Hello,
I'm staying with friends in Frankfurt, and they are encouraging me to visit Berlin for a few days. I'll be traveling alone, would like great but cheap accommodations (hostel?), and enjoy comeraderie. I am mid-thirties, love beer, love good food, in good shape for traveling, & have never been to Berlin. Any and all suggestions most welcome! - including detours to & fro.
It's a long trip from Frankfurt to Berlin for a short stay. There are direct and one change ICE connections that make the trip in a little over 4 hours, one way. Full fare is 123€, one way. With sufficient advance purchase and a commitment to a specific train, you can get a fare as low as 29€.
The faster (3h40m) ICE Sprinter leaves Frankfurt at 6:14. That train requires a seat reservation. Full fare (including the seat) is 134,50€. Advance purchase tickets can be as low as 40,50€.
As you can see, it behooves to commit now and buy the train tickets, which are nonrefundable, and changeable in advance with a 17.50 fee. You can buy on-line and print the tickets at home at www.bahn.com.
A 75% discount over the walk-up price is a powerful incentive.
You might want to book lodging first. RS Berlin guide book lists lots hostels with single beds under 35 euro/nt.
That way, when you book train tickets, you can specify the closest train station in Berlin, as it is a pretty spread-out city.
For a short trip, I don't see any point in a stopover on the way there. Besides, it would be very dependent on your particular interests.
