The Wall from end to end (20 to 30 minutes)
Start at the Ostbahnhof end, where the Brezhnev–Honecker kiss is, then walk east along Mühlenstraße. The gallery is 1,316 metres long and open 24 hours a day. On the Spree side, the back of the Wall faces the former border strip, now a waterside promenade where you can sit and look at the opposite bank. The information point at Mühlenstraße 73 is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00, with toilets. If you prefer, walk it the other way round, starting at Warschauer Straße and finishing at the kiss.
The Oberbaumbrücke (5 minutes)
At the eastern end of the Wall, the Oberbaumbrücke is a few minutes' walk away. This neo-Gothic brick bridge, completed in 1896, links Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg; the U1 U-Bahn runs along its upper level. It was a border crossing for pedestrians from 1972 to 1989. Our Oberbaum Bridge page gives its history. From the middle of the bridge, the view of the Spree and the Kreuzberg bank is one of the most photographed in the area, especially at sunset.
Warschauer Straße and the RAW-Gelände (10 minutes)
From the Oberbaumbrücke, head up towards Warschauer Straße station. A few streets away, the RAW-Gelände, the former railway repair depot, now houses bars, clubs, concert halls, graffiti walls and a climbing hall: see our RAW-Gelände page. It is livelier in the evening and at weekends than in the morning; by day some venues are closed, but the painted walls can be visited freely. For the rest of the district, read our guide to Friedrichshain.
Mercedes-Platz, Ostbahnhof side (5 to 10 minutes)
Across Mühlenstraße, Mercedes-Platz and the big arena beside it stand right opposite the Wall; the square opened on 13 October 2018. It is not a sight in itself, but it is a useful landmark if you have a concert ticket, and the area around Ostbahnhof station has kiosks, convenience stores and restaurants for a break before heading back. These places mostly cater to people who work or travel: compare the menus before sitting down.
Across the bridge: Kreuzberg (10 to 15 minutes)
After the Oberbaumbrücke you reach Schlesisches Tor, the gateway to east Kreuzberg: bars, cafés, shops and restaurants of many cuisines. Our guide to Kreuzberg describes the district. Further south-east, Görlitzer Park is about fifteen minutes' walk away; for open-air murals, our guide to street art in Berlin will point you in the right direction.
A three-hour route
- 10:00: East Side Gallery, from Ostbahnhof to the Oberbaumbrücke;
- 11:30: cross the Oberbaumbrücke, coffee at Schlesisches Tor;
- 13:00: lunch in Kreuzberg or Friedrichshain;
- 14:30: RAW-Gelände and Warschauer Straße;
- Later: the Wall on Bernauer Straße, with our route following the Berlin Wall.
Getting there
S+U Warschauer Straße (S3, S5, S7, S75, S9; U1, U3) at the eastern end; S Ostbahnhof (S3, S5, S7, S9) at the western end; trams M10 and M13; buses 300 and 347. Bus 300 is covered in our guide to buses 100 and 300.
