STS Flight Surgeon

Found a great fare to Berlin next Saturday, so I plan to spend six days in the vicinity. I expect to do a lot of walking around the city itself and try to cover all the usual landmarks.

I've read about passes for public transit which sound good. Any opinions on this or other available passes? https://www.berlin.de/en/tourism/189...mecard.en.html

How much is there to see in Potsdam, and how much time would you devote to that area? I'll head up to Oranienburg as well; again, is that somewhere you'd spend a few hours or a whole day?

I plan to go to Leipzig for a day to see the Bach-analia there. Looking for advice on whether to spend a night in Leipzig or just take the train down in the morning and back the same evening.

If anyone has a recommendation for the best part of Berlin in which to stay, or good recommendations for clean, safe, reasonably priced hotels, that would be great. I don't need anything luxurious, and enjoy more "local" hotels than cookie cutter international brands. Recc's for good local style restaurants are always appreciated as well.


Thanks for any and all advice! I've been meaning to get to Berlin for years, so I'm really looking forward to it.

ex-koelner

Personally, I'm not a fan of tourist cards and doubt that they are worth the higher price compared to a transit-only-pass. So you should check whether you really want to see the places that offer a discount with the pass. And keep in mind, that not all major landmarks will offer a discount. A weekly pass for the entire public transit system is 30.00 EUR, I would go with that.
Potsdam: plenty to see, not only the palace, plan a whole day
Oranienburg: rather a few hours for Sachsenhausen camp and maybe the palace, but if you go to Potsdam anyway, I would skip it
Leipzig: plenty to see and worth to spend a night, but that depends on your priorities. Trains run every hour and take roughly 1 hour, so I'd prefer to go there in the morning and back in the evening.

offerendum

Potsdam is at least one day.

AlanInDC

i spent 6 days in berlin and didn't run out of things to do

definitely stay in the former east berlin

leipzig easily worth more than a day trip

offerendum

WouldnŽt do a daytrip to Leipzig when staying in Berlin. Enough to see in Berlin.

STS Flight Surgeon

Thanks everyone!

I've got a good feeling for timing now. Will head to Leipzig early in the morning, back that night so I don't have to haul luggage and change hotels.

May try to catch the Royal Concertgebouw on Wednesday - I've never heard them live.

Now I just have to decide on a good hotel.

Reindeerflame

Berlin has great "all inclusive" transit passes; the Zones A and B version is good for most purposes, except Potsdam which requires A, B, and C. There are various lengths: a weekly one might be the best (one transaction and be done with it). Bus routes 100 and 200 are ideal for the tourist, especially if you can get a front seat on the upper level of the 2-story buses.

Nefertiti at the Neues Museum is a must, as is the KadeWe department store.

If money is less of an object, I prefer the Adlon Hotel right at the Brandenburg Gate.

LondonElite

Not sure why the OP is suspended, and in any case his trip is over...I'm a bit confused by the reference to the Royal Concertgebouw in Leipzig. Were they there for a tour or is he confusing it with the Gewandhaus Orchestra?

offerendum

Merlin666

It looks like the 7 day pass can not be printed but must be mailed, will they send it to other countries? We will be visiting in March so still some time to get things
organized. I have also installed the BVG app, maybe use that to purchase the ticket?

Oh and it seems they will increase fares in the new year, so if I buy a 7 day pass now, will it still be usable next year?

flyingfkb

7 day and monthly passed can not be bought via the app. You can buy them only at ticket machines or in small newspaper shops (normally they have sticker saying "BVG tickets sold here"). Just buy the 7 day pass on arrival. There is absolutely no need to buy them now. The newer ticket machines even take credit cards (with chip and pin) and some are even upgraded to contact less.

offerendum

Send them to other countries aŽnd organize the payment would be too expensive. Just buy it a a machine.

Merlin666

Thanks, is there a ticket machine at TXL?

flyingfkb

Yes, they are outside directly at the bus stop where the TXL Bus stops (Main entrance to Terminal A - just follow the signs in the Terminal building)

BER Flyer

There is also a BVG ticket counter with "real" personal right at the entrance of the main terminal, the will be able to answer your questions in english.