Berlin - Essential Information
Berlin WelcomeCard
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• Unlimited travel on the underground, city railway, bus and tram.
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• Additional reductions for children and monthly specials.
• Also available incl. Potsdam.
• Insider tips and tour ideas, city map and public transport network map.
Available at:
• Public transport (BVG, S-Bahn Berlin) ticket counters
• Busses*
• Public transport ticket machines*
• Berlin Tourist Infos
• Online-shop: berlin-welcomecard.com
• Berlin airports Tegel and Schönefeld
• Berlin hotels
* The accompanying guide can be collected from Berlin Tourist Info on presentation of the ticket as well as at public transport ticket counters.
More information:
Airports
Berlin has two airports, each with excellent connections to the local public transport network.
Schönefeld Airport (SXF) lies southeast of Berlin, approx. 18 km (11 miles) from downtown Berlin. It is connected to the S45 and S9 S-Bahn lines as well as regional express mainline trains departing in half-hourly intervals from the Hauptbahnhof, Zoologischer Garten, Friedrichstraße, Alexanderplatz and Ostbahnhof stations. The Schönefeld Airport-Express departs from Spandau via Zoologischer Garten, Hauptbahnhof and Ostbahnhof to Schönefeld. The journey from Hauptbahnhof takes about half-an-hour.
Tegel Airport (TXL) lies in the northwest of the city, approx. 8 km (5 miles) from downtown Berlin. It has a close connection to the stadtautobahn (urban motorway) as well as local public transport services with the 109 and X9 bus routes to Zoologischer Garten, the 128 bus route to the northern districts of Berlin and the TXL bus route to the government quarter.
The new Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) is opening on 3rd June 2012, at which time all the air traffic of the Berlin-Brandenburg region will be concentrated on this airport. Tegel and Schönefeld airports will then be shut down.
The Airport Express will connect Berlin-Brandenburg Airport to downtown Berlin in about 30 minutes. The station, situated underground, will have four platforms for mainline train services and two for S-Bahn services. You can get to the airport by car via the A113 autobahn and the four-lane B96a main road.
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Schönefeld Airport
12521 Berlin-Schönefeld
+49 180-500 01 86 (0,14 € /Min.)
Mainline railway station / IC connection about 300 m ( yds) / 5 Min.
S-Bahn station: Berlin-Schönefeld Airport
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Tegel Airport
13405 Berlin-Reinickendorf
+49 180-500 01 86 (0.14 €/Min.)
N X9, 109, 128, Jet Express TXL
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More infos, including on the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport, at: www.berlin-airport.de.
Public transport
The local public transport system allows you to get anywhere in Berlin – comfortably, safely and cheaply. The expanded transport network of S-Bahn, U-Bahn, buses and trams provides you with unrestricted mobility, even at night: on Fridays and Saturdays as well as the nights before public holidays, nearly all the S-Bahn and U-Bahn service operate all through the night at 15 minute intervals.
Taxi
When hiring a taxi in Berlin, you pay a basic charge of €3.20 plus €1.65 for each kilometre travelled. The “Kurzstrecke” (short distance) tariff gives you a journey of up to two kilometres for €4.00 – in this case, however, you have to flag down the taxi yourself. The “Kurzstrecke” tariff does not apply if you order a taxi or get in one at a designated taxi-waiting spot.
Taxi Berlin International +49 30 20 20 21 22 0 (English language taxi-ordering service around the clock) taxi-berlin.de
Funk Taxi Berlin +49 30 26 10 26 www.funk-taxi-berlin.de
Post
You can buy stamps in post offices and at tobacconist shops. Post office opening times vary – they are normally open between 8 am and 6 pm weekdays and between 9 am and 1 pm on Saturdays.
The post office in Georgenstraße, Berlin-Mitte is open every day of the week:
Newspapers
The most important daily newspapers are:
Berliner Zeitung
Tagesspiegel
Berliner Morgenpost
Die Welt
Every fortnight in alternating weeks the two Berlin programme magazines TIP and Zitty appear containing numerous tips on cultural events and going out.
Pharmacy
On-call medical service: +49 30 31 00 31 or at: www.kvberlin.de
Chemists’ emergency service: (Berlin Chamber of Chemists): at www.akberlin.de
Dentists
Emergency dental service: +49 30 89 004 333 or at: www.kzv-berlin.de
Telephone
Country code: +49, Area code: 030
Electricity
230 V / 50 Hz
