Transportation in Berlin: How to get around in the capital

Public transport is one of the biggest challenges for internationals arriving in a new city. We'll show you how to get around Berlin with ease.

Marle

6 minute read

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Updated on 6 Aug 2024

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Living

Berlin’s public transportation system might feel overwhelming at first but once you get the hang of it, you’ll appreciate its efficiency. After all, it's considered one of the best public transportation systems in the world!

In this article, we'll walk you through the public transportation options in Berlin. Don't worry, by the end of this article you'll feel like a true Berliner!

Public transport in Berlin is easy to use as long as you know your destination and have a basic understanding of German.

Each stop will be announced and additionally displayed on electronic boards. So, the chances of missing your stop are low.

Get familiar with the public transportation system of Berlin by downloading this map.

Underground (U-Bahn)

U-Bahn is one of the fastest ways to get around in Berlin. The yellow coaches of Berlin subway take you to every corner of the city. Odds are that you'll find one of the 173 stations of this gigantic network nearby your home.

Most subway lines run from 4 a.m. to 1 a.m. on weekdays and 24 hours on weekends. Monday to Friday, you can catch a metro every 5 minutes during the day and every 10 minutes at night. Saturday and Sunday, there's a train every 10 minutes during the day and every 15 minutes at night.

One thing to keep in mind when boarding the U-Bahn are your belongings as there can be pickpockets. You can check out our guide on areas to avoid in Berlin to find at which the metro stations you should be vigilant.

Suburban Train (S-Bahn)

And if you happen to live in the suburbs of the city, the train with the green and white 'S' symbol is likely to be your local shuttle. So as long as you live within the circle of the S-Bahn, the light rail network will get you through Berlin day and night. It covers 15 lines and almost 170 stations!

On weekdays, the train will take you from 4.30 a.m. to 1.30 a.m. every 5, 10 or 20 minutes and every 30 minutes during the night. On weekends, the trains operate continuously for 24 hours.

Trams (streetcars)

Berlin's tram system consists of more than 20 streetcar lines. 9 of them are Metrotram lines (M1 to M17) which are faster and more frequent than the 13 are normal tram lines (12 to 68). Most of them operate in the eastern part of Berlin, connecting with the subway.

While Metrotram lines run 24 hours a day, normal trams have limited operating hours. During the day, you can catch a tram every 10 minutes but from 0.30 a.m. they run every 30 minutes.

Buses

There are 2 different types of buses in Berlin: daylines, metro buses and night buses.

Daylines (100 to 399) take you from the suburbs to the centre of Berlin during daytime.

During the nighttime, the night buses N10 to N97 take over this job. They also replace the U-Bahn lines U1 to U0 from Monday till Friday night. You’ll recognise the night buses with an “N”.

Metro buses (M11 to M85) run seven days a week 10-minute intervals.

Good to know: You've got a bus to catch? Hop on the front door of the bus. Unless a passenger leaves the bus, the bus driver usually doesn't open the back doors - and you could accidentally miss the bus.

All transportation in Berlin is managed by the Berlin transportation company BVG, so you can easily switch between buses, trams, S-Bahn and the subway with the same ticket!

You can buy tickets at the yellow or red ticket machines on the platforms of the S-Bahn and subway stations or inside the trams. You must validate them at a stamping machine before your journey. You can find these small yellow or red validation boxes on train platforms, and inside trams and buses.

Alternatively, you can buy your tickets via the BVG app.

The app will help you find the fastest route and determine the correct zone and the correct ticket. It will also automatically validate your ticket, so you don't need to risk a fine!

Tariff zones in Berlin

For most newcomers, selecting the tariff zones is the most confusing part of buying public transportation tickets in Berlin. But you'll quickly get a hang of it!

The tariff areas in Berlin are divided into sub-areas A, B and C.

• Tariff zone Berlin A: Berlin's inner city, including the S-Bahn ring.
• Tariff zone Berlin B: outside the S-Bahn ring, up to the city boundary.
• Tariff zone Berlin C: greater Berlin area that stretches to around 15 km around the city of Berlin, including suburbs and the city of Potsdam.

Usually, you buy tickets for the combined subareas AB, BC or the entire ABC network.

If you're travelling within the city limits of Berlin, you only need the AB ticket!

© Retrieved from https://www.bvg.de/en/tickets-tariffs/tariff-zones-and-information

Students travel for free to Berlin

As a student enrolled at a university in Berlin, you’ll usually receive a semester ticket for a small fee. That's a real bargain! So, don't forget to check with your university if they provide semester tickets.

Ticket and travel pass prices

If you travel within Berlin often, the BVG monthly ticket for €91 per month is the way to go. With that pass you can travel within Berlin's A and B zones. Another option is the 10 a.m. ticket for €48 which allows you to travel in selected zones after 10 a.m. each morning.

For occasional longer trips, you can buy a single public transportation ticket for €3.20 with which you can travel for 2 hours in the same direction within a selected fair zone. So you can't use them for a return trip!

Alternatively, you can get a short-trip ticket. They are valid for maximum of 3 stops on S-Bahn and U-Bahn, or up to 6 stops on bus or tram. They are valid for 20 minutes and cost €2.20.

Here's an overview of the public transportation tickets in Berlin and their prices:

For €49 per month, you can get the Deutschland Ticket which is valid for any number of all public transport and regional trains in Germany.

The enormous public transport system brings you to just about every street in and around Berlin. But it can be refreshing to discover Berlin with alternative means of transportation. Already tried out eScooters or buzzed through the city on your bike?

Discover Berlin in the most sustainable way: bikes

With its flat streets and smooth traffic, Berlin is a paradise for every hobby cyclist. What's even better: there's no need for you to invest in your own bike. True to the motto of sharing is caring, you’ll find plenty of bike-sharing providers all over the city. A convenient and affordable alternative for occasional cyclists!

Keep an eye out for these bike-sharing services:

• Nextbike
• Donkey Republic
• Limebike (electric bicycles)
• Jump (electric bicycles)

An unconventional way to cross Berlin: e-scooters

On the streets, you'll notice this kind of ride more and more often: e-scooters. Especially for short distances, this comfortable electronic means of transportation will get you where you want to be in no time at all.

Jump onto one of these e-scooter services:

• Cierc
• Tier
• Bird
• Lime
• Voi

Italian Vespa vibes amidst Berlin

• Emmy: Check the app to see where your next Emmy is. The pricing model is based on the user's frequency, either by kilometre or by the minute. Do you just want to cruise the city once in a while? Then your rate will be calculated differently than for heavy users. Even better: There’s a daily upper limit!
• Coup: Now part of Tier, you can rent a coup scooter for 21 cents a minute with a minimum rental time of 10 minutes.

Convenience Ride: Car

Grab your backpack and comfortable shoes: Time to discover the woods and waters in Berlin’s surroundings.

With Berlin's wide network of public transportation, you can also easily reach the Spreewald by train. Truth be told, from time to time you might feel at ease and don’t want to depend on public transport. Just grab a car-sharing and get going!

• WeShare: The car-sharing service from Volkswagen gives you the ultimate comfort. With a flat rate of 0.19EUR per minute, you can take a ride in a car.
• Miles: Prefer to pay per kilometer? Miles offers you convenient pricing rates!

We know, we know: choosing a Berlin neighbourhood to live in can be tricky. Relax, we’ve got your back!

Before jumping onto the next-best accommodation, try to take these tips into account:

1. Proximity to your activity hub: Unlike most cities, there isn't one city centre in Berlin. Instead, life is spread over the various neighbourhoods. Search homes for rent in Berlin based on your personal central points within Berlin such as the location of your workspace, your internship in Berlin or university campus. As an expat with a family, you might consider accommodation close to Berlin-Mitte as this neighbourhood is home to international schools such as Cosmopolitan School and Metropolitan School.

2. Connectivity of your area: Check Google maps and see how well-connected your new home is. How far is the nearest train or bus station? And more than that, how often and for long do they run day and night? As said before, life in Berlin is spread over various areas and you can easily count on a daily travel time of 40 to 60 minutes.

3. Stay within the S-Bahn line: Are you here to experience the Berlin nightlife to the fullest? Got it. Try living inside the S-Bahn ring then. That way you won't have to worry about how to get home at night; the S-Bahn is there for you at all times, day and night.

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