Train ticket for Berlin visit

Day 1 Berlin ABC day pass, 10.70 EUR per person
Day 2 Berlin AB day pass, 9.50 EUR per person
Day 3 Quer durchs Land 2-person ticket, 51 EUR for 2 (after 9 am weekdays) (Wittenberg is outside of Brandenburg)
Day 4 Berlin ABC day pass, 10.70 EUR per person
Day 5 simply buy a ticket from your closest S-Bahn station and it will include the transfer to Berlin Hbf

What does this map mean, why is Wittenberg shown but in a striped area? It looks like the train RE3 is in the Brandenburg/Berlin service area in some manner, maybe an extra charge?

https://assets.static-bahn.de/dam/jcr:3b2fb44b-d1a4-4fdf-b18f-97ae840635df/241695-320989.pdf

I did determine what MVD is which is in the legend for the striped area https://www.mdv.de/mdv-local-public-transport-in-central-germany/

For my own notes:

1. The ICE train to Wittenberg is less than an hour and 18 euro x 4 = 72, and saves an hour each way but is not flexible with return train time.

2. Fare from last town in Brandenberg (Blönsdorf) to Wittenberg 6 euro each way.

3. Short Trip Ticket (Kurzstrecke)
   A short trip ticket costs €2 (reduced fee €1.50). It is valid for three stops on the S-Bahn or subway, change of train being permitted, or six stops on buses and trams. A change of vehicle is not permitted. 4 ticket carnet is €6.

4. 4 ticket carnet in zones A/B is €10.

5. Once validated the tickets are good for 2 hours.

Going to Wittenberg Hbf from Bloensdorf is 6.30 EUR per person, so for a return day trip for 2 people cost is 25.20 EUR. Add in the cost of a Brandenburg ticket (1 to 5 people) of 33 EUR, that brings it to 58.20 EUR, so a QdL ticket for 51 EUR is the better deal.

When you add all of your outlays for VBB tickets and QdL ticket, you get 112.80 EUR, Therefor consider two 49 EUR tickets for a total of 98 EUR.

Also comments on the practicality of the Ostbahnhof area for a hotel.

Well, it's certainly not impractical. It's near to a number of sights, and close to the interesting Kreuzberg neighborhood. Berlin is so spread out that pretty much no matter where you stay, you will be close to some places and far from others. And with Berlin's excellent public transportation, you can get pretty much anywhere relatively quickly. I stayed in the Hackescher Markt area that is close to the DDR Museum, the TV Tower and Museum Island, but that's only 5-10 minutes away from the Ostbahnhof.

Thanks Sam and Mardee.

Delving in further (it's a bottomless enterprise, always more options) the Berlin Welcome card with the 5 museum island admissions and 3 days of ABC travel is 56 euro, assuming 3 museums used at 34 euro that's 56-34=22 euro or 7 euro/day for the ABC pass.

I have done Copenhagen and Stockholm with transit passes for the whole time and it is wonderful to never buy another ticket.

Rambling topic but trying to book the Reichstag dome and the schedule appears to open one month at a time around the 10th of the month previous? So June will open about May 10, is that right?

That sounds about right for the Reichstag dome. We registered online well in advance of our Berlin trip. They checked our passports and vaccination records prior to letting us up the elevator. That was 2021, I doubt the vaccination records are needed now.
I suggest timing your visit such that you can watch the sunset from the roof.

Jay

Thanks Jay. I was pleased to get notified that we have tickets for the Bundestag Tour, which normally includes the dome visit but it is closed for cleaning that day. So hoping to see the dome the following weekend.

Tom,
A couple block walk from the Reichstag is Windhorst. It is an excellent place to wet your whistle after seeing the dome. If you enjoy fine cocktails, you will enjoy this tiny place.
Jay

Hi Tom_MN, for the Reichstag dome, I was able to book a May date on April 4th, so perhaps June tickets will be available earlier in May (than the 10th).

Noting that today, April 30, both May and June are fully open for booking the Dome.