Berlin

• Regional train (FEX or RE20)simplest23 min·5 € 1 September 2026

  approximately every 15 minutes during peak hours

  ABC ticket required (zone C). An AB ticket is not valid and exposes you to a 60€ fine.

• S-Bahn (S9 or S85)5 € 1 September 2026

  Slower options than regional trains, useful in case of disruption.

• Bus X7 to U7 Rudowprice not stated

  Does not directly serve the city centre; only useful if your destination is in southern Berlin.

• Taxi60 € 1 September 2026

  Range of 60 to 70€ depending on the source. Well-served taxi rank at the airport.

Why that one: The fastest way to reach the centre (about 23 minutes) with frequent departures, unlike the bus which does not serve the centre and the taxi which is more expensive.

U-Bahn · S-Bahn · bus · tram · ferry · bicycle · taxi · ride-hailing

Single ticket

4 € 1 September 2026

Day pass

11,20 € 1 September 2026

4-trip ticket (4 Fahrten Karte) Berlin AB

12,40 € 1 September 2026

Single AB ticket at 4€ (reduced fare 2.50€) or ABC at 5€ (reduced 3.50€). 24h-Ticket AB at 11.20€ (ABC 12.90€, reduced 7.40€ AB / 8€ ABC). 60€ fine if checked without a valid ticket.

• Berlin CityTourCard 24h AB24 h23,80 € 1 September 2026

  Includes: AB public transport, discounts on tourist attractions

  The sources do not say how many visits it takes for the pass to pay off.

• Berlin CityTourCard 72h AB72 h35,60 € 1 September 2026

  Includes: AB public transport, discounts on tourist attractions

  The sources do not say how many visits it takes for the pass to pay off.

• Berlin CityTourCard 4 jours AB96 h47,50 € 1 September 2026

  Includes: AB public transport, discounts on tourist attractions

  The sources do not say how many visits it takes for the pass to pay off.

• Berlin CityTourCard 5 jours AB120 h49,80 € 1 September 2026

  Includes: AB public transport, discounts on tourist attractions

  The sources do not say how many visits it takes for the pass to pay off.

• Berlin CityTourCard 6 jours AB144 h51 € 1 September 2026

  Includes: AB public transport, discounts on tourist attractions

  The sources do not say how many visits it takes for the pass to pay off.

• Berlin WelcomeCardprice not stated

  Includes: unlimited public transport, up to 50% off more than 200 tourist and cultural attractions, pocket guide, city map

  The sources do not say how many visits it takes for the pass to pay off.

Extra charges to expect for the airport or Potsdam (zone ABC).

Cheap meal

3 € 1 September 2026

Short taxi ride

6 € 1 September 2026

Currywurst about 3€ (April 2022), döner about 6€ (April 2023). Short taxi ride (Kurzstrecke, less than 2km) at 6€ if the taxi is hailed on the street before the meter starts running. Restaurants often require a minimum order sometimes exceeding 30€.

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Languages

German

Card payments

Card acceptance is increasing but many shops accept cash only; it is best to ask before sitting down at a restaurant. Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted.

Tipping

Add a tip of 5 to 10% (or round up to the nearest euro) if satisfied with the service; state the total amount to the server rather than leaving the money on the table.

Tap water

Tap water (Leitungswasser) is drinkable and of good quality, with no chlorine taste. In some regions, high nitrate levels are not recommended for women in early pregnancy for prolonged consumption.

Sockets

Prise Schuko (Type F, CEE 7/3), compatible avec la prise Europlug (Type C).

Voltage

230V, 50Hz

Emergencies

112 (urgences médicales et incendie) / 110 (police)

• Fake transport tickets resold on the street

  Some people try to sell already-used tickets. A single ticket only allows travel in one direction (check the validation stamp); this can also be a pickpocketing technique. Do not pay more than half the normal price.

• Plain-clothes ticket inspectors

  There are no physical barriers in the U-Bahn and S-Bahn, but plain-clothes inspectors patrol frequently. A 60€ fine applies if you have no ticket, an unvalidated ticket, or if the device holding your digital ticket runs out of battery during the check.

• Fake beggar women near tourist sites

  Women accompanied by children beg at Pariser Platz, Alexanderplatz and Museum Island, claiming they want to return to their home country. The story is false; the children carried in their arms may go through bags while the victim reads a card explaining their 'story'.

• Fake passport stamps near Checkpoint Charlie

  Some people offer to stamp your passport with a souvenir stamp for a fee. This can invalidate your official passport; use an expired passport or a fake-passport-style booklet instead if you want this souvenir.

• Stations known to be unsafe at night

  The central station (Hauptbahnhof) and Warschauer Straße are reported as particularly rough at night; keep an eye on your belongings.

• May 1st demonstrations in Kreuzberg

  Since the 1980s, localised riots have taken place on the evening before and on May 1st itself, mainly around Oranienstraße/Mariannenplatz (Kreuzberg), as well as at Mauerpark, Boxhagener Platz and Rigaer Straße. Avoid these areas from 20:00 until daybreak; do not park a vehicle there.

• Increased risk in certain districts at night

  The border area between Neukölln and Kreuzberg (Hermannplatz, Schönleinstraße, Kottbusser Tor) as well as Wedding (Moabit, Gesundbrunnen): higher risk of theft and assault at night, mixing drunken partygoers and poorer neighbourhoods.

• Racially motivated violence on the eastern outskirts of Berlin

  Higher risk for non-white visitors in Lichtenberg, Hellersdorf, Marzahn, Treptow and Köpenick in the evening/at night; it is recommended to stay alert, especially when alone.