Find cheap flights to Berlin

Berlin boasts grand avenues, pedestrian-only streets, lush parks, beautiful squares, and riverside and canalside promenades. You can and should explore and enjoy it on foot, although it’s much too large to be entirely walkable. It can be complicated traveling between Berlin’s Eastern and Western neighborhoods, but with the completion of the Ringbahn in 2002, East and West Berlin transport systems were knit back together. The various modes of transport run on frequent intervals and you can trust the timetables, which makes getting around Berlin easier.

Public Transportation

Berlin is vast, but well serviced by public transportation systems that include buses, the S-Bahn (elevated train) and the U-Bahn (underground train). Between these, you can get anywhere you need to go. Fares are charged by zone, ranging from €2.60 EUR – €3.20 EUR, and tickets are valid for 2 hours from purchase time, for as many transfers as you wish within the zone. You may purchase tickets at various retail outlets as well as at the stations. You can also buy a day pass for a cost of between €6.70 EUR – €7.20 EUR, depending on the number of zones you want. You can further save on transportation and sightseeing with a Berlin WelcomeCard; a 48-hour, 72-hour, or a 5-day pass costs €19.00 EUR, 25.00 EUR, or €32.00 EUR.

Taxis

You may hail a taxi on the street, or find them outside of hotels and other public venues. Fares are metered, with a minimum charge of €3.20 EUR, plus €1.65 EUR per kilometer. If you’re traveling less than 2 kilometers and flag down the cab, ask for the Kurzstreckentarif (short-route fare.

US citizens traveling to Berlin do not require a visa for stays up to 90 days. A valid passport is required. Foreign nationals traveling from the USA to Berlin must check the Schengen Visa Info website.

Things to do and places of interest in Berlin

Berlin boasts a dizzying mix of old and new, its rich history juxtaposed against the avant-garde, with a bit of a cheeky attitude. Berlin is widely regarded as Europe’s coolest city. Here are a few suggestions for your Berlin itinerary.

• Visit Checkpoint Charlie, an infamous part of the Berlin Wall, steeped in fascinating and disturbing history, as the most famous crossing point between East and West Germany.
• Spend some time at the Holocause Memorial, a sombre place designed by architect Peter Eisenmann and opened in 2005, to memorialize murdered Jewish people.
• See the iconic Brandenburg Gate, Berlin’s only surviving historical city gate, which once symbolised Berlin’s division into East and West, and now serves as a symbol of reunification.
• Another famous Berlin landmark, the Reichstag, is a must-see. The seat of the German Parliament may be toured, but is often horrendously busy, so book your tour ahead of time.
• Visit the Unesco Heritage site, Museum Island, with five conveniently adjacent museums, all located on an easily accessible “island” along the river Spree.
• For a change of pace, visit the Ballhaus Berlin, an old fashioned dance hall where nostalgia meets modern technology, with events such as tango nights, swing evenings, hit parties, burlesque adventures, and soul and funk dance nights.
• Stroll along Prenzlauer Berg’s Mauerpark (open daily from 8am-sunset) where on Sundays, you’ll find a giant flea market.

Tips and tricks for visiting Berlin

Berlin is quite safe, but you should be on guard against pickpockets. Keep your valuables close, especially when traveling on crowded public transport.

Tipping in Berlin – gratuities and VAT are already included in your bill, so it’s not necessary to tip. However, if your service was exemplary, a little extra is always appreciated.