Public transport in Berlin

Ticketing

When you will visit Berlin, you will most likely travel within the A and B public transport areas. In Berlin, the same ticket works for the S-Bahn, U-Bahn, buses and trams. One standard validated €2,10 ticket is good for two hours no matter how many transfers you make. You can also buy a €1,30 ticket for short rides (maximum 3 stops and no transfers). There are several ticketing options depending on the number of days and areas you want to explore. You can check all the options and the fares at the ticket vending machines. The ticket machines are easy to use and several languages are available. Remember to validate the ticket before you use the public transport, if you don`t you will get a €40 fine.

Berlin cheap hotels and the public transport system

It is advisable that when you search for Berlin accommodation to ask or to check if the place you are booking is connected to a public transport line. You can use a taxi but on the long-term, they are more expensive. The fastest way to move around the city is the U-bahn. Most Berlin cheap hotels will be in zone A or zone B of public transport and they will even have tickets for sale.

Public transport explained

The S-bahn is the train system in Berlin and used to be excellent, but now delays and cancellations are possible so if you are in a hurry use the U-bahn, the busses or the tram. The U-bahn is the subway system, it works perfectly and covers a pretty large area. In weekends and on holidays the U-bahn and S-bahn run all night and during the week they stop running at 1 AM so you can count on them when you are going out for a party or a drink. The tram service is mostly available in the eastern part of Berlin and some routes are quite picturesque. Buses get where the U-bahn and the S-bahn do not, but they are slower. The bus routes 100 and 200 are very popular among tourists as they pass by many important sights. The busses are usually yellow double-decker, which you will recognize immediately. Buses and trams also accept cash.