Getting around · Berlin · Germany
Getting around Berlin
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Berlin is big and spread out, but its integrated U-Bahn, S-Bahn, tram and bus network (BVG and S-Bahn Berlin) is fast and runs all night at weekends. Tickets are sold by zone: A and B cover the city, and zone C adds the airport and Potsdam. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Metro
- Airports
- BER
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Day and 7-day tickets
Ways to get around
Metro
U-Bahn lines cover the inner city and run all night on Friday and Saturday nights; during the week, night buses replace them.
Validate paper tickets in the machines on platforms before boarding; there are no barriers, but inspectors fine fare dodgers.
Train
S-Bahn lines, including the circular Ringbahn, cross the city overground and serve the airport and Potsdam.
Tram
Trams run mainly in the former East, linking Mitte with Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain.
Bus
Double-decker bus 100 runs past many landmarks between Zoologischer Garten and Alexanderplatz, a cheap alternative to a sightseeing tour.
Cycling
Berlin is flat and has many cycle lanes; bike-share schemes and rental shops are everywhere.
Watch for tram tracks and keep to cycle lanes; police fine cyclists on pavements.
Walking
Mitte's main sights are walkable, but distances between districts are large, so combine walking with public transport.
Tickets and passes
Day and 7-day tickets
Unlimited travel in zones AB (or ABC) for a day or a week on U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses.
Berlin WelcomeCard
Public transport for 2 to 6 days combined with discounts at many sights; a version includes Museum Island entry.
Deutschlandticket
A monthly subscription valid on local and regional transport across Germany, useful for longer stays and day trips.
From the airport
Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) is about 20 km south-east of the centre, in fare zone C. The FEX Airport Express and regional trains reach the Hauptbahnhof in about 30 minutes, and S-Bahn lines run to Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg and the Ringbahn. Taxis take about 35–50 minutes to the centre depending on traffic.
Do you need a car?
No. Public transport is excellent and parking is scarce; a car is only useful for exploring rural Brandenburg.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Potsdam | About 25–40 minutes by train | Regional train or S7 S-Bahn to Potsdam Hauptbahnhof |
| Sachsenhausen Memorial | About 45 minutes by train, then a 20-minute walk | S1 S-Bahn or regional train to Oranienburg |
| Spreewald | About 1 hour by regional train | Regional train to Lübbenau |
| Wannsee and Peacock Island | About 40 minutes by S-Bahn | S1 or S7 S-Bahn to Wannsee, then bus and a small ferry |
| Dresden | About 2 hours by train | EuroCity or Intercity train from Hauptbahnhof |
| Leipzig | About 1 hour 15 minutes by ICE | ICE train from Hauptbahnhof |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Berlin?
No. Public transport is excellent and parking is scarce; a car is only useful for exploring rural Brandenburg.
+How do you get from the airport to Berlin?
Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) is about 20 km south-east of the centre, in fare zone C. The FEX Airport Express and regional trains reach the Hauptbahnhof in about 30 minutes, and S-Bahn lines run to Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg and the Ringbahn. Taxis take about 35–50 minutes to the centre depending on traffic.
+What is the best way to get around Berlin?
Metro: U-Bahn lines cover the inner city and run all night on Friday and Saturday nights; during the week, night buses replace them.