Hello Berlin Lovers! I’m Stephen from Experience Berlin Tours.
And today, I want to cover some of the common mistakes visitors to Berlin make and how you could avoid them.
I manage a Facebook group called Experience Berlin Travel Tips.
And, I noticed many comments from group members mentioning lessons that they learned the hard way.
This is not a post about tourist traps, though tourist traps are certainly things to avoid.
Rather, it’s more about things that can cost you time and money.
Or, cause you inconvenience, stress, and lead to missed opportunities.
So, let’s get started.
You can also watch the video version of this post.
Mistake #1: Underestimating how big Berlin really is.
This is a common mistake - not realizing sooner that this isn’t going to be your only visit to Berlin.
Judging from the TRIP REPORTS posted in our Facebook group, it’s very apparent that most newbies to Berlin underestimate just how big the city really is.
At roughly 900 square kilometers, Berlin is Europe’s 5th biggest city in area, if you include Moscow.
And it’s not just the city’s physical size; it’s also the sheer number of must-see sights.
And while most of the big attractions are within Zone A of Berlin’s transit map, you could find yourself wasting valuable time traveling inefficiently between sights.
The common refrain from members of our group is
“I have to return. There’s SO MUCH MORE to see.”
Take this example. You are interested in Cold War Berlin history, and you want to visit Glienike Bridge from the film “Bridge of Spies” and then visit the Stasi Museum.
Well, there’s a 35-kilometer distance between them.
And it takes approximately 60 minutes by car and 90 minutes by public transit from one to the other.
You’ll be better served doing a bit of pre-planning.
Create a map of things you want to experience.
Then, think strategically about where you want to go an when.
And, most importantly, in my opinion, ACCEPT THIS WON’T BE YOUR LAST VISIT!
I have a video in which I give a sample one-day itinerary designed specifically for those new to Berlin, which should help you with your planning.
Mistake #2: Not getting a transportation pass
This is another issue that I see members of our Facebook group grappling with.
The gist of the issue is whether or not to purchase a daily or multiple-day travel pass.
Many visitors question whether such passes are worth it.
Or, if it’s better to save money and pay as you go on Berlin’s public transportation.
Let me save you the suspense. Just get a pass.
There is a 24-hour pass as well as a 7-day pass offered by the Berlin transit system.
There are also tourist discount passes that include unlimited public transit rides for between 2 and 6 days.
Plus, you get 25–50% off entry prices at almost 200 locations throughout the city.
Buying a pass means a one-time purchase and a one-time validation, and that’s it.
And, if you are planning to use Berlin's mass transit at least 3 times in one day, you will probably be better served to have a pass.
Also, each adult pass lets you bring up to 3 children aged 6–14 for free.
Single tickets do not give you this bonus.
Even if you aren’t sure, having an unlimited pass equals ease of mind.
There is no standing in front of ticket machines.
You greatly reduce the chances that you’ll ride without a valid ticket.
And the hefty fine that comes along with it.
This is because with single tickets, you must remember to validate them.
Whether physically by inserting into a validation machine, or in an app.
And if you are flying into Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) and you decide on a travel pass, just get the Zones ABC pass
Rather than the AB pass and buy extension tickets to and from the airport.
It's likely going to be the most efficient choice for you, and for the extra few euros, it eliminates all of the guesswork.
Let your brain have a holiday too.
I have a video and a blog post that goes over how to use the Berlin transit system that will be very helpful.
Mistake #3 - Not taking the train from the airport to and from your hotel.
Now, this one isn’t always a mistake.
My family recently traveled with another family to Croatia.
Our return flight was delayed and we arrived at 11 at night.
With 4 tired children, we decided to split a taxi and go straight home.
So, I get it.
However, I notice that a lot of people are uneasy about taking public transit from the airport.
Some are worried about transfers, others about safety, and some are concerned about luggage storage.
These concerns are mostly unwarranted.
Firstly, it’s harder to find a safer public transit system than Berlin’s.
And the airport is serviced by 3 regional bahn trains and two S-bahn lines.
The regional trains combined run 4 times every hour.
The two S-bahn lines run almost 24 hours, so you will always find a train to the city center.
And I’ll bet that at least one of these trains includes your desired stop.
No transfers necessary. So, consider taking the train.
It’s faster, and at 4 Euro 40 per adult ticket, it’s much less expensive than a taxi.
Which, by the way, will cost most riders between 50 and 80 euros.
And, I have a video and a blog post explaining all of your options for ground transport at BER Airport.
Mistake #4 Not Having Cash or Enough Cash on You.
Berlin has come a long way since I moved her some time ago.
However, don’t expect to be able to pay for everything with plastic.
Most big tourist attractions, supermarkets, and any corporate chain, like a Starbucks, will gladly accept credit cards, your Visas and Mastercards for sure.
However, many small shops throughout Berlin only accept Cash.
Usuall at bakeries, spatis (convenience stores), small clothing shops, and flea market vendors, to name just a few.
These establishments will usually post a sign somewhere that purchases can only be made with cash or Bargeld.
Or they will post that no credit card payments are possible.
If you are lucky, some will accept credit card payments if you spend a certain minimum.
Others may tag on 3-5% as a credit card transaction fee.
And sometimes, credit card means EC card.
EC cards are debit cards, not credit cards, and they are specific to Germany.
You know, I don’t think I know of any German with an actual credit card.
Likewise, make sure that you are carrying small coins with you.
You will need them as deposits for lockers at museums.
It also helps to have even smaller denominations for bathrooms.
Most public bathrooms have a small fee to use, 50 cents or 1 Euro.
I have seen a new one in town that does accept credit cards, so perhaps there will be more in the future.
And as we discovered on our recent trip, having even smaller change than a 1 euro coin.
Our children repeatedly asked us for one of the souvenir coins from the crank coin presses you often find at attractions.
It required a 5-cent piece along with a Euro.
We didn’t have either and ended up with disappointed children.
Oh well, life’s tough.
Mistake #5 that visitors to Berlin should avoid is walking on bike lanes.
Biking here in Berlin is taken very seriously, and many Berliners commute to work, school, or to run errands on bicycles.
There are designated bike lanes that often, if not usually, run alongside pedestrian lanes on sidewalks.
Sometimes bike lanes seem to have no logic whatsoever.
Bike lanes could be clearly marked in green or red, or sometimes with bright white or yellow outlines.
Often these bike lanes are not well marked or do not contrast that much to the pedestrian lanes,
and tourists often find themselves unaware that they are in the bike lane.
Sometimes, the bike lanes run dangerously close to pedestrian crosswalks,
with bikes whizzing by just a step away from pedestrians waiting to cross the street.
And you can see in this image how easy it is to block the bike path.
You should expect a tongue lashing, and not a day goes by that I don’t see a bycalist skidding to a stop and then heaping expletives on a pedestrian for blocking their way.
Even worse, you could get injured, and this happens almost daily in Berlin.
Likewise, when getting on and off trams and buses, you need to pay particular attention to where the bike lanes are.
Sometimes they run in front of the shelter, and sometimes they wrap around the backside.
You need to pay attention.
At intersections, be aware that bikes have their own traffic lights.
Be careful not to anticipate the green light for pedestrians.
Mistake #6 Avoid is assuming that pedestrians have the right of way.
The car is king here.
Of course, pedestrians have the right of way at intersections with traffic lights when they have the little green Ampelman.
However, on just about every other corner, motorized vehicles and bikes do not have to yield to pedestrians.
Now, I’m from places where pedestrians have the right of way.
And, even after living here for a decade, I still can’t get used to this.
But, you definitely should.
Technically, you should only cross main roads at traffic lights or across special pedestrian crosswalks.
Vehicles and bikes must yield to pedestrians at these zebra crossings, with blue signs showing a pedestrian crossing allow.
Be aware, there are pedestrian crossings with round blue signs with an arrow pointing down.
Pedestrians do not have the right of way here, so don’t confuse these two types of crossings.
You can cross over side streets.
But you need to be careful.
Look out for both vehicles and bikes approaching the intersection as well as vehicles and bikes making a right turn onto the side street.
And there usually are no zebra crossings on these side streets.
I don’t want to scare you.
I just want you to always be aware that you, well, need to always be aware.
Mistake #7 - Taking the 100 Bus as a Replacement for the Hop on Hop Off Buses.
You might have heard of Berlin’s public bus line 100 and it’s close counterpart, line 200.
These have been promoted over the years as Berlin's free tourist bus tour.
An alternative to the pricier hop on hop off buses.
This is especially true of the 100 bus, which hits many of Berlin’s biggest draws on its way from Alexanderplatz to Zoologisher Garten.
These include Museum Island, Unter den Linden, the Brandenburg Gate, and the Reichstag, just to name a few.
I used to recommend the 100 line, but I believe it’s lost some of its charm.
The main reason, in my opinion, is that you should no longer expect to climb to the top of a double-decker bus for an elevated view of the city.
These double-deckers are being discontinued and pulled from the system.
Instead, you are almost certain to climb aboard a single-deck bus, which has more limited visibility.
Secondly, the recently finished U5 Ubahn line follows much of the same route as the 100.
The U5 also goes eastbound from Alexanderplatz with stops servicing the Tierpark (East Berlin’s Zoo), the Stasi Museum, Friedrichschein and the East Side Gallery, and the Gardens of the World.
The U5 also runs more frequently and is not at the mercy of Berlin vehicle traffic.
I think the 100 line is still worth boarding between the Reichstag Building and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in order to reach the Victory Column and Bellevue Palace.
Mistake #8 - Avoiding Berlin in the Winter
This is yet another topic that I see pop up in our group.
As a parent with kids in school, I am chained to the school holiday schedule.
This means that travel will be expensive for my foreseeable future.
But, if you have more flexibility to visit Berlin on your own terms, then consider visiting in winter.
Firstly, flights, trains, and hotels are usually much, much cheaper.
And the most cited reasons for not coming are the cold temperatures and the belief that there is a lack of things going on.
Well, Berlin has enough quality indoor activities to last you ages.
There are just over 170 museums here.
Add to that popular attractions, such as the Reichstag Dome, the TV Tower, or the Berlin Cathedral.
Add to that sporting events.
Both major football teams, FC Union and Hertha, as well as Alba, Berlin’s basketball team, and the Ice Bears, Berlin’s hockey team, play during the winter months.
There’s also handball, but I still don’t get why anyone watches that.
And then add to that Berlin’s extensive theater scene.
And Berlin’s famed club scene, but I’m married with kids—don't know much about that.
So, you see, don’t just discount Berlin because of the weather.
If you did that, you’d only visit between June and August.
OK, now let me show you what your first day in Berlin could look like in this blog post and video.
And I also do walking tour videos, like this one here, where I walk along the route of the Berlin Wall.
If you found value in this post and video, hen give this video a thumbs up.
My channel is all about Berlin travel tips and discovery.
If you have any questions or comments, you know where to leave them.
I’ll see you in the next video.
