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How to get to Berlin By air Berlin has two airports. Tegel (TXL), currently the main airport, is 7km northwest of the city centre. Behind the airport information desk in the main hall are the BVG public transport ticket office and the luggage office. From airport:
By bus - A taxi to anywhere central will cost around €20-€25, and takes 20-30 minutes, depending on traffic and precise destination.
Schönefeld airport (SXF) is 20km southeast of the city centre and is slated to become the main airport in a few years. From airport: - Bus X7, every 10 or 20 minutes from 4.30am-8pm runs non-stop from the airport to Rudow U-Bahn (U7), from where you can connect with the underground. When it's not running, bus 171 takes the same route. - An Airport Express train from here reaches the city centre in 30 minutes; the S-Bahn take about 40 minutes. Take bus X7 to U-Bahn station Rudow for Kreuzberg. - A taxi to Zoo or Mitte is pricey (€30-€35), and takes around 45 minutes.
By Train
Berlin benefits from a modern, extensive rail service. The main railway station is Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Europaplatz, Europe's largest station linking east/west and north/south lines in the city centre. Facilities include tourist information, lounge, bank, restaurant, food halls, café, shops, newsagents, pharmacy, hairdresser and left luggage. Gusundbrunnen station to the north provides rail links to the Baltic. The other major mainline stations are Bahnhof Lichtenberg, and Ostbahnhof, in east Berlin. Some mainline services also stop at Bahnhof Spandau, to the west, and Bahnhof Sudkreuz, in the south.
By Bus
Eurolines
international coach services cover 500 destinations including
Paris, Strasbourg, Vienna and London, and more locally, Frankfurt,
Hamburg and Hanover. Berlin
Linien Bus also runs these national and international services.
From Central Bus Station, U-Bahn line U2 runs
into the centre.
By Road
Germany is covered by an excellent and extensive system of major roads and motorways. There are no tolls or speed limits on the Autobahnen (motorways) but a maximum of 130kph (81mph) is recommended. Speed limits are 130kph (81mph) or 100kph (62mph) on major and minor roads outside the cities and 50kph (30mph) in built-up areas. Traffic drives on the right and the minimum age for driving is 18 years. Foreign drivers require proof of insurance and their national driving licence. A Green Card is strongly recommended. A country identification sticker is compulsory. Leaded petrol is unavailable; unleaded petrol with a lead additive can be found at some petrol stations. As of January 1, 2008, Berlin requires all cars to have a "Low Emissions" sticker in order to enter the city center (Low Emission Zone, "Umweltzone"). Information on obtaining a sticker (which must be done at least several days in advance) is available here. The sticker can also be order online.
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