TV Tower or Reichstag dome: which view to choose in Berlin?

Berlin offers two major views over the city, and they are very different: the **TV Tower**, 203 metres above Alexanderplatz, and the **Reichstag dome**, lower but free and steeped in history. Here is how to choose, or how to do both without picking the wrong slot. Prices and hours were taken from the official websites in October 2026; check them before booking.

At a glance

	TV Tower	Reichstag dome
Price	From €20 online	Free
Booking	Timed ticket, online or at the ticket office	Compulsory registration with the Bundestag
Height	Platform at 203 m	23.5 m dome on the building's roof
What you see	Berlin in 360°, the whole city	The government quarter, the Tiergarten, the Brandenburg Gate
Duration	Platform visit limited to 45 minutes	Free 20-minute audio guide for the climb
ID	No	Yes, from age 16

The TV Tower: the height

The Berlin TV Tower

The TV Tower is 368 metres tall and its observation platform, at 203 metres, offers a 360-degree panorama over the whole city, out to the edge of Berlin on a clear day. The Standard ticket costs from €20 online (it includes the platform, the Sphere Bar and a virtual-reality film); the View & Drink ticket, from €31, adds a drink. The price varies with the time slot and is higher at the ticket office. Buy online: slots go quickly at weekends and during the holidays. The tower is open from 9:00 to 23:00 (opening at 10:00 in winter according to the official FAQ); it is closed on 23 November 2026.

The Reichstag dome: history and price

The Reichstag dome

Norman Foster's glass-and-steel dome is free. You climb it by two spiral ramps, with a free 20-minute audio guide in 12 languages that comments on the building and the monuments you can see during the climb. The view is lower than the tower's, but it is the more interesting one for understanding the district: the Chancellery, the Tiergarten, the Brandenburg Gate below. The catch is the registration: you must book on the Bundestag website, giving each visitor's first name, surname and date of birth, and show an original ID document from age 16. Details on our Reichstag page. Note that the dome is closed for maintenance from 19 to 30 October 2026 (the roof terrace stays open).

Which view to pick for your trip

You only have one day or a small budget: the Reichstag dome, free, with history thrown in.
You want to see the whole city at a glance: the TV Tower, especially on day one to get your bearings.
You are travelling with children: the tower has the advantage of a 40-second lift and virtual reality; the dome has an audio guide for children (ages 6 to 13), but needs more patience on the ramps.
You arrive without a booking: the tower sells same-day tickets (at a higher price); the dome can sometimes be visited by registering on the spot at the visitor service desk, but this is not guaranteed.
You want a good dinner with a view: the revolving Sphere restaurant (tower) and the Käfer restaurant (Reichstag) must be booked ahead and are paid for separately.

Doing both

It is perfectly possible in a single day. A simple sequence: the Reichstag dome in the morning or late afternoon, then bus 100, which links the Reichstag to Alexanderplatz in about half an hour, and the TV Tower in the evening to watch Berlin light up. Save the tower for a fine day: under a cloudy sky you see almost nothing from the top.