How Does Public Transport Work?
Public transport in Berlin consists of a network of S-Bahn, U-Bahn, buses, and streetcars.
Purchasing tickets is possible with six-language ticket machines and through the BVG Ticket App.
There are fares for short distance, single trips, and day tickets. A day pass pays for three or more single trips. For travelers, there is also the Berlin Welcome Card.
Tickets must be validated before starting the journey! When traveling with the S-Bahn and U-Bahn, the validation is already necessary at the platform.
Three Fare Zones
- Zone A: Is bound by the S-Bahn ring. It includes the city center with the most important sights.
- Zone B: Ends at the city limits of Berlin.
- Zone C: Includes the surrounding area of Berlin with the airports, Potsdam, and Oranienburg.
Fares: A short-distance ticket is available from €2.20. A single trip starts at €3.20 and a day ticket for the AB zones costs €9.50.
A reduced fare applies for children up to 14 years. Children under 6 years old do not need a ticket.
Which Tickets Are Available?
Here is an overview of the most important tickets.
1
Short Distance: This ticket costs €2.20 for zones AB and is valid only for one trip in the direction of the destination with up to three stops by S-Bahn and U-Bahn (with change, without interruption of the trip) or 6 stops by bus or streetcar (without change and interruption of the trip). The validity period for cell phone tickets is 20 minutes. The 4-trip ticket for short trips costs €6.60. You save €2,20, that is a whole trip.2
Single Trip:This ticket costs €3.20 for zones AB and €4.00 for zones ABC. It is valid only for one trip in the direction of the destination within two hours. Change of trains and interruptions of the journey are allowed. Return and round trips are not allowed. The 4-trip ticket for single trips costs €10.00 for zones AB and €14.40 for ABC. You save €2.80 and €1.60 respectively.3
Day ticket (24Hour Ticket): The ticket costs €9.50 for zones AB and €10.70 for zones ABC. It is valid for 24 hours from the moment of validation. Any number of journeys, including transfers and interruptions, is possible.4
24-hour small group ticket: The ticket costs €29.00 for zones AB and €31.50 for zones ABC. It is valid for 24 hours from the time of validation. Any number of journeys, including transfers and interruptions, for up to five people is possible.5
7-day ticket: This ticket is valid for seven consecutive days after validation. On the 7th calendar day, it is valid until midnight. Within the period, any number of journeys is possible, including transfers and interruptions of the journey. The ticket costs €39.00 for zones AB and €46.00 for zones ABC. The 7-day ticket can be transferred to other persons.
An additional overview can be found in the current BVG price sheet with all special fares. The prices are usually increased annually on January 1.
Which Tickets Pay Off for Travelers?
City Cards, Tickets, and Airport Transfers
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Special Tickets
Here is an overview of special tickets for public transport in Berlin. These include, for example, annual tickets, student tickets, and senior tickets.
1
Monthly Tickets: The ticket for the AB zone costs €91 and for the ABC zone €114.2
Annual Tickets: By subscription, the VBB-Umweltkarte AB costs €728 per year with a one-time payment. A purchase with the machine costs €882 and a €761 monthly payment.3
Reduced Tickets: These include trainee tickets, tax-deductible company tickets for 5 or more employees, the Berlin-Ticket-S, senior citizens, and student tickets.
More information on the price of individual tickets can be found in the BVG price sheet. This also contains an overview of subsidized tickets for groups of people.
Berlin Public Transport Network
The inner area of the transport zones in Berlin is divided by the S-Bahn ring. It includes the A and B zones. It covers most inhabitants in Berlin and the most important sights.
An overview of the most important line networks can be found on bvg.de and s-bahn-berlin.de.
Arbalete, CC BY-SA 4.0
Contact
- BVG: For the subway, bus, streetcar and ferry. Call center: +49-(0)30 - 19 44 9 / Website: bvg.de
- S- Bahn: Call center: +49-(0)30 - 29 74 33 33 / Website: s-bahn-berlin.de
- Berlin-Brandenburg Transportation Association (VBB): Call center: +49-(0)30 - 25 41 41 / Website: vbb.de
Popular Transport Options in Berlin
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Faq - public transport berlin
HOW MANY FARE ZONES ARE THERE IN BERLIN?
There are three zones in Berlin. Zone A Is bound by the S-Bahn ring. It includes the city center with the most important sights. Zone B ends at the city limits of Berlin. Zone C includes the surrounding area of Berlin with the airports, Potsdam, and Oranienburg.
IS THERE A DAY TICKET IN BERLIN?
Yes. There is a separate day ticket for traveling on the subway, streetcars, S-Bahn, and buses in Berlin. It pays off if you take three or more trips with public transport in one day.
IS THERE A SEPARATE TICKET FOR TOURISTS IN BERLIN?
Yes. The Berlin Welcome Card is a ticket for public transport in Berlin and a discount card for admission to many museums, sights, and attractions in Berlin.
AFTER HOW MANY TRIPS DOES A DAY TICKET PAY OFF?
A day ticket in Berlin pays off after 3 single trips at the standard rate.
