Wikignomisch chores, incl phones,tdf and Abbr, EU Englisch,
← Older revision
Revision as of 17:06, 12 October 2013
Line 107:
Line 107:
==Get in==
==Get in==
−
+
As the city was divided into two during the Cold War, many major parts of Berlin's infrastructure — such as airports — were built on both sides. The challenge today is to merge these formerly independent systems into one that serves all the people in the Metropolitan Berlin area.
−
As the city was divided into two during the Cold War, many major parts of Berlin's infrastructure — such as airports — were built on both sides. The challenge today is to merge these formerly independent systems into one that serves all people in the Metropolitan Berlin area.
===By plane===
===By plane===
[[File:Flughafen Tegel Luftseite.jpg|thumb| Airport Berlin-Tegel]]
[[File:Flughafen Tegel Luftseite.jpg|thumb| Airport Berlin-Tegel]]
−
Berlin has inherited airports from on both sides of the former Berlin Wall. West Berlin, for which air transportation was crucial, had two at the moment of reunification: '''Tegel Airport''' (TXL), which remains the major airport for Berlin as of 2013, and Tempelhof Airport, which was since closed down and turned into a public park and fairgrounds. East Germany was using the '''Schönefeld Airport''' (SXF) right outside the southeastern border of the city proper.
+
Berlin has inherited airports from both sides of the former Berlin Wall. West Berlin, for which air transportation was crucial, had two at the moment of reunification: '''Tegel Airport''' (TXL), which remains the major airport for Berlin as of 2013, and Tempelhof Airport, which was closed and turned into a public park and fairgrounds. East Germany was using the '''Schönefeld Airport''' (SXF) right outside the southeastern border of the city proper.
−
There is a grand plan to merge all airport operations in the under-construction '''[http://www.berlin-airport.de/bbi/rubEnglish/index.html Berlin-Brandenburg Airport]''' (BER), which is being built on the extended grounds of Schönefeld. At its opening, both Tegel and the hitherto Schönefeld will close. The opening itself has been originally scheduled for 2011 and since postponed many times due to construction and safety issues. Every few months a new date is announced, and therefore much of the tourist information has been published in recent years with the "impending" opening of BER and closer of TXL and SXF in mind. Do bear in mind that until the BER airport is actually opened, those remain incorrect and there is no passenger traffic to and from BER and much of the infrastructure there is not functional.
+
There is a grand plan to merge all airport operations in the still-under-construction '''[http://www.berlin-airport.de/bbi/rubEnglish/index.html Berlin-Brandenburg Airport]''' (BER), which is being built on the extended grounds of Schönefeld. At its opening, both Tegel and the former Schönefeld airports will close. The opening itself had been originally scheduled for 2011 and has since been postponed many times due to construction and safety issues. Every few months a new date is announced and, therefore, much of the tourist information has been published in recent years with the "impending" opening of BER and closure of TXL and SXF in mind. Do bear in mind that until the BER airport is actually opened, those remain incorrect and there is no passenger traffic to and from BER and much of the infrastructure there is still not functional.
−
On the other hand, because both TXL and SXF were scheduled to close, they have not been updated for the past years, while both are in dire need of both update and expansion given the current traffic volumes and advances in air travel. In particular TXL found itself handling far more traffic than it was designed for. In comparison with other, usually very well-planned and cutting-edge German Airports, experiencing the airports of Berlin can be a letdown until BER opens.
+
On the other hand, because both TXL and SXF were scheduled to close, they have not been updated for the past years, while both are in dire need of both update and expansion given the current traffic volumes and advances in air travel. In particular TXL found itself handling far more traffic than it was designed for. In comparison with other, usually very well-planned and cutting-edge German Airports, experiencing the airports of Berlin can be a disappointment until BER opens.
−
Do note that carriers frequently switched between TXL and SXF in recent years and although one carrier tends to serve one airport only, there is a very mixed bundle of connections from every airport. Make sure to know which airport you are arriving at, especially if you have a connection to meet, and if you were sold a ticket to "BER" before it becomes operational.
+
Carriers frequently switched between TXL and SXF in recent years and, although one carrier tends to serve one airport only, there is a very mixed bundle of connections from every airport. Make sure you know which airport you are arriving at, especially if you have a connection to meet, and if you've been sold a ticket to "BER" before it actually becomes operational.
−
==== Tegel ====
+
====Tegel====
−
[[File:Airport map TXL EN.svg|250px|thumbnail|right|Plan of Tegel Airport (TXL)]]
+
[[File:Airport map TXL EN.svg|thumb|Plan of Tegel Airport (TXL)]]
−
'''Tegel International Airport''' ({{ICAO|EDDT}}, {{IATA|TXL}}) is located in the north-west of the city. It was the airport for West Berlin during the Cold War and today is the main airport for major flag carriers such as Air France, British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa and United. The original airport was designed as a hexagon but today two other terminals try to handle the flights of Air Berlin (most flights in Terminal C) and other budget carriers (mostly in terminal D). All flag carrier flights leave from the main terminal building A (Terminal B contains only the bus gates of Terminal A for Non-Schengen flights), and is also where all airlines lounges are. The airport will close after the new BER airport starts operations.
+
'''Tegel International Airport''' ({{ICAO|EDDT}}, {{IATA|TXL}}) is in the north-west of the city. It was the airport for West Berlin during the Cold War and today is the main airport for major flag carriers such as Air France, British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa and United. The original airport was designed as a hexagon but today two other terminals try to handle the flights of Air Berlin (most flights in Terminal C) and other budget carriers (mostly in terminal D). All flag carrier flights leave from the main terminal building A (Terminal B contains only the bus gates of Terminal A for Non-Schengen flights), and is also where all airlines lounges are. The airport will close after the new '''BER''' airport starts operations.
−
Tegel has an unusual structure because it was built as an origin-and-destination airport only, which resulted in very short walking distances between the taxi ranks and bus stops to the actual gates. The hexagonal structure of the main terminal allows individual gates to have their own check-in/luggage drop-off desks, security control and separate waiting areas. This makes flying out of the main terminal building a very swift and comfortable experience.
+
Tegel has an unusually efficient structure because it was built as an origin-and-destination airport only, which resulted in very short walking distances between the taxi ranks and bus stops to the actual gates. The hexagonal structure of the main terminal allows individual gates to have their own check-in/luggage drop-off desks, security control and separate waiting areas. This makes flying out of the main terminal building a very swift and comfortable experience.
−
That said, connecting via Tegel may not be as comfortable, because you will probably need to go through security anyway, and there is quite a walk (outside!) between terminals, particularly Terminal C. Except for Terminal A, no gates have jetways and you will need to either be ferried by bus or actually walk from the plane to the terminal. The waiting space and shopping within Tegel is also limited and not really top-notch, although Air Berlin offers their frequent fliers separate "exclusive waiting areas" (not available to other oneworld frequent fliers!). The luggage handling capacities of Tegel have long been exhausted, which sometimes leads to well-publicized massive "luggage lost" incidents on Air Berlin connecting flights.
+
That said, connecting via Tegel may not be as comfortable, because you will probably need to go through security anyway, and there is quite a walk (outside!) between terminals, particularly Terminal C. Except for Terminal A, no gates have jetways and you will need to either be ferried by bus or actually walk from the plane to the terminal. The waiting space and shopping within Tegel is also limited and not really top-notch, although Air Berlin offers their frequent fliers separate "exclusive waiting areas" (not available to other ''oneworld'' frequent fliers!). The luggage handling capacities of Tegel have long been exhausted, which sometimes leads to well-publicized massive "luggage lost" incidents on Air Berlin connecting flights.
−
===== Airlines and connections =====
+
=====Airlines and connections=====
The airport is the home base for Germany's number 2 carrier, '''Air Berlin''', who operate direct short-haul flights to a wide selection of German and European cities and holiday destinations out of Tegel, as well as intercontinental flights to Chicago-O'Hare, Miami and New York-JFK. As Air Berlin is part-owned by the Emirati carrier '''Etihad''', you can connect to the many global destinations in its network via Abu Dhabi, to which there are frequent flights from TXL. In a code-share with '''Hainan Airlines''', Air Berlin also offers direct flights between Tegel and Beijing-Capital.
The airport is the home base for Germany's number 2 carrier, '''Air Berlin''', who operate direct short-haul flights to a wide selection of German and European cities and holiday destinations out of Tegel, as well as intercontinental flights to Chicago-O'Hare, Miami and New York-JFK. As Air Berlin is part-owned by the Emirati carrier '''Etihad''', you can connect to the many global destinations in its network via Abu Dhabi, to which there are frequent flights from TXL. In a code-share with '''Hainan Airlines''', Air Berlin also offers direct flights between Tegel and Beijing-Capital.
Line 142:
Line 142:
==== Schönefeld ====
==== Schönefeld ====
−
[[File:Map Berlin-Schoenefeld Airport SFX with planed BBI.png|thumbnail|250px|Plan of Schoenefeld and future Berlin-Brandenburg airports]]
+
[[File:Map Berlin-Schoenefeld Airport SFX with planed BBI.png|thumb|Plan of Schoenefeld and future Berlin-Brandenburg airports]]
'''Schönefeld''' ({{ICAO|EDDB}}, {{IATA|SXF}}) southeast of Berlin, formerly serving the capital of the GDR, is the base for most low-cost airlines (including easyJet, Ryanair and Norwegian) and charter flights. Many carriers from Russia, former Soviet States and Eastern Europe continue to use SXF as their Berlin airport as they did in the days of East Germany, although many have switched to TXL. There are also many charter and scheduled connections to Bulgaria and Israel.
'''Schönefeld''' ({{ICAO|EDDB}}, {{IATA|SXF}}) southeast of Berlin, formerly serving the capital of the GDR, is the base for most low-cost airlines (including easyJet, Ryanair and Norwegian) and charter flights. Many carriers from Russia, former Soviet States and Eastern Europe continue to use SXF as their Berlin airport as they did in the days of East Germany, although many have switched to TXL. There are also many charter and scheduled connections to Bulgaria and Israel.
Line 148:
Line 148:
===== By train from Schönefeld Airport to Berlin =====
===== By train from Schönefeld Airport to Berlin =====
−
The airport is served by the S-Bahn and regional trains. The station is a short walk, under a covered well lit walkway opposite terminal A/B. Trains run from here on the S-Bahn into the city until 1:30 AM so most late night arrivals will be covered. There are also less regular but faster regional trains that cost the same and stop at these major train stations too. In S-Bahn and regional trains between the airport (zone C) and the city (zone A,B), the public transport ticket (zones A,B,C for €3.20) can be used. Stamp the ticket to validate it before boarding.
+
The airport is served by the S-Bahn and regional trains. The station is a short walk, under a covered well lit walkway opposite terminal A/B. Trains run from here on the S-Bahn into the city until 01:30 so most late night arrivals will be covered. There are also less regular but faster regional trains that cost the same and stop at these major train stations too. In S-Bahn and regional trains between the airport (zone C) and the city (zone A,B), the public transport ticket (zones A,B,C for €3.20) can be used. Stamp the ticket to validate it before boarding.
A ticket that will get you anywhere in Berlin will set you back a mere €3.20. Choose the ‘ABC’ single journey ticket (Einzelfahrschein).
A ticket that will get you anywhere in Berlin will set you back a mere €3.20. Choose the ‘ABC’ single journey ticket (Einzelfahrschein).
Line 154:
Line 154:
Now here is the top tip for getting to/ from the airport quickly. A lot of visitors make the mistake of jumping onto the S-Bahn when they arrive. Now it is true that all the guide books advise this because the S-Bahn departs every 10 minutes or so. But it is a slow service that stops all the time and can, if you are travelling late at night, easily take you an hour to get to the middle of Berlin. A far better, quicker and more comfortable option is to use the Regional trains. So make sure you are taking an Express Train (RE7, RB14) rather than the S-Bahn (S9 or S45).
Now here is the top tip for getting to/ from the airport quickly. A lot of visitors make the mistake of jumping onto the S-Bahn when they arrive. Now it is true that all the guide books advise this because the S-Bahn departs every 10 minutes or so. But it is a slow service that stops all the time and can, if you are travelling late at night, easily take you an hour to get to the middle of Berlin. A far better, quicker and more comfortable option is to use the Regional trains. So make sure you are taking an Express Train (RE7, RB14) rather than the S-Bahn (S9 or S45).
−
These Express trains run to and from central Berlin (Mitte) every half hour from 05:00-23:30pm and take approx 25 minutes to/from Alexanderplatz; 30 minutes to/from Berlin Hauptbahnhof and 35 min to/from Zoologischer Garten. There are two of these every hour (look for the RE7 or RB14) and, as of the time of writing (January 2013), they leave the airport station at 23 minutes and 47 minutes past the hour. The trains are big and comfortable and run a far quicker service.
+
These Express trains run to and from central Berlin (Mitte) every half hour from 05:00-23:30 and take approx 25 minutes to/from Alexanderplatz; 30 minutes to/from Berlin Hauptbahnhof and 35 min to/from Zoologischer Garten. There are two of these every hour (look for the RE7 or RB14) and, as of the time of writing (January 2013), they leave the airport station at 23 minutes and 47 minutes past the hour. The trains are big and comfortable and run a far quicker service.
And if you do find yourself on either the S9 or the S45 in error, don’t panic, you’ll make it in the end. The S9 runs every 20 minutes and if all goes smoothly, it will take you approx 30 min to/from Ostkreuz and 45 minutes to/from Pankow, while the S45 connects to the circle-line ''(Ringbahn)'' and also runs every 20 minutes.
And if you do find yourself on either the S9 or the S45 in error, don’t panic, you’ll make it in the end. The S9 runs every 20 minutes and if all goes smoothly, it will take you approx 30 min to/from Ostkreuz and 45 minutes to/from Pankow, while the S45 connects to the circle-line ''(Ringbahn)'' and also runs every 20 minutes.