As I’ve stated in my other bog post about Berlin (this one), I absolutely love the city. There’s so much life in it, you can’t help but get absorbed and feel enriched. And while getting around Berlin is quite easy (though, of course, I struggled a bit when I first arrived), knowing where to go is a whole other thing. The U-Bahn/S-Bahn will take you basically anywhere, and where it doesn’t reach you can be sure to find a bus that will take you there. Since we were only in Berlin for a short amount of time, we enlisted the help of my good friend and Berliner, Hakim. He gave us the best places to visit and even showed us where to have the most amazing baklava. So, here are my favorite locations that you must visit if you’re going to Berlin and some helpful tips about their public transportation that would’ve saved me so much time had I known them earlier. All these places are accessible via U-Bahn and/or S-Bahn and a little walking.

Getting around Berlin is surprisingly easy once you figure out how their public transportation system works. When we first arrived, we spent more than half an hour wandering around the train station trying to figure out the difference between U-Bahn and S-Bahn, how to purchase tickets that allowed us to get to our couchsurfing host’s flat, and who the hell was suppose to check our tickets. We ended up doing the easiest thing possible, which was just winging it and hoping we weren’t breaking any laws.

Tip 1: 24 Hour tickets

U-Bahn/S-Bahn passes look confusing. A 24-hour ticket is technically a 1 day ticket that is valid for 24 hours after, but no longer valid after 3:00am the next day. So, if you purchase you ticket at midnight, you technically only have 3 hours to use it. You also have the option of purchasing a single-ride ticket, a short distance ticket, and a 7-day ticket. If you don’t plan on being in Berlin for long, I suggest buying multiple 24-hour tickets.

Tip 2: Tariff zones

Berlin is divided into 3 zones: AB, BC, and ABC. When purchasing your ticket at the station, be aware of where you’re traveling and how far it is from the center of the city. An AB pass should be all you need unless you plan on traveling into the outskirts of the city. Thus, you don’t purchase tickets based on getting you from zone A to zone B, but rather you purchase a ticket for unlimited travel throughout whatever time period you pick in zones A and B (and/or C). Also, while you’re purchasing your ticket, it isn’t necessary to look up your destination, since [I believe] it will only show you the major stops. By default, just opt for getting AB tickets.

Tip 3: Validating your ticket

Before you enter the train you must validate your ticket at the validation machines. It prints out a time stamp onto your ticket, which is required for you to legally ride the U-Bahn or S-Bahn. If you are caught without your ticket validated you can be fined. You might be able to get away with the “I’m a stupid tourist” excuse, but you will definitely, at the very least, be publicly shamed and  kicked off the train.

Tip 4: Ticket Inspection

You will be inspected randomly, though apparently you are more likely to be inspected if you are traveling to popular neighborhoods. Our couchsurfing host lived around the perimeter of the city, basically where there was nothing to do, so we were never checked. In fact, even on the major routes we weren’t checked, but it is random so you get to pick if you want to risk it or not. Also, some inspectors are dressed as normal people, so there is no way of knowing whether you will or will not be checked for a ticket and if your ticket is validated. I saw an inspector wearing a bright yellow vest, so again, it’s completely random.

Tip 5: u-bahn’s weird hours

The U-Bahn runs 24-hours on the weekends and till 1:00am on weekdays (and starts again at 4:00am), though it seems to be at the discretion of the conductors. One time it stopped running to our stop at around midnight. No worries, there are always buses that can take you to your destination, though they don’t come as frequently so you may have a long wait. If you purchased an unlimited-travel train pass, you can also use it on the buses. If you are going out of the city center, it is likely that the bus driver will only check to see if you have a ticket and not if it was validated or still validated, especially if you’re using it past midnight. To be completely honest,  I purchased maybe two tickets and was never caught. Don’t be like me though! Be a responsible traveler!

Tip 6: using apps as guidance

 Finally, the U-Bahn and S-Bahn give you the flexibility of multiple routes that can take you to your destination. The longest wait time we had was probably 5 minutes, as there is constantly a train available to take. Google Maps app will be your best friend, since it gives you a thorough list of all the trains (and buses) you can take and what time they will arrive. More on travel apps here.

Still feeling confused? Maybe this link here can help alleviate your worries. It goes more into detail about tickets, pricing, routes, time tables, and probably whatever else you want to know.

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So now that you’ve figured out how to get around, you should be asking yourself where should you go. Luckily, Berlin has everything a tourist could possibly ask for, whether you’re looking for luxury travel, cool hip neighborhoods, or historical landmarks. You’ll actually find many neighborhoods that contain a little bit of all three. Here I’ve compiled my favorite spots in Berlin, why I liked them, and a couple things you can see there.

KREUZBERG

Any guide about Berlin will list this neighborhood as one of the best neighborhoods to visit. It’s filled with a plethora of vintage shops, cheap restaurants, underground music clubs, and Berlin’s punked out homeless youth jamming away on bongos. Kreuzberg was located right at the interface between west and east Berlin, which means it was one of the poorest neighborhoods in Berlin. Today it’s a booming location for music, arts, and anti-capitalism sentiment. I highly recommend you check out raw//cc. You’ll find some cool clubs, a lot of graffiti, and a couple of amazing restaurants. Fun fact: since the German government desperately wanted people to stay and live in west Berlin, post World War II, and no one really wanted to, they made housing hella cheap. This brought on a mass immigration of Turkish people, who still highly influence the neighborhood today. So, if you have a chance, definitely finish off the night with some baklava, shisha, and an apple tea. While the neighborhood is still worth the trip during the day time, at night (especially Thursday-Saturday) the place really comes alive. You can easily find yourself drinking a beer and dancing on the streets in a spontaneous gathering. The neighborhood brings out the party animal in both the punk youths and the business men alike.

FRIEDRICHSHAIN

Located right next to Kreuzberg, you’ll find Friedrichshain. Because they’re both similar neighborhoods, they’re often considered one geographical area appropriately called “Kreuzberg-Friedrichshain.” Friedrichshain is another great place to eat and have a couple of drinks. Head to Simon-Dach-Straße for a whole row of bars and restaurants. I can personally vouch that Berlin has the best döner kebab (thank you Turkish influence), and it is even more amazing after a couple of drinks. Both Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg lie near the Spree river, which provides lovely views at night time as well as in the day time.

Potsdamer PLatz

Potsdamer Platz is one of the major squares of Berlin, located at the southeast corner of Tiergarten Park. Unlike the graffiti covered buildings of Kreuzberg-Friedrichshain, here you’ll find high-rises, modern architecture, shopping malls, and plenty of eateries. After the war, Potsdamer Platz was laid to waste, as the Berlin Wall ran through the middle of it. However, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, many people sought the opportunity to remake the square into a fast-paced, futuristic part of Berlin. Visit the Sony Center, take a picture with an original German traffic light, and go shopping at the Arkaden Shopping Mall. While you’re there, you should definitely get a fancy gelato sundae at Caffe e Gelato. Trust me, the only reason why we decided to visit Potsdamer Platz was because my friend said we must have ice cream there. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s just a regular mall ice-cream joint. This place is as legit as it gets. Potsdamer Platz is only located about 1km away from the Brandenburg Tor and Reichstag, which means you can either hop on the S-Bahn for a quick 5 minute ride or stroll along the perimeter of Tiergarten.

Hackescher Markt

Hackescher Markt is a great mix of trendy and classy. Located in the super hip neighborhood, Mitte, here you’ll find lots of open markets, boutique stores, and hipster cafes. It’s only a short walk from Alexander Platz, and totally worth the trip, not the mention theres an S-Bahn stop directly in in the center of the market. There’s an endless amount of things to see there, from graffiti-ed out alley ways to street performers. The best advice I can give you about this place is just to wander around and see what you find. Look for the ally with the Anne Frank mural for the Anne Frank museum. It’s quite small, but it has free admission, so how could you say no to that. Regardless of where you end up, I can assure you you’ll find yourself surrounded by the most charming and vibrant buildings. So, grab something to eat from the farmer’s market, browse through locally made crafts, fill your belly with some hearty German beer, and be your own tour-guide.

Alexanderplatz

No list about Berlin would be complete without the “Alex.” Alexanderplatz is another very famous square located in the trendy neighborhood of Mitte. Not only is it filled with loads of historical content, but it also has some great shopping. We frequented Alex multiple times because the Alexandeplatz Station (Bahnhof Alexanderplatz) was where we made most of our transfers. During the summer time there’s a daily open market, but I’d be weary to shop there as prices are often quite high. While the Alex isn’t one of my favorite places, it is definitely a place you should visit because it easily leads you to Germany’s tallest structure: the Fernsehturm. This tower, also known as the TV Tower or the Alex Tower, is iconic to Germany. There are plenty of restaurants and tourist shops nearby, so if you need to purchase some souvenirs, this is a great place. If you’re traveling on the metro through Berlin, it is very likely that you’ll find yourself at the Alexanderplatz Station during one of your routes. So, get off, walk around, take some silly pictures with the Buddy Bears of Berlin, and marvel at the wonders of modern architecture within the backdrop of historic Berlin.

So there you have it, how to get around Berlin and some cool places to visit. Even if you end up in a small, middle-of-nowhere neighborhood, at the very least you’ll find some good beer and some amazing curry wurst. So, live like the Berliners live: spirited, free, and youthful!

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Disclaimer: These are some of my favorite locations that I visited when I was in Berlin. I’m 100% sure there are many, many, many more cool places to go to, but these are my personal favorite. Feel free to comment with more suggestions and/or edits to the list.

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