My afternoon BA flight to Berlin was cancelled and my new flight won't get into Berlin until after 7pm and I probably won't get out of the airport until closer to 8pm. I normally would take public transportation but as this is my first time in Berlin and I'm not sure of the area and where my hotel is exactly located, what is the best/easiest way to get to the hotel?
Thanks.
Take the S-Bahn (S9) to Hackescher Markt, a literal stone's throw from your hotel.
Agree w/Badger. After you exit baggage claim, take the escalators down from the main hall and check the electronic boards to see from which platform the S9 line runs. If you have google maps on your phone, you can plug in your destination and follow along as you travel. Make sure you validate your ticket before boarding!
Heather, I had the same problem in May when my flight was delayed and I didn't get into BER until after 8 pm. It was dark and I did not feel like dealing with public transportation and then having to walk from the S-Bahn station to the Adina Hackescher hotel.
It is close to the hotel but without having ever been there at that time, I opted for a taxi from the airport - they were plentiful at that hour, it took about 20-25 minutes to get there and dropped me off right in front. Cost was €45, but I considered it well spent.
I traveled to Berlin in September, 5 days before the Berlin marathon. I took a taxi to my hotel and it cost around 45 euro with the tip. It was easy and convenient. I think it was around 30 minutes.
It was dark and I did not feel like dealing with public transportation
and then having to walk from the S-Bahn station to the Adina
Hackescher hotel.
It's your trip, and your money. But the public transportation system in Berlin is very easy to use. Buy a ticket, in a ticket machine or somewhere else, validate it, and board the train. S9 offers a direct route from the airport to Hackescher markt, but there are other options with one change that are a bit faster.
As for the walk from the station to the hotel, the hotel is just across the street from the S-Bahn station. A taxi will get you a bit closer to the entrance, that is true. But if it is worth €45 compared to €3.80 for the train is up to you to decide.
Badger, I know that - I spent a month in Germany and used public transportation all over the country. BUT when I first flew in, I hadn't been to Germany in 11 years and had never been to Berlin, I was exhausted after a long night of flying, a 7+ hour layover at CDG, and a fiasco when my AF flight to BER had to turn back to CDG mid-flight, then after an hour or so of scrambling around the airport, leave again. So by the time I got to BER, I hadn't slept in almost 18 hours (I can never sleep on planes), my brain was fried and it was dark outside. I didn't care how cheap and easy public transportation was - I just wanted to get to my hotel as quick and easy as I could.
I wanted to tell Heather this, so that if she is feeling that same way, she may want to consider the ease of just grabbing a taxi. In the general scheme of things, a €45 cab ride is small change compared to the entire cost of the trip and peace of mind. Heather may not have the same circumstances. She may be the kind of person that sleeps well on a flight and will be feeling rested when she gets there. But I just wanted to point out why I took the taxi and why it might be a good option.
As I said, it's your trip. You don't need to explain your choices. But I wanted to add that Berlin has a very good and easy to use public transportation system.
I sometimes get the feeling that some Americans see public transportation as some kind of mystical being they have heard of but that can only be understood by some.
Hi all- Thanks for all the tips and suggestions.
I use public transport here in the US but as a single woman at night, I do not take certain lines. Just wondering about the safety and it sounds like the S9 is a well traveled line so I should be fine.
Yes, Heather, you should be fine with the S9 in the evening, and the Hackescher Markt neighborhood is certainly safe and convenient for many purposes. I stayed at that hotel last year and used the S9 both ways for the airport. But I had a much easier arrival than Mardee; in her situation I might very well have gone the taxi route.
When you get off the S9 at Hackescher Markt, turn left on the platform (heading back the way the train came) and take the stairs down to the street. At the bottom of the stairs, turn right and cross the street (with tram tracks). You'll see a bakery on the corner. Go past the bakery (to its left) and you'll see the Adina Hotel down the street on your right (same side). Couldn't be easier.
Hackescher Markt is a great transportation hub for the S-Bahn and trams. Alexanderplatz, a few minutes away, is a great U-Bahn hub. There are lots of restaurants and cafes in both places. Around the back side of the Adina are an ATM and a small supermarket. Museum Island is a few minutes' walk in the other direction from Alexanderplatz. I found it a great location and I liked the hotel itself.
