One airport, two terminals
Tegel airport has closed and the old Schönefeld terminal no longer handles flights: all arrivals and departures use Terminals 1 and 2 at BER. The two buildings stand side by side and are a few minutes' walk apart, via the arrivals level (E0).
- Terminal 1: the main building. The "Flughafen BER" station is beneath the terminal on level U2, and bus stops A1 to A10 are in front of the arrivals hall on level E0.
- Terminal 2: smaller, with no station or drop-off lane of its own. If you arrive at Terminal 2, follow the signs to Terminal 1 for trains, buses and taxis.
Check your departure terminal on your boarding pass or with your airline before heading back to the airport.
Which ticket to buy
BER is in zone C of the Berlin-Brandenburg transport network (VBB). Central Berlin is in zone A, inside the S-Bahn Ring, and the rest of the city in zone B. To travel from the airport to the centre you therefore need an ABC ticket, valid on all public transport: FEX, regional trains, S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram and bus. Prices as checked in October 2026:
- ABC single ticket: €5 (€3.50 reduced fare for children aged 6 to 14). It covers one journey in one direction, with as many changes as needed, for 120 minutes. It will rise to €5.20 on 1 January 2027.
- ABC 24-hour ticket: €12.90.
- Zone C extension: €2.40, if you already hold a valid AB ticket, such as a 24-hour AB ticket.
The Deutschlandticket, at €63 a month, also covers all these journeys, FEX included. It is only sold as a subscription, cancellable monthly, and is not valid on long-distance trains such as Intercity services. For tickets during the rest of your stay, see our guide to public transport in Berlin.
Tickets are sold at machines in the terminals and stations, and in the VBB, BVG and S-Bahn apps. Key point: a paper ticket bought from a machine must be validated before boarding, in the small validators on platforms or on buses. If you are checked, an unvalidated ticket is not valid. Tickets bought in an app do not need validating.
The FEX (Airport Express): the fastest option
The FEX links the airport with three major central stations: Südkreuz in about 14 minutes, Potsdamer Platz in 19 minutes and Hauptbahnhof, the main station, in 23 minutes. It runs from 4am to 1am. Potsdamer Platz station opens onto the square of the same name, about ten minutes on foot from the Brandenburg Gate.
The RE20 follows the same route between the airport and Hauptbahnhof once an hour, with the same journey times. Until December 2026, the FEX and RE20 together provide four trains an hour; the FEX alone is then due to run every 15 minutes. Both lines accept the ABC ticket.
If you are using an older guide, you will probably see other lines listed. Since the timetable change of 14 December 2025, the RE8 and RB23 are no longer among the trains serving the airport, and the S45, which linked BER with Südkreuz, has been withdrawn. The old FEX route via Ostkreuz, which took 39 minutes to Hauptbahnhof, has given way to the direct route via Südkreuz.
The S-Bahn S9 and S85
The S-Bahn is slower than the FEX, but it serves the east and the historic centre directly, with no change:
- The S9, every 20 minutes, crosses the city via Treptower Park, Warschauer Straße, Ostbahnhof, Alexanderplatz, Friedrichstraße, Hauptbahnhof, Zoologischer Garten, Charlottenburg and Spandau. Allow about 40 minutes to Alexanderplatz, at the foot of the TV Tower, and about 45 minutes to Charlottenburg. On Friday and Saturday nights, it runs every 30 minutes.
- The S85, every 20 minutes, links the airport with Ostkreuz in about 35 minutes, then continues to the north of the city.
For the Friedrichshain district, the regional trains RB24 and RB32, once an hour each, reach Ostkreuz in about 20 minutes. To choose a neighbourhood well connected to one of these lines, see our guide on where to stay in Berlin.
The X7 and X71 express buses, and night buses
Buses are useful if you are staying in southern Neukölln or along the U7 metro line. They leave from the arrivals level of Terminal 1, right in front of the building: stops A6 and A7 for the X7 and X71, stop A2 for the BER2.
- X7: to U Rudow metro station, every 5 to 10 minutes. At Rudow, the U7 takes you towards Neukölln, Kreuzberg and the west of the city. Allow about 65 minutes to Wilmersdorfer Straße, in the City West.
- X71: to U Rudow then U Alt-Mariendorf, every 20 minutes.
- BER2: direct shuttle to Potsdam, 16 times a day, with a surcharge and tickets sold only on board. For Potsdam, the RB22 train, once an hour, reaches Potsdam Hauptbahnhof in about 50 minutes, at the standard fare.
At night, buses take over when the trains stop. The N60 links the airport with Alexanderplatz via Treptower Park every 30 minutes, and the N7 runs to U Rudow, then Hermannplatz and Spandau, every 30 minutes. At weekends, the N7 only runs between the airport and U Rudow, as the U7 then operates all night. The ABC ticket is valid on all these buses.
Taxis: metered fares
The two taxi ranks, North and South, are in front of Terminal 1 on the arrivals level (E0). Only get into a taxi waiting at these official ranks: the airport warns against fake taxis touting for passengers elsewhere. Staff from the service provider APCOA can help if you need an adapted vehicle, a child seat or a larger vehicle.
In Berlin, fares are metered according to a tariff set by the Senate: €4.30 flag fall, €2.80 per kilometre for the first 3 kilometres, €2.60 from the 3rd to the 7th kilometre, then €2.10 per kilometre, and €39 an hour for waiting time, including in traffic jams. This tariff applies to rides to the airport; for rides from BER, a separate airport tariff applies (€4.30 flag fall, €2.60 per kilometre up to 5 km then €2.00), plus a €1.50 surcharge for access to the taxi rank. According to the city's official website, a ride from Alexanderplatz to the airport costs about €58, and about €63 from Zoologischer Garten or the Kurfürstendamm.
The driver must take the shortest route unless you agree on another one, and must give you a receipt if you ask for it. Keep some cash on you: not every taxi accepts every card. Tipping customs are explained in our guide to paying in Berlin.
Uber, Bolt and FREENOW
The Uber, Bolt and FREENOW apps work in Berlin. At BER, their cars do not pick you up at the hall doors but in a dedicated zone, the "Ride App Pick up", on the approach lane of the arrivals level (E0), in front of Terminal 1. Follow the signs from baggage reclaim before booking. Prices vary with demand and rise at peak times: compare the fare shown with the FEX, which costs €5 and takes 23 minutes to Hauptbahnhof.
Comparison table
| Option | Destination in the centre | Journey time | Frequency | Adult fare (October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FEX and RE20 | Südkreuz, Potsdamer Platz, Hauptbahnhof | about 14, 19 and 23 min | 4 trains an hour in total | €5 (ABC ticket) |
| S-Bahn S9 | Alexanderplatz, Friedrichstraße, Zoologischer Garten | about 40 min to Alexanderplatz | every 20 min | €5 (ABC ticket) |
| S-Bahn S85 | Ostkreuz | about 35 min | every 20 min | €5 (ABC ticket) |
| RB24 and RB32 | Ostkreuz | about 20 min | 2 trains an hour in total | €5 (ABC ticket) |
| X7 bus then U7 | Neukölln, Kreuzberg, City West | about 65 min to Wilmersdorfer Straße | bus every 5 to 10 min | €5 (ABC ticket) |
| N60 night bus | Alexanderplatz | depends on traffic | every 30 min | €5 (ABC ticket) |
| Taxi | address of your choice | depends on traffic | ranks in front of Terminal 1 | about €58 (Alexanderplatz) to €63 (Zoo), city estimate |
| Uber, Bolt, FREENOW | address of your choice | depends on traffic | on demand | variable fare |
Prices as checked in October 2026, on the websites of BER airport, the VBB and the city of Berlin.
Current engineering works and disruption
In October 2026, several construction projects affect services to the airport. Until mid-October, some RB22 and RB32 trains are cancelled early in the morning and late in the evening, or diverted. In addition, the Stadtbahn, the east-west rail line through the centre, is closed to regional and long-distance trains between Charlottenburg and Ostbahnhof until 12 December 2026; the S-Bahn, including the S9, is not affected by this closure.
At night in particular, FEX and regional trains may also be cancelled or diverted; the airport does not list each of these changes. Check your journey the day before and again on the day, in the app or the VBB journey planner. When a train is replaced by buses, they leave from Willy-Brandt-Platz, in the Airport City, in front of the terminals.
Returning to the airport
For the return trip, the FEX from Hauptbahnhof, Potsdamer Platz or Südkreuz remains the fastest option, with the same €5 ABC ticket. Buy and validate your ticket before boarding: an unvalidated paper ticket counts as travelling without a ticket. If you are flying from Terminal 2, allow a few minutes' walk from the station beneath Terminal 1. For a very early flight, before 4am, the FEX is not yet running: the N60 night bus from Alexanderplatz or a taxi booked the day before are then the safest options. For other pitfalls during your stay, read our guide to scams to avoid in Berlin.
Further reading
Once in the city, our guide to public transport in Berlin explains the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, tram and bus network and the best-value tickets for a stay. If you are in town for a short visit, follow our itinerary what to do in Berlin in one day. To choose your neighbourhood, see where to stay in Berlin.
