Berlin airport to city centre: trains, buses, taxis and costs

BER sits south-east of the city, next to the old Schönefeld site. Two rail lines and a taxi rank serve the terminal, and all of them drop you within walking distance of the main sights. The train is the default for almost everyone: it is cheap, frequent and avoids the ring-road traffic that can double a taxi time at peak hours.

Pick by luggage and arrival time rather than by saving a euro or two. With one bag and a daytime landing, the train wins. With a family, ski bags or a landing after midnight, a taxi or pre-booked transfer is worth the money.

The airport express (FEX) is the quickest rail option, running to Hauptbahnhof in about half an hour. Regional RE and RB trains use the same tracks and the same ticket, so take whichever leaves first. The S-Bahn S9 and S45 take longer — 45 to 50 minutes — but run through the centre and are useful if your hotel is near Alexanderplatz or Friedrichstraße.

All of these need an ABC zone ticket, because BER is outside the AB city core. Buy from the machines on the platform, in the app, or tap a contactless card where the reader accepts it. Validate paper tickets before boarding; inspectors do check. The Deutschlandticket covers regional trains and the S-Bahn but not the FEX if it is classed as a long-distance service — check before you rely on it.

Trains run from early morning until after midnight, roughly every 10 to 20 minutes through the day and less often at night. If you land when the rails are quiet, night buses run to the centre on the same ABC ticket.

The taxi rank is outside the terminal. A metered ride to the centre costs roughly €60–80 and takes 35 to 50 minutes depending on traffic; the ring road is the variable. Ride-hailing apps work at BER and often quote a fixed price before you accept, which takes the guesswork out of a late arrival.

Pre-booked transfers with a driver waiting in arrivals cost a little more but remove the queue and the language barrier. They make sense for families, for anyone arriving after the trains stop, and for early departures when you want a guaranteed pickup time. Shared shuttles are cheaper per person but add stops.

The rail fare is the same whichever train you take: one ABC single ticket, about €4.40 (2026 estimate). A day ticket or a small-group ticket can be cheaper if you are heading straight out again or travelling with others. Children under the usual age limit travel free on Berlin public transport — check the current rule at the machine.

Taxis are the big cost. Budget €60–80 to the centre, more if you are going far west or north. Tipping follows the German norm: round up by a euro or two, or say the total you want to pay.

Shops and supermarkets inside the terminal and at the main stations stay open on Sundays and public holidays, which matters in Germany, where almost everything else closes. Station toilets cost €0.50–1.50. Tap water is safe to drink everywhere in the city.

If you are continuing by train, Hauptbahnhof and Gesundbrunnen connect to ICE and IC services across Germany. Buy a Sparpreis ticket early for the best price; on-the-day Flexpreis fares are much higher. If a delay makes you miss a connection, the ticket binding is lifted when DB is late, so you can take the next train.

For a short stay, a contactless card or a phone ticket is the simplest way to pay for Berlin transport. Paper tickets still work but need validating. Keep your ticket until you leave the last station — checks happen on the platform as well as on board.