How to: Get around

Metro, Train, Bus, Tram and Taxi in Berlin Berlin has an extensive subway system, known as the U-bahn, as well as the suburban train network S-bahn, along with buses and tram lines. If you know your way around the system, you will get to your destination much faster than by taxi or driving your own car.

A single ride is 2,30 euros. The ticket allows unlimited travel within two hours. You can make as many connections as you need, though return and round trips are not allowed. If you’re just going a few stops you can travel even cheaper. The short distance journey ticket (Kurzstrecke), which is 1,40 euro, takes you three stops with U-bahn or S-bahn or six stops by bus or tram. Connections are allowed between U-bahn and S-bahn. If you’re traveling a lot during one day you might want to go for the day ticket (6,30 euros), and if you’re staying for a whole week you can travel unlimited for 27,20 euros with the seven day ticket. All ticket prices are for Berlin zone A+B.

Ticket controls

If you’re used to the metro system in other large cities around the world you might get surprised when you find out that there’s no turnstiles at the stations. Berlin relies on the honor system, and frequent ticket controls on board. There are both plain clothes and uniformed inspectors that can demand to see your ticket: “Fahrausweis, bitte!”. If you can’t present a valid ticket you’ll have to pay a fine of 40 euros.

And don’t forget to validate your ticket in the small yellow or red boxes on the platform before you board the train, otherwise it’s not valid for travel. You only have to do this once for each ticket.

Get a cab?

If you prefer to ride by yourself, it’s relatively cheap to go by taxi in Berlin. For example, a ride from Rosenthaler Platz to Tegel Airport will cost you around 19 euros, or around 8,50 euros to Berlin’s Hauptbahnhof. A great app is myTaxi, where you can order a cab or get an estimate on how much the fare will be.