Berlin Central Station (Hauptbahnhof): Finding Your Way and Getting to the Centre

Berlin's central station, Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Berlin Hbf), is where most travellers arriving by train get off. Opened in 2006, it is a large glass-and-steel crossing station a few minutes' walk from the Reichstag. Every day it handles around 300,000 travellers and visitors and 1,200 trains. This guide explains how to find your way around, where to find left luggage and ticket counters, and how to reach the centre, BER airport and the main sights. Hours checked in October 2026.

The station at a glance

Berlin's central station, east side, on the Spree

The station lies in the Moabit district, between the Spree and Europaplatz, north of the Tiergarten and at the edge of Mitte. It is a crossing station: long-distance trains (ICE, IC), regional trains and the S-Bahn intersect on several levels. The glass hall lets daylight down to the platforms.

A few landmarks:

Long-distance and regional trains run on two levels; the S-Bahn (S3, S5, S7 and S9) is on the upper level.
The U5 (metro) has its platforms underground.
Shops (restaurants, bakeries, a supermarket, boutiques) are spread across the intermediate levels.

Before you set off, check your platform number on the DB Navigator app or the screens.

Tickets, left luggage and services

DB Reisezentrum (Deutsche Bahn ticket office): open every day from 7 am to 9 pm.
Left-luggage lockers: the lockers are in the car park, on level 1, reached via the Europaplatz exit; access is possible 24 hours a day.
Toilets, cash machines and information points: spread around the concourse.

If you arrive with heavy luggage, spot the lift nearest your platform before you go down: there are plenty of escalators, but the station is huge.

An S-Bahn train at Berlin Hauptbahnhof

Getting to the centre from the station

S-Bahn: lines S3, S5, S7 and S9 cross the city from east to west through Friedrichstraße, Hackescher Markt and Alexanderplatz on one side, and Zoologischer Garten and Charlottenburg on the other. For fares, see our guide to getting around Berlin.
U5: the metro runs along Unter den Linden to Alexanderplatz.
Tram M10: links the station to Warschauer Straße via Prenzlauer Berg.
On foot: the Reichstag is a few hundred metres away, and the Brandenburg Gate about twenty minutes' walk. The Hamburger Bahnhof contemporary art museum is close by, as is the Futurium.

A single BVG ticket for zones AB covers all these connections.

From the station to BER airport

The FEX train links the central station to BER airport in about 23 minutes, on an ABC ticket; the S9 also serves the airport from the station. All the details, fares and timetables are in our guide to getting from BER airport to central Berlin.

Berlin's central station seen from the Moltkebrücke

Staying near the station

The station area is well served by transport and very handy for an early arrival or departure, but it is mostly an area of offices and ministries, quiet in the evening. Our guide where to stay in Berlin compares the districts by budget and taste.

Practical tips

Safety: as in all big stations, watch your belongings, especially on escalators and in crowded areas. See our advice on scams to avoid in Berlin.
Connections: leave yourself a comfortable margin: the station is huge and the platforms are spread over several levels.