - regular and frequent and stick to the timetables. In fact so efficient they offer a great way for the tourist to see the city.

Trams - mainly found towards the East of the city and offer a tranquil and comfortable means of transport.

Taxis

First of all they are plentiful and the cream colour makes it hard to miss them. They can be hailed as they cruise the city or booked in advance. A useful tip is to learn the phrase Kurzstrecke - this means short trip and secures a flat rate of €3 for up to 2 km. Drivers are generally chatty and worth asking for hints and tips as they know the city well.

Driving

Berlin is a city where there is no need for a car so if you wish to avoid the aggravation of the wrong side of the road (if from UK) and difficulty in parking, don’t be worried about the public transport option. As with any capital expect traffic jams especially around rush hours.

Car rental agencies are plentiful and securing a vehicle is easy enough. Typically you will need a valid driver’s license, passport and credit card. Some will however only rent cars to drivers over 21.

Velo taxis

A great experience available in the city centre between April and October - see Berlin in a bicycle rickshaw.

Bicycle

Berlin has an extensive network of bicycle paths and routes meaning it is a safe and quick way around the city. Bikes can be taken on the U bahn and S bahn (by purchasing a Fahrrad Ticket) and for those enthusiasts make a great way to see the city.

On foot

Rewarding but exhausting - it’s a great way to take in the sights and Berlin is a safe city. A walk along the Ku’damm and Unter den Linden is particularly rewarding.

Tours

There are a number of tours on offer and its worth popping into the local tourism office as these can be a great way to see the sights and ensure you do not miss out on anything.

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