Berlin Recommendations

[mister-sparky]

Hey guys, long time lurker, rare poster!

I am looking at spending a week or so in Berlin in the next few weeks to do some bashing around the S-Bahn, U-Bahn, Trams, ICE’s, general sight seeing etc. However, I am nervous about the fact that my German is very very basic. Would this cause any problems with transport, hotels, restaurants etc?

Berlin is somewhere I’ve always wanted to go but the language barrier has always put me off as I only know basic German from school.

Also, any recommendations for things to do, must sees, or hotels that are good value? Any advice or knowledge would be gratefully received!

 

[TheAlbanach_]

I've been to Berlin 5 times and never had a problem with my extremely basic German. For stuff to see, the Hauptbahnhof is a sight to see, it's huge and lots of various traffic.

I usually stay in the Intercity hotel next to the Hbf, you get a free ticket for zones ABC for the trains trams underground and busses. It's so handy to have, you can use it to get to Potsdam too!

Book a ticket to visit the Reichstag dome, great view and very interesting to listen to the history of it. TV is great to visit. I love the station bar in Alexanderplatz station, always speak German in there, it's a great place to get a quick drink that's cheap. If you're interested in the recent(ish) history, visit the palace of tears at Friedrichstrasse. Old Stasi hq and prison. Both provide free English tours that I highly recommend.

 

[Glenmutchkin]

Likewise I have never had a problem in Berlin with my minimal German. If you have an interest in historic rail and other transport try this place

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attra...views-German_Museum_of_Technology-Berlin.html

 

[NorthWestRover]

I went to Berlin last year as a tourist, no bashing. But did travel on various trains and trams. On the sightseeing, can't disagree with the previous post, but I would definitely go to Potsdam. It's great but very different from the city.

 

[Ianno87]

Berlin is a fantastic city. Have visited twice, going a third time next month.

Take a trip up the Fernsehturm, visit the
Deutches Tecknik museum, the Checkpoint Carlie museum (if you're into Cold War history), and eat plenty of Currywurst!

 

[Glenmutchkin]

Plus 1 for Potsdam.

 

[Mag_seven]

However, I am nervous about the fact that my German is very very basic. Would this cause any problems with transport, hotels, restaurants etc?

I've never had a problem on my many visits - English is widely spoken. On Berlin the city there is probably far too much to do on one visit - I've been about 6 times now and still haven't seen everything.

 

[rg177]

Within Berlin ABC, a lack of German knowledge won't be an issue.

I've only found myself having to speak (not exactly polished) German with people once you get further out. I recall one interaction with a NEB conductor on the Kostrzyn to Berlin where I asked 'Sprächen Sie Englisch?' before unleashing my rudimentary German on her and she looked at me like I was an alien

If you're after loco haulage, you'll find them solidly on the RE1 between Frankfurt an der Oder and Brandenburg/Magdeburg (182s) and on the RE3 between Berlin Hbf (?) and Stralsund/Schwedt (112s).

The RE5 between Rostock/Schwerin and Elsterwerda/Wuensdorf Waldstadt sees a mix of units and 112s.

A VBB ticket for all of the region is 67EUR for the week, valid on basically everything in Berlin and beyond. But if you want to stick in Berlin, the ABC ticket will see you fine.

 

[InterCity:125]

If you're after loco haulage, you'll find them solidly on the RE1 between Frankfurt an der Oder and Brandenburg/Magdeburg (182s) and on the RE3 between Berlin Hbf (?) and Stralsund/Schwedt (112s).

Trains arriving from Prague into the HBF should be loco hauled.

 

[30907]

The only time you might have trouble with NO German at all (which is in any case not your situation) is on the trams in the Eastern suburbs (Alt-Rudersdorf, Woltersdorf...), but if you have a Tageskarte you don't need to ask for anything, and the ticket machines do English. For those trams, and Potsdam, you will need the ABC version.
At a bar or cafe in the sticks where you won't find menus in English, just try your German.

Northern Germans tend to be blunt but not unfriendly... think Yorkshire not Kent! and there are one or two cultural things (don't expect a kettle in your room, let alone properly brewed tea, and follow the dress code in a sauna....) Apologies to our German members if I'm being unfair.

I think you've got the basics of rail/tram stuff sorted?

Make sure you ride the 100 bus and get a good seat, and if it's operating have a look at the Parkeisenbahn (I haven't!).

Rather a lot of the supposed DDR stuff feels a bit tacky, but the memorial at Bernauer Strasse is worth it. Not been to the Stasi place at Hohenschoenhausen but supposed to be good.
I haven't been in Berlin since the replica Schloss was built, but it's om the Museumsinsel which I'm sure you will have on your list.

Hotels - if you want to play safe, there's an Ibis by Spandau station and another at Ostbahnhof.

 

[mister-sparky]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Any other ideas of where to go and what to see?

 

[bspahh]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Any other ideas of where to go and what to see?

The House of the Wannsee Conference is worth a visit https://www.visitberlin.de/en/house-wannsee-conference

It is where the practical details of the Holocaust were planned.

 

[M28361M]

If your hotel doesn't offer a public transport ticket, and depending on how many museums etc you plan to visit, the Berlin WelcomeCard may be good value - it gives discounts on many tourist attractions, includes a public transport ticket and also comes with a useful guide book.

It can be bought from tourist information centres in Berlin, or online at https://www.berlin-welcomecard.de/en/berlin-welcomecard - you can get it posted to you for a fee, or get a voucher to print and exchange when you arrive in Berlin.

You can also buy it from U-Bahn/S-Bahn ticket machines but if you do that you will have to get the guide book separately from a tourist info centre before you can use any of the tourist discounts.

 

[Fireless]

As far as trams go, there are two gems hiding in the far eastern part of Berlin.

The "Woltersdorfer Straßenbahn" (Line 87) is operated entirely with a fleet of eastern german four-wheelers from the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Their 5.6km long standard gauge line connects Woltersdorf (germany's smallest municipality with their own tram network) with Rahnsdorf station on the S3.

The other one is the "Schöneicher-Rüdersdorfer Straßenbahn" (Line 88), a 14.1km long interurban connecting Rüdersdorf and Schöneiche with Berlin-Friedrichshagen station (one station up the S3 from Rahnsdorf, their terminus is on the northern side of the station). They have a "modern" (compared to Woltersdorf) fleet of secondhand Düwag six-axle articulated cars from the 1960s and 1970s (ex Heidelberg) and secondhand CKD Tatra KTNF6 (ex Cottbus, modernized KT4D with a low-floor centre section). The first replacement for the Düwags (the two Transtech Artic prototypes from Helsinki) has already arrived but it is not yet in passenger service (they will retain some Düwags, as they are the only bidirectional cars of the ones listed).

There is another small tram system, the "Strausberger Eisenbahn" at Strausberg (on the S5) but you need to be lucky for some interesting rolling stock there as their two Bombadier Flexitys (identical to the short bidirectional ones of the BVG) are sufficient to run their two tram service.
The spare of choice is a CKD Tatra KT8D5.RN2S and they also have a CKD Tatra T6C5 (iirc the very last Tatra) but you need to be very lucky to see it in service.

Ticketing-wise, an ABC rover will cover all three lines.

 

[cactustwirly]

No trip to Berlin is complete without a ride on the RE1 service, hauled by the best loco; ie a Taurus.

 

[mister-sparky]

Thanks for all the great suggestions so far!!

 

[mister-sparky]

Sorry another question,

Anybody had any experience of the Ibis Hotel at Ku’damm? It’s reasonably priced and seems a good location.

Or any other hotel recommendations? Looking for cheap and central. Not a hostel tho!

 

[cactustwirly]

Sorry another question,

Anybody had any experience of the Ibis Hotel at Ku’damm? It’s reasonably priced and seems a good location.

Or any other hotel recommendations? Looking for cheap and central. Not a hostel tho!

Ibis hotels tend to be good, but be warned that the 'budget' hotels are a little on the basic side.

 

[Mag_seven]

Sorry another question,

Anybody had any experience of the Ibis Hotel at Ku’damm? It’s reasonably priced and seems a good location.

Or any other hotel recommendations? Looking for cheap and central. Not a hostel tho!

I've stayed at this IBIS in Berlin a couple of times:

https://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-1573-ibis-berlin-airport-tegel/index.shtml

Although its described as an airport hotel it is actually located in the residential area of Alt-Reinickendorf and is on U-Bahn line 8 (Residenzstrasse is the closest station). Journey time to the centre is about 15-20mins.

 

[gordonthemoron]

I always stay in the West, either near Zoo Station or Anhalter Bahnhoff (there's an Ibis there too).

https://www.berliner-unterwelten.de/en.html do tours of Bunkers (WWII and Cold War) in English. The Story of Berlin on Ku'damm has a Cold War bunker too. Berlin Tempelhof airport is worth a visit. The swimming pool at Berlin Mitte is very nice too.

 

[gordonthemoron]

The department store KaDeWe has a very nice food hall with loads of bars and restaurants

JFK gave his famous Ich bin ein Berliner speach infront of Schoneberg Town Hall (Rathaus)

David Bowie and Iggy Pop lived at 55 Hauptsrasse, also in Schoneberg, and their recording studio (used by U2 also) is still at Hansa Tonstudios near Potsdammer Platz

 

[rg177]

Sorry another question,

Anybody had any experience of the Ibis Hotel at Ku’damm? It’s reasonably priced and seems a good location.

Or any other hotel recommendations? Looking for cheap and central. Not a hostel tho!

I've stayed next door in the Budget and had no issues with it. It's a good location too!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

A great hotel in the East , where i have stayed twice is the Hotel Alex - trams stop outside the door and an easy walk to Alexanderplatz (though the tram takes you in a few mins) - trendy old 19thC place and excellent value for money.

The U-Bahn does enthusiast trips of an evening in open coaches .......(no roof) - you have to wear glasses and hard hats etc !

Lots of great museums - a particularly good one is the one relating to the American Forces and their (social) impact on Berlin.

Finally - Gorlitzer Park - walk along the now closed rail route from the old (defunct) station and towards Treptower where there is the official Russian War Memorial. The park has a reputation for weed dealing but do not let that stop you , just walk on by.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I've stayed at this IBIS in Berlin a couple of times:

https://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-1573-ibis-berlin-airport-tegel/index.shtml

Although its described as an airport hotel it is actually located in the residential area of Alt-Reinickendorf and is on U-Bahn line 8 (Residenzstrasse is the closest station). Journey time to the centre is about 15-20mins.

There is a decent enough IBIS near the Ostbahnhof also. Handy for the Spree and the Berlin Wall murals. Good walk to the restored Oberbaumbrucke ,which is a handy tram terminal for a great ride through the Eastern inner suburbs. I love Berlin.

 

[ainsworth74]

A great hotel in the East , where i have stayed twice is the Hotel Alex - trams stop outside the door and an easy walk to Alexanderplatz (though the tram takes you in a few mins) - trendy old 19thC place and excellent value for money.

Yes! I stayed there the other week. Location is great, hotel itself is nice (and has a 24hr reception which is useful for checking late such as when your ICE connection doesn't work and you're over an hour later than planned) and the breakfast in the morning is also good. I'd recommend it as well.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Yes! I stayed there the other week. Location is great, hotel itself is nice (and has a 24hr reception which is useful for checking late such as when your ICE connection doesn't work and you're over an hour later than planned) and the breakfast in the morning is also good. I'd recommend it as well.

There used to be a (rail) model shop next door also ...I sense another visit coming up ....