From what I can find and hoping some one can point me in the right direction, I see no Train offering out of Tegel, only bus?

We are going to be staying at the Hilton Berling down town, what s best way to get there?

You can bus then transfer to u/s bahn but with bags, long flight, jet lag-fatigue I would use a cab to your hotel. I am gusing but somewhere in the 22 to 29.00 range. Then after resting you will be a better place to figure out Berlin's great public transportation system. Quiet, clean, with integrated connections, it puts my city's MUNI to shame. I just returned from three weeks
in Berlin and I am seriously considering buying an apartment there.

Thanks!

Whats the deal on Tourist cards etc. Do they offer a 5 day transit card, like the tube pass I have used in London, something for tourists that lets them right several days for a set fair?

What about (a) doing a search and (b) reviewing the master thread. This would have told you:

And.

http://www.bvg.de/index.php/en/Bvg/I...e/For+Visitors
http://www.bvg.de/index.php/en/Bvg/I...Fares+Overview

"Tourist Cards" do exist - they come bundled with reduced or free admission to various attractions.

The transit system (BVG) also sells day tickets and seven-day tickets, which offer unlimited riding on the U-Bahn (subway) and S-Bahn (region commuter trains), as well as buses and trams, but are not bundled with the other attractions.

The links below show what is included and what the prices are:

One Day Ticket:

http://www.bvg.de/index.php/en/Bvg/D...ame/Day+Ticket


Seven-Day Ticket:

http://www.bvg.de/index.php/en/Bvg/D...ame/7-Day+Card


Berlin Welcome Card:

http://www.bvg.de/index.php/en/Bvg/D...e/CityTourCard


City Tour Card:

http://www.bvg.de/index.php/en/Bvg/D...e/CityTourCard


Very briefly, metropolitan Berlin is mapped to three concentric transit zones, A, B and C. Most attractions, with the exception of Potsdam, are within the A-B combination (for Potsdam, you need "C"). Tegel is in "B", most central sites of visitor interest are in "A".


As for using the BVG for your initial trip from the airport to the hotel, *if* you have light luggage and if the weather is good, you could consider taking the TXL EXPRESS bus. This bus departs from the central terminal area and would drop you off at the corner of Unter den Linden and Friedrichstrasse. From there, you would walk five blocks south on Friedrichstrasse to the corner of Mohrenstrasse, then turn one block to the left (east) and you'd be at the door of the Hilton. The map below shows the area that you would be walking through:

http://www.fahrinfo-berlin.de/Stadtp...96e3aeb7e3a3fb

Walking the six blocks (if possible) means that you don't have to make a transfer or negotiate the underground station at Stadtmitte (which does have an elevator - not all stations do). The street is flat and there are curb cuts at the intersections, making walking with a rolling suitcase easier.

If you decide to buy your pass at Tegel, there is a BVG counter in the central terminal area, to the left of the well-marked T-Mobile shop (Tegel is relatively small, so it's quite easy to find your way around.

And I would completely agree that the single- or multiple-day passes are the way to go. They need to be presented upon boarding buses, but need only be shown on request on the trains. Very convenient and a good value.

Unless one is going to Potsdam in Zone C (Sansouci Palace), the A and B zones are more than sufficient for most. And, even with Potsdam, it is possible to purchase an add-on ticket just for the one day that one is going there.

It's so liberating to be able to travel extensively and as much as one wants at "no charge" (once one owns a ticket). On the other hand, individual tickets always are a reminder that one has to pay, and pay again. In the first case, one tends to travel more, and feels better with each additional boarding (more value for the money). In the second case, one tends to avoid use of a transit service, because each additional boarding can cost more money.

Thank you for the helpful post, Non-NonRev. The official fare zone map on the website is a little intimidating, it looks like a gigantic honeycomb.

I found the BVG site myself a few days ago, and I noticed that the Fare Information is blank for the Welcome Card and the City Tour Card. I probably will choose a day pass, weekend pass and/or 7 day pass so it's not too important to me.

If you look on the right-hand side and open the .pdf files that display the brochures for the Welcome and City Tour cards, you will find the prices there (the .pdf files are a little large, about 4.5mb)

Even if you decide to take a cab to the Hilton, stop by the BVG booth in Tegel - to the left side of the counter where the agent sits, there is a rack with large maps (easier to read) of the S&U Bahn systems, the 24-hour network, the metronetz routes, and the Welcome and Tour Cards. I always grab a bunch before heading out to catch the bus

Just take the TXL bus to Unter der Linden/Freidrichstrasse and walk the couple of blocks to the hotel. It's a really pleasant walk and a good way to refresh and get used to the area near the Gendarmemarket.

Be aware that with the 7 day pass, an additional passenger is free of charge on all day on weekends andofficial holidays, as well as on weekdays after 8pm. If you are traveling with someone, I have found pairing one 7 day pass with single day pass or single trip tickets to be a good value. It sort of depends on when your trip is--if it extends over a weekend and includes some holidays it can work out quite nicely.

Yes, the X9 Bus is your friend !!! This is a fast bus and stops only on major station, where you can connect to the S-Bahn or metro.

However, it only takes you to the HILTON if you change at Ernst Reuter Platz to the U2 to Stadtmitte. However, if you follow the signs to Gendarmenmarkt on Stadtmitte-Station you will end up directly in front of the hotel. No walk, no nothing. Certainly the most comfortable and quickest way to the Hilton.

What is the difference between the Berlin Welcome & the Berlin City Tour card?

The Welcome card is a 1€ more expansive and maybe has a few more places offering reductions on admittance.

Berlin welcome Card