Advice - 12 Hour Layover in Tegel TXL
 

Three weeks from now my parents will fly into Tegel Airport on Austrian Airlines Friday evening. On Saturday morning, they will fly on Continental's flight 96 from Tegel to New York.

They do not have airline status to use any of the lounges at the airport during their 12+ hour layover and they also do not wish to leave the airport and get a hotel room.

Could anyone provide any advice and guidance that can help them during their long stay at Tegel Airport?

I searched for more information, but am not finding any detailed maps of the airport. In specific, it would be more than great if we could find additional information on the following matters if any of you can share your knowledge from personal experience:

- What terminal do Austrian Airlines fly into at Tegel?

- What terminal (and gate) does Continental's flight 96 to EWR depart from at Tegel?

- Can we buy my parents a lounge pass for any of the Tegel clubs (Air France, BA and Lufthansa) if they do not have airline status and they are flying discount economy class?

- Considering the airport lounges are not open at night time, are there any restaurants, shops or other facilities at Tegel that may be open 24 hours?

- Do you think my parents can request a cot from an airport officer so that they can get a nap while waiting at the terminal (I don't know if this is standard service at airports but I've seen them provide cots for delayed flights and stranded passengers so I thought it may be an option)?

Any other thoughts or advice you have for my parents and their 12+ hour layover at Tegel would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi,

I think Tegel/Berlin is a rather small and quiet airport in my opinion.

As far as I have seen on their website there is no restaurant open during the night (latest 10pm/earliest 4.30 am).

You can check the gate also on the website since I´ve just seen they do differ depending on arrival time. Lounges: British Airways/ AIR France/ Lufthansa will close latest 9.30 pm (see website/at the airport/lounges)

Talking about the website: Berlin-Airports-Eng

Be sure to always choose the "Tegel"-tab for detailled information.

In case your parents get bored: there is an express bus into town and back (bus TXL) for only a few euros and 35 minutes ride each way. you could see even some sights on the ride! :)

Bee

Short answer - to be honest, I don't recommend they do it and they should instead get a hotel room for the night. Most of the airport facilities will be shut by 9pm (10pm at the very latest) and in fact I believe the airport actually closes down altogether during the night. Do bear in mind that TXL is not a particularly large airport - there is not that much to do!
The Berlin Airports web site has a lot of this information. There is a terminal map and an explanation of the new signposting. A quick look at the arrivals and departure data on the same web site indicates that OS fly into the new Terminal C and CO fly out of the hexagonal Terminal A.
Very unlikely, there does not even seem to be a Priority Pass lounge at TXL. But as you note, they will be closed for most of the time your parents are there.
Again the Berlin Airports web site indicates there are no 24h restaurants or shops .

Highly unlikely. Berlin is not an expensive city to arrange a hotel room for the night - much cheaper than Cologne or Munich for example. I really think that would be a much more sensible option for them.

There is a Mercure within walking distance from the terminal.

Rates are not bad.

http://www.mercure.com/mercure/fiche...he_hotel.shtml

I stayed at this hotel in May 2005, and it is a perfectly acceptable hotel located adjacent to the road entrance to TXL. The rooms are not luxurious but clean and well-equipped for a good night's sleep before the flight. The breakfast was of surprisingly good quality for an airport property. Free shuttle to and from the terminal.

The Accor site is currently showing a "Hot Rate" (prepaid, no changes) of €69,- for June 15th (assuming that is the date in question)

I too would recommend a hotel, especially for the OP's parents. Berlin hotel prices are extremely reasonable. However, since you state that is not an option here is what the ultimate website on airport sleeping has to say about TXL:

http://www.sleepinginairports.net/eu...erlintegel.htm

Convince them to get a hotel room. You really cannot sleep at Tegel. You'll get thrown out by security at midnight. It's a small compact airport and it doesn't matter really what terminal you fly into or out of. The Kurfürstendamm area of West Berlin is minutes away with a huge choice of hotels. There are also budget places in the adjacent districts of Wedding and Reinickendorf.

Here are some reports from people who tried to sleep at Tegel:

http://www.sleepinginairports.net/eu...erlintegel.htm

OT, but relevant...: I think what a lot of people outside Germany don't appreciate is that although Berlin is now the capital of Germany, Tegel is still essentially the small regional it was when West Berlin was an enclave.

Because of West Berlin's special status only US, British and French carriers were allowed to fly into TXL and THF, and although BA, AF and PanAm were all very busy operating internal routes between West Berlin and West Germany, there were very few flights to other destinations.

There has been some expansion at TXL since reunification, but because the long-term plan is to close TXL that expansion has been quite modest.

Get them a hotel. Perhaps it will be comforting for them to know that this is not a huge airport and that it is also not a busy one.

If they arrive, take the hotel and then go up early in the morning, they do have a bit of refreshement and they will not be able to stay at the airport anyhow.

i would ask them why they do not want to leave - and i suspect it is reasons like being afraid. it would be different if it was over day, but just force them to their luck as with it "it is closed. you have to get out."

as 12 hours boil down to less hours with all the check in and out AND there is a hotel directly adjactant to it, this should ease the pain.

my suggestion: book a room at their airport with refundable price and tell them it is not refundable to take it. if they still insist, you can still cancel it. ;)

As I said, "downtown" West Berlin is close, with dozens of hotels in all categories. It's about 20 minutes away. There's nothing much at the airport itself.

I agree with the other posters; they should absolutely get a hotel. If their reluctance to do so is the expense I'd suggest they actually check out what the cost would be. Berlin hotel rooms are of high quality and surprisingly affordable, especially compared with those in other European capitals.

To see where the Mercure is located in relation to the airport and also to the center city areas, please have a look at this Google map (the closest Mercure is the one marked with a letter "A"):

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Mercur...UTF8&z=12&om=1

There's no advantage to staying at either of those airport Mercures, when you could be staying at someplace on or off the Ku-damm and have a real city environment around you - cafés, restaurants, shops etc only about 20 mins from the airport. As well as having a wide range of choices from budget to 5-star.

True in general - BUT

this is a 12 hour layover. They probably have to get luggage or prepare for some on board carry on to the the main luggage checked through (what I would suggest).

20 min is the best case scenario and with in and out of the airport that is rather 60 minutes, they have to get back in the morning, should check in again about 1,5 to two hours PLUS sleep.

Yeah you can do some sightseeing around BErlin but they are on a trip to New York, not Berlin.

I suggest a hotel near the airport, get there and then hop over to the city for some dinner, get back to the hotel and early to the airport in the morning. And if they do not feel like it, they can just stay at the hotel and perhaps have a bit of a nice bar / restaurant.

Actually late Friday night/early Saturday morning it could be even faster than 20 minutes. And the taxi brings you right up to the departure gate. It's a very convenient little airport.