Mar 12, 2017, 1:43 pm
Last edit by: muji
The Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport was originally set to open in 2011; the opening has been postponed to October 2020.
https://simpleflying.com/berlin-bran...rport-opening/
It is being constructed adjacent to Schönefeld Airport, which it will replace.
Discussion about closing of TXL and opening of new airport BER
Jan 11, 2014, 3:46 am
#31
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Looks like Berlin officials were already on this. Apparently there is a new tourist tax and VAT being charged since the start of the month. It looks like it is a 5% tourist tax added to the rate, plus an additional 7% VAT. However, the 7% VAT does not apply to people there on business. I don't know what the qualifier will be for that. Company name? And when I checked rates, some hotels are including it automatically (IHG) and others are adding it afterwards (Club Carlson/ Marriott).
Jan 11, 2014, 11:15 am
#32
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It's the other way round: the 5% so called city tax doesn't apply for business travellers. Hotels must ask the purpose of travel and then charge accordingly.
The VAT (7%) is not new and can be claimed back the normal way (depending on whether you work for a German, EU or non-EU company)
The VAT (7%) is not new and can be claimed back the normal way (depending on whether you work for a German, EU or non-EU company)
Apr 10, 2014, 4:33 am
#33
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1 million visitors to the yet-to-be-completed BER
Interesting article in the NYT on the new (indefinitely suspended) Berlin Brandenburg Airport.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/10/wo...ttraction.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/10/wo...ttraction.html
Apr 10, 2014, 5:43 am
#34
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There was an article on the lack of 
pening of the new airport in today's NY Times:
pening of the new airport in today's NY Times:
In a Land of On-Time Arrivals, a Tour of Anything But
BERLIN — In the early days of aviation, it was common for people to visit airports simply to stand on observation decks and watch the planes come and go. This city’s new airport is attracting tourists for the opposite reason: a conspicuous lack of passengers and planes after a series of delays and bungles that have driven its cost billions of dollars over budget and pushed its opening back indefinitely.
Part of the appeal seems to be the chance to gawk at evidence that Germany — practically synonymous with precision and efficiency — could fail in such a spectacular fashion.
Scheduled to open in November 2011, Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport began offering public tours of the construction site after ground was broken in 2006. Since then, about one million people have signed up, said Ralf Kunkel, an airport spokesman.
And business seems to have picked up even more as the problems have mounted. One budget travel agency began offering vacation packages last spring — two nights in a nearby hotel and a trip to the beleaguered airport in a double-decker tour bus.
...
BERLIN — In the early days of aviation, it was common for people to visit airports simply to stand on observation decks and watch the planes come and go. This city’s new airport is attracting tourists for the opposite reason: a conspicuous lack of passengers and planes after a series of delays and bungles that have driven its cost billions of dollars over budget and pushed its opening back indefinitely.
Part of the appeal seems to be the chance to gawk at evidence that Germany — practically synonymous with precision and efficiency — could fail in such a spectacular fashion.
Scheduled to open in November 2011, Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport began offering public tours of the construction site after ground was broken in 2006. Since then, about one million people have signed up, said Ralf Kunkel, an airport spokesman.
And business seems to have picked up even more as the problems have mounted. One budget travel agency began offering vacation packages last spring — two nights in a nearby hotel and a trip to the beleaguered airport in a double-decker tour bus.
...
Apr 10, 2014, 7:13 am
#35
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Thanks for posting this link; somehow I missed this article on the NYT website. Last time I was in Berlin was November 2013 and I thought for sure that was the last time I'd see TXL and take the bus to/from Alexanderplatz, but perhaps not...
Apr 10, 2014, 11:01 am
#37
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An interesting, if tangential, note is that Tempelhof also runs tours through the old abandoned airport. I did it while I was there a few weeks ago and it was really a wonderful experience.
Apr 10, 2014, 11:02 am
#38
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Freaking disaster.
And I know it's an unpopular opinion, but I rather like flying into and out of TXL. The cons: no direct flights, because the airport is admittedly small and outdated; lounges are not worth visiting (this is very minor -- give me a few more hours in Berlin, please). The pros: TXL is located quite close to town; it's an easy airport to navigate; you will be in town or on your flight in an hour or so.
Yes, I know. It's old; it's outdated. People want to fly the big planes directly into Berlin. I get that. I like the big planes, and I like flying non-stop. But I also like TXL. It makes no sense, I know.
And I know it's an unpopular opinion, but I rather like flying into and out of TXL. The cons: no direct flights, because the airport is admittedly small and outdated; lounges are not worth visiting (this is very minor -- give me a few more hours in Berlin, please). The pros: TXL is located quite close to town; it's an easy airport to navigate; you will be in town or on your flight in an hour or so.
Yes, I know. It's old; it's outdated. People want to fly the big planes directly into Berlin. I get that. I like the big planes, and I like flying non-stop. But I also like TXL. It makes no sense, I know.
Apr 10, 2014, 11:14 am
#39
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A great experience!
Apr 10, 2014, 12:01 pm
#40
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Let's share this with the readers of the Germany forum. I'll move it there. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.
Apr 11, 2014, 6:51 am
#41
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And I know it's an unpopular opinion, but I rather like flying into and out of TXL. The cons: no direct flights, because the airport is admittedly small and outdated; lounges are not worth visiting (this is very minor -- give me a few more hours in Berlin, please). The pros: TXL is located quite close to town; it's an easy airport to navigate; you will be in town or on your flight in an hour or so.
Yes, I know. It's old; it's outdated. People want to fly the big planes directly into Berlin. I get that. I like the big planes, and I like flying non-stop. But I also like TXL. It makes no sense, I know.
Yes, I know. It's old; it's outdated. People want to fly the big planes directly into Berlin. I get that. I like the big planes, and I like flying non-stop. But I also like TXL. It makes no sense, I know.
I completely agree with you! I've posted before about my fondness for TXL, and I think you've got it exactly right. Best thing about it is getting off my short KLM flight from AMS, and within 10 minutes I've purchased my 7 Tage-Karte and I'm on the bus to Alexanderplatz. Love Berlin; wish I was there now!
May 2, 2014, 7:10 am
#42
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Just keeps getting better:
Berlin's new airport is already too small
Berlin Brandenburg has been built with a capacity of 27 million passengers a year, but the city’s two other airports, which are supposed to close when BER opens, took 26 million passengers last year.
May 2, 2014, 4:41 pm
#43
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May 3, 2014, 4:08 am
#44
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Jun 30, 2014, 11:37 am
#45
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Even better:
Berlin airport hired fake engineer to design fire system
The man who designed a malfunctioning smoke extraction system at Berlin Brandenburg Airport – one of the reasons for the delayed airport opening – was not a trained engineer, German journalists revealed.
