Berlin Travel Guide

Berlin Travel Guide Overview

Berlin, just like any other European city, is rich in history. It has a haunting past, yes. The city was divided into two, the east and the west, for 30 years, but after the German unification, the city managed to bounce back, and it is now known as one of the top destinations in Europe for young adults who seek adventure.

Being the capital of Germany, Berlin is a huge city with a lot of exciting places. It has the perfect combination of the old and the new—historic places mixed flawlessly with the more modern shops, Eat and Drinks, bars, and nightclubs. It’s amazing how you can have your history lessons in the morning while at night you can go ahead and enjoy beer while listening to some good techno music, which Berlin is known for.

You’d love the place greatly because it’s not a very expensive city, plus it has the most tourist-friendly system of transportation.

Berlin Travel Guide: When to Visit

Go to Berlin from mid-April to around September, when the weather is just perfect. You can spend your day walking and exploring the city in your most comfortable clothes. The days are longer during these months, so you can have enough time to basically tour the entire city. However, many tourists visit Berlin during these months, so accommodation is not cheap.

If you want to score good deals on hotels and if you want to enjoy the cold weather, visit Berlin during the winter months of January to March. However, the cold weather could last until the first week of April.

Berlin Travel Guide: How to Get There

By Plane

Tegel International Airport is the main hub for international airlines. This is the first stop for most people on scheduled tours.

By Train and Bus

The InterCity and EuroCity trains connect other major European cities to Berlin. This, however, necessitates early booking in order to obtain cheap tickets for around €30.Unknown to many, there’s also a train from Russia that goes directly to Berlin; the travel time, of course, is much longer. Major cities in Europe also have scheduled buses that go to Berlin. With the wide network of transportation in European countries, a Euro trip is quite easy to do. All you need is proper research, planning, and a lot of patience for hours of travel.

Berlin Travel Tips

Make the most of your visit. Drink beer (but in moderation), go to a club and experience how Berlin parties, have a stroll at the park, discover street art, and do basically everything while following rules, of course.

Don’t forget to say “Prost!” (cheers!) before drinking your liquor. Germans love beer, so whenever you’re out drinking in a bar or a club and you run into some German friends, always say “prost” and try to touch their glasses before you take your drink. It’s a common courtesy.

Don’t be late. Germans are always on time. When going on tours with a tour guide or meeting up with friends, arrive early.

Don’t forget to be mindful while on the street. There are many street rules in Berlin. You can’t really walk in bike lanes, and you can’t just jaywalk or cross the street whenever you want to. They respect these street rules, and you should too.

Get a Berlin WelcomeCard. The Berlin WelcomeCard all-inclusive, the Official Berlin City Pass, provides free admission to a number of Berlin landmarks, hop on/off bus and museums. So, if you plan to visit a lot of attractions, it will save you some money.

Berlin Travel Guide: Typical Costs

Price Range for Hotels

Berlin is the capital and the largest city in Germany. There are hundreds of hotels, hostels, and even dorms in the city, and it can be confusing for first-time travelers to choose which hotel is the most convenient. There are also a lot of neighborhoods to choose from in Berlin, so it is important to review your itinerary before actually booking a hotel near the places you want to visit. The cost of lodging is quite reasonable. Some five-star hotels can even lower their rates during the low season and on weekends. Hostels and guest houses range in price from €14 to €30, but a decent hotel room will start around €100. 4 to 5-star hotel accommodation costs about €250 to €1,000. Usually, in the lower season (in the winter) you can find better deals.

Cost of Meal

Meal prices in Berlin are slightly lower than in other European cities. Yes, a three-course meal in a fancy Eat and Drink would cost you around €35 to €50, but you can have a pretty decent lunch or dinner for around €15, and sometimes, it comes with a drink. While on tour, you can buy snacks like sandwiches for about €1. Beer costs about €3 or €4, but it could be less in grocery stores. If you notice, the servings are quite big too!

Cost for Commute

It is always better to go around the city by using public transit because you may be able to experience the city as it is! How are you going to do that with your tour bus? In Berlin, public transportation is tourist-friendly and very affordable. As a matter of fact, the U-Bahn and S-Bahn trains and other regional trains as well as buses have the same ticket. A journey ticket costs €3–4, depending on the zones, while a 24 hour card costs €8–10.

There are also “welcome cards’ that tourists can use. The welcome card comes with a 48-hour validity that starts at €24, depending on the zones and which version you get. There is also the WelcomeCard Berlin All Inclusive, which can be used to pay for museum admission, hop on/off bus, and many other attractions. It is valid for 72 hours and costs around €127. Download a transportation guide or get one at a tourist center to aid you. Berlin is huge. Places are divided into zones, and prices for tickets vary per zone.

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