The right mood

A good club night in Berlin starts with patience. The queue can take an hour, the door may say no, and inside it often takes a while before the music gets you. People who arrive with fixed expectations are more likely to be disappointed than those who are curious and have time. Plan the night so you do not have to go home at two, because in many clubs that is when it really starts.

It also helps to see yourself as a guest. Berlin clubs see themselves as safe spaces where nobody is judged or photographed. If you respect that, you will fit in almost anywhere, whatever your age or outfit.

What to wear

• Comfortable: You will stand and dance for hours, so good shoes matter more than the outfit.
• Low-key: Simple, rather dark clothes work in most techno clubs. If you look like you are on your way to a stag party, strict doors will be harder.
• Travel light: ID, some cash, a card, your phone. Big bags cost time and money at the cloakroom.
• Exceptions: At KitKatClub each party has its own dress code, and at Matrix many people dress up more. Read the club’s page first.

Going alone

Going to a club alone in Berlin is normal and nobody will notice. Many regulars come for a particular DJ and meet friends inside. At the door, on your own you are often less conspicuous than a loud group.

It is easiest in clubs with a garden and places to retreat to, where you can sit outside in between, such as Sisyphos, Kater Blau or ://about blank. For a first try, the Wednesday “New Faces” nights at Tresor and gigs at SO36 work well, because the music is the focus and nobody asks who you came with. All the clubs, with directions and door, are in the club guide.

• Tell someone: Tell someone where you are and roughly when you plan to be back.
• Full battery: You need a charged phone for the way home, not for photos.
• Watch your drink: Do not leave your glass unattended and do not accept anything from strangers.
• Awareness team: If someone bothers you or you are not feeling well, talk to the staff or the awareness team.

Where to meet people

On the dance floor most people want to dance, not talk. Conversations tend to start where people are waiting or catching their breath anyway: in the garden, the smoking area, at the bar, at the cloakroom and already in the queue outside. A question about the music, the DJ or the club is a better opener than any pick-up line.

A no means no, straight away, and people who do not want to be approached usually make it clear. On Sunday afternoon the mood in many clubs is more relaxed and chatty than at three in the morning, especially in the gardens.

How a night unfolds

• Before: Eat a proper meal and get some sleep beforehand if you plan to stay until morning.
• Arriving: Many clubs are quiet before midnight. Check beforehand when the party starts and who is playing.
• Inside: Walk around first and get to know the floors, then stay where you like the music.
• Water and breaks: Drink water in between and get some fresh air; the night is long.
• Out and back in: Re-entry is not possible everywhere. Ask at the door before you step out.

When the door says no

Do not argue, do not queue again, just move on. Many Berlin clubs are close together: from Heinrich-Heine-Straße U-Bahn station it is about 2 minutes on foot to KitKatClub and about 4 to Tresor. From Ostkreuz you reach ://about blank in about 5 and Renate in about 12 minutes. And if you have had enough of doors altogether, Bars and pubs in Berlin has places with a DJ and no strict selection.

The day after

If you only leave the club at Sunday lunchtime, museums are rarely on the cards. Ideas for a quiet day with flea markets, breakfast and water are in Sunday in Berlin, and how to get home safely at night in BVG in 10 minutes.