Berlin info

[STEVIEBOY1]

Good morning,

I am considering having a long weekend in Berlin in early May 2013. Travelling there and back all being well via Eurostar/Thalys/ICE.

It will be my first visit to Berlin, I have wanted to go there for a long time. It will be interesting using their public transport system and seeing the sights there too.

Does anyone know if there are any steam railways worth visiting in that area, I don't really want to travel more than an hour or so from Berlin to keep costs down.

I have been to the Molli, Harz Mountains and Racing Roland on Rugen Island before.

Thanks.

 

[northwichcat]

One thing you'll notice with regards to local transport in Berlin is yellow trams operating in former East Berlin. In former West Berlin there are yellow 'replacement bus services' on what used to be the tram routes.

Also note if you're planning to visit Postdam is that despite having it's own zonal ticketing system and it's own tram network it is also in zone C of the Berlin ticketing system.

 

[gordonthemoron]

There's a miniature (diesel) railway in Wuhlheide park. But otherwise I think you've been to the only East German steam railways. I'd recommend stopping off at Rummelsberg Betriebsbahnhof to see if you can spot some old DB/DR trains. There's a DR High Speed Train and you may also spot a Metropolitan painted in ICE colours (runs between Berlin & Munich M-F and possibly Sun).

Best thing about the local transport are the Double Decker buses which are mainly found in West Berlin.

Also, the following may be of interest:

berliner unterwelten

story of berlin

 

[paulypaul]

I've often spotted the old DDR ICE VT 18.16 train around Berlin-Lichtenberg station in the east.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrej/5427207857/lightbox/

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/DR-Baureihe_VT_18.16
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I've often spotted the old DDR ICE VT 18.16 train around Berlin-Lichtenberg station in the east of the city.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrej/5427207857/lightbox/

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/DR-Baureihe_VT_18.16
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
oooo I'm not sure a night time tour of the Berlin Underground might be your sort of thing?

http://www.bvg.de/index.php/en/17146/name/Adventure%2BBVG/article/81670.html

 

[starrymarkb]

Berlin is a fascinating city, really need to spend longer there (have a one night stopover in May on the way to Leipzig)

Mind you Leipzig might be worth a visit - it's just over 1 hour on the ICE from Berlin...

 

[reb0118]

Have you considered the London Spezial fare from Deutsche Bahn. I believe these now start at 59€ one way from London to any German Station.

More info here

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

One thing you'll notice with regards to local transport in Berlin is yellow trams operating in former East Berlin. In former West Berlin there are yellow 'replacement bus services' on what used to be the tram routes.

Also note if you're planning to visit Postdam is that despite having it's own zonal ticketing system and it's own tram network it is also in zone C of the Berlin ticketing system.

Thank you for this info. Do I take it that in "West Berlin" the tram system is being upgraded or done away with, hence the replacement bus services?

 

[northwichcat]

Thank you for this info. Do I take it that in "West Berlin" the tram system is being upgraded or done away with, hence the replacement bus services?

West Berlin did like many UK cities and decided trams were not fashionable and replaced them with buses. East Berlin, like Eastern European countries kept trams. Since the fall of the Berlin wall the trams haven't been extended back in to West Berlin save one small extension. The former West Berlin tram routes are run by buses with route numbers preceded by a M (which usually indicates a tram route) and operated by yellow buses (the same colour as the trams.)

Berlin also has trams built in 1976 running alongside ones built in 2006. The older type also operate in Potsdam alongside more modern trams.

 

[317666]

Have you considered the London Spezial fare from Deutsche Bahn. I believe these now start at 59€ one way from London to any German Station.

More info here

Bear in mind that Eurostar open their own bookings before DB open theirs. How well-filled a connecting Eurostar is seems to affect the price of the London Special tickets, so they don't always start at €59.

 

[30907]

Bear in mind that Eurostar open their own bookings before DB open theirs. How well-filled a connecting Eurostar is seems to affect the price of the London Special tickets, so they don't always start at €59.

I'm not convinced about that - the price seems to depend on which train you use from Brussels to Cologne (and sometimes Cologne to Berlin).

Back to the original question.

If you're going over the May Day weekend you're in luck with SEVERAL steam specials with a class 52 http://berlin-macht-dampf.com/fahrtenprogramm-2011-ab-berlin/ but otherwise theres not much likelihood of steam.

For non-steam there's the semi-rural tramways to Woltersdorf, Alt-Rudersdorf and Strausberg, and (slightly too far away) a group of branch lines at Pritzwalk with a random collection of DMUs including doubledeckers and railbuses but basically no weekend service

And I think there's a railway section in the Technical Museum

 

[starrymarkb]

I'm not convinced about that - the price seems to depend on which train you use from Brussels to Cologne (and sometimes Cologne to Berlin).

Back to the original question.

If you're going over the May Day weekend you're in luck with SEVERAL steam specials with a class 52 http://berlin-macht-dampf.com/fahrtenprogramm-2011-ab-berlin/ but otherwise theres not much likelihood of steam.

For non-steam there's the semi-rural tramways to Woltersdorf, Alt-Rudersdorf and Strausberg, and (slightly too far away) a group of branch lines at Pritzwalk with a random collection of DMUs including doubledeckers and railbuses but basically no weekend service

And I think there's a railway section in the Technical Museum

I'd advise not being in Berlin on the Mayday weekend. Things can get ugly...

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Thank you for all the replies, certainly plenty to look into, the night underground trips look good, but they are fully booked until July.

I was thinking of going 2-6 May, Thu-Sun, but I note the comment that May day weekend may be a bad time to go, do they get demonstrtaions etc that may cause bother?

 

[starrymarkb]

Thank you for all the replies, certainly plenty to look into, the night underground trips look good, but they are fully booked until July.

I was thinking of going 2-6 May, Thu-Sun, but I note the comment that May day weekend may be a bad time to go, do they get demonstrtaions etc that may cause bother?

There are demonstrations (and often riots) - they have been getting quieter in recent years but still best avoided.

 

[theblackwatch]

There are plenty of steam lines in the Dresden area - though it's quite a bit more than an hour away. The cost of getting there at weekends isn't expensive though, providing you avoid IC and ICE trains, as you can use a Schones Wochenende ticket. Berlin could be done by changing at either Elsterwerda (the most direct route) or Cottbus. The cost is 42 Euros for anything between 1 and 5 people and I'm sure you'd have time for a trip on the Radebeul-Radeburg line (just a few miles out of Dresden).

 

[gordonthemoron]

The tours of the Berlin Underground need to be booked quite a way in advance as they fill up quickly.

Mayday riots tend to be in Kreuzberg and (I think) Wedding, so are avoidable. They are less of a problem than back in the 80s

 

[tony6499]

The Welkom Card is good value as you unlimited travel on buses, trains and trams as well as discounts within the book they give you.

Also the Uhlandstrasse to Warschaur Strasse (not sure of spelling) underground line is worth a run over as it goes overground most of the way with some interesting views

 

[30907]

Remember that May Day activities (I got caught up in a peaceful anarchist one in Dresden once) happen on May 1 itself which is a public holiday. Google Berlin May riots and decide whether to be worried.

I hadn't thought of Dresden's steam lines, because even on the EC it's over two hours from Berlin. They are worth visiting especially if the "old-timer" preserved stock is running at Radebeul.

You could almost certainly do this trip on Sparpreis (Advance) tickets at 19Euros each way - come to think of it, provided you haven't used up both your stopovers getting to Berlin, you could do it for free by booking London-Freital-Hainsberg and back. Can give specific advice once you know your stopovers.
Same tip applies for my earlier suggestion of Pritzwalk BTW.

The relevant EC trains have restaurant cars, Austrian or Hungarian (I believe Hungarian cars still do on-board cooking) - check out www.grahnert.de.

 

[D6700]

Bear in mind that Eurostar open their own bookings before DB open theirs. How well-filled a connecting Eurostar is seems to affect the price of the London Special tickets, so they don't always start at €59.

I'm not convinced about that - the price seems to depend on which train you use from Brussels to Cologne (and sometimes Cologne to Berlin).

I'd agree with latter - I've made a couple of trips this year using these tickets (London to Berlin for Warsaw and Dresden for Prague), both booked only a few weeks before travel. The key for me was to be on the first ICE of the day from Brussels. It didn't make any difference which Eurostar I travelled on. Trains beyond Cologne/Frankfurt were able to impact on the price, but I paid €59 on both occasions.

I have heard, but cannot verify, that DB only has a small allocation on each Eurostar, though...

 

[47360]

I had a wander out to Lichtenberg on a grim cold Tuesday afternoon yesterday and the DDR ICE VT 18.16 train mentioned earlier is still sat there (and judging be some of the pics on google maps, it's been there a while)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37466968@N08/8513843764

There is another one of these at Rummelsberg Depot which you can sometimes get a clear view from passing regional or S-Bahn trains.

As for Rummelsberg S-Bahnhof itself I don't think you can actually see too much from the station due to limited views and the main depot being a good way off. Looking at the pics on google maps, the access to this end of the yard from the station is via a underpass and then a bridge, however before the bridge there is a turnstile to protect access. The best way to get a good view of the depot and yard is to catch a regional train heading out of Berlin as these pass right through the yard. The Airport Express trains stop at Karlshorst which is just after Rummelsberg depot so you don't have to head miles out of town.

As for May Day rioting and getting caught up with it, unless you go looking for it you will be fine. 99% of visitors to Berlin over this period won't even notice anything. The night before it may be a bit interesting up in Wedding but the police will be out in force.

May day itself is a public holiday and if the weather is anything like last year then it will be my favourite day of the year. In the afternoon in Kreuzberg around Görlitzer Bahnhof (U1) and Oranianstraße there will be thousands of people of all ages out in the streets and parks. There will be all sorts of live music from metal rock to traditional turkish music and it's just a fantastic community day. Then around six the march/demonstration will set off along it's predetermined route with riot police lining the route all the way. Maybe later on when it gets dark it will probably kick off a bit as the anarchists will have a go at the police.

All in all the May Day celebration is a great day out.

 

[hughesfowler]

I visited the Deurche Teknika museum about 3 weeks ago, I thought it was absolutely superb. You can take the u bahn there, stops round the corner. We only had the one day in Berlin ,which was a shame, on our way back from Harz. We had a small group ticket for three of us, Kleinne Groupenne is the German from memory, but dont hold me to that as my German is S...t.

This covers all Trains , trams and Buses as far as Schonfeld, for the airport and was only 14.60 euros from memory.

A must is a visit to Berlin Templehof which is the main station in Berlin. What a stunning station.

Again apologies for my rubbish German but we really did have a fantastic day on Berlin and I will be returning for a long weekend this year.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Kleingruppen-Tageskarte ABC (including Schoenefeld) now costs €16

Berlin Hauptbahnhof is the main station. Tempelhof is a disused airport which is well worth a visit too

 

[stuartmoss]

Here is a video montage of Berlin I took last Summer, it may help to inform some of your choices as to where you go and what you see:

[youtube]WfbHwtOu3Wc[/youtube]

Also if you check out my YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/stuartmoss you will see many more videos of transport in Berlin, just type Berlin in the search bar.

Happy travels, it's a really great city.

 

[hughesfowler]

Kleingruppen-Tageskarte ABC (including Schoenefeld) now costs €16

Berlin Hauptbahnhof is the main station. Tempelhof is a disused airport which is well worth a visit too

Cheers, told ya my german was crap lol

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Many thanks for all the advice and suggestions for things to see and do in and around Berlin, there certainly seems plenty of choices, I won't get bored. I may now go a bit later in the year, but whenever it is, it sounds like I should have a good time.