Getting around
From BER airport into the city: train, S-Bahn, bus or taxi
BER airport lies outside the city limits but is well connected. If you know which train goes where and which ticket is valid, you are in the middle of Berlin in under half an hour. Here are all the options compared, the one ticket mistake to avoid, and a plan for anyone with just a few hours' layover.
Fastest FEX airport express, 23 minutes to the main station
Ticket Berlin ABC, an AB ticket is not enough
Departure Station directly below Terminal 1-2
Taxi 35 to 45 minutes to the center, depending on traffic
01 The ticket: don't forget zone C
Berlin is divided into fare zones A, B and C, and BER is in C. To travel into the city you therefore need a Berlin ABC ticket. This is the most common mistake at the airport: anyone riding on a normal AB ticket counts as travelling without a valid ticket if checked. If you already have a weekly or monthly AB pass, buy a zone C extension ticket. The Deutschlandticket is valid on all local transport, including the FEX, the S-Bahn and the airport buses. Validate paper tickets before you travel, more in Understanding the BVG.
02 FEX airport express: the fastest way
The FEX leaves directly below the terminal and stops only three times in Berlin: Südkreuz after 14 minutes, Potsdamer Platz after 19 and the main station after 23 minutes. It runs three times an hour. If you are staying in the west, in Mitte or around the main station, it is the best choice. At Südkreuz and the main station you can change to the S-Bahn or long-distance trains, at Potsdamer Platz to the U2.
03 S-Bahn S9 and S85: slower, but no change
Together, the S9 and S85 reach the airport about every 10 minutes. The S9 crosses the city via Ostbahnhof, Alexanderplatz, Friedrichstraße, the main station and Zoologischer Garten to Spandau. It takes much longer than the FEX but stops at many places where visitors stay, so you often do not need to change. The S85 runs towards Pankow and Frohnau. The S45 to BER has not run since December 2025, although older guidebooks still list it.
04 Regional trains, buses and night service
Besides the FEX, regional trains RE20, RB22, RB24 and RB32 stop at the airport, handy for destinations in Brandenburg and Potsdam. Express bus X7 takes about 20 minutes to Rudow U-Bahn station, the end of the U7, good for Neukölln and Kreuzberg. At night buses take over: the N7 runs every 30 minutes towards Rudow, plus the N36 and N60. If you land late, check the BVG journey planner first, as frequencies and routes change at night.
05 Taxi
Taxis wait right at the terminal. The ride to the center takes 35 to 45 minutes depending on traffic, charged by meter. With lots of luggage, children or after midnight it is often the more relaxed option, but it is rarely faster than the FEX.
The classic
Taxi into town
Comfortable, but in rush hour the ride can take much longer.
Kieznah tip
FEX to Potsdamer Platz
19 minutes, and you are a short walk from the Brandenburg Gate.
06 Layover at BER: 6 hours of Berlin
With about 6 hours on the ground, a short trip into town is worth it. Count it like this: half an hour each way, time to get off the plane and collect bags, and before departure the buffer your airline recommends. That leaves a good two hours in the city. If you are not coming from the Schengen area, check beforehand whether you need a visa to enter.
Our suggestion, all on foot and flat: take the FEX to the main station. From there it is a few minutes to the Reichstag, then through the Brandenburg Gate to the other side, past the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe to Potsdamer Platz. About two kilometers in total. At Potsdamer Platz you board the FEX again and are back at the terminal in 19 minutes.
FAQ
Does Schönefeld airport still exist?
No, the old Terminal 5 is permanently closed. All flights use Terminals 1 and 2. Schönefeld S-Bahn station is still served, so do not mix them up.
What about Potsdam?
Potsdam is also in zone C, so an ABC ticket covers it. The BER2 shuttle bus runs directly, with a surcharge.