Berlin with Public Transport
The public transport system in Berlin is actually really good and incredibly cheap, which is why many choose it as their preferred means of transport as tourists around Berlin. They usually run more or less on time, and there are good connections between the metro, S-Bahn, tram, and buses. The quality is excellent, and considerable investment is made to keep it maintained. As a tourist, you can also take advantage of the brand-new U5 metro extension that runs under the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Unter den Linden, and Museum Island, leading to Alexanderplatz. Here you’ll find many of the major historical highlights Berlin has to offer.
You can switch between all these modes of transport with the same ticket as long as you are moving away from the station where you boarded. Therefore, a new ticket is required if you are heading back, regardless of whether there is still “time” left on your previous ticket. Just remember to get an ABC ticket if you are traveling to and from the airport, which is also cheap.
You can get a lot for your money, for example, by purchasing a ticket for one or more days at a time. Additionally, there is the option to buy a Berlin Welcome Card if you already know what you plan to do during your visit. It can provide free access to public transport as well as a plethora of other discounts and/or free admission if you plan to visit common tourist attractions or museums. You can save a lot of money with such a card, but personally, I prefer to buy things when I get there, even if I might pay a little extra.
Therefore, I recommend buying tickets for public transport on your phone using the public app “BVG Tickets: Bus, Train & Tram.” Day tickets or 4-ride tickets can also save you some money. Furthermore, one should keep in mind that Google Maps is almost always the best and most up-to-date resource for viewing public transport options and whether it is advantageous to take the metro, U-Bahn, tram, or bus.
Taxis and Car-Sharing in Berlin
There are good conditions for utilizing these two transport options in Berlin, as traffic is often relatively light, parking is usually not an issue outside certain specific areas or events, and prices are very reasonable. It is so cheap to rent a car from companies like “Miles” or “Sixt,” which are parked almost everywhere in the city, that we at home have decided we do not need to own a car as residents of Berlin. The clear advantage is that you only rent the car for the trip itself, allowing you to park for free and then just find another car when you need to move on, which is usually located very nearby.
There are also dedicated parking spaces for car-sharing in some areas of the city, where it can often be difficult to find available parking otherwise. If there are two people in the car, it often costs about the same as public transport.
Car-sharing is cheaper than taxis, and you have the advantage of not having to deal with an unknown driver. However, both taxis and Uber are certainly useful for getting to and from transport hubs like stations in the city center with larger luggage or when parking at the destination is expected to be a problem. Keep in mind that Uber can get significantly more expensive when demand is high. If you are considering a taxi ride, you can check Google Maps for an estimated fare by clicking on the taxi icon.
It’s important to remember with car-sharing that you need to register first and have your driver’s license verified. This shouldn’t take too long, but I strongly recommend doing it before departure to ensure that it will be possible and that there are no delays in confirmation.
Furthermore, like everywhere else, you should be mindful of areas with signs that say “PARKEN VERBOTEN” (Parking Prohibited) or “FREIHALTEN” (Keep Clear), or bike lanes. In any case, you should not park there, as you risk a fine, which is fortunately manageable, or worse, having your car towed.
Berlin by Bicycle
As a cycling guide in Berlin, I find that cycling in Berlin can be a fantastic experience despite the lack of good bike paths in some areas. Berlin is constantly improving its cycling conditions. This is clearly something that has been prioritized in recent years, with many wide bike paths on the main roads through the city. Additionally, there are some dedicated bike paths in Berlin, such as Linienstraße.
Unfortunately, these paths are not yet fully connected in a network. Bike paths on other roads are often narrow, and the infrastructure does not have the safety standards we have come to expect in cities in Denmark. Many paths are made of cobblestones, and tree roots often push up the stones, so they are often uneven. In the inner city, however, there are many side streets where you can comfortably cycle on the road, as traffic is light. On my guided bike tours around Berlin, the route is carefully selected, providing a very pleasant ride through the quiet streets.
This is not to discourage cycling in Berlin, which my family and I enjoy and which I highly recommend as a lovely way to get around as a tourist in Berlin, allowing you to see everything at a leisurely pace. It’s just to say that it does not have the same standard as in Copenhagen or, for example, Amsterdam. Furthermore, there are many green spaces and parks in Berlin that are great to cycle to or through, such as Tiergarten and Volkspark Friedrichshain, as well as the lesser-known parks in Treptower and Humboldthain.
When it comes to renting bikes, there are also plenty of options and a diversity of offerings. The public transport system (BVG) has created an app where you can see and rent various bikes available from TIER, LIME, NEXTBIKE, and BOLT near you. This can be done with the same account you use to book public transport with BVG. With TIER and LIME, you can even rent e-bikes, which can be very convenient and make it a bit more fun to tour around the city. Again, you can also use the nifty e-scooters that are scattered around the sidewalks, but I must admit that I can’t really recommend them, as I believe their balance point can make it easy to fall and injure yourself quite seriously.
In terms of pricing, there is the option to pay per 15 minutes (1 euro), so you can just park it wherever you like without worrying about theft. Alternatively, you can rent bikes per day or for multiple days from more traditional providers around the city, starting at around €3 per hour or €12 per day. It’s also advisable to rent a bike helmet, as accidents unfortunately happen more often when you are a tourist since you may not be familiar with the conditions.
It is very important to keep a close eye on trams when cycling around the streets of Berlin—they can sneak up on you just when you want to cross the street, and most dangerously, there are the tracks that we are no longer accustomed to in the Danish city landscape. You should ride directly over them and not along them, as this can easily lead to a fall.
Driving a Car Around Berlin
Berlin is one of the few large cities in Europe that is actually quite easy to navigate, and you can actually drive as a tourist. Traffic is not particularly overwhelming if you have a bit of experience. The first consideration I recommend you think about when you want to drive your own car to Berlin is where you plan to park.
Many hotels do, of course, have dedicated parking either included or as an add-on option. If that is not the case, they are usually helpful in finding the best solution, and otherwise, it costs about 1-2 euros per hour to park on the street in the inner city, where most hotels are located. There is actually quite a bit of free parking in Berlin, and many of these spots are not too far from the center, so you can also choose to leave your car there while you are a tourist in Berlin.
There are good parking options near the major train stations around the S-Bahn ring line. You can also drive your luggage to your final destination before parking there and taking the train back. Additionally, there are several parking garages, where prices can range from 2.5 to 4 euros per hour or 20 to 25 euros per day. I would also recommend bringing coins for payment, as other options, such as some of the apps, can be cumbersome or incur extra costs. Thus, it is far from free, but compared to, for example, Copenhagen, it is more manageable. Also, keep in mind that parking is free on the street on Sundays, and on some Sundays, you can get free entry to several museums, making it possible to have a very cheap day as a tourist.
When it comes to getting around Berlin in your own car, unlike in many other cities, it is indeed possible if you are just prepared to pay a little for parking and possibly look around for a spot, but in the most touristy areas, it’s not really advisable.
