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Voykit pocket guide · Germany

Potsdam

Base in Berlin and give Potsdam one full day (Sanssouci at opening, New Garden after), or sleep one night here if you want the palaces without the crowd.

Potsdam is Brandenburg's capital and a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of palaces and parks 30 km southwest of Berlin, reachable in under 30 minutes by regional train. Most visitors do it as a day trip; the palaces and parks are spread over several kilometres, so one day covers Sanssouci and the old centre, two days add Babelsberg and Cecilienhof without rushing.

AachenAltöttingAnsbachAugsburgBad DürkheimBad FallingbostelBad GandersheimBad HomburgBad MuskauBad ReichenhallBaden-BadenBaiersbronnBambergBautzenPotsdam200 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
Germany
Best months
May–Sep, Dec
Avoid
Jan–Feb (cold, parks bare)
Stay
1–2 nights

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
EUR
Money
Currency is the euro (EUR). Card acceptance has improved but some bakeries, bars and small restaurants are still cash only.
Daily spend
Budget €55–85 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 excl. bed · High €160+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
SIM and data
Telekom, Vodafone and O2 are the networks; Aldi Talk, Lidl Connect and congstar resell them cheaply in supermarkets and electronics shops.
Emergency
Fire and ambulance 112 · Police 110
Plugs
Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US devices need an adapter.
Tipping
Restaurant: Round up or add 5–10%; say the total you want to pay as you hand over money or card.; Bar and café: Round up to the nearest euro.; Taxi: Round up by €1–2.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night, optional.; Free walking tour: €10–15 per person.
Water
Tap water is safe everywhere. Restaurants usually sell bottled water; fizzy (mit Kohlensäure) is the default, ask for 'still' or 'ohne'.
Toilets
Station toilets cost €0.50–1.50 (Rail&Fresh WC); restaurant toilets are for customers; the 'WC' at motorway rest stops takes coins and gives a voucher.

What things cost

ItemPrice
Coffee€3–4.50
Lunch, bakery or imbiss€7–12
Beer, 0.5 l in a bar / at a shop€4–5.50 / €1–1.50
Sanssouci Palace entry€14 (concessions €10)
New Palace entry€14 (concessions €10)
sanssouci+ combined ticket€22 (concessions €17)
Berlin ABC day ticket€11 (check)

Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.

Get in

By air

BER · Berlin Brandenburg
RB22 suburban train to Potsdam Hbf, about 50 min, with a change; express bus BER2 also runs to Potsdam Hbf for an extra fare (check)

Typical fares

Potsdam Hbf → Berlin Friedrichstraße, RE1
about 28 min, covered by a Berlin ABC ticket (check)
BER airport → Potsdam Hbf, RB22
about 50 min, about €5 (check)
Tram or bus single ride in Potsdam
VBB zone A fare (check)

Get around

Trams and buses run under the VBB network, so a Berlin ABC or BC ticket is valid in Potsdam too. Buy at machines on board. Bus 695 links the main station with the Sanssouci palaces; trams 92 and 96 run to the Dutch Quarter, Alexandrowka and Bornstedt. Nextbike and Donkey Bike cover short hops; Uber and Free Now operate here.

See and do

Known for

  • Sanssouci Palace and Park
  • Cecilienhof and the 1945 Potsdam Conference
  • Dutch Quarter
  • Babelsberg film studios

Day trips

WhereHowTime
BerlinRE1 from Potsdam Hbf to Berlin Friedrichstraße, about 28 minAbout 40 min
Werder an der HavelRE1 towards Brandenburg, then bus or a walk into townAbout 1 h
OranienburgS1 to Berlin, then S1 or RE5 north1.5–2 h
Brandenburg an der HavelRE1 towards Brandenburg or Magdeburg, about 40 minAbout 1 h

Sleep

Innenstadt (Old Market / Dutch Quarter)
Walk to Alter Markt, the Dutch Quarter and the tram lines; best for one night without a car.
Near Potsdam Hbf
Cheapest beds and direct trains to Berlin; 15–20 min walk or a short tram to the old centre.
Babelsberg
Quieter, near Park Babelsberg and the film studios; S7 to Berlin and Potsdam Hbf.

Phrase card

EnglishSay or show
Excuse me / SorryEntschuldigungent-SHOOL-dee-goong
Thank youDankeDAN-keh
This one, pleaseDas hier, bittedas heer, BIT-teh
How much is it?Wie viel kostet das?vee feel KOS-tet das
Can I pay by card?Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?kan ikh mit KAR-teh TSAH-len
Where is the toilet?Wo ist die Toilette?vo ist dee toy-LET-teh

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Greeting: Firm handshake with eye contact; 'Guten Tag' or 'Hallo'; avoid: Hugs with people you have just met
  • Names: Herr / Frau plus surname until invited to use first names; avoid: Using 'du' with officials or older strangers
  • Punctuality: Arrive on time for tours, dinners and appointments; avoid: Being more than 5–10 minutes late without a message
  • Queues and rules: Follow signs, wait at red lights, sort rubbish; avoid: Walking in cycle lanes
  • Conversation: Direct and factual; people say what they mean; avoid: Taking directness as rudeness, or joking about the Nazi era
  • Home visit: Bring flowers (odd number, not red roses) or wine; shoes off if the hosts do; avoid: Arriving early
  • Paying: Say the total including tip as you pay; avoid: Leaving coins on the table and walking off

Scams and watch-outs

  • Sanssouci Palace caps entries at about 2,000 people a day: go at opening or book ahead.
  • Palace interiors close on different weekdays (Sanssouci Monday, New Palace Tuesday); check each site before you plan the day.
  • Park Sanssouci is free and open dawn to dusk, but cycling is limited to certain paths.
  • Potsdam's zones are not Berlin's zones: an ABC ticket covers the trip, a Berlin AB ticket does not.

Potsdam is a low-risk city; the real issues are pickpockets around Potsdam Hbf and the main squares, and unlit park paths after dusk. Parks close at dusk: plan the walk back before it gets dark.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Potsdam yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • Sanssouci Palace and Park
  • Cecilienhof and the 1945 Potsdam Conference
  • Dutch Quarter
  • Babelsberg film studios

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

Potsdam

Zu dieser Adresse, bitte

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

  • Fire and ambulance112
  • Police110

No embassies in Potsdam; most countries have embassies in Berlin, about 30–45 min by train.

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/potsdam). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.