Berlin Budget Travel Guide is created to provide useful information to travelers and visitors to Berlin who are on a limited budget. As far as possible, I provide recommendation on how to visit all the important sights in Berlin using public transportation such as the subway and trams. Only when these prove impractical do I recommend using taxi or even rented car.
About Berlin
Berlin is the capital as well as the largest city in Germany. The city is also regarded as one of the sixteen federal states (Bundesländer) of Germany. It has a population of 3.4 million within its city limits, making it Germany's largest city as well as the second most populous city within the eighth most populous urban area in the European Union.
Berlin is located in northeastern Germany, at the center of the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan area, which has a population of 5 million people.
Berlin is believed to have been founded some time around the thirteenth century. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia (1701-1918), the German Empire (1871-1918), the Weimar Republic (1919-1933) and the Third Reich (1933-1945). After World War II, the city was divided; East Berlin became the capital of East Germany while West Berlin became a Western exclave, surrounded by the Berlin Wall from 1961-1989).
Following German reunification in 1990, the city regained its status as the capital of Federal Republic of Germany.
Berlin is home to world-renowned universities, research institutes, sporting events, orchestras, museums and personalities. Berlin's urban landscape and historical legacy has made it a popular setting for international film productions.
Berlin is recognized for its festivals, diverse architecture, nightlife, contemporary arts and a high quality of living. Berlin has evolved into a global focal point for young individuals and artists attracted by a liberal lifestyle and modern zeitgeist.
Due to the Cold War, Berlin inherits two of everything, two international airport, two city centers, etc. The former East and West Berlins are even now slowly being integrated as one.
Budget Travel to Berlin
By Plane
Berlin has two airports, Tegel International Airport and Schönfeld Airport.
Tegel International Airport (ICAO: EDDT, IATA: TXL) is located in the north-west of the city it's the main airport for flag carriers (Lufthansa, BA, Air France-KLM, Delta etc) and hub for domestic flights as well. The original airport was designed as a hexagon but today two other terminals try to handle the flights of Air Berlin (most flights in Terminal C) and other budget carriers (mostly in terminal D). All flag carrier flights leave from the main terminal building A (Terminal B nowadays contains just the bus gates of Terminal A for Non-Schengen flights), and is also where all airlines lounges are.
Buses from Tegel International Airport operate to S+U Alexanderplatz, Hauptbahnhof (bus TXL), and S+U Zoologischer Garten (buses X9 and 109) for the standard ticket fare. Caution! Do not take any train to the "Tegel railway (S-Bahn) station", which is not connected to the airport, but rather to the suburban village called Tegel. It is not possible to walk or to otherwise get easily to the airport from that station. Tegel International Airport does not have any railway station. Any indication to a Tegel railway station refers to the remote S-Bahn station.
Schönefeld (ICAO: EDDB, IATA: SXF) The former East Berlin airport southeast of the city center is the base for most low-cost airlines (e.g. easyJet, Ryanair and Germanwings) and charter flights in addition to traffic from Eastern Europe.
The airport is served by the S-Bahn and regional trains. The S-bahn line S-9 will take you conveniently to (and through) the city centre via such major stations as S Ostbahnhof, S+U Alexanderplatz, S Hauptbahnhof and S+U Zoologischer Garten. The S-45 line runs between the Airport and S Hermannstrasse on the Ring line, but only on weekdays.
There are also less regular but faster regional trains that cost the same and stop at these major train stations too. In S-Bahn and regional trains between the airport (zone C) and the city (zone A,B), the public transport ticket (zones A,B,C for €2.80) can be used. Stamp the ticket to validate it before boarding.
The construction of the new Airport Berlin Brandenburg International (BBI) has started at Schönefeld and the new airport is scheduled for opening in autumn 2011. After the opening all air traffic in the Berlin-Brandenburg region will be bundled at BBI and the Tegel airport is going to be closed down.
There are numerous direct flight connections between Berlin and major German & European cities. For historical reasons intercontinental direct flights to Berlin were limited. The German flag carrier Lufthansa will mostly fly to its major hub airports Frankfurt and Munich and offer connecting flights to Berlin on a near hourly basis.
Delta and Continental Airlines have daily nonstop flights to Berlin from New York and Qatar Airways flies twice daily to Doha. Hainan Airlines flies (in code-share with Air Berlin) to Beijing and Air Berlin flies thrice weekly to Bangkok.
By Bus
Berlin is connected with over 350 destinations in Europe by bus. Due to a German law supporting the German national railway there is only one bus corporation connecting Berlin with these destinations. Long distance buses arrive at Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof (Central Bus Terminal) in Charlottenburg. From there take the S-Bahn (station Messe Nord) or bus into town.
By Train
Berlin is served by ICE, InterCity and EuroCity trains by the national German train corporation Deutsche Bahn (DB) which offers connections between Berlin and other German and major European cities. If you arrive in Berlin on a national (non-regional) DB trip, you are entitled to use your ticket in the whole local transport to your final destination within the city (Zone A).
Several night trains from/to Amsterdam, Paris, Zurich and Vienna (special offer for €29 in one direction) travel every day. They are popular with backpackers so reservations are recommended. Long-haul trains to Eastern European cities (Warsaw, Kaliningrad and Moscow) mostly use the Bahnhof Lichtenberg in Eastern Berlin. Make sure you have a reservation because these lines are also very popular.
By Car
All main roads and motorways join the Berliner Ring, or the A10, from which you can access the inner city. The city motorway is usually very crowded during rush hour.
As of January 1, 2008, Berlin requires all cars to have a "Low Emissions" sticker in order to enter the city center (Low Emmision Zone, "Umweltzone"). Information on obtaining a sticker (which must be done at least several weeks in advance) is available here.
Budget Tavel within Berlin
Berlin is a huge city. You can make use of the excellent bus, tram, train and underground services to get around. Taxi services are also easy to use and a bit less expensive than in many other big Central European cities. You can hail a cab (the yellow light on the top shows the cab is available), or find a taxi rank (Taxistand).
Taxi drivers are in general able to speak English. If you ask for a short trip (Kurzstrecke), as long as its under 2km and before the taxi driver starts the meter running, the trip normally is cheaper, 3,50 euros (as of apr2009). This only applies if you flag the taxi down on the street, not if you get in at a taxi rank.
Check the Berlin route planner (in English) to get excellent maps and schedules for the U-Bahn, buses, S-Bahn and trams, or to print your personal journey planner. The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) have a detailed fare list on their web site.
If you don't know how to get somewhere, or how to get home at night, call +49 30 19449, the Customer Service of the BVG. There are also facilities in most U-Bahn and some S-Bahn stations to contact the Customer Service directly. In 2005 the BVG introduced Metro lines (buses and tram) that run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All lines are marked with a big orange plate and a white M.
It's also worth noting that the house numbers do not necessarily run in one direction (up or down). On a lot of streets, the numbers ascend on one side and descend on the other. Especially on long streets check the numbering scheme first: you can find the name of the street and the numbers on that block at nearly every street corner.
Where to Stay
Use the Budget Accommodation Guide to look for affordable accommodation in hostels, guesthouses and inns in Berlin.
Brandenburg Gate
This magnificent Neoclassical structure is the quintessential symbol of Berlin.
Bebelplatz This is an area designed to mirror the grandeur of ancient Rome.
St-Hedwigs-Kathedrale This is the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Berlin.
Unter den Linden This is one of the most famous streets in Berlin.
Humboldt Universität A prestigious university in Berlin.
Neue Wache One of the finest Neo-Classical structure in Berlin.
Zeughaus This Baroque style arsenal today houses the German History Museum.
Friedrichswerdersche Kirche (Schinkel-Museum) Originally a church, this Neo-Gothic building is today the Nationalgalerie.
Französischer Dom French cathedral built for the Huguenot community.
Konzerthaus This magnificent Neo-Classical building is today the home of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra.
Deutscher Dom Cathedral of the German Protestant-Reformed Church.
Schlossbrücke One of the most beautiful bridges in Berlin.
Berliner Dom Cathedral with one of the largest crypts of its kind in Europe.
Museum Island Island in the tributaries of the Spree river that today houses an impressive collection of museums.
Altes Museum This museum building stands as one of the most beautiful Neo-Classical structures in the world.
Neues Museum Newly reconstructed museum on the Museum Island.
Alte Nationalgalerie Museum showcasing modern art collections of Germany.
Pergamonmuseum Museum housing one of the most famous collections of antiquities in Europe.
Bodemuseum Museum with a mixed collection from coins to Egyption art.
Marienkirche Roman Catholic church at Karl-Liebknecht-Straße.
Rotes Rathaus Berlin's main town hall.
Fernsehturm Berlin's television tower and tallest structure in the city.
Alexanderplatz Famous square in Berlin.
Nikolaiviertel Favorite hang-out by the bank of the Spree River.
Mäkisches Museum Museum dedicated to the cultural history of Berlin.
Checkpoint Charlie Famous border crossing between the American and Soviet sectors of Cold-War Berlin.
Jüdisches Museum Museum that focuses on Jewish history and art.
Topographie des Terrors Museum documenting Nazi crimes and tortures.
Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin Technical museum that pulls together over 100 specialized collections.
Western Berlin
Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Kirche One of the most famous landmarks in Berlin.
Kurfürstendamm Famous boulevard in Berlin.
Käthe-Kollwitz-Museum Small private museum exhibiting the work of the artist Käthe Kollwitz.
Zoologischer Garten One of the oldest zoos in Germany.
Tiergarten Vast landscaped park in Berlin.
Siegessäule (Triumphal Column)Column commemorating victory in the Prusso-Danish war.
Bauhaus-Archiv Building housing the collection of the Bauhaus school of art.
Bendlerblock (Gedenkstätte Deutsche Widerstand) Part of the German State Naval Offices during the Third Reich.
Gemäldegalerie Art gallery with collection representing all the major European schools.
Kupferstichkabinett und KunstbibliothekThe Print Gallery with collection of engraver's plates, prints, drawings and watercolors.
Neue Nationalgalerie Building that houses the art collection of West Berlin.
Kunstgewerbemuseum Museum of crafts and decorative arts from early Middle ages to modern day.
Philharmonie Philharmonic and chamber music hall of Berlin.
Musikinstrumenten-Museum Museum of Musical Instruments.
Potsdamer Platz New financial and business district of Berlin.
Reichstag German Parliament Building.
Hamburger Bahnhof The former Hamburg Railway station is today a museum of contemporary art.
Museum für Naturkunde Neo-Renaissance building housing one of the biggest natural history museums in the world.
Excursions from Berlin
Bröhan-Museum Late-Neo-Classical building housing works of art from the Art Nouveau (Jugendstil or Secessionist) and Art Deco styles.
Sammlung Berggruen Art collect from the late 19th to the first half of the 20th century assembled by Heinz Berggruen.
Schloss Charlottenburg Palace that was once the summer house of Sophie Charlotte, wife of Elector Friedrich III.
Schlosspark Royal park surrounding Schloss Charlottenburg.
Museum für Ur- und Frühgeschichte Neo-Classical pavilion housing a museum that documents the cultures and civilizations from Stone Age to medieval times.
Messegelände Vast halls for tradeshows and exhibitions.
Olympiastadion Stadium built for the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.
Spandau One of the oldest towns in Greater Berlin.
Gedenkstätte Plötzensee Memorial to the 2,500 people massacred by the Third Reich.
Schloss Tegel Palace complex in Berlin.
Brecht-Weigel-Gedenkstätte Former residence of playright Bertolt Brecht.
Neue Synagoge Formerly one of the biggest synagogues in Berlin.
Prenzlauer Berg A vibrant, happening district in Berlin populated mostly by journalists and students.
Karl-Marx-Allee This is an open-air museum to Socialist Realist architecture.
Gedenkstätte Berlin-Hohenschöhausen Museum housed in the former special transit camp of war criminals to the KGB.
Forschungs- und Gedenkstätte Normannenstraße (Stasi-Museum) Former headquarters of Stasi, the GDR secret service.
Köpenick Island containing settlement older then Berlin.
Treptower Park Vast park where 150,000 striking workers assembled in 1919.
Flughafen Tempelhof Once Germany's largest airport.
Viktoriapark A park with artificial waterfalls and trails, and dotted with memorials.
Rathaus Schöeberg Imposing building once serving as the town hall of West Berlin, where John F. Kennedy delivered his famous speech.
Museumszentrum Dahlem The museum quarter of West Berlin similar to the Museum Island in East Berlin.
Jagdschloss Grunewald One of the oldest surviving civic buildings in Berlin.
Strandbad Wannsee Popular recreational spot for Berliners.
Pfaueninsel Picturesque island that is today a nature reserve.
Nikolskoe Russian-style dacha built for Tsar Nicholas I and his wife, the daughter of King Friedrich Wilhelm III.
Klein Glienicke Palace-park of Prince Karl of Prussia.
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