Berlin Tegel

Whitehawk

Im heading to berlin and was told to fly in and out of tegel - i have a extra 2 days in the area that is free for me to stay/do want i want there!
any info from anyone thats been there would be great
how to get from airport and back again! what hostels to stay in there are close to where i can get bus but still in a good area and all that! really any info would be great!

#15

I usually fly to Schoenefeld but from what I remember of Tegel, there is no rail link. Bus services only, although they seem pretty reliable.

iamwhoiam

http://www.berlin-airport.de/EN/ReisendeUndBesucher/AnUndAbreise/AnfahrtBusUndBahn/TXL/OeffentlicheTXL.html

Whitehawk

cheers , what about berlin its self any good hostels anyone knows? going to be on my own so looking for somewhere good to find osme other peeps!

H2G2

Aer Lingus and Ryanair fly into Schoenefeld. Its an easy airport to get to by train, so there is no real need to fly into Tegel.
FYI, Tegel is supposed to close in June 2012 when the new Berlin-Brandenburg comes on-line.

Whitehawk

H2G2 wrote: »

Aer Lingus and Ryanair fly into Schoenefeld. Its an easy airport to get to by train, so there is no real need to fly into Tegel.
FYI, Tegel is supposed to close in June 2012 when the new Berlin-Brandenburg comes on-line.

great info cheers

honeybunny.ie

Hey, try to find a hostel in Prenzlauer Berg or Mitte, they are the cool parts
I recommend a trip down Oranienburger Strasse for some cool bars and restaurant, especially check out the Tacheles for a real Berlin evening scene flair. However be aware that it's also one of the notorious prostitute areas so let's hope you're not easily offended

Pick up a "Flyer" or 030- you'll get them in most bars and scene clubs for listings of what's on- Berlin offers everything from classical to dance to tango nights.

If you're into sightseeing try The Fernsehturm TV tower for great views of the city , they also have a revolving restaurant, or go on a boat trip on the Spree. If the weather is good, try one of the artificial beach bars near the Reichstag or in MonbijouPark (again close to Oranienburger Strasse) where you can chill with some music and cocktails while watching the boats go by.

Have fun!

honeybunny.ie

oh, and I completely agree with the others- Schönefeld is much better to get to and from. Does Tegel even have direct flights from Ireland ??? (not sure...)

You can catch the S-Bahn train from there. Just be sure to buy the right ticket from the machine- it can be confusing as there are two types of ticket machines- one is for S-Bahn and the other for the city trains, perhaps ask a local. You buy the ticket there and then you have to stamp it on the platform. They love to catch out unknowing foreigners on the trains so make sure to stamp the ticket

Whitehawk

honeybunny.ie wrote: »

oh, and I completely agree with the others- Schönefeld is much better to get to and from. Does Tegel even have direct flights from Ireland ??? (not sure...)

You can catch the S-Bahn train from there. Just be sure to buy the right ticket from the machine- it can be confusing as there are two types of ticket machines- one is for S-Bahn and the other for the city trains, perhaps ask a local. You buy the ticket there and then you have to stamp it on the platform. They love to catch out unknowing foreigners on the trains so make sure to stamp the ticket

ok cool thanks for all that info great to know cheers

Cat Melodeon

For a hostel, I can recommend Circus Hostel in Mitte (Weinbergsweg). It's 2 stops from Alexanderplatz so it's easy to reach by public transport (you could also easily walk it) and it's also slap in the middle of the Mitte nightscene. It's a good place to hook up with other travellers if you're on your own. I haven't stayed there since it was renovated, but it was grand the old shabby way so I'm sure it's grand now.
http://www.circus-berlin.de/

+1 for flying to Schoenefeld. If you're staying in Mitte/East, there is no advantage in flying to Tegel. And Mitte/Prenzlauerburg/Friedrichshein are probably the best areas for nightlife and things to do.

Also +1 on taking a trip to Tacheles - the bar at the top is quite an experience, particularly if there's an art show or a gig on. If your German isn't brilliant, there's an English-language publication called Exberliner that lists everything that's on - you can buy it in most train stations - look for the 'Presse' shops. http://www.exberliner.com/
Apparantly Friedrichshain is the hippest 'Kiez' at the moment, but you won't go far wrong sticking to the tried and tested scene in Mitte & Prenzlauerberg if your time is limited. New clubs and pubs crop up and disappear all the time - a few good spots are Scotch & Sofa on Senefelderplatz, White Trash near Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Cafe Burger on Torstrasse if there's a dance night on (avoid the militant communist poetry readings), Bassy Club on Pfefferberg, any of the bars along Kastanienallee, Roeter- and Gruener-Salon at the Volksbuehne. That's probably a fairly safe selection of places in that they give you a decent idea of Berlin and have a fairly broad appeal (and aren't too touristy). I'm not too well up on the wilder aspects of Berlin nightlife anymore, unfortunately!

Daytime: if art is your thing, the Neuenationalgallerie is worth a visit for it's Bauhaus and Cubist stuff . Of the museums, the Pergamon has some seriously impressive stuff, especially the Ishtar gate from Babylon. If you're more into wartime & general history, your best bet is to take a walking tour as the city itself is the best museum. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the guy that took us on one but he was excellent and is a bit of a legend in Berlin. It lasted about 6 hours (there are shorter ones!) and we were wrecked after but it was definitely worth it as you get so much explained to you in a short space of time. There are loads of good guides though, you might find one on trip advisor.

brimal

I went to Berlin for 2 weeks last year and would highly recommend Fat Tire Bike Tours.

It's very popular, good fun on comfortable bicycles, and you get to meet lots of new people. It lasts about 4-5 hours so you get your money's worth. Also there is a stop half way where you all sit down for food and pints

The guides are good craic and you get to see all the sights with the history explained to you too.

Enjoy Berlin - one of my favourite cities in Europe

Ardennes1944

Berlin is a fantastic city, much prettier and more homely than Paris i found. adored every minute there