How to Get to Berlin

Short answer: fly into BER and take a train to the centre, or arrive by rail at Hauptbahnhof, which sits a short walk from the Reichstag. Either way you will be in the middle of town without a taxi.

By air

Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) lies south of the city, just beyond the boundary in Schönefeld. Tegel closed for good in 2020, so older guidebooks are wrong on this. The airport station sits under the terminals, with regional express trains, the Airport Express and S-Bahn lines S9 and S45 into the city. The airport lies in zone C, so you need an ABC ticket for the journey, as our getting around guide explains. Taxis and ride apps work too, but the train is simpler and rarely slower.

By train

Hauptbahnhof (Hbf), the main station, is a glass-and-steel hall with trains on an upper and a lower level, so check the platform number before you climb. Berlin is a hub for fast trains from Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich, Frankfurt and Cologne, with international services from Prague, Vienna, Warsaw and Amsterdam. Other long-distance trains stop at Ostbahnhof, Südkreuz and Spandau, so confirm which station your ticket names. From Hbf you can walk to the Reichstag and the Brandenburg Gate across the government quarter.

By bus and car

Long-distance coaches use the central bus station (ZOB) in Charlottenburg, near the Funkturm radio tower, with U-Bahn and S-Bahn connections to the centre. A car is a burden in Berlin. Parking is scarce, and the area inside the S-Bahn ring is a low-emission zone that requires an approved sticker. If you drive in, park at your hotel or at an outer station and ride the rail network.

Arriving practicalities

Buy your first ticket before boarding, validate it if it is a paper one, and keep it until you leave the station. Hauptbahnhof has luggage lockers if your hotel check-in is hours away. Pick a hotel near a strong S-Bahn or U-Bahn stop, and our where to stay guide compares the areas.