Travel · By rail
Berlin by rail: ICEs, night trains and day trips by train
Berlin is one of the great rail hubs of Europe. Here is how to use it, checked against the operators’ own websites on 25 October 2026.
Updated October 2026
Berlin Hauptbahnhof
Berlin Hauptbahnhof, on Europaplatz by the Spree, is a crossing of east–west and north–south lines on several levels. It is served by the S-Bahn and the U5, which runs to Alexanderplatz and on through Mitte.
Across Germany by ICE
Deutsche Bahn’s ICEs run from Berlin to Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne and Leipzig, among many others. Sparpreis fares are cheapest booked early; plan on bahn.de.
Night trains
ÖBB’s Nightjet links Berlin with Vienna and other cities overnight (nightjet.com), and European Sleeper runs a night train between Berlin, Amsterdam and Brussels (europeansleeper.eu). Check each operator’s site for the days the trains run.
The ULTIMATE Vienna City Guide
Day trips by train
Potsdam is on the S7 and regional trains, within the Berlin ABC fare zones. Regional trains run to Lübbenau and Lübben for the Spreewald, and long-distance trains to Dresden and Leipzig.
Potsdam & Sanssouci The Spreewald Dresden Leipzig
The great train journeys
See ULTIMATE Rail Journeys for the great railway journeys of Europe and the world.
Questions and answers
Which is Berlin’s main station?
Berlin Hauptbahnhof, on Europaplatz, on the S-Bahn and the U5.
Is there a night train from Berlin to Vienna?
Yes: ÖBB’s Nightjet links the two cities; check nightjet.com for the days it runs.
How do I get to Potsdam?
By S7 or regional train; a Berlin ABC ticket covers the journey.
Sources: bahn.de, nightjet.com, europeansleeper.eu and sbahn.berlin (checked 25 October 2026). Timetables change: always check before you travel.