Getting Around · Our pick in Berlin
Berlin by rail: the back story
The back story
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Ansgar Koreng · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Berlin by rail: the back story
Berlin Hauptbahnhof, a great glass crossing of east–west and north–south lines, opened in 2006 on the site of the old Lehrter Bahnhof. From here Deutsche Bahn’s ICEs run to Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt and Cologne, EuroCity trains to Prague, and sleepers run through the night across Europe.
The Hauptbahnhof
Berlin Hauptbahnhof is on Europaplatz, by the Spree in Moabit, served by the S-Bahn, the U5 and long-distance trains. Other long-distance stations include Gesundbrunnen, Südkreuz, Spandau, Ostbahnhof and Gerichtstrasse.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Ermell · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsSleepers
ÖBB’s Nightjet links Berlin with Vienna and other cities overnight (nightjet.com), and European Sleeper runs a night train between Berlin and Brussels by way of Amsterdam (europeansleeper.eu). Check each operator’s website for days and routes.
Use bahn.de to plan, and buy Sparpreis tickets early for the best fares.
Day trips by train
Regional trains and the S-Bahn run to Potsdam; regional trains to the Spreewald at Lübbenau and Lübben; and long-distance trains to Dresden and Leipzig. See our Beyond Berlin guides.
The rail network
See the ULTIMATE Rail Journeys guide for the great train journeys of Europe and beyond.
Our advice: buy a Berlin ABC ticket for the airport, the city and Potsdam in one.
Why it's on our list
- The Hauptbahnhof
- Sleepers
- Day trips by train
- The rail network
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Berlin by rail: the back story before you go.