Berlin Walks - Public Transportation Information

There are 5 types of transport – train (S-Bahn) and regional train (RE); subway (U-Bahn); buses; trams or streetcars (Strassenbahnen). If you have a choice, take a train – it is usually faster! And don't be fooled by the reference to "Metro" lines: these are good, ol' buses and trams – just more frequent than the other lines!

For travel within Berlin, don't worry about zones. You have to buy an AB zone ticket anyway, covering the whole city of Berlin. If you want to travel just outside Berlin – into Zone C – then buy an ABC pass, eg if you visit the memorial at Sachsenhausen (» see tour 3) or go to Potsdam (» tour 5).

NOTE: if you are joining any Berlin Walks regular tour, you can always buy tickets from our guides or from our ticket sellers at the meeting point.

The right ticket to buy depends on how often you want to use the system AND how long you are staying in the city. Whichever ticket you buy, you can use it interchangeably on buses/trains/subway/trams within the time limit on the ticket…but note the restriction in TIP 3 below!

a) one shot: use the normal 2 hour ticket Fahrschein AB costing € 2.10. ABC tickets cost € 2.80.

TIP 3: These 2 hour tickets allow you to make a single, outward journey, changing any number of times between trains, buses etc! But you cannot use it as a return or round-trip ticket.

b) twice or more in a day: it is often worth buying a day pass Tageskarte AB; but rail travelers should note TIP 1 (on "Arriving in Berlin" page) before buying a day pass! Day passes cost € 6.10 within Berlin (AB) and € 6.50 for Berlin and outside (ABC); they are valid until 3am on the day after they are first stamped.

TIP 4: If you are a small group (min 3, max 5), buy a small group ticket Kleingruppenkarte AB for only € 15.90 (ABC € 16.10); this gives you the benefits of a day pass, but saves you money!

c) 2-5 days: consider buying a » Welcome Card or City Tour Card. These are 48hour, 72hour or 5 day travel passes covering zones AB or ABC at prices starting from Euro 15.90. Also give reductions to selected tours (eg Original Berlin Walks tours!) and to certain museums and allow up to 3 children to travel for free!

d) 5-7 days: a 7 day travel pass 7-Tage VBB-Umweltkarte costs € 26.20 AB (€ 32.30 ABC).

From ticket machines on platforms and inside trams; from manned sales points inside larger stations; and from bus drivers. Note: inside Zoo Station, the BEX Reisebüro in the Reisezentrum is a good place to buy tickets, including » Welcome Cards; inside Hauptbahnhof try the EurAide office at the Reisezentrum on the lower level.

TIP 5: Don't forget to validate your ticket in the red or yellow time stampers, unless you buy the ticket from a bus driver or inside a tram, in which case it is already validated. Plain-clothed ticket inspectors patrol the system, handing out € 40 fines for any breach of the rules; and they don't make exceptions for tourists, even those who make a genuine mistake!