why are Berlin's airports so backwards?
May 31, 2016, 7:51 pm
#16
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Maybe it's because I'm from the US where our public transportation to airports is so limited, but I didn't mind the options at TXL. The buses ran frequently to the nearby S-Bahn, even on Sunday mornings. I was happy enough with the setup, it was no worse than BUD for example.
Another bus line goes to the old Zoo station, perfect if you are staying in the West. And all busses have countless connections to the S-bahn, U-bahn and tram networks.
Crowning touch is that an A/B unlimited ticket only costs 7 - a tremendous value.
Last edited by Non-NonRev; May 31, 2016 at 7:59 pm
May 31, 2016, 9:10 pm
#17
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After WW2, the capital of Germany was Bonn, not Berlin. They moved it back to Berlin after the wall came down. When the wall was up and Berlin was a divided city there was limited air travel in and out of Berlin so a larger airport wasn't necessary. I think the only three airlines with regular scheduled flights in and out of West Berlin were Air France, British Airways, and Pan Am. When I lived there in the late eighties, Air Berlin was a small airline that flew charter flights to beach resorts in Southern Europe. I do like the fact that TXL is a short and inexpensive cab ride to the city.
May 31, 2016, 11:01 pm
#18
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After WW2, the capital of Germany was Bonn, not Berlin. They moved it back to Berlin after the wall came down. When the wall was up and Berlin was a divided city there was limited air travel in and out of Berlin so a larger airport wasn't necessary. I think the only three airlines with regular scheduled flights in and out of West Berlin were Air France, British Airways, and Pan Am. When I lived there in the late eighties, Air Berlin was a small airline that flew charter flights to beach resorts in Southern Europe. I do like the fact that TXL is a short and inexpensive cab ride to the city.
Jun 1, 2016, 12:38 am
#19
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"Backwards" is subjective.
I find TXL having check-in, security and immigration at the gate to be the opposite of "backwards".
If they wanted to renovate the place a bit it could be very nice. It could remain as Berlin's equivalent of LCY even when the big airport is finally ready. The only thing it could use is some travelators/moving walkways and perhaps a small redesign of the C terminal.
There's no need for a train when you can get the X9 one stop to the U-bahn (though a bit annoying if you have large luggage), whch runs from 0400 to 0100 or thereabouts, and the buses operate 24 hours a day too.
I find TXL having check-in, security and immigration at the gate to be the opposite of "backwards".
If they wanted to renovate the place a bit it could be very nice. It could remain as Berlin's equivalent of LCY even when the big airport is finally ready. The only thing it could use is some travelators/moving walkways and perhaps a small redesign of the C terminal.
There's no need for a train when you can get the X9 one stop to the U-bahn (though a bit annoying if you have large luggage), whch runs from 0400 to 0100 or thereabouts, and the buses operate 24 hours a day too.
Jun 1, 2016, 4:51 am
#20
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Donīt know if Iīm the only one but with large luggage I never travel via public Transport. Even a long distance train in Germany is a Problem if there are no real secure storage places for the luggage. So distance airport - city and costs for a taxi are more important for me
Jun 3, 2016, 5:37 pm
#21
Join Date: May 2014
Location: DMV
Posts: 2,092
"Backwards" is subjective.
I find TXL having check-in, security and immigration at the gate to be the opposite of "backwards".
If they wanted to renovate the place a bit it could be very nice. It could remain as Berlin's equivalent of LCY even when the big airport is finally ready. The only thing it could use is some travelators/moving walkways and perhaps a small redesign of the C terminal.
There's no need for a train when you can get the X9 one stop to the U-bahn (though a bit annoying if you have large luggage), whch runs from 0400 to 0100 or thereabouts, and the buses operate 24 hours a day too.
I find TXL having check-in, security and immigration at the gate to be the opposite of "backwards".
If they wanted to renovate the place a bit it could be very nice. It could remain as Berlin's equivalent of LCY even when the big airport is finally ready. The only thing it could use is some travelators/moving walkways and perhaps a small redesign of the C terminal.
There's no need for a train when you can get the X9 one stop to the U-bahn (though a bit annoying if you have large luggage), whch runs from 0400 to 0100 or thereabouts, and the buses operate 24 hours a day too.
The fact TXL's closure is predetermined and unchangeable (barring major upheaval in government) means that everything done at the airport in the last decade was designed to be a temporary and cheap solution (why invest majorly in an airport that's toast anyway?). That's why TXL now looks like the ultimate jerry-rigged airport and they were never going to increase public transport options beyond buses.
The question why TXL wasn't connected to a train network when it was first built is an interesting one though. It's easy to see why the S-Bahn wasn't involved - given the S-Bahn was run by the East German state and they were hardly going to invest in expansion in West Berlin. Why they didn't extend the U-Bahn there is another question. It was planned but never done. Perhaps they simply didn't realize how important air travel would become.