Being such a sprawling and diverse metropolis with so much to do around the city, it will be important to know some of the ways remote workers get around Berlin. The feats of German engineering are obvious across Berlin, and the city’s efficient public transportation system is no exception. With a range of rail, road, river and light rail services, Berlin is very well-connected and offers a safe and reliable public transport network to all visitors.
Before you board any of the city’s public transport system, you will want to know which tickets are available and which is the most suitable for your time in Berlin. A regular ticket has a total cost of 2.9EUR and covers the main areas of the city (Zones AB). The regular ticket can only be used in one direction but has a duration of 120 minutes, meaning you can make as many transfers along the way as you might need to. Berlin’s public transport operator, BVG, also offers days passes (tageskarte) for a total of 7EUR which allow unlimited use of all travel options. A helpful ticket for remote workers to get around Berlin might also be the ten-Uhr-karte which allows for unlimited travel after 10am, for 61EUR a month. You can buy tickets at stations, buses, trams, authorized sales outlets and the convenient BVG Ticket App.
Without a doubt, Berlin’s underground system - the famed U-Bahn - will be the most useful way for remote workers to get around Berlin. This service is operated by BVG and all stations are clearly marked with an illuminated “U” at entrances. The U-Bahn has 10 lines connecting the entire city, and Alexanderplatz, Friedrichstraße and Nollendorfplatz provide major transfer hubs for other services and lines across the city. The U-Bahn is safe, clean and easy to use, although all users are advised to keep an eye on their belonging and carry a map to ensure they get to where they need to go without incident.
The S-Bahn is another useful way for remote workers to get around Berlin. The Ringbahn (Lines S41-S42), the S-bahn’s most popular line, circles the city and connects neighborhoods around the outskirts of the city to the center of Berlin and other major U-Bahn transfer hubs. The S-Bahn is a local rail service operated by Deutsche Bahn and stations are signaled with a white “S”-sign at entry points. This transit option connects Berlin with the major hubs like Wannsee and Potsdam, with service around every 10 minutes from 4:30am until midnight.
Berlin’s well-connected streets and excellent road infrastructure also means that the city’s buses are a fantastic way for remote workers to get around Berlin. Double-decker buses along the city’s more than 350 lines mean you can catch a sight of Berlin’s most important attractions as you travel. Bus stations are signaled with a green “H”, and the ExpressBus service provides fast transfers into the heart of the city from Berlin’s major airports. Bus routes M49, 139 and 218 serve Berlin’s Central Bus Station (ZOB) where you can catch bus services across the country and the region.
Also important to remote workers getting around Berlin will be the city’s trams with over 20 lines serving mostly the area around former-East Berlin. Tram stations are marked with illuminated “M” signs and you can buy tickets to ride right on board the cars. Ferries also operate in Berlin, across the Spree, as well as taxis with a base fare of 6EUR and 2EUR per Km after that. Berlin is flat meaning biking and walking are also great and greener options for getting around the city.
For more information about living in Berlin as a remote worker, check out our complete Berlin guide.