Travel to and around Berlin

How to get to Berlin

By train

There are direct daytime international services to Berlin from Amsterdam, Prague, Bratislava, Budapest, Vienna, Basel, Berne, Interlaken, Poznan, Gdansk and Warsaw. Additional destinations served by overnight trains include Minsk, Moscow, Paris and Zurich. This excellent range of international links is complemented by hourly departures from principal cities across Germany such as Cologne, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Leipzig and Munich. A new high-speed line to Bavaria opened in December 2017, so the very fastest trains from Munich now take just four hours to Berlin.

By plane

Berlin Brandenburg Airport, Willy Brandt, is located at a 27-km distance from Berlin city center, in the state of Brandenburg. For the time being, the new German airport has three terminals and two runways.

75 airlines are connecting Berlin's international airport with 173 destinations in 50 countries.

An urban motorway close to the centrally located exhibition grounds Berlin ExpoCenter City provides a direct link to Berlin's international airport.

By car

It is very easy to travel to Berlin by car. The city is very well connected to various motorways, and many major avenues lead into the city centre. Please note that a vignette is required to drive in the green zone of Berlin's city centre.

Berlin’s Environmental Zone

Please note that you need an environmental badge for you car because the centre of Berlin is a environmental zone. Berlin’s city centre has had a designated environmental zone in which only vehicles that meet certain emission standards are allowed to be driven. Vehicles that are used in the environmental zone must have a sticker that identifies its pollutant group.

Travelling by car through the Eurotunnel

The quickest way to reach Berlin by car from England is through the Eurotunnel. The railway tunnel under the English Channel connects France and England and is easy to reach by motorway. You will drive into Berlin via the A2/E30 motorways and the A10. Take exit 19-Potsdam in the direction of Berlin-Zentrum and continue on the A10 until you reach the Nuthetal motorway junction. Take exit 16 here and then take the A115 towards Berlin-Zentrum, Berlin-Zehlendorf.

If you want to go to the trade fair or Kurfürstendamm, continue on the A100 towards Hamburg/Wedding at the Funkturm motorway junction. You should allow at least 13 to 14 hours for the entire journey.

How to get to Berlin city centre

Adequate private and public transfer options serve the new BER Airport, providing passengers with a variety of choices in transfers. Airport taxis, fast trains, and numerous bus lines are at your disposal at Berlin Airport. Private transfer companies, airport car rentals, and the famous Berlin car sharing are also alternatives that you should take into consideration.

The single ticket from Berlin Airport to Berlin city center costs 3.80€ , as BER Airport is in the Berlin C Zone. Hence, an ABC ticket is required. Tickets are available through the airport’s vending machines, online, and from the driver inside the bus (but only in cash).

By bus

The new Berlin Airport has efficient bus transport links to Berlin city. The bus stop is to be found at the Arrivals level of T1, serving passengers from terminals 1 and 2. The fastest way to reach your destination in Berlin city center is the new Airport Express Bus X7 that heads to U-Rudow Station every 5 minutes. From there, the U-Bahn Metro Line 7 will transfer you to U-Hermannplatz, where you’ll have to hop on U8 to Alexanderplatz.

With an 18-minute traveling time from T1 to U-Rudow (8 minutes from T5), an 18-minute journey from there to U-Hermannplatz, and another 10 minutes to Alexanderplatz, you can get to Berlin in about 45-55 minutes. Alternatively, the Bus Line X71 also reaches U-Rudow Station but departs every 20 minutes.

On the other hand, if you are a late-night traveler, the Night Bus Line N7 will get you to U-Hermannplatz in about 42 minutes, with routes every 30 minutes. From there, you can take the U8 to Alexanderplatz. 

By train

Berlin airport trains are the fastest and most popular transportation mode to Berlin city center. Passengers arriving at terminals 1 and 2 will find the railway station under terminal building 1 at the U2 level, whereas terminal 5 railway station is accessible via a covered corridor. Both train stations are located at a 10-minute walking distance from the respective Arrivals areas. However, regional trains stop only at the T1 railway station while S-Bahn trains serve both τerminals.

The regional airport Εxpress Τrain FEX links the airport to Berlin Central Station in only 30 minutes, departing from terminal 1 railway station every half an hour. Furthermore, the Regional Trains RE7 and RB14 also head to Berlin city center. Nevertheless, they are less frequent, passing once every hour. Likewise, the S-Bahn Train S9 connects the new airport to Berlin downtown, reaching the Hauptbahnhof in 50 minutes. The Local Train S9 departs from both terminals (1 and 5) every 20 minutes.

By taxi

Brandenburg Berlin airport taxis are a comfortable and hassle-free way to reach Berlin downtown. Not cheap but affordable, Berlin airport taxis provide value for money transfer services from BER Airport to Berlin city center. Available 24/7 at the airport, you can easily catch your taxi from the official airport taxi stand on the ground level of terminal building 1. There is no set fare for the journey. Thus, the taximeter forms the price. In any case, the usual tariff is about 49€ both day and night, while traveling time is around 45 minutes.