Wide variety of transportation means in Berlin appears to be very useful during your stay in the city.
By Bicycle
Bicycling is popular in Berlin. Although it's not recommended in the downtown area, it's ideal in outlying areas. Bike paths are generally marked by red bricks on the walkways; many stores that rent or sell bikes carry the Berlin biker's atlas to help you find the paths. Call the Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club, ADFC (Brunnenstr. 28, TEL: 030/448-4724) for information and rental locations, or rent your bikes at some of the major hotels for approximately EUR15 for 24 hours.
Fahrradstation (Bergmannstr. 9 in Kreuzberg, TEL: 030/215-1566; Rosenthaler Str. 40-41, TEL: 030/2859-9895) rents green bikes. You must leave your passport as a security deposit.
Fahrrad Vermietung Berlin(TEL: 030/261-2094) rents black bikes with baskets, which they keep in front of the Marmorhaus movie theater on Kurfürstendamm, opposite the Gedachtniskirche. Bikes are rented by the day (not 24 hours), and you must leave either a EUR100 deposit or your passport as security.
By Car
Berliners are famous for their reckless driving, so exploring the city by car can be extremely frustrating for out-of-towners. Due to the many construction sites, traffic on many streets is often detoured, and rush hour is stop-and-go for every driver. It's best to leave your car at the hotel and take the public transit system.
Car Rentals
Rates with the major car-rental companies begin at about EUR52 per day and EUR160 per week for an economy car with a manual transmission and unlimited mileage. This does not include tax on car rentals, which is 16%. Volkswagen, Opel, and Mercedes are some standard brands of rentals; most rentals are manual, so if you want an automatic, be sure to request one in advance.
Avis (Schonefeld Airport, TEL: 030/6091-5710; Tegel Airport, TEL: 030/4101-3148; Budapester Str. 43, at Europa Center, TEL: 030/230-9370; Holzmarktstr. 15-18, TEL: 030/240-7940).
Europcar (Schonefeld Airport, TEL: 030/634-9160; Tegel Airport, TEL: 030/417-8520; Kurfürstenstr. 101-104, TEL: 030/235-0640).
Hertz (Schonefeld Airport, TEL: 030/6091-5730; Tegel Airport, TEL: 030/4101-3315; Tempelhof Airport, TEL: 030/6951-3818; Budapester Str. 39, TEL: 030/261-1053).
Sixt (Schonefeld Airport, TEL: 030/6091-5690; Tegel Airport, TEL: 030/4101-2886; Tempelhof Airport, TEL: 030/6951-3816; Nürnberger Str. 65, TEL: 030/212-9880; Spandauer Str., at SAS Radisson Hotel, TEL: 030/243-9050).
Requirements
You must carry your driver's license, car registration, and insurance documents with you (an international license is helpful but not a must). If you or your car are from an EU country, Norway, or Switzerland, all you need is your domestic license and proof of insurance. All foreign cars must have a country sticker.
Road Conditions
Roads in Germany are generally excellent. Bundesstrasse are two-lane highways, abbreviated "B," as in B-38. Autobahns are high-speed thruways abbreviated with "A," as in A-7.
Rules of the Road
In Germany you drive on the right, and road signs give distances in kilometers. There is no speed limit on autobahns, although drivers are advised to keep below 130 kph (80 mph). Speed limits on country roads vary from 80 to 100 kph (50 to 60 mph). Alcohol limits on drivers are equivalent to two small beers or a quarter of a liter of wine (blood-alcohol level.05%). Note that seat belts must be worn at all times by front- and backseat passengers. Passing is permitted on the left side only. Headlights, not parking lights, are required during inclement weather.
By Subway
Berlin is too large to be explored on foot. To compensate, the city has one of the most efficient public-transportation systems in Europe, a smoothly integrated network of subway (U-bahn) and suburban (S-bahn) train lines, buses, trams (in eastern Berlin only), and even a ferry across the Wannsee, making every part of the city easily accessible. Get a map from any information booth. Extensive all-night bus and tram service operates seven nights a week (indicated by the letter N next to route numbers).
A EUR2 ticket covers not only the downtown areas (fare Zones A and B) but the outlying areas (fare Zone C) as well, and allows you to make an unlimited number of changes between trains, buses, and trams within two hours.
If you are just making a short trip, buy a Kurzstreckentarif. It allows you to ride six bus stops or three U-bahn or S-bahn stops for EUR1.27.
The best deal for visitors who plan to travel around the city extensively is the day card, for EUR4.24, good for 24 hours after validation on all trains and buses. The group day card, EUR11.50, offers the same benefits as the day card but for two adults and up to three children.
A seven-day tourist pass costs EUR20.45 and allows unlimited travel on all city buses and trains for fare Zones A and B; EUR24.54 buys all three fare zones.
The Berlin WelcomeCard entitles one person (EUR8.18) or one adult and up to three children (EUR14.82) to three days of unlimited travel as well as free admission or reductions of up to 50% for sightseeing trips, museums, theaters, and other events and attractions.
All tickets are available from vending machines at U-bahn and S-bahn stations. Punch your ticket into the red machine on the platform. For information about public transportation, call the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (TEL: 030/19449 or 030/752-7020) or go to the BVG-information office on Hardenbergplatz, directly in front of the Bahnhof Zoo train station. If you're caught without a ticket, the fine is EUR30.67.
By Taxi
The base rate is EUR2.04, after which prices vary according to a complex tariff system. Figure on paying around EUR8 for a ride the length of the Ku'damm. Ask for a special fare called Kurzstreckentarif, which allows for a short ride of less than 2 km (1 mi) or five minutes in a cab hailed in the street only. You can also hail one at a taxi stand or order a cab by calling 030/9644, 030/210-202, 030/691-001, or 030/261-026. U-bahn employees will call a taxi for passengers after 8 PM.
