[chanz2015]

This is not a travelogue but a tour guide. A guide on how to see Berlin on a budget.

• Prologue

I have been living in Berlin for over 6 years. I have done this trip along the same line as below multiple times, alone as well as with my friends who visits Berlin.

• Introduction

Berlin is a large city, in area as well as population. It does not have the gilts and glamor of other German cities like Frankfurt or Munich. But it is the most famous of the German cities for sure. Berlin has been the epi-center for at the least 3 of the major events that changed the world forever namely World Wars I & II and Cold wars.

First thing you notice in Berlin will be the wide roads with wide foot paths around it. This is unlike any other European cities which usually has crammed and congested roads. This is due to the fact that Berlin was completely destroyed after the World War 2 and the government could plan for the large roads when they started the re-construction of Berlin.





The majority of the buildings where created in cold-war era. Berlin was the only place where USSR and USA came face to face at the time of Cold War. Both, West and East Germany went on a construction spree to show off the other side. It is said that, most of the apartments constructed at the time were empty. This created the current Berlin to a large extent.

• Getting Around

Berlin's public transport network is wide. It has 18 Metro Lines and 7 sub-lines running under S-Bahn(operated by Deutsch Bahn) and U-Bahn(operated by BVG). It is complemented by a large Bus network and
Tram network(both operated by BVG). You can buy a ticket and travel on any of the public transport, tickets are not limited any 1 mode of transport. i.e. If you but a 2 hour ticket, you can travel one direction in S-Bahn or U-Bahn or bus with multiple stops in between within the said two hour. Ticket prices starts from 2.20Eur. Tickets are honor based, which basically means there is no checking of the ticket at the point of entry or exit. No scanning, no swiping. You can buy ticket from the kiosk at any of the stations or physical stores or using mobile apps. If you buy a physical ticket, you have to validate it from any of the ticket validating box in the station or the bus. It jus punches in the start date and time to the ticket.




Recently Germany introduced a Deutschland Ticket which costs 49Eur per month, which basically allows the person to travel by any public transport throughout Germany except the IC/ICE trains. But as this is a monthly ticket and the amount being deducted form the persons bank account or credit card directly, this is not feasible for tourist.

For Tourists there is a 24-hour ticket which costs 9.50Eur or opt for Berlin Welcome Cards which offers some discount for museums or other attractions. You can find more details here

[chanz2015]

Day 1


Bus #100
Before we start, let me explain about Bus #100. On day 1 we travel from Alexander Platz to Zoologischer Garten. There are multiple ways to travel between these two stations, S-Bahn being the fastest. But for a tourist Bus #100 is the best option. The bus takes you through the main attractions of the Berlin City. You can see almost all of them from the bus itself. This litrellay serves as a hop-on-hop-off albeit without the comentery.


Without further ado lets start the journey.

We start the journey from Alexander Platz and will end at Zoological Garden station. You can also take the journey in reverse depending on your preferences. We can reach any of the said two station from any part of the Berlin as they are major stations with multiple lines of S & U Bahn + bus/tram.

Assuming we are already inside the Alexander Platz station, we get out of the
Northeast exit and walk few meters and will reach Alexander Platz square. Based on the time of the year you visit Berlin, either, you can see an empty square and get a full view of the water fountain at the center, or, you can see lots of small shops selling variety of items and foods. The Square will always be crowded no matter the season.

On to th enorth side of the square you can see a high rise building. On top of that building is Panorama Terrasse Park Inn. There are multiple options to get a sky view of berlin. This is one of that option. You can take the lift to 34th floor of the building, where you will have to pay 4Eur per person and enjoy the view of Berlin. There is also an option to do Base jumping from that floor. The move Don 2 has a shot of this, where Sharukh Kahn did the jumping. Please remember , this does not offer 360 view of berlin.


On the south side of the square you will see the World clock, which basically shows the time of cities from around the world.



From here walk southwest towards the TV Tower.

Berlin TV Tower or Berliner Fernsehturm is the Berlin icon and tallest standing structure of Germany. As berlin has very few skyscrapers the TV Tower can been seen from most of the central Berlin



You can get to top of the TV tower and get a breath taking view of Berlin. The tickets starts from 24.50Eur. The view from the tower is awesome, but is it worth the ticket price? I am skeptical.

Once you admire the beauty of the TV Tower walk further southeast, you can see the small garden with water fountains. Its a kind of dancing fountain and runs every hour or so. Also you can see the rose garden. Towards the end of the garden you can see the Neptune fountain.


Forgive me for the photo quality, it is from 2016.

It is very rare to see the running fountain. I have seen it only twice in all these years. Most of the time this whole section is closed for something

From the fountain walk towards northeast and you will reach the road. Cross the road and walk beside the road. You will cross spree and then will reach the Berlin Cathedral/Berliner Dom. To see the inside of the cathedral ticket is required. But if there is a mass happening, you can try to talk your way through the guard.



Cathedral is situated in the Museum Island. The island contains 3 major Museums of Berlin. If you are interested in visiting the Museum, this will be your final stop. Each of the museum can take upto 4 hours, but they will be worth your time.

There is a fountain and a lawn in front of the Cathedral. After spending some time there we can board the bus. Walk towards the road and you will reach the bus stop. We will be boarding the bus#100 which is going towards Zoologischer Garten

We will get down at Unter den Linden bus stop. This is a pit-stop strictly for petrol heads. Once you get down, cross the road to your left and you will reach Volkswagen Gruppe Forum Store. Here you will see some display cars as well as a store with merchandises from all VW group marques. I should warn you: you should control yourselves from going on a shopping spree.

After the store visit head back to the bus-stop where you got down and board the next Bus#100. We get down at the very next stop. This is just a 2 min bus ride or you can also walk from Unter den Linden around 500Meters. Our next stop is Brandenburger Tor. Another iconic structure of Berlin City

While you walk towards the Brandenburger Tor, towards your left you can see Hotel Adlon. This is the hotel where Indian PM Narendra Modi stays when he visits Berlin. Its a landmark hotel of berlin started in 1907. The hotel was also featured in Liam Neeson movie Unknown

Now, lets continue towards the Brandenburg Gate(Tor is German for gate). This gate was constructed in the year 1791 and marks the start of the road from Berlin to town of Brandenburg an der Havel



In the background you can see the Victory column, we will reach there soon. But first click pictures and admire the structure. Walk through the gate and you will reach Platz des 18. März. From there walk towards your left, after around 300 meters you will reach the Memorial for Murdered Jews of Europe. Also on your way, you would have seen the US Embassy, which became famous during wikileaks after NSA used the embassy to spy on German govt.



As the name suggest this is a memorial for the Jews murdered prior and during the World war. This essentially are a number of concrete blocks of different sizes.
From the memorial walk back towards Platz des 18. März . From the plats, cross the road and you will see a wide path through the trees. Also the trees that you see from the Platz are part of Tiergarten, which is a large inner city-park that covers around 520acres of land.

Now, we continue our short walk through the park and we will reach another road, cross the road and you will reach Reichstag Building.




Reichstag Dome


Inside of the Dome

The Reichstag is the German parliament. You can enter the building and view the 360-degree glass dome on top for free. However, you must make a reservation in advance, either online or on the spot. You only need to show your passport to make the reservation. Once inside, you can climb the glass dome and observe the inside of the parliament. Another fantastic view of Berlin can be had from the top of the structure.

Even if you choose not to enter the Reichstag, there is enough to see outdoors. The German Chancellor's official residence, as well as other German Government buildings.

[chanz2015]

Day 1 (contd..)

From Reichstag, get on to Bus #100 from the same bus stop.

If you're interested in monuments, you can get down at Haus der Kulturen der Welt. The sculpture Butterfly by Henry Moore , House of World Cultures building, Carillon bell tower can all be found there. You can either walk down the side of the road to the next place or take Bus #100.

The following stop will be Schloss Bellevue, the official residence of the Bundespräsident /German President.



Spree river runs by the side of the Palace which you can see from the bridge near by. You cannot enter the palace or the compound though.

Once curious fact about the palace: The palace has three flag poles in front of it, one for the Berlin state flag, one for the German flag, and one for the EU flag. If the President is in Berlin, all three flags will be raised. If he is in Germany but not in Berlin, the German and EU flags will be raised. If he is not in Germany but in an EU country, the EU flag will be raised, and if he is not in the EU, no flag will be raised.

Our next stop is Victory Column

You will be able to see the victory column from the palace stop. Either you can go to the column by bus or you can walk. Its the next stop in Bus #100.

The column stand in the center of the circle. But you will not see any signals or walk way to reach. There are underground tunnels to reach the circle. You can climb to top of the column. The entry fee is 4Eur. There is a small exhibition in the ground floor. Exhibition consists of multiple miniature models of monuments in Germany and Europe


Victory Column


Miniature models inside the Column museum


View from top


Statue of gilded winged Victory resided on top of the column

The only method to ascend is via the stairwell. So, in order to reach the top, you must be in good health. There are two levels. It is easy to ascend to the first floor or to the base of the column. However, the only way to the top floor is by a tight spiral stair case. People will be coming down while you are going up, so be cautious.

The view from the top, on the other hand, is breathtaking. This is my favorite point in Berlin for a panoramic view of the city.

The victory column is surrounded by a large park called Tiergarten, as you can see. Tiergarten is an inner-city park covering more than 500 acres. In a straight line from Brandenburger Tor, the Victory Column stands in the center of the park. Tiergarten spans from Brandenbergur tor to Zoologisicher garten. It includes lakes, small ponds, flower gardens, statues, numerous play areas, restaurants, and the Berlin Zoo.

Following your visit to the Victory Column, take Bus #100 from the same bus stop. Our final stop of the day is Breitscheidplatz, which is located next to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.

The original church was severely damaged by World War II bombings in 1943. The original church's damaged spire has been preserved, and the ground floor has been converted into a memorial hall.




Pardon me for the photo quality.

The current church includes two hexagon-shaped buildings nearby. The smaller building is only accessible during certain hours. Blue glass blocks for the new church. The interior is stunning on a sunny day.

You can walk through the Boulevard Kurfürstendamm after visiting the church. Kurfürstendamm is known as Berlin's Champs-Élysées. Versace, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, and other international brands have stores here, as does KaDeWe, Berlin's premium and historic department store.

[chanz2015]

Day 2.

We begin the day at Potsdammer Platz. To get to Potsdammer, take the #200 bus from Zoologischer Garten, the #M85 bus from Hauptbahnhof, or the U2 train from Alexanderplatz. We don't have a single bus available for today's trip. We'll have to rely on buses, walking, and the U-bahn.


Potsdammer Platz is one of Berlin's most recognizable landmarks. Mostly because of the Berlin Wall remnants, but also because it is a location with adjacent high-rise buildings, a rarity in Berlin.



Potsdammer Platz is home to the Mall of Berlin, The Playce mall, and some excellent Indian restaurants. Depending on the season, the Platz also frequently hosts fairs.

The Sony Center is located here, and it is an icon in and of itself. An old building was completely relocated and saved for the construction of the Sony Center. However, as of this writing, it has been closed for renovations.

The Topography of Terror Museums are our next stop. This is a free/open*history museum located on the site of the Nazi regime's SS headquarters. This is primarily a photographic and documentary presentation of Hitler's and the Nazis' rise and fall. Also, atrocities committed prior to and during World War II.

The museum also showcases the results of investigations conducted by the Interior Ministry. An investigation was conducted to identify those who were members of the Nazi regime and perpetrators of atrocities committed by the regime but escaped prosecution subsequently.

The below image is prominently displayed in the museums.

I feel this is relevant in the current age as well. A pointer to what will happen when democracy fails



Once you get out of the museum, head towards Zimmerstraße. At the start of the street, you have another option to get the ariel view of Berlin via Air Service Berlin - Weltballon

This is a tethered balloon - not a hot air balloon - which will raise upto 150 meters and stay there for 15mins. It costs around 29EUR per person.

Walking through the street, you can see Trabi world and Trabi Museum. Another pitstop for petrol-heads. You can rent the car from hear if interested. You can see a display can and another rented car in the above picture


Once you reach the next junction you will reach Checkpoint Charlie


Checkpoint Charlie is a small cabin in the center of the road. It is not a large monument, construction, or museum.

However, it was a prominent place during the Cold War. Checkpoint Carlie was one of the few crossing points between the two Berlins. It was also the area where Soviet and American tanks clashed during the 1961 Berlin Crisis.

Checkpoint Charlie is also extensively featured in the 2015 film Bridge of Spies.

After the mandatory photo sessions go to the Kochstrasse U-bahn station whihc you can see from the location.
Take the U6 to Alt-Mariendorf and get off at the next station, Hallesches Tor. From there, take either the U1/U3 or the U4 towards Warschauer Straße.

Get down at U Schlesisches Tor which is the penultimate stop of the train. We'll walk from here to Warschauer Straße, but those who don't want to walk can stay on the train and get off at the last station.

Walk east from U Schlesisches Tor down Oberbaumstraße until you reach Oberbaum Bridge. Oberbaum Bridge is a double-deck bridge with road and metro line. It crosses the Spree River. While you cross over the bridge, you can see the TV tower to the left and Molecule Man sculpture to the right.







After crossing the bridge, you will arrive at the East Side Gallery.

There is a lot to see surrounding the wall, but the most notable feature will be the graffiti, which may be both harsh and soothing.

On the other side of the wall, you can take a leisurely stroll along the Spree and relax as we conclude our two-day excursion.

Finishing remarks

• All of the places mentioned above can be visited in a single day. It is conceivable. I know because I've done it before. However, at the end of the day, you will be absolutely exhausted.

• Berlin is a large city. Covering the city takes more than two days. This schedule is intended for people visiting Berlin for a weekend or as a stopover between destinations.

• Berlin contains about 50 museums ranging from prehistoric to present times. WWII museums, Cold War museums, Holocaust museums, and spy museums are all available. There is even a museum dedicated to the cannabis plant.

• Berlin also contains numerous palaces, gardens, and parks.

• Berlin is famous/infamous for its constructions and construction delays. So watch out for any route changes

• The weather in Berlin is erratic. Have a raincoat or umbrella on hand.

• Experience currywurst and kebabs.

[Axe77]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[charanreddy]

Hello fellow Berliner !

Hope Team BHPians in Berlin can meet up some time !!

I visited this city first in 2019 and moved here around September of last year. Below are a couple of travelogues, which cover some of what you mentioned above.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...rman-city.html (My acquaintance with Berlin - 3 weeks of exploring this German city)


Generally speaking, Berlin is supposed to be the most economical of all the major European capital cities ( though post covid, inflation has made it less so ). It is also fast evolving into a hub for technology with multiple tech startups operating in the city. Don’t compare to Bangalore though. For example , the big tech park I work in (Drielinden europarc, spanning multiple acres) has about 3500 employees. You can find a similar amount in one of the buildings in RMZ ecospace ( This campus has close to 20 such buildings crammed into a few acres ).

Do note the best time to visit is in summer ( May - September) where the days are super long (12 - 16 hrs ) and weather is bearable for Indians. Winter is not a cheerful time as it is cold with long nights and not much sun !

[Jeroen]

Thanks for sharing. I have been to Berlin a couple of times in the early nineties for business. Did not get to see anything. The one impression was it being one massive construction pit with work going on 24/7.

Of course this was a couple of years after the wall had come down.

The other thing I remember, public transport had two price schemes. One specifically for former East Germans. A lot has happened since. Looks like a very interesting city, definitely going on my list of places to visit.

As someone living in the Netherlands we travel to and through Germany on a regular basis. We always enjoy our time in Germany. By and large Germans are friendly, everything works really well. We also find that compared to other western countries it is cheaper to stay in hotels and B&Bs. Also, going out for a meal and a drink tends to work out cheaper.

These days, speaking English is rarely a problem in Germany either.

Jeroen

[Theyota]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

The one impression was it being one massive construction pit with work going on 24/7.

Jeroen

This would be a kind of oxymoron in todays status of Berlin. The city needs massive construction but there is barely any going on. The city is notorious for slow work. You have small construction sites all over the city blocking traffic. But you never see anyone working in those areas.

[turbowhistle]

Originally Posted by charanreddy

Hope Team BHPians in Berlin can meet up some time !!

Hello from another Berliner, count me and my wagon in for the meet up next time.

Originally Posted by Theyota

This would be a kind of oxymoron in todays status of Berlin. The city needs massive construction but there is barely any going on. The city is notorious for slow work. You have small construction sites all over the city blocking traffic. But you never see anyone working in those areas.

Haha Spot on! Glad it's just not me wondering where are all the construction workers usually.

[chanz2015]

Originally Posted by charanreddy

Hello fellow Berliner !

Hope Team BHPians in Berlin can meet up some time !!

Sure. Lets meetup

Originally Posted by charanreddy

Do note the best time to visit is in summer ( May - September) where the days are super long (12 - 16 hrs ) and weather is bearable for Indians. Winter is not a cheerful time as it is cold with long nights and not much sun !

Yes summer is bearable for Indians. But my favorite time is December. Because of the Christmas markets. Sure its cold and short day light. But the Christmas markets lifts my spirit. Berlin looks gorgeous in December.

Originally Posted by Theyota

This would be a kind of oxymoron in todays status of Berlin. The city needs massive construction but there is barely any going on. The city is notorious for slow work. You have small construction sites all over the city blocking traffic. But you never see anyone working in those areas.

Truly said. Before I came to Berlin, I always thought Kochi Metro was the worst and long delayed public projects. Berlin Airport changed my views

[Kkumar]

A detailed itinerary which will definitely help anyone planning a visit to Berlin. It’s always better to get first hand information from a resident than relying on vlogs/blogs. Thank you.

[shifu]

Originally Posted by chanz2015

Sure. Lets meetup

Originally Posted by charanreddy

Hello fellow Berliner !

Hope Team BHPians in Berlin can meet up some time !!

I will likely visit Berlin during the Germany Unity week. Would you guys be around for a meet up?

Originally Posted by chanz2015

• Experience currywurst and kebabs.

List of places please