Guide to city trains: 1) S-Bahn, the overground train network that sometimes goes underground 2) U-Bahn, the underground train network that sometimes goes overground
Extra Don't: NEVER stand on the left hand side of an escalator, it will get you some veeery annoyed comments. It is for people in a hurry, kind of like an express lane. There is a rhyme for that, too: "links gehen, rechts stehen" ("walk on the left, stand on the right").
Who takes a taxi in Europe. When I travel I always use public transport, it's cheap and boost your confidence about finding youself in different places.
I like mingling with the locals and seeing real life on public transit. I live in Brooklyn and have never taken a taxi here except once or twice with other people in some situation. Of course the subway and buses run 24/7 here.
lauralanthalasa7 in Paris we had to get to the airport at 4am and no train was going there. We then wanted to take the night bus but got flipped off and he closed the door on us when we asked for a ticket lmao. Then we had to take a taxi.. but at least the taxi driver was nice 😂
A tip for everyone who wants to visit Berlin: you actually don’t have to book a sightseeing tour. Just buy a day pass and take the bus 100 to get around town. It drives to all the major attractions and runs every 5-10 minutes. You can step out at any time, and sometimes the bus drives even talks about some major landmarks (if you get a nice bus driver - not all do that!). A day pass is 7€ per person and is valid until 3am of the next day.
Hah Berlin. Thats my Hometown. Its so great and wonderful. I miss Berlin. Please don't buy public transportation tickets in the hotel. Its a trap. It costs 13€ per day, 20€ per two days and 36€for 4 days. At the ticket machines or ticket shops is a day ticket 7€. And a 7-Day Ticket costs 30€. Much cheaper. The AB-Ticket is the best for you. Usually you don't need the C-Ticket Zone. C Is for Potsdam, Oranieburg, Straußberg etc.
@@Alexandar_90 They made it even more expensiv wtf last year it was still 7€ for a daily and the first time i was in Berlin it was only around 5€ (that was end of 2009)
I'm not much of a traveler, but have enjoyed your videos for a long time. Have to say, you have the most informative, easiest to understand, most down to earth approach and information to share. Congrats - great channel!! And thanks.
You missed quite possibly the important DONT while in Germany, one I see a LOT of people making the mistake of doing. Do NOT, EVER, for ANY REASON AT ALL, do the Hitler salute, goose step march or bring up Nazi questions to locals. A friend of mine spent a night in a German jail because she thought it would make a funny picture to do the Nazi salute in front of the Brandenburg Gate, unfortunately, the police officer standing a few feet away did not share that sense of humor and she ended up being deported the next day (a full week and a half short on her vacation) Germans in my experience do NOT find this behavior funny and will not tolerate it. You are likely to be imprisoned, fined, or evicted from the country. Best not to bring up WW2 at ALL except in a historical museum asking a curator or museum guide specific questions you may have.
I have no idea why she thought so. Perhaps ironically? Then again, we live in an age where we have to tell people not to eat laundry detergent so......
As someone who lives in Berlin I'd have a request for all you tourists - Don't mistake cashiers for travel guides in the super market. I live in a tourist heavy area and it can get rather frustrating sometimes when the lines get longer and longer. Instead - pay, get out of line and THEN please ask a local around you. Most of us Berliners will be happy to help tourists and while we explain where the next bus station is or how to get to some location or other the Cashiers are free to do what they're supposed to :)
I never asked a cashier for tourist tips/advice. They would sometimes respond in English to clarify something or if I was asking a question or wanting (for example a packet of F6 cigarettes) something from the counter. Was that the small size or large size?
Yoo same. I use to live in a tourist heavy are aswell before i moved to the outer circle of berlin this year in april. For 7 years i had tourists harass the cashiers lmao. Like the cashiers don't know and don't care, leave em alone xD.
a very productive suggestion, i applaud it, it seems very stupid to block the way of ordinary people in a town... from one thing to another - someone must make a movie called Berlin in Love ...
I am from Berlin and this video made me soo happy! You did an amazing job :D You are so euphoric and excited, I love it! And I have to say that you have an amazing pronunciation of the german words. It is great to see that someone who appreciates Berlin so much because I often feel like foreigns don't really get the true vibe of the city.
Another tip: Buy the Berlin Welcome Card. It gives you free public transport. It is a slightly more expensive than the normal travel card. But it gives you discount on museums and other attractions, so if you visit more than one attraction you save money. I bought ABC zone, because then I could also use it to the airport on my way home.
Yep. A quick note though on AB and ABC cards and the airports. You only need ABC for Schoenefeld, not for Tegel. ABC is also the one to choose if you wish to go to places outside of Berlin such as Potsdam.
If I can add a couple of Don'ts. 1) If you're looking for a night out, don't think the 'center' of Berlin is really going to cater for you. After the shops close and the tourists go home, areas like Mitte and Unter Den Linden quickly become deserted. I'd say avoid places like Alexanderplatz too, the only bars around there are usually touristy, overpriced or restaurants. Instead head down to somewhere like Kreuzberg or Neukolln, which will keep you occupied until the sun comes up. 2) This is mostly for Brits, but don't miss out on kebabs! I know in the UK kebabs are famous for being kind of disgusting and something you'll only eat when you're drunk, but Berlin kebabs are phenomenal. Cheap, delicious and if you're in Neukolln - incredibly plentiful. Imren Grill at Rathaus Neukolln is particularly great. There's no social stigma about eating a kebab at 11am in Berlin.
I was lucky. I got to go shopping in East Berlin before the wall came down. It was very eye opening. I shopped in West Berlin too. There was a lovely flea market in the old bahnhof. I also had coffee at a cafe by the bombed church. I went back years later after the wall came down too.
Berlin is much more of a "do" city than a "don't" city. It's a fabulous, fabulous, fabulous place! A "long weekend" in Berlin is simply cruel - there's so much to do and see that you'll be terribly frustrated if you have a too short stay. And you'll be depressed on the day you leave - you won't want to! The best thing about Berlin is the energetic vibe - it sizzles with energy, people are always wanting to do something and so will you. It's perhaps the most positive city in Europe, and while others live on some long-gone glorious past, Berlin is always looking at the future. That, among many other things, sets it apart from all other European cities and make it a must-visit place.
@@apegrasshoplizard, for my comment to be "propaganda", I'd have to be somehow linked to Berlin's government or some trade association from there, and to have some economic or political interest in that (in which case, a UA-cam comment would be a terribly ineffective way of making propaganda!). As it happens, I'm not German or even European, I don't live in Europe, and *unfortunately* I haven't been able to visit Berlin in many years. As it happens, not only me, but there are many people who are absolutely in love with Berlin, for the same reasons I explained. Everyone is entitled to one's taste and you have the right not to like Berlin. It's YOUR taste. But being rude to people who don't share your taste is an entirely different story. Personally, I think that if that was your impression of Berlin, you went to the wrong places with the wrong people at the wrong time (talking about that, I was once in Berlin in winter, and it was still absolutely vibrant, far from dead!). Like any other major city (including Madrid and Barcelona), Berlin has beautiful places, has horrible ones, has posh and poor areas, has glittering and ruined neighborhoods. Your choice where to go. As for comparing it with Spain, it's comparing apples and oranges; they're totally different experiences and both with their own charms (which, in the case of Berlin, includes that "3rd world" touch in places like Kreuzberg, for example, which nonetheless has one of Europe's most vibrant and original cultural scenes, with experiences you won't find anywhere else). But if you disagree, that's OK. You don't have to go to Berlin. Stay in Spain, which obviously suffices to you as a world experience, and leave Berlin to those who can appreciate its uniqueness --- like me.
@@MrFizzio look as someone who lives in Berlin myself, yes we have complaints but that doesn't mean it's a horrible no good for nothing city. Berlin is at the forefront of political movements, forefront of art and people with ambitions. Yes, the winters are depressing but Berlin is the only city I know that has a really weird personality. Either you like it or hate it, I personally like it
I am from Berlin, born and raised, and I admit that I was a bit sceptic when I saw the title 😅 But I really love that video!! Thank you for sharing this with people. You got it so right!! 🙋🏼♀️
I am a local, so from Berlin, and I just watched the video to see if I agree with the content as a local..and yes! Great great video! Absolutely right and great advices.
Just got back from Berlin last week, was staying near ostbahnof near Alexanderplatz and I gotta say, contrary to popular beliefs the people are amazing, so friendly and hospitable. I've gotta say this is a GREAT video for anyone heading to Berlin, keep doing what your doing Walt!
I've visited Berlin 3 times in the last 12 months. Each time I find new exciting things. The 1st time we did a self guided tour of the main buildings. And drank a lot. The 2nd time we found museums and drank a lot This 3rd time we found loads of shops and restaurants and drank alot. Berlin is a beautiful city full of wonderful sights and great people. I loved Ostkruez. The bars the resturants the nightlife. Was sooo good.
Could I ask please how travel was as I am not going to get the taxi from Berlin Brandenburg Airport to get to Lichtenberg.. what ticket do I need to buy?
@@cherryblossom2971 Don't know if this info is to late but till the end of august you can get the 9€ ticket which allows you to take any public transport (except the intercity express) for the whole month. If you plan to come over in september or later you have to get the ABC-ticket which is valid for all areas in berlin.
Friedrich Christian Laukhard oh Jesus yes that’s right that thing again , and that so many companies only moved to Bavaria after the Second World War from Berlin because Berlin happened to be surrounded by the soviet sector , and that this is why Berlin suffered a whole lot economically , is not relevant I suppose
Well, the economy in Berlin is actually not that bad but somehow the administration is just shitty. And actually Bavaria was not economically successful immediately after the war and had to transform from an agricultural state into a modern state.. Also now Berlin already had quite a long time to improve as well and a lot of companies did move there so that excuse is a bit cheap. Also: Relax, I am not from Bavaria and it was originally meant as a little joke. Your reaction however indicates that I might have hit a weak spot, so sorry for that.
Friedrich Christian Laukhard haha nah it’s okay , to be fair I feel like I don’t have a full understanding of economy neither in Bavaria nor Berlin and what I said is just what I learned in history , also it’s really fine , I’m not actually mad or anything , why would I be ? It’s true Bavaria has a much stronger economy , that I’m aware of , don’t know all the reasons , but yeah sorry that it came across as such I was lashing out or anything haha
Great informative video! Lots of beer choices. We went in Currywurst Museum haha. We had a lot of fun! We stayed near Alexanderplatz because of the train station and the tourist spots are near if you stay there.
@@jonathanappleby9593 yup its the same with London in the UK or New York those are uh i would call it International Towns. I was last year in Berlin for a concert and ive heard sometimes more English and other languages then german.
@@mrn234 yes!!! I am from the UK! And get frustrated when many people only visit London, it's not a reflection of the rest of the UK! But in Berlin it's even more extreme the people on the street as just not like that found in other German cities. Berlin is extremely.liberal and free!
There is one exception to jaywalking tho. To catch a tram or a bus everyone, even Omi will run. that just seems to be a unspoken but commonly accepted rule.
I am from Berlin and it is definitely true but still, DO NOT jaywalk :D I was hit by a car because I was running to my bus... it can happen pretty fast Just wait for the next one ;)
I spent 2years 7months and 13 days as a member of the 287th MP Company, Berlin Brigade from June of 1974 to January of 1977. I spent many of those days/nights on duty at Checkpoint Charlie. I will never forget Berlin and consider myself lucky to have spent that time there. Your video has stirred up a lot of memories. Thank you. Great video and Rick Steves couldn"t have done better!
@@richardhill6125 How have you been? Did 3 tours in Germany but the Berlin tour was the Best. Frankfurt was good, Kaiserslautern came third. Would like to tell you more but not here this platform.
Max W And you know that as a man? The problem of people (especially women) getting raped or whatever, you've got unfortunately everywhere, independently of nationality or migration. Assholes just exist. You also seem to be one.
I've just returned from Berlin for my birthday and it was definitely memorable. The people are so friendly and the food was amazing in every restaurant I visited. I saw 3 museums, Brandenburg Gate, Siegessäule (Victory Column), walked passed the Reichstag, and visited the Zoological Garden. I would definitely return as the locals are lovely and made me feel welcome :)
The Ampelmannchen is an East German thing. It's commonly found all over what was the former East Berlin. They changed their traffic crossing lights to this iconic design. When the wall fell, there was talk of changing the traffic lights to that of the West, but there was the whole ostalgie movement which made the iconic character remain.
I travelled by motorcycle around Europe in June and vlogged my trip and by far my favourite city was Berlin. Don't forget to leave enough time to see it all. I'll have to go back and live there for a month, it's the best fun city! Bernie in sydney
Liveinsydney You are probably a nice guy. But please, don't come to live here, even only for a month. The city is crowded enough with visitors, living space it getting more and more rare and expensive. And many of the young tourists living in hostels molest the working people who need the night to sleep by incessant drinking and nightly noise.
When the Wall came down, my girlfriend at the time was a private nurse. She threw together a gym bag of clothes and flew to Berlin to dance on the Wall. Took a sledge hammer to it and hauled back a chunk of it. Customs wondered what the hell it was until she explained. I recall all this because she called me at 2 in the morning to come to SFO to pick her up.
I'm a born and raised Berliner and I was very skeptical when I started this video because, well, we don't really like expats trying to explain our own city to us. This happens quite a lot. But then I realized that you were not only explaining it to potential visitors but you also spoke from my heart when it came to the Holocaust memorial. I am with you there 100%. Sure the idea of a "lived-in" memorial is nice but it's not a fucking playground! Anyway, nice video. Some minor mistakes but that can be forgiven ;)
I live in Berlin and that was so interesting for me to watch. But I love my Berlin, really enjoy living here. (I still jaywalk all the time 🙈 Until now no old lady has stopped me yet.)
Nice video! I moved to Berlin (West) in the fall of 1978 when I was 21, and I have lived here ever since (so it's 40 years now). With wall or without: I LOVE THIS TOWN!!! - I like your video and the enthusiastic way you talk about Berlin. Thanks a lot!
As a Berliner I agree with all of these except jaywalking.. we jaywalk all the time in Berlin.. other cities they don’t but Berlin yes! Also another don’t: don’t take one of those tour buses: you can just take the normal 100 or 200 bus and it will go by most sights you want to see and doesn’t cost much just a regular bus ticket!
Usually its quite common to just cross the roads ...but usually its not very nice to cross it on a traffic light junction, when the light is red, because of the children, to make an positive example!
I fucking hate you for this... imagane beeing a normal german worker that has to take those buses with idiots like you suggesting people to take this 2 lines ? tourists should take those tourists buses so that people who have to take the normal BVG lines get at home or to work in time. its really fucking rude to block of those 2 bus lines. I worked for serval years in Keithstraße and had to get back to Alexanderplatz... can you imagine how many serval hundred times those bus lines totally missed to drive because they had been overcrowded by god damn tourists? really I wanna scream loud on to you for being so fucking ignorarant.
Mark, this almost turned into a "things to do of visiting Berlin". Thanks for sneaking in all the suggestions of things to do including using Berlin as a central location from which to travel. I plan to spend a month in Berlin after I retire and will use it as a central location to visit the rest of the country and maybe even Prague.
Bill Green : Arrive in Prague by train from Dresden. It's a picturesque journey partially along the Elbe river. Drink Pilsner Urquell, arguably the world's best lager.
Thanks for the suggestions. One of the advantages of spending a month in one location is that I don't have to be in a hurry to get to a nearby destination so I can take my time and take the train. I love Pilsner Urquell. I wonder how it tastes in Prague compared to the US.
People often use Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia & about 35 miles from Vienna, as a much cheaper & safer base. Do consider the Visegrad 4 countries of Central Europe. Outside of Central Europe you won't feel like you're in Europe.
@@losingyoutoyou they might be more cautious but not in crowded places. In central areas there are children everywhere and lots of other people. In less densely populated areas that is totally true.
I am a Berliner and I absolutely agree with every of your "don´t´s" but I´ve got another one for you: Don´t expect heartfelt people in Berlin, the Berliners have a big heart but it´s hidden deep inside. In Germany we say: "for laughing, we got to the cellar". Hope my english was understandable 😂🤣
Also, DO expect New York taxi driver friendliness level from the staff. Which is also considered rude in other parts of Germany. People from Berlin are even seen as extremely direct and a bit unfriendly in other parts of Germany. This is called "Berliner Schnauze", freely translated, the Berlin way to speak.
Thanks a lot for this great video. As someone from Berlin (albeit one who has nit lived there for several years) I thought it was spot on. Love your enthusiasm. What does scare me, though, is the amount of hate in some the comments on here. Quite scary to be honest! Who rebuilt what and when... all I know is, it was not me. So I am grateful to everyone who has come before me and helped make Germany into what it is today.
Someone really is excited about Berlin. luv it! Another hint: explore the city via public transport each district of Berlin has a lot of smaller subcenters which you can check out. Plus: visit the huge lakes, parks and forests
I just went to Berlin and relied mostly on your videos, had a great time, Thanks! The how to order and pay in restaurants was very helpful. One thing I learned was not to rely on the menu boards outside the restaurants. Had amazing food, but don't expect Italian American food at the Italians restaurants. Best meal was the DDR retro meal I had. Public transit was amazing, but remember to stamp your ticket or it's not valid. No issues with homeless people, but the streetwalkers were surprisingly aggressive! Learned not to avoid the bottled beers, although found a craft beer place that was the best beer I've ever had. Tried not to dress as an American, and several foreigners ask me for directions. A lot more jaywalkers than you said, but being from Boston I took your advice and remained among those waiting for the signal, didn't want to get in trouble. Some places definitely seemed to require money for the bathrooms, with even pay gates. Oh yes, you got to reserve a day a head to go up to the Reichstag.
...also don't forget to input the postal code with the street name on your navigation software, or when you give it to your taxi drivers! German cities often grew together over time, and often street names are present multiple times inside the same city, especially Berlin. Else you might find yourself on the wrong side of the city by mistake!
"old world Germany" People should never expect that in big towns here. The allied destroyed everything. There are still bombs found in the ground, every month.
Soeren P. E. Ziemens but what I meant with our sounding douchey is that a large ass battle happened in Berlin tons of munitions landed in Berlin what did you expect there is still unexplored ordinance from wooded war One in France like did you think for some reason Berlin was the exception to UXO?
Your videos are excellent! My husband & I enjoy watching and following you on your adventures. This one and others you have made have inspired us to take our children to visit Europe. Thank you!
I love this video. I am from berlin and I know almost every spot in this city. The real story behind „Ampelmann“ is actually pretty interesting. There is almost no ampelmann lights in Berlin anymore. It was an east side thing until the wall got down. Good job explaining Berlin ♥️
Don't forget to check your ticket for public transport is valid for the zone you're going to, Berlin has A, B and C zones. And don't forget to make sure you check that cars stop for you as a pedestrian when your light is green: sometimes theirs is green too at the same time, and they have to stop for pedestrians but they don't see (or want to see) you!
The stopping for cars with regards to pedestrians is why I don't drive in the city in Melbourne. That's the first thing you are reminded of if you rent a car or take the Trabi Safari!
I'll be back in Berlin in April. Looking forward to seeing how it has changed since doing the TV coverage of the fall of the wall in 89 for British TV (yes really). That was an experience!
Oh it is VERY different!!!!! I was there the year after the wall opened... and didn’t come back again until 2016. Shock! So many things are just completely rebuilt. And that “grey” look of The east is gone!
My mom was born in 1930 Berlin. My dad married her in 1948. I came along in 1959. My 1st trip to Berlin was in 79, American, British, French and Russian zones. Went on a trip to the Russian monument, very pro Russian saw the walls arround the city from my Grandmas Apt. Went back in 86, lot older and with my dad and mom. The Gdr was trying to make money so they traded west german marks for the same price, big difference! In 1997, went back with my mother, father had died. She was affraid to go in the eastern zone. got a picture of here standing on the wall. Berlin will always be a city I love!
Currently planning a trip to Berlin and this video has me so hyped up! Your energy and enthusiasm is totally infectious - thank you for your good vibes!
Hello 👋 my friend. Thank you for sharing this informative video. While in the military service, I was based in Berlin during 1966-1968. Your video brought back many memories. I remember the curry wurst stands which included pommel fritz. Thank you so much. All the best to you and your family. Stay healthy out there. 🤗
Hi Wolter I was born in West Berlin in 11/1961. My mom says they knew I was coming. My family was split in 2. My uncle and his family were in East Berlin. My mom and grandparents lived in the West. I cried like a baby when the Wall came down. I miss Berlin especially in the summer and Christmas time. Thank you for sharing.
Berliner Weisse is a white wheat beer, we drink it with raspberry or woodruff flavour (don't wörry, it's flavour only, no poison besides the alcohol, be häppy 😊)
Ever since I tried it,I've had dreams about your raspberry beer.I don't normally even like beer that much,or have dreams,but that stuff was obscenely good.
Officers will come and get you out of the Jewish memorial if you're being disrespectful. I've experienced it several times. This includes walking on the stones, sitting on them to eat/drink something, talking in louder voice than usual, running through it and more. I found it best to just slowly walk through; don't want to talk to anybody anyways when I'm in there... As far as I know, these aren't police officers, but more like private security. Still, just DON'T.
You missed a few things about the wall, which I think is important. A) the stone patch line goes through the whole of Berlin, where the wall stood...it is not just in touristic areas. B) to actually see how depressing the wall was, do not go to the easide gallery, go to Memorial Park at Bernauer Straße. There is a completely 'intact' part of the wall, together with a watch tower.
Absolutely fantastic, just what I wanted to know. Going to Berlin later this year. Looking forward to visit this formidable city, that I visited last between 1987 - 1989 just before the wall fell. Thanks a lot for a super video.
As a Berliner (not native, but I live here for 11 years now) we don't expect much from visitors, but please at least - don't pee, shit, vomit, scream, trash in our streets . - ...well thats it actually. Enjoy your stay :)
As Berliners (that's someone who was born or atleast grew up in Berlin), we don't expect much from people who come from outside other than: Do not call yourself Berliner, no matter what. That's the only thing we reserve for ourself, since we are a minority in our own city - You cannot become a Berliner!
By the way: The curry wurst I recommend! It was my best and cheapest dinners during my trip to Berlin and London! I wasn't hungry for a dinner so I thought I would just try the curry wurst at a small shop at the train station where my hotel was (Gesundbrunnen). So I tried the curry wurst meny (with fries) and a beer. less than 7 euro! And it was good sitting down after a long day. The man behind the desk, who did only speak German, brought it to me. Sitting down, observing other germans. The next time my hotel wasn't nearby Gesundbrunnen, but I still went there.
You missed two important things: 1. Rechts stehen, links gehen (wait right, walk left on escalators) 2. Erst Aussteigen, dann Einsteigen (people first get out, then you enter the S-Bahn) Great vid man, totally enjoyed it!!!
Wolters world is the best UA-cam channel on Travel 🔥🔥 I recently went to BerlinGermany with my German American partnership program and it was honestly amazing and saw almost all of the locations that were mentioned in this video and was actually really accurate ☺️🔥
You can also take the AirportExpress trains to SXF/BER airport. They stop at all bigger stations (Zoo, Hauptbahnhof, Friedrichstraße, Alexanderplatz...) but skip the smaller ones. They run less frequent than the S9/S46, but are faster and in my opinion more comfortable. And they don't cost more! From Tegel you have 3 bus lines X9/109 (slower) to the Zoo/West, TXL to the center and East (don't expect it to run through to Alexanderplatz, it's often withdrawn to the central station because of high traffic/demonstrations, but you can change to the S lines further east), and 128 to the north. In most cases it's fastest to change to the S or U services after a couple of stops instead of staying on the bus. Your Bus ticket is also valid on the S, U and regional trains. From Tegel you need a ticket for zones AB, while from/to Schönefeld you need a ticket that includes the C zone (ABC in most cases, BC only if you stay off-center).
It's odd that with the comprehensive transit system Tegel is only served by buses, no U or S Bahn. It also seems like some regional airport in some small city. Sort of like the Burbank airport in LA. But I guess they were always going to close it in favor of the new one but never got there. If you end up there with a lot of time to kill pay a Euro or two to go hike around on the roof! By the way you can tour the now closed Flughafen Tempelhof, the Hitler airport used in the Berlin Airlift. Long tour and very interesting. I got a ticket ahead but at least in off season you could just show up at the right time. Tours in English on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 pm. www.thf-berlin.de/fuehrungen/english-guided-tours/ This is not an advertisement. Just something I did in Berlin that was great. Platz der Luftbrucke U Bahn.
Dear emjayay - yes, they want to close Tegel as soon as the new airport BER is opening in the south of Berlin - which should be now somewhere in 2020 or 2021 (the original opening time should have been in 2012 - yes, in 2012!). But God alone nows if the new Berlin airport is opening in 2021 or in 2030 or in 2050 or ever and therefore the FDP (the Liberal Party) introduced a public voting in Berlin to let Tegel stay open and to modernise its infrastructure - and they got really the majority of the votes at this voting - but the Government of the city of Berlin and its Governing mayor are rejecting this. They stated that they don´t care about public votes on this topic - and therefore Tegel airport is at the moment the hotest political spot of policy making in the city of Berlin. And btw: Burbank airport in LA is a much bigger and a much better linked airport than Tegel! Try to arrive in Schoenefeld if you´re travelling to Berlin!
The Tegel Airport from the beginning on was only meant to be used for a limited period of time as far as I know. Has been used for way longer now. And yes, many people don't want to close it because the BER Airport that takes years and years to be opened (I probably won't even see it opening anymore if it's going on like that..) is already too small to serve all the passengers.
No Tegel was not really meant for a limited time. They've been planning to extend an U-Bahn line into the airport since the 1950s, and there are provisions for the branching at nearby station Jungfernheide. But somehow they never got round to build it.
At a stall at Checkpoint Charlie I accidentally handed over a 50 euro note instead of a 20. The souvenir seller corrected me and didn’t take advantage. I really appreciated that. 👍🏻❤️
We're planning a trip to Berlin, Prague and Vienna in June, 2022. Your series is fantastic and just what we need to help prepare. Thanks so much for posting these!
@@panini6901 - Woah! Did you purposely challenge someone for either writing in a spoken colloquial style or just a simple grammatical error, whilst ignoring the obvious mistake in the post he was responding to? Lol. It sounded like you were being a dick or something 👌😂
Man, you make me want to book a flight to go back to Berlin. There is so much to do there and my last trip made me realize how much I really didn't see.
Good tips. I adore Berlin. I've been there many times and could never tire of it. There's so much to see and do there you could never get bored! I'd add one "don't" to your list - don't miss out on getting the ferry from Wannsee to Kladow! It's included in your day ticket, along with the trains, buses and trams. It's a lovely boat ride on a beautiful lake, a real MUST-DO! You could go back and forth on it all day if want, as it won't cost any extra! :)
As a native Berlin-City-Görl I really think you did a great job on this Video! Heck even I wanna go and do some more of that stuff now. Just one thing: jaywalking - yes you have those few grannies who will tell you off. But if you really wanna fit in you gotta go with the flow 😂 In Berlin everybody is rushing, nobody’s got time, everybody’s got a schedule. So if the street is clear to cross - go for it. Just make sure no Police officers witness it.😜 Then you might get a fine (maybe not depending on their mood). Other than that you pretty much nailed it! 👍🏼
I hit that subscribe button bc you're just a great guy and you really know how to act in different areas. I appreciate your videos with all your knowledge! Thx from Berlin
Thanks for the useful tips, really looking forward to my first time in Berlin! It's absolutely beautiful and I can't get over how clean, orderly and organised it is! Though, that is a very German trait so I'm not surprised! Especially had a chuckle over the 'NO jaywalking' part, it's very simple and yet, people still jaywalk in my neck of the woods. Berlin, as an international city would be a fantastic experience and I am so looking forward to visiting and experiencing Berlin. Thanks again!
As someone living in Berlin I can confirm everything you said except... I "jaywalk" since ever and I was never asked to stay...but maybe I was just lucky ; )
I'm spewin' I never visited Germany when I was in UK in 2005. I went to Holland, but baulked at hitting up THE ONLY place I really wanted to visit. A lifetime regret. I'm in my 50s now and I don't wanna leave it too late. One day, one day. Good vid mate.
I was in Berlin in September 1989. Yeah, just two months before the great change. I was in West and East Berlin. An amazing city. At 1:12 I see that monument is still there. In West Berlin I took a coach tour of West Berlin. The tourguide said that that was to symbolise a desire for unification. That is with it being in two sections, showing the two halves of the city.
about the center of Berlin, there are even more than these 3. These 3 are the most touristy centers, but Berlin as a whole is a very decentralised city. At each step of the development, Berlin swallowed up cities around it to grow bigger, but in contrast to other areas, these cities stayed very distinct and maintained their regional identity to a large extend. For example, one of the last districts becoming part of Berlin is Zehlendorf, and that was just in 1920. Because of that, you keep often the very distinct city centers of each district, while these three centers mentioned here, are pretty much the touristy and inner city centers that most people know about.
i live in berlin and use public transport daily. you hardly get to know anyone because everyone is looking on their smartphones plus no one cares about the other
I am from the UK and Berlin is my favourite European city. So much to do and see and easy to get around thanks to a fantastic integrated and affordable public transport system. I also love Currywurst. Off the beaten track highlights . 1 Take a audio tour of the 1936 Olympic stadium. 2 Visit the house of the Wannsee Conference 3 Visit "the Memory Void " in the Jewish museum.
Guide to city trains:
1) S-Bahn, the overground train network that sometimes goes underground
2) U-Bahn, the underground train network that sometimes goes overground
You could see it as "S-Bahn" = street train, "U-Bahn" = Underground train
@@Orangecatenergy no, a street train is called Tram in germany
@@enrixxel straßenbahn
OMG this would have been so helpful when I was there last week
@@Orangecatenergy the S-Bahn is the Stadt-Bahn , City-Train
Extra Don't: NEVER stand on the left hand side of an escalator, it will get you some veeery annoyed comments. It is for people in a hurry, kind of like an express lane. There is a rhyme for that, too: "links gehen, rechts stehen" ("walk on the left, stand on the right").
Same in London.
Same in Moscow.
*stand on the right
hab ich noch nie gehört
People do that in Spain all the time. So annoying!
Who takes a taxi in Europe. When I travel I always use public transport, it's cheap and boost your confidence about finding youself in different places.
late night?
Wolters World it's 9pm in Poland 😉
I like mingling with the locals and seeing real life on public transit. I live in Brooklyn and have never taken a taxi here except once or twice with other people in some situation. Of course the subway and buses run 24/7 here.
I lived in Berlin for 6 months and late night, the subway was still running and crowded...
lauralanthalasa7 in Paris we had to get to the airport at 4am and no train was going there. We then wanted to take the night bus but got flipped off and he closed the door on us when we asked for a ticket lmao. Then we had to take a taxi.. but at least the taxi driver was nice 😂
A tip for everyone who wants to visit Berlin: you actually don’t have to book a sightseeing tour. Just buy a day pass and take the bus 100 to get around town. It drives to all the major attractions and runs every 5-10 minutes. You can step out at any time, and sometimes the bus drives even talks about some major landmarks (if you get a nice bus driver - not all do that!). A day pass is 7€ per person and is valid until 3am of the next day.
Super Tipp, danke!!!! 😊
Danke! I’m going to Berlin in May 2024
@@BEAST1968 pass is 8.8 for AB, these cost increases hurt me a lot
Thank you, I will totally do it!
Hah Berlin. Thats my Hometown. Its so great and wonderful. I miss Berlin.
Please don't buy public transportation tickets in the hotel. Its a trap. It costs 13€ per day, 20€ per two days and 36€for 4 days. At the ticket machines or ticket shops is a day ticket 7€. And a 7-Day Ticket costs 30€. Much cheaper. The AB-Ticket is the best for you. Usually you don't need the C-Ticket Zone. C Is for Potsdam, Oranieburg, Straußberg etc.
Thank you!
Update, daily ticket at machine is 9.60 euros.
Danke 😀
@@Alexandar_90 They made it even more expensiv wtf last year it was still 7€ for a daily and the first time i was in Berlin it was only around 5€ (that was end of 2009)
Bollocks. The hotels sell them out of courtesy at the same prices as everywhere. Commission is ~4% so it's not even worth the time.
I'm not much of a traveler, but have enjoyed your videos for a long time. Have to say, you have the most informative, easiest to understand, most down to earth approach and information to share. Congrats - great channel!! And thanks.
Thank you so much. We make our videos in a way that we want. Not too much fluff, honest advice and for normal travelers.
You missed quite possibly the important DONT while in Germany, one I see a LOT of people making the mistake of doing. Do NOT, EVER, for ANY REASON AT ALL, do the Hitler salute, goose step march or bring up Nazi questions to locals. A friend of mine spent a night in a German jail because she thought it would make a funny picture to do the Nazi salute in front of the Brandenburg Gate, unfortunately, the police officer standing a few feet away did not share that sense of humor and she ended up being deported the next day (a full week and a half short on her vacation) Germans in my experience do NOT find this behavior funny and will not tolerate it. You are likely to be imprisoned, fined, or evicted from the country. Best not to bring up WW2 at ALL except in a historical museum asking a curator or museum guide specific questions you may have.
How would glorifying the system that killed 60 million people be funny?
Even if it's supposedly done "ironically"?
I have no idea why she thought so. Perhaps ironically? Then again, we live in an age where we have to tell people not to eat laundry detergent so......
Youre the only person that thinks about this stuff
Matthias Schmitt communism killed 100 million
If you have to tell someone not to do that, they shouldn't travel outside their home! Don't need any more Logan Pauls out there -_-
As someone who lives in Berlin I'd have a request for all you tourists - Don't mistake cashiers for travel guides in the super market. I live in a tourist heavy area and it can get rather frustrating sometimes when the lines get longer and longer. Instead - pay, get out of line and THEN please ask a local around you. Most of us Berliners will be happy to help tourists and while we explain where the next bus station is or how to get to some location or other the Cashiers are free to do what they're supposed to :)
I never asked a cashier for tourist tips/advice. They would sometimes respond in English to clarify something or if I was asking a question or wanting (for example a packet of F6 cigarettes) something from the counter. Was that the small size or large size?
Gex,,,,I will come to Berlin for Master of IT ,So please if you have any room for rent pm me ?,,I am looking for a cheap room for a year or more
Does any one have a small room attach to bathroom for rent for a year ?..I ll come to Berlin for Master degree so I m looking for a cheap room
Yoo same. I use to live in a tourist heavy are aswell before i moved to the outer circle of berlin this year in april. For 7 years i had tourists harass the cashiers lmao. Like the cashiers don't know and don't care, leave em alone xD.
a very productive suggestion, i applaud it, it seems very stupid to block the way of ordinary people in a town... from one thing to another - someone must make a movie called Berlin in Love ...
I am from Berlin and this video made me soo happy! You did an amazing job :D
You are so euphoric and excited, I love it! And I have to say that you have an amazing pronunciation of the german words. It is great to see that someone who appreciates Berlin so much because I often feel like foreigns don't really get the true vibe of the city.
I live in Berlin why am I watching this😂😂
Jo dacht ich mir auch grad? Was zieht man sich das rein?
@@chrillehihihom1431 hi
Same
The same reason I like watching videos about Los Angeles haha
Haha
Another tip: Buy the Berlin Welcome Card. It gives you free public transport. It is a slightly more expensive than the normal travel card. But it gives you discount on museums and other attractions, so if you visit more than one attraction you save money.
I bought ABC zone, because then I could also use it to the airport on my way home.
Yep. A quick note though on AB and ABC cards and the airports. You only need ABC for Schoenefeld, not for Tegel. ABC is also the one to choose if you wish to go to places outside of Berlin such as Potsdam.
Speaking of AB and ABC tickets, don't buy an ABC ticket if you already have an AB ticket (for example in a tourist ticket).
Just buy the C addition.
Isn't it literally about 4 euros for the train from the centre to the Airport?
Will this card cover going to the Berlin Brandenburg Airport to Lichtenberg as I read that ABC welcome pass does not?
If I can add a couple of Don'ts. 1) If you're looking for a night out, don't think the 'center' of Berlin is really going to cater for you. After the shops close and the tourists go home, areas like Mitte and Unter Den Linden quickly become deserted. I'd say avoid places like Alexanderplatz too, the only bars around there are usually touristy, overpriced or restaurants. Instead head down to somewhere like Kreuzberg or Neukolln, which will keep you occupied until the sun comes up. 2) This is mostly for Brits, but don't miss out on kebabs! I know in the UK kebabs are famous for being kind of disgusting and something you'll only eat when you're drunk, but Berlin kebabs are phenomenal. Cheap, delicious and if you're in Neukolln - incredibly plentiful. Imren Grill at Rathaus Neukolln is particularly great. There's no social stigma about eating a kebab at 11am in Berlin.
Mustafe kebab? I think it's had a tsunami of goodwill, but geez it was good.
I was lucky. I got to go shopping in East Berlin before the wall came down. It was very eye opening. I shopped in West Berlin too. There was a lovely flea market in the old bahnhof. I also had coffee at a cafe by the bombed church. I went back years later after the wall came down too.
Berlin is much more of a "do" city than a "don't" city. It's a fabulous, fabulous, fabulous place! A "long weekend" in Berlin is simply cruel - there's so much to do and see that you'll be terribly frustrated if you have a too short stay. And you'll be depressed on the day you leave - you won't want to! The best thing about Berlin is the energetic vibe - it sizzles with energy, people are always wanting to do something and so will you. It's perhaps the most positive city in Europe, and while others live on some long-gone glorious past, Berlin is always looking at the future. That, among many other things, sets it apart from all other European cities and make it a must-visit place.
@@apegrasshoplizard, for my comment to be "propaganda", I'd have to be somehow linked to Berlin's government or some trade association from there, and to have some economic or political interest in that (in which case, a UA-cam comment would be a terribly ineffective way of making propaganda!). As it happens, I'm not German or even European, I don't live in Europe, and *unfortunately* I haven't been able to visit Berlin in many years. As it happens, not only me, but there are many people who are absolutely in love with Berlin, for the same reasons I explained.
Everyone is entitled to one's taste and you have the right not to like Berlin. It's YOUR taste. But being rude to people who don't share your taste is an entirely different story. Personally, I think that if that was your impression of Berlin, you went to the wrong places with the wrong people at the wrong time (talking about that, I was once in Berlin in winter, and it was still absolutely vibrant, far from dead!). Like any other major city (including Madrid and Barcelona), Berlin has beautiful places, has horrible ones, has posh and poor areas, has glittering and ruined neighborhoods. Your choice where to go.
As for comparing it with Spain, it's comparing apples and oranges; they're totally different experiences and both with their own charms (which, in the case of Berlin, includes that "3rd world" touch in places like Kreuzberg, for example, which nonetheless has one of Europe's most vibrant and original cultural scenes, with experiences you won't find anywhere else). But if you disagree, that's OK. You don't have to go to Berlin. Stay in Spain, which obviously suffices to you as a world experience, and leave Berlin to those who can appreciate its uniqueness --- like me.
@@goytabr this dude really on his knees for Berlin
Berlin is absolutely a city of the future, it’s evident everywhere you go.
@@MrFizzio look as someone who lives in Berlin myself, yes we have complaints but that doesn't mean it's a horrible no good for nothing city. Berlin is at the forefront of political movements, forefront of art and people with ambitions. Yes, the winters are depressing but Berlin is the only city I know that has a really weird personality. Either you like it or hate it, I personally like it
I am from Berlin, born and raised, and I admit that I was a bit sceptic when I saw the title 😅 But I really love that video!! Thank you for sharing this with people. You got it so right!! 🙋🏼♀️
I am a local, so from Berlin, and I just watched the video to see if I agree with the content as a local..and yes! Great great video! Absolutely right and great advices.
Just got back from Berlin last week, was staying near ostbahnof near Alexanderplatz and I gotta say, contrary to popular beliefs the people are amazing, so friendly and hospitable. I've gotta say this is a GREAT video for anyone heading to Berlin, keep doing what your doing Walt!
Try Döner 🥙
Try Currywurst
Remove the Knoblauch-Soße
Better what passes for döner in münchen.
Gabi 1234 and the Kebab ist very tasty and delicious, because, i living in Berlin ❤️
STURMANGRIFF Döner wurde in Deutschland erfunden aber ok
I've visited Berlin 3 times in the last 12 months. Each time I find new exciting things.
The 1st time we did a self guided tour of the main buildings. And drank a lot.
The 2nd time we found museums and drank a lot
This 3rd time we found loads of shops and restaurants and drank alot.
Berlin is a beautiful city full of wonderful sights and great people.
I loved Ostkruez. The bars the resturants the nightlife. Was sooo good.
I'm living in Berlin for now 40 years. So glad you got the right idea of Berlin. Thank you.
Berlin is definitely one of my favourite cities in Europe. It's international, very affordable and the history of the city is so interesting.
Grishnackh i agree!!
Could I ask please how travel was as I am not going to get the taxi from Berlin Brandenburg Airport to get to Lichtenberg.. what ticket do I need to buy?
@@cherryblossom2971 Don't know if this info is to late but till the end of august you can get the 9€ ticket which allows you to take any public transport (except the intercity express) for the whole month. If you plan to come over in september or later you have to get the ABC-ticket which is valid for all areas in berlin.
Berlin vs Bavaria = New York City vs Texas
Hans Franz I’ve never been to the US , but I feel like that’s a pretty accurate comparison
I do not think that Texas has to pump billions of euros into New York every year ;)
Friedrich Christian Laukhard oh Jesus yes that’s right that thing again , and that so many companies only moved to Bavaria after the Second World War from Berlin because Berlin happened to be surrounded by the soviet sector , and that this is why Berlin suffered a whole lot economically , is not relevant I suppose
Well, the economy in Berlin is actually not that bad but somehow the administration is just shitty.
And actually Bavaria was not economically successful immediately after the war and had to transform from an agricultural state into a modern state.. Also now Berlin already had quite a long time to improve as well and a lot of companies did move there so that excuse is a bit cheap.
Also: Relax, I am not from Bavaria and it was originally meant as a little joke. Your reaction however indicates that I might have hit a weak spot, so sorry for that.
Friedrich Christian Laukhard haha nah it’s okay , to be fair I feel like I don’t have a full understanding of economy neither in Bavaria nor Berlin and what I said is just what I learned in history , also it’s really fine , I’m not actually mad or anything , why would I be ? It’s true Bavaria has a much stronger economy , that I’m aware of , don’t know all the reasons , but yeah sorry that it came across as such I was lashing out or anything haha
I am a HUGE Berlin fan, so I must say that this video is AMAZING and of course TRUE!!! Thanks a lot from Argentina!!!
Great informative video! Lots of beer choices. We went in Currywurst Museum haha. We had a lot of fun!
We stayed near Alexanderplatz because of the train station and the tourist spots are near if you stay there.
I’m from Berlin and I’ve heard so many other German people say that Berlin doesn’t feel like Germany because it’s so different
Yes I agree 100 percent! I always describe Berlin as it's own entity. Very different from the rest of Germany.
@@jonathanappleby9593 yup its the same with London in the UK or New York those are uh i would call it International Towns. I was last year in Berlin for a concert and ive heard sometimes more English and other languages then german.
@@mrn234 yes!!! I am from the UK! And get frustrated when many people only visit London, it's not a reflection of the rest of the UK! But in Berlin it's even more extreme the people on the street as just not like that found in other German cities. Berlin is extremely.liberal and free!
@@mrn234 When it comes to NY City, that is putting it kindly.
I feel that Berlin is extremely fast and hectic....maybe due to my age....but interesting, beautiful nonetheless.
There is one exception to jaywalking tho. To catch a tram or a bus everyone, even Omi will run. that just seems to be a unspoken but commonly accepted rule.
I am from Berlin and it is definitely true but still, DO NOT jaywalk :D
I was hit by a car because I was running to my bus... it can happen pretty fast
Just wait for the next one ;)
How ridiculous...the Tram, subway etc. run more often than once an hour...
I spent 2years 7months and 13 days as a member of the 287th MP Company, Berlin Brigade from June of 1974 to January of 1977. I spent many of those days/nights on duty at Checkpoint Charlie. I will never forget Berlin and consider myself lucky to have spent that time there. Your video has stirred up a lot of memories. Thank you. Great video and Rick Steves couldn"t have done better!
I spent 32 months @MCNAIR BARRACKS, 1976 TO 1979.Miss Berlin all the time.
Was also in the 287th same time as you. Loved Berlin and miss it vary much!
@@dphillips4351 Is this Olive D. Phillips by any chance? Dan?
@@richardhill6125 You have the right guy. Did the lifer thing and retired in se Oregon.
@@richardhill6125 How have you been? Did 3 tours in Germany but the Berlin tour was the Best. Frankfurt was good, Kaiserslautern came third. Would like to tell you more but not here this platform.
Berlin is honest to god the best city I've ever been to. So easy to get around and so much to do!
Max Werner :")...
180 museums ^^
Max W WTF!
Berlin is deadly now
I would change my home Country with any other one to feel safe again
Max W And you know that as a man? The problem of people (especially women) getting raped or whatever, you've got unfortunately everywhere, independently of nationality or migration.
Assholes just exist. You also seem to be one.
I was last in Berlin in 1974 as a college student. Was astounded by the wall. Going back in May. Really looking forward to it.
I've just returned from Berlin for my birthday and it was definitely memorable. The people are so friendly and the food was amazing in every restaurant I visited. I saw 3 museums, Brandenburg Gate, Siegessäule (Victory Column), walked passed the Reichstag, and visited the Zoological Garden. I would definitely return as the locals are lovely and made me feel welcome :)
Nice, I'm visting Berlin with my gf at the end of February for the first time! Your videos always help me a lot :)
have a great time!
Lightning
But fuck off if you do not try at least one döner! It may or may not even be better than currywurst.
Baron Lynchhausen definitely better one hundred percent
The Ampelmannchen is an East German thing. It's commonly found all over what was the former East Berlin. They changed their traffic crossing lights to this iconic design. When the wall fell, there was talk of changing the traffic lights to that of the West, but there was the whole ostalgie movement which made the iconic character remain.
I travelled by motorcycle around Europe in June and vlogged my trip and by far my favourite city was Berlin. Don't forget to leave enough time to see it all. I'll have to go back and live there for a month, it's the best fun city!
Bernie in sydney
Liveinsydney You are probably a nice guy. But please, don't come to live here, even only for a month. The city is crowded enough with visitors, living space it getting more and more rare and expensive. And many of the young tourists living in hostels molest the working people who need the night to sleep by incessant drinking and nightly noise.
Hi man, I just came back Budapest. I found your video really helpful. I've just booked Berlin this morning. Thank you for these great videos!
EXCELLENT video. Those other best of Berlin vids (some are ok) but you truly put Berlin on display like no one else. Thanks so much!
When the Wall came down, my girlfriend at the time was a private nurse. She threw together a gym bag of clothes and flew to Berlin to dance on the Wall. Took a sledge hammer to it and hauled back a chunk of it. Customs wondered what the hell it was until she explained. I recall all this because she called me at 2 in the morning to come to SFO to pick her up.
Wall should have stayed
no. Fuck that wall.
sfo?
San Francisco Airport
Born in 1950. Never thought the wall would fall. Spent three years of my youth looking across the border at the evil empire. Visiting Berlin May 2018.
I'm a born and raised Berliner and I was very skeptical when I started this video because, well, we don't really like expats trying to explain our own city to us. This happens quite a lot. But then I realized that you were not only explaining it to potential visitors but you also spoke from my heart when it came to the Holocaust memorial. I am with you there 100%. Sure the idea of a "lived-in" memorial is nice but it's not a fucking playground! Anyway, nice video. Some minor mistakes but that can be forgiven ;)
I live in Berlin and that was so interesting for me to watch. But I love my Berlin, really enjoy living here. (I still jaywalk all the time 🙈 Until now no old lady has stopped me yet.)
Thinda....I ll come to Berlin for Master of IT course ,So Plz if you have any idea about rent room pm me ,I didnt find a room yet ..
Hello there thindarella, you are very pretty.
Nice video! I moved to Berlin (West) in the fall of 1978 when I was 21, and I have lived here ever since (so it's 40 years now).
With wall or without: I LOVE THIS TOWN!!! - I like your video and the enthusiastic way you talk about Berlin. Thanks a lot!
As a Berliner I agree with all of these except jaywalking.. we jaywalk all the time in Berlin.. other cities they don’t but Berlin yes!
Also another don’t: don’t take one of those tour buses: you can just take the normal 100 or 200 bus and it will go by most sights you want to see and doesn’t cost much just a regular bus ticket!
Hello there, I want to be your friend.
Usually its quite common to just cross the roads ...but usually its not very nice to cross it on a traffic light junction, when the light is red, because of the children, to make an positive example!
@@maxnoerenberg6370 children should learn not to take strangers as an example. my point of view.
You're jaywalking? Well, then don't complain when you're landing underneath my car...
I fucking hate you for this... imagane beeing a normal german worker that has to take those buses with idiots like you suggesting people to take this 2 lines ? tourists should take those tourists buses so that people who have to take the normal BVG lines get at home or to work in time. its really fucking rude to block of those 2 bus lines. I worked for serval years in Keithstraße and had to get back to Alexanderplatz... can you imagine how many serval hundred times those bus lines totally missed to drive because they had been overcrowded by god damn tourists? really I wanna scream loud on to you for being so fucking ignorarant.
Mark, this almost turned into a "things to do of visiting Berlin". Thanks for sneaking in all the suggestions of things to do including using Berlin as a central location from which to travel. I plan to spend a month in Berlin after I retire and will use it as a central location to visit the rest of the country and maybe even Prague.
Bill Green : Arrive in Prague by train from Dresden. It's a picturesque journey partially along the Elbe river. Drink Pilsner Urquell, arguably the world's best lager.
Thanks for the suggestions. One of the advantages of spending a month in one location is that I don't have to be in a hurry to get to a nearby destination so I can take my time and take the train.
I love Pilsner Urquell. I wonder how it tastes in Prague compared to the US.
People often use Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia & about 35 miles from Vienna, as a much cheaper & safer base. Do consider the Visegrad 4 countries of Central Europe. Outside of Central Europe you won't feel like you're in Europe.
Dude i lived in Berlin all my life and i dont know a single person that doesnt jaywalk
Doesn't makes it legal
@@asmylia9880Doesn't mean that someone cares
@@asmylia9880 but everybody does it so it's the norm. You will stand out if you don't.
@@losingyoutoyou they might be more cautious but not in crowded places. In central areas there are children everywhere and lots of other people. In less densely populated areas that is totally true.
You just learn to ignore the disaproving scowls of elderly Germans after a while.
Yay, a Germany video!!! You know Germany is in our heart !
mine too :)
I love that I go back and forth to Berlin and the states. Love Charlottenburg, schöenberg, and the “village” Potsdam
Great report and terrific energy. I always enjoy spending time in Berlin!
Great city, I've been 6 times in berlin, because I love the city so much
I am a Berliner and I absolutely agree with every of your "don´t´s" but I´ve got another one for you: Don´t expect heartfelt people in Berlin, the Berliners have a big heart but it´s hidden deep inside. In Germany we say: "for laughing, we got to the cellar". Hope my english was understandable 😂🤣
Also, DO expect New York taxi driver friendliness level from the staff. Which is also considered rude in other parts of Germany. People from Berlin are even seen as extremely direct and a bit unfriendly in other parts of Germany. This is called "Berliner Schnauze", freely translated, the Berlin way to speak.
My special tip for the Reichstag:
On the top, there is a restaurant.
You can reserve a table, just have a coffee and skip the line :)
Thanks a lot for this great video. As someone from Berlin (albeit one who has nit lived there for several years) I thought it was spot on. Love your enthusiasm.
What does scare me, though, is the amount of hate in some the comments on here. Quite scary to be honest! Who rebuilt what and when... all I know is, it was not me. So I am grateful to everyone who has come before me and helped make Germany into what it is today.
Someone really is excited about Berlin. luv it!
Another hint: explore the city via public transport each district of Berlin has a lot of smaller subcenters which you can check out. Plus: visit the huge lakes, parks and forests
I just went to Berlin and relied mostly on your videos, had a great time, Thanks! The how to order and pay in restaurants was very helpful. One thing I learned was not to rely on the menu boards outside the restaurants. Had amazing food, but don't expect Italian American food at the Italians restaurants. Best meal was the DDR retro meal I had. Public transit was amazing, but remember to stamp your ticket or it's not valid. No issues with homeless people, but the streetwalkers were surprisingly aggressive! Learned not to avoid the bottled beers, although found a craft beer place that was the best beer I've ever had. Tried not to dress as an American, and several foreigners ask me for directions. A lot more jaywalkers than you said, but being from Boston I took your advice and remained among those waiting for the signal, didn't want to get in trouble. Some places definitely seemed to require money for the bathrooms, with even pay gates. Oh yes, you got to reserve a day a head to go up to the Reichstag.
What was the DDR menu like? What did they serve?
...also don't forget to input the postal code with the street name on your navigation software, or when you give it to your taxi drivers! German cities often grew together over time, and often street names are present multiple times inside the same city, especially Berlin. Else you might find yourself on the wrong side of the city by mistake!
"old world Germany"
People should never expect that in big towns here.
The allied destroyed everything. There are still bombs found in the ground, every month.
I've heard that every now and then they have to evacuate villages/streets to properly dispose of leftover allied bombs - 75 years later.
As it should be
@@richardhill7677 do you feel the same hate for the british, dutch, spain, portuguese and french peoples for the unspeakable colonialcrimes?
Soeren P. E. Ziemens yeah pretty much
Soeren P. E. Ziemens but what I meant with our sounding douchey is that a large ass battle happened in Berlin tons of munitions landed in Berlin what did you expect there is still unexplored ordinance from wooded war One in France like did you think for some reason Berlin was the exception to UXO?
Your videos are excellent! My husband & I enjoy watching and following you on your adventures. This one and others you have made have inspired us to take our children to visit Europe. Thank you!
This really does help a lot of American Tourists who are not aware of the cultures and what is expected from us abroad. I love it.
I love this video. I am from berlin and I know almost every spot in this city. The real story behind „Ampelmann“ is actually pretty interesting. There is almost no ampelmann lights in Berlin anymore. It was an east side thing until the wall got down.
Good job explaining Berlin ♥️
Hello, how are you?
Don't forget to check your ticket for public transport is valid for the zone you're going to, Berlin has A, B and C zones. And don't forget to make sure you check that cars stop for you as a pedestrian when your light is green: sometimes theirs is green too at the same time, and they have to stop for pedestrians but they don't see (or want to see) you!
oh yeah! that dang zone C got me every dang time.
The stopping for cars with regards to pedestrians is why I don't drive in the city in Melbourne. That's the first thing you are reminded of if you rent a car or take the Trabi Safari!
Its easy to find a map online wich shows where the zones stop. www.intersteno2017.org/berlin_transport.php
Eline
Hello.I'm Sam from South African, can we go on data contact me....+2761 094 3026?
Eline ,,,If you have any rent room for a year of more plz pm me ,I ll come to Berlin for Master of IT course
I'll be back in Berlin in April. Looking forward to seeing how it has changed since doing the TV coverage of the fall of the wall in 89 for British TV (yes really). That was an experience!
it is a weeeeeeeeee bit different :)
Oh it is VERY different!!!!! I was there the year after the wall opened... and didn’t come back again until 2016. Shock! So many things are just completely rebuilt. And that “grey” look of The east is gone!
Something I can recommend to everyone is go raving in Berlin it’s one of the best things you can do, greetings from Germany
My mom was born in 1930 Berlin. My dad married her in 1948. I came along in 1959. My 1st trip to Berlin was in 79, American, British, French and Russian zones. Went on a trip to the Russian monument, very pro Russian saw the walls arround the city from my Grandmas Apt. Went back in 86, lot older and with my dad and mom. The Gdr was trying to make money so they traded west german marks for the same price, big difference! In 1997, went back with my mother, father had died. She was affraid to go in the eastern zone. got a picture of here standing on the wall. Berlin will always be a city I love!
There are much more centers in Berlin than this three. Almost every borough has its own center, comparable with downtown areas of german cities.
you are kinda right, but those are called"kiez" and its basically the center of every "bezirk", but berlin still does have 3 real city centers. :)
Currently planning a trip to Berlin and this video has me so hyped up! Your energy and enthusiasm is totally infectious - thank you for your good vibes!
Well, you're not gonna land at BER airport anytime soon...
Lol how the tables have turned
@@Berlinerundso how the turntables
@@michaelrausch9373 the office, nice.
Hello 👋 my friend. Thank you for sharing this informative video. While in the military service, I was based in Berlin during 1966-1968. Your video brought back many memories. I remember the curry wurst stands which included pommel fritz. Thank you so much. All the best to you and your family. Stay healthy out there. 🤗
Thank you Ron!
Hi Wolter I was born in West Berlin in 11/1961. My mom says they knew I was coming. My family was split in 2. My uncle and his family were in East Berlin. My mom and grandparents lived in the West. I cried like a baby when the Wall came down. I miss Berlin especially in the summer and Christmas time. Thank you for sharing.
Berliner Weisse is a white wheat beer, we drink it with raspberry or woodruff flavour (don't wörry, it's flavour only, no poison besides the alcohol, be häppy 😊)
Ever since I tried it,I've had dreams about your raspberry beer.I don't normally even like beer that much,or have dreams,but that stuff was obscenely good.
Officers will come and get you out of the Jewish memorial if you're being disrespectful. I've experienced it several times. This includes walking on the stones, sitting on them to eat/drink something, talking in louder voice than usual, running through it and more.
I found it best to just slowly walk through; don't want to talk to anybody anyways when I'm in there...
As far as I know, these aren't police officers, but more like private security. Still, just DON'T.
true. private security. it used to be really bad. a couple years ago if you searched #berlin you would see a bunch popping up
You missed a few things about the wall, which I think is important.
A) the stone patch line goes through the whole of Berlin, where the wall stood...it is not just in touristic areas.
B) to actually see how depressing the wall was, do not go to the easide gallery, go to Memorial Park at Bernauer Straße. There is a completely 'intact' part of the wall, together with a watch tower.
Great report !!! I lived in Berlin one year and I go there at least once per year. I LOVE BERLIN
Absolutely fantastic, just what I wanted to know. Going to Berlin later this year. Looking forward to visit this formidable city, that I visited last between 1987 - 1989 just before the wall fell. Thanks a lot for a super video.
As a Berliner (not native, but I live here for 11 years now) we don't expect much from visitors, but please at least
- don't pee, shit, vomit, scream, trash in our streets
.
- ...well thats it actually. Enjoy your stay :)
As Berliners (that's someone who was born or atleast grew up in Berlin), we don't expect much from people who come from outside other than: Do not call yourself Berliner, no matter what. That's the only thing we reserve for ourself, since we are a minority in our own city - You cannot become a Berliner!
So no english you mean ;) haha
as a berliner, i dont care as long as the BSR appears the next day lol
I think it is common knowledge who throws the trash herein Berlin
By the way: The curry wurst I recommend! It was my best and cheapest dinners during my trip to Berlin and London!
I wasn't hungry for a dinner so I thought I would just try the curry wurst at a small shop at the train station where my hotel was (Gesundbrunnen). So I tried the curry wurst meny (with fries) and a beer. less than 7 euro! And it was good sitting down after a long day. The man behind the desk, who did only speak German, brought it to me. Sitting down, observing other germans.
The next time my hotel wasn't nearby Gesundbrunnen, but I still went there.
People of Berlin are always helpful and they really like to help tourists. Amazing city! I hope I'll go back soon. Tschüss :)
Well thank you for that compliment but no we are known for being not very polite 😂
Exactly people of berlin are so Cool and friendly and they speak English not like others countries i like it
You missed two important things:
1. Rechts stehen, links gehen (wait right, walk left on escalators)
2. Erst Aussteigen, dann Einsteigen (people first get out, then you enter the S-Bahn)
Great vid man, totally enjoyed it!!!
Wolters world is the best UA-cam channel on Travel 🔥🔥 I recently went to BerlinGermany with my German American partnership program and it was honestly amazing and saw almost all of the locations that were mentioned in this video and was actually really accurate ☺️🔥
Mark, Du bist ein Berliner.
+Martin Walden I do have quite a bit of jelly in me :) like Santa
There is a marked similarity to a donut 🍩
Martin Walden Ich bin auch Berliner 👋
@TaZiaSolstice I think he just referred to JFK saying "ich bin ein Berliner"
Wolters World this was a good one
You can also take the AirportExpress trains to SXF/BER airport. They stop at all bigger stations (Zoo, Hauptbahnhof, Friedrichstraße, Alexanderplatz...) but skip the smaller ones. They run less frequent than the S9/S46, but are faster and in my opinion more comfortable. And they don't cost more!
From Tegel you have 3 bus lines X9/109 (slower) to the Zoo/West, TXL to the center and East (don't expect it to run through to Alexanderplatz, it's often withdrawn to the central station because of high traffic/demonstrations, but you can change to the S lines further east), and 128 to the north. In most cases it's fastest to change to the S or U services after a couple of stops instead of staying on the bus. Your Bus ticket is also valid on the S, U and regional trains. From Tegel you need a ticket for zones AB, while from/to Schönefeld you need a ticket that includes the C zone (ABC in most cases, BC only if you stay off-center).
It's odd that with the comprehensive transit system Tegel is only served by buses, no U or S Bahn. It also seems like some regional airport in some small city. Sort of like the Burbank airport in LA. But I guess they were always going to close it in favor of the new one but never got there. If you end up there with a lot of time to kill pay a Euro or two to go hike around on the roof!
By the way you can tour the now closed Flughafen Tempelhof, the Hitler airport used in the Berlin Airlift. Long tour and very interesting. I got a ticket ahead but at least in off season you could just show up at the right time. Tours in English on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 pm. www.thf-berlin.de/fuehrungen/english-guided-tours/
This is not an advertisement. Just something I did in Berlin that was great. Platz der Luftbrucke U Bahn.
Oh, the tour of the half collapsed last WWII flak tower was also great once I found the ticket office nearby.
Dear emjayay - yes, they want to close Tegel as soon as the new airport BER is opening in the south of Berlin - which should be now somewhere in 2020 or 2021 (the original opening time should have been in 2012 - yes, in 2012!). But God alone nows if the new Berlin airport is opening in 2021 or in 2030 or in 2050 or ever and therefore the FDP (the Liberal Party) introduced a public voting in Berlin to let Tegel stay open and to modernise its infrastructure - and they got really the majority of the votes at this voting - but the Government of the city of Berlin and its Governing mayor are rejecting this. They stated that they don´t care about public votes on this topic - and therefore Tegel airport is at the moment the hotest political spot of policy making in the city of Berlin.
And btw: Burbank airport in LA is a much bigger and a much better linked airport than Tegel! Try to arrive in Schoenefeld if you´re travelling to Berlin!
The Tegel Airport from the beginning on was only meant to be used for a limited period of time as far as I know. Has been used for way longer now.
And yes, many people don't want to close it because the BER Airport that takes years and years to be opened (I probably won't even see it opening anymore if it's going on like that..) is already too small to serve all the passengers.
No Tegel was not really meant for a limited time. They've been planning to extend an U-Bahn line into the airport since the 1950s, and there are provisions for the branching at nearby station Jungfernheide. But somehow they never got round to build it.
Just found your channel, and I'm the second viewer on this video :) I love travel shows! Thanks!
You will find paradise here ;)
Thank you :) i am glad you found us. Great travels to you!
At a stall at Checkpoint Charlie I accidentally handed over a 50 euro note instead of a 20. The souvenir seller corrected me and didn’t take advantage. I really appreciated that. 👍🏻❤️
We're planning a trip to Berlin, Prague and Vienna in June, 2022. Your series is fantastic and just what we need to help prepare. Thanks so much for posting these!
How was the trip?
Go to Bernauer Straße If you wanna see how the Berlin wall looked like!
Does anyone lives in Berlin ?
Sure, why you asking?
@@MatteoSettenvini woah did you purposly say : why you askin' or was that bad english lol. It sounded like you're from texas or something 👌😂
@@BobiR-bl9fc I grew up in West Berlin, moved away for quite some time and been back here now!
@@panini6901 - Woah! Did you purposely challenge someone for either writing in a spoken colloquial style or just a simple grammatical error, whilst ignoring the obvious mistake in the post he was responding to? Lol. It sounded like you were being a dick or something 👌😂
you‘re wrong with the jaywalk, as a Berliner we say only tourists don‘t walk when it‘s red ;D
Schmaggi so true schmaggi
My stop light at grenzallee has been broke for like 2 years. You have to jaywalk or else you'll stand there for 10 minutes
Seached for this comment mate, so true
"Rotgänger leben Länger!" .... that's what a classmate always told me back in school.
Good video, thank you.
i also want to add a rule:
Don't stay on big places and have a look in side streets and yards.
Man, you make me want to book a flight to go back to Berlin. There is so much to do there and my last trip made me realize how much I really didn't see.
Good tips. I adore Berlin. I've been there many times and could never tire of it. There's so much to see and do there you could never get bored! I'd add one "don't" to your list - don't miss out on getting the ferry from Wannsee to Kladow! It's included in your day ticket, along with the trains, buses and trams. It's a lovely boat ride on a beautiful lake, a real MUST-DO! You could go back and forth on it all day if want, as it won't cost any extra! :)
simply be respectful and a decent human being.
Man I miss Berlin. And it's only been two and a half years since I was there! I could very happily live in that place.
QWERTYOP80
Man l was there less than a month ago, already miss it.
As a native Berlin-City-Görl I really think you did a great job on this Video! Heck even I wanna go and do some more of that stuff now.
Just one thing: jaywalking - yes you have those few grannies who will tell you off. But if you really wanna fit in you gotta go with the flow 😂 In Berlin everybody is rushing, nobody’s got time, everybody’s got a schedule. So if the street is clear to cross - go for it. Just make sure no Police officers witness it.😜 Then you might get a fine (maybe not depending on their mood).
Other than that you pretty much nailed it! 👍🏼
I hit that subscribe button bc you're just a great guy and you really know how to act in different areas. I appreciate your videos with all your knowledge!
Thx from Berlin
I'm flying to Berlin next week and am binge-watching all your videos. Love your energy and passion for it!
Thanks for the useful tips, really looking forward to my first time in Berlin! It's absolutely beautiful and I can't get over how clean, orderly and organised it is! Though, that is a very German trait so I'm not surprised! Especially had a chuckle over the 'NO jaywalking' part, it's very simple and yet, people still jaywalk in my neck of the woods. Berlin, as an international city would be a fantastic experience and I am so looking forward to visiting and experiencing Berlin. Thanks again!
there is no other city that has the same effect on me as Berlin...I'm in love with Berlin from the first time I visited it in 1986...
As someone living in Berlin I can confirm everything you said except... I "jaywalk" since ever and I was never asked to stay...but maybe I was just lucky ; )
I'm spewin' I never visited Germany when I was in UK in 2005. I went to Holland, but baulked at hitting up THE ONLY place I really wanted to visit.
A lifetime regret.
I'm in my 50s now and I don't wanna leave it too late.
One day, one day.
Good vid mate.
I was in Berlin in September 1989. Yeah, just two months before the great change. I was in West and East Berlin. An amazing city.
At 1:12 I see that monument is still there. In West Berlin I took a coach tour of West Berlin. The tourguide said that that was to symbolise a desire for unification. That is with it being in two sections, showing the two halves of the city.
I had to get to Schoenefeld airport in the monrning and there was train so you dont have to take the expensive taxi.
S9 does go through the night, but Tegal is another story and if you are not too close to an Sbahn or a night tram it can be a bit tough
as far as i know tegel closes at night
Tegel has the txl bus
Tegel is closer but harder to reach while Schonefeld is much farther but you can just hop on a S9 and that’s it
Aral Eker I suppose that would depend on where you live? Definitely takes me less time to Schönefeld than to txl.
about the center of Berlin, there are even more than these 3. These 3 are the most touristy centers, but Berlin as a whole is a very decentralised city. At each step of the development, Berlin swallowed up cities around it to grow bigger, but in contrast to other areas, these cities stayed very distinct and maintained their regional identity to a large extend. For example, one of the last districts becoming part of Berlin is Zehlendorf, and that was just in 1920. Because of that, you keep often the very distinct city centers of each district, while these three centers mentioned here, are pretty much the touristy and inner city centers that most people know about.
One of the best things to do in European cities is to take public transit. Cheap, goes everywhere and you get to meet people from the area.
i live in berlin and use public transport daily. you hardly get to know anyone because everyone is looking on their smartphones plus no one cares about the other
I am from the UK and Berlin is my favourite European city. So much to do and see and easy to get around thanks to a fantastic integrated and affordable public transport system. I also love Currywurst. Off the beaten track highlights . 1 Take a audio tour of the 1936 Olympic stadium. 2 Visit the house of the Wannsee Conference 3 Visit "the Memory Void " in the Jewish museum.
can’t wait to move here officially! have been there 15 times and love it here!!