Berlin Pass Siteseeing & Tavel Card

Hi, Victoria. I wouldn't do it. We've been to Berlin twice (most recently this May). I think the only way the Berlin Pass would be worthwhile is if you scheduled your days so that you could take advantage of enough things. If you know that you absolutely will want to see certain things during your stay and you know that you will need a transit pass to do those things, price it out (or send me a list and I'll do it) and then see if it is worthwhile. For me, with only 3 days, I would probably get a daily transit pass if it made sense (AB zones; usually don't need C) and then look at the Museum Pass hard, too, depending on what I planned to do. Berlin is a great city with lots to offer. In my 2 trips (one for 3 days and one for a week), I used daily or weekly transit passes (because we stayed in areas where we were constantly taking transit), and on this past trip, we bought a combined ticket for the museums on museum island (14 Euro). The Museum Pass is 19 Euro for 3 days. Looking at their list, I don't see any that I have been to besides the ones on Museum Island. Be happy to make some recommendations if you want them. If so, tell me where you'll be staying and also what you want to do or are interested in.

Kathy, Thanks for taking the time to reply. As an native to the Berlin Pass (which I think would be around $90 US), I was thinking of getting a 3-day WelcomeCard for travel, which is about 22 euros and includes some museum admissions and/or discounts, or the WelcomeCard Museumsinsel for 32 euros which is unlimited travel in zones A&B plus unlimited access to the 5 museums on Museum Island. I will arrive on Thurs. morning, Sept. 6, and leave Berlin on Sun. morning, the 9th, so will have the better part of 3 days. Not a lot of time, but would maybe like to take a tour to get an overview of Berlin - the hop-on hop-off bus tour sounds like fun. Definitely want to see Checkpoint Charlie, Brandenburg Gate, some museums - the Pergamon, the Alte Nationalgalerie, the Berliner Dom, maybe a walking tour. I will be with a group of friends and one of them wants to visit Potsdam - not sure yet if I'll do that. I think what I need to do is zero in on the key places I really want to see, and as you suggested, price them individually versus a pass to see which is best. Now that I think about it, the Berlin Pass is really pricey unless you have time to see lots of places, and I don't have that much time. Our group is meeting up with a larger group of friends for a bike tour from Berlin to Prague, beginning Mon., Sept. 10. In Berlin, we're staying at The Circus Hotel on Rosenthaler Strasse (in East Berlin?) Need to find out best way to get from Tegel airport into the city. Will arrive alone and thought a taxi might be a bit expensive. If there's easy public transportation, might opt for that. Do you know anything about getting from the airport to the city? Thanks again,
Victoria

I used the Welcome Card on my last visit to Berlin and it worked out well for me. Was there for 3 days and visited the Deutsche Museum, the Jewish Museum, and Topography of Terror. Plus went on 2 walking tours. These are much, much better than a Ho-Ho bus tour. You get guides who can answer all of your questions, and you get a much more complete overview of the city rather than just riding past something with a 1-2 sentence commentary. The walking tours in Berlin only cost about 12 euro. Compare that to the HoHo bus prices. Read the reviews for all of the many tour companies on Trip Advisor. You will notice the Ho-Ho buses are rated #41 out of 101 tours in Berlin. Read the reviews and you will see why bus tours are falling in popularity.

Hi, Victoria. I have to confess that I am a DIY type of person which I realize is not for everyone. It seems to me that any of the packaged cards will still be more expensive than paying separately, but perhaps the convenience of one payment is worth it. Normally, I am also not a big fan of HoHo buses either, but the first time that I am in a new, big city, I do sometimes take some sort of guided overall tour just to give myself some familiarity. In Berlin, I really like Fat Tire's tour, but since you will be biking to Prague (please, please file a trip report after you are back) this might not appeal to you. I have not stayed at the Circus but was in their area this past trip and have looked at their website. According to their website, they offer a lot of "touring" assistance and also a discounted day transit pass (theirs is 4,80 vs 6,30, I think). If it were me, I would have in mind what I want to do, then talk with them once I get there. I like their location. It's easy to get to by transit and interesting to walk around/to other nearby areas. Their website tells you exactly how to get from Tegel to them via transit which involves a bus, then the train which sounds a bit involved, but really isn't as (IMO) Berlin's transit is one of the easiest. That said, the taxi fare appears to be between 17 to 21 Euro plus tip (the variance is due to potential traffic). I have checked the fare calculator that I used against my actual taxi fares and find it to be a good estimate).

Thanks Kathy and Jo for your advice. I should have done a bit more research before posing my question, but you saved me some time. I will definitely use your suggestions when I arrive in Berlin. Kathy, I'll let you know how the trip goes. I'm so looking forward to it and also to being able to spend a few days in Berlin. I know it won't be long enough, but it will give me an introduction, and perhaps I'll be able to return again.