You've collected your bags and walked out of arrivals. Your hotel's across town and you're not sure which way to go.
Good news: it's an easy trip once you know your options, and with this guide, you´ll sort it out in a few minutes. The quickest way from Berlin airport to the city centre is the Airport Express train. It reaches Hauptbahnhof in about 23 minutes and costs one Berlin ABC ticket, which is €5.00.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) sits about 25 km from Alexanderplatz by road. The station is directly under Terminal 1, on level U2. If you land at Terminal 2, follow the signs from arrivals level E0 to reach it.
A pre-booked transfer costs more, but it skips the platform, the ticket machine and the change, and your driver's waiting when you walk out. Lesser hassle.
Let's walk through each option, so you can pick yours before you land.
Journey times run to Hauptbahnhof or Alexanderplatz. The train is the cheapest, but the private transfer is the only option that guarantees hassle free and peace of mind. You arrive and just need to get on the car and relax.
Short on time? Find your trip below and take the pick that fits.
Most people start with the train, so let's start there and see what the ride really involves.
Take the Airport Express (FEX) from the BER station to Hauptbahnhof. It calls at Südkreuz and Potsdamer Platz on the way.
Here's how the journey works:
The catch is the legwork. You buy a ticket, find the platform and carry your bags on and off. That's fine with a light bag. With kids or a big suitcase, the private transfer further down is easier.
The RE20 stops at the same stations once an hour.
The RB24 and RB32 both run to Ostkreuz once an hour, and the RB22 runs to Potsdam.
Heading for Alexanderplatz? You've got two good ways to get there by train, and one of them needs no change at all.
Take the S9 for a direct ride, or take the Airport Express to Hauptbahnhof and change there. The S9 leaves the BER station every 20 minutes, and every 30 minutes on weekend nights. BER's own timetable lists Friedrichstraße, Alexanderplatz and Ostbahnhof as stops on the line.
Check the Fahrinfo app for the exact ride time on your day. You'll need the same ABC ticket as the train.
Heading north? The S85 runs from BER via Ostkreuz to Frohnau every 20 minutes, Monday to Friday.
Want a ride with no change at all? A private transfer to Alexanderplatz takes about 26 minutes and starts from £68.
Tickets trip up a lot of first-timers, so here's the short version.
You need an ABC ticket. BER sits in fare zone C, so a ticket into the centre has to cover zones A, B and C.
Here's what to know before you buy:
Looking for a bus? You've got a few, with one catch.
The express buses run to U-Bahn stations rather than into the centre. All of them leave from the bus stops on Terminal 1's arrivals level.
Here are the lines to know:
You need the same ABC ticket on the buses.
Check the departure times in the Fahrinfo app for your day.
Taxis are the no-fuss choice, so let's check what the meter will actually show when you reach your hotel.
Expect to pay about €60 on the meter to Alexanderplatz. The city's own tariff page puts the fare to BER at around €58 from Alexanderplatz and around €63 from Zoologischer Garten. Coming from BER, expect about the same, plus a €1.50 airport surcharge.
Taxis wait on the north and south ranks in front of Terminal 1, on level E0. Terminal 2 has no rank of its own, so you walk the signposted path between the terminals.
The meter follows Berlin's official tariff:
Only get into a vehicle marked as a taxi at the ranks.
The driver has to take the shortest route, and you can ask for a receipt.
Want to know the price before you land? A pre-booked transfer fixes it at booking.
Prefer to settle it all before you fly? You can!
hoppa lets you pre-book a private car from BER to Alexanderplatz from £68 (about €80) per vehicle. The trip takes about 26 minutes with no changes. You agree the price at booking, and traffic doesn't change it. Prices are indicative.
Here's what a transfer from BER costs on the most popular routes:
Travelling with more people? A private MPV to Alexanderplatz starts from £86, and a minibus for six starts from £91.
Your driver meets you in arrivals.
On an international flight, a 30-minute buffer is added to your landing time first, and your up to 60 minutes of free waiting starts after it. Cancel at least 24 hours before pick-up and you get a full refund.
Landing late changes the picture, and it's worth knowing your options before you board.
The Airport Express stops running soon after midnight, so a late landing narrows your choices. Check the departure times in the Fahrinfo app on the night. These are your options after the last FEX:
A hoppa pre-booked transfer removes the guesswork. Your driver waits for you at the arrivals hall after you land, and any night rate for pick-ups between 22:00 and 08:00 shows in your quote before you pay.
Flying home early? Plan the trip back now. Trains don't start until the small hours.
Train services to BER start around 4am, and the RB24 starts around 3:30am. If your flight leaves early in the morning, that leaves little margin.
A pre-booked pick-up runs to your time, not the timetable's. Your driver waits up to 15 minutes after the scheduled pick-up time.
You're not racing to a platform with your bags. Private transfers and taxis drop you on level E1, where you can check in straight away.
Travelling with kids and bags? Keep it simple.
A private transfer is our pick, and a taxi works too. Both skip the changes, and both get you to the hotel door.
The train still wins on price though. Four ABC tickets cost €20, a taxi is about €60, and a private car for four people and four bags starts from £71. Pick the train if you pack light. Pick the car if the kids are tired.
Need a child seat, an accessible vehicle or a large car? At the taxi ranks, ask the service staff for help but availability is not always guaranteed.
With hoppa, the first child seat is free if you request it at booking, and a wheelchair accessible minibus takes up to 6 people. You can settle all your needs before your travel dates.
Landing at BER after a long flight, the last things you want are the ticket machine, the platform hunt and the walk to the taxi rank. Pre-book, and your driver's waiting in arrivals with a price you agreed before you left home.
Book your Berlin airport transfer now.
