Transportation in Berlin/Germany
One of the good things about Berlin is the high quality of life that residents enjoy especially regarding public transportation. One of the things that makes me happy and makes it easier for me is the fact that I do not have to own a car. Berlin's public transportation is so good that there is simply no need to buy a car. Berlin joins other cities in the world such as Singapore and London which also have excellent public transportation. In fact the thought of being free from a private vehicle also makes it financially easier.
Think for a moment, how much expenses you have once you own a private car. Expenses like fuel, annual test, maintenance expenses and repairs could reach thousands of euros a year. On the other hand, if you have an annual U-Bahn ticket, you pay much less, and if you have to travel outside the city, you can just rent a car or take a train. The travel options within Berlin include the underground train (metro) - U-Bahn, S-Bahn high-(upper) train, trams, buses and in addition you can always ride a bike as the city is very friendly for cyclists. There are also other trains such as RE1 and RB that also travel outside of the city. If you want to travel a particularly long trip out of town, you can do so by Deutsche Bahn, (that also operate the the fastest variation train in Germany - The InterCity Express (ICE) )
But it is important to remember to book several weeks before travel with Deutsche Bahn because it is a monopoly company. For example, if you are interested in traveling from Berlin to Hamburg, if you book in advance a few weeks before your trip, the ticket price can cost you several tens of euros, but if you book immediately you can end up paying 200 euros and even more. This situation is delusional because these prices are higher than flight prices so it is always advisable for you to book in advance.
Remember that you always have cheaper options for transportation, such as FlixBus and Flixtrain, which can also take you to destinations outside Berlin, but with that, their travel time is longer. If you travel with the Deutsche Bahn, pay attention to whether you are in first class 1st class (klasse 1) or not. I remember that when I traveled one of the times I happened to notice that it was written on my ticket 1st class (klasse 1), and then of course I had a larger seating space and less density.
Another thing that is important to remember is to constantly monitor your travel route and your dock/platform, even if you have already been issued a serial number with a specific dock number, exact date and exact time on the ticket, because last minute changes could always occur and then you could miss your train. These changes usually occur on RE1 and RB trains. I remember when I took a train to Cuxhaven from Munich and even though I asked at the counter and even though I had a consecutive number on my ticket, a change was made right at the last minute on the platform, which made me miss the train and then I had to wait another hour for a new train. Besides that , bon voyage! 🚄🚂
U Bahn in Berlin
