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contents orientation -survival guide 7-9 transport -airports 12 -u-bahn s-bahn trams 12-13 -buses 13 -tickets 13-14 history and context -national socialism 16 -when east met west 17-18 -since the wall came down 18-19 accomodation -hostels 22-24 -couch surfing 24 sights and tours -walking bus and boat tours 26-29 -sights 30-37 -day trips 38 museums and galleries -museum island 40-44 -other museums and galleries 44-48 arts and culture -film 50-57 -gay and lesbian 58-61 -street art 62-64 night life -introduction 66-67 -bars and night clubs 67-74 2 shopping and fashion

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-flea markets 76-77 -shopping in prenzlauerberg 78-79 -fundusverkauf 80-81 -shopping in friedrichstain 82-83 -general shops 84-87 food and drink -eating in berlin 90 -restaurants and cafes 91-97 -vegetarian 98-99 -desserts 100-101 contributors 102-104 3

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berlin survival guide berlin is generally a city which is easy to get around but in case you find yourself in a confusing situation or can t find the information you need here are a few top tips to help you along your way find your way around ­ bus u-bahn s-bahn metro trams regional trains the sheer amount of transport options in berlin can be overwhelming when you first arrive as soon as you can pick up a transport systems map to aid in navigation the two important ones are the s/ubahn map and the tram/metro one for further guidance in navigating the public transport flick to our transport section riding the public transport ­ rule of thumb buy before you ride it s also necessary to validate your ticket in the automatic machines before boarding plain-clothes ticket officers ride around the trams and trains checking tickets and failure to have a valid ticket could land you with a 40 fine travel planner ­ bvg operates all of the public transport in berlin their website www.bvg.de has a handy timetable search box and upto-date information about delays diversions and cancellations which often happen at short notice checking before you leave for an epic late-night party five miles away can help you avoid being stuck in an unfamiliar area where the public transport has stopped running carry id ­ you can be stopped and asked for id at any time by the police so it s a good idea to carry some form of id on you student id also comes in handy as many places offer student discounts toilets ­ it is the norm to pay for using public toilets in berlin expect a charge in some places of around 50 cents and up to 1 in some places even places like starbucks and high profile museums have toilet attendants who expect a tip before you enter popping into café s and asking if you can use their facilities avoids having to pay orientation 7

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getting into clubs ­ this can sometimes be tricky some bars encourage large groups while others will turn you away before you reach the door thinking you ll cause trouble it s always a good idea to check dress code before heading out to avoid the disappointment of being turned away for the wrong attire also some clubs are fussy about you taking cameras in so be wary of taking yours out sundays ­ in contrast to the usual hustle and bustle of the rest of the week sunday s are quiet on berlin s shop-lined streets thanks to german law that states most shops can t open sundays don t expect to pick up any groceries on a sunday orientation cross the road with caution ­ jaywalking is illegal motorists know this and won t slow down for anything if you choose to cross before the green man appears don t be surprised when locals tut and frown disapprovingly watch out for the cyclists ­ they are everywhere often impatient and cycling at what seems like 50 miles per hour cyclists will swerve alarming close by if you re in the way stay off the designated cycle paths to avoid too many near-misses and even then expect to share the pavement alternative buy or rent your own bike it s arguably one of the best ways to experience the city and allows you to join in on the death 8

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defying antics of other cyclists take note of museum opening hours many of the museums located around museum island are free for the last four opening hours on thursdays generally between 6 p.m and 10 p.m a great opportunity to explore the rich variety berlin s museums offer also keep in mind many of the museums and galleries are shut on mondays stay hydrated this is a no-brainer when it comes to summer in the city if you need free tap water from a restaurant or bar make sure you ask for `leitungswasser as `tap water isn t always understood buying bottled water then take note that the majority of bottled water sold in berlin is of the sparkling variety even bottles labelled with the seemingly straightforward `naturliches mineralwasser contain bubbles for still water look for the bottles labelled `ohne kohlensaure `without gas `kohlensaure means that it s got fizz plastic recycling ­ if you re visiting berlin in the summer months chances are you ll get through a substantial number of bottled drinks these can be recycled and you ll receive money for doing so around 25 cents a bottle drop them off in the machines at your local supermarket bring your own bags ­ supermarkets and other shops in berlin don t offer plastic bags or packing services whilst plastic carriers are available to purchase in supermarkets bringing your own will save money and the environment also supermarket cashiers are super efficient so pack fast and finally explore berlin has much more to offer and changes so rapidly it s near impossible for any guide book to cover everything find an area that appeals to you go there and wander the streets we guarantee you ll find yourself a new favourite hangout cs orientation 9

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getting around in berlin airports in berlin berlin is served by two main international airports ­ tegel airport and the larger schönefeld tegel is located on the outskirts of the city to the northwest schönefeld is about 22 kilometres away from the city centre to the south-east tegel airport is not serviced by berlin s u-bahn service so the easiest way to get closer to the city centre is to get on a bus some lines run direct to the city centre while others provide a u-bahn connection from schönefeld airport you can take regional trains into berlin s centre quickly schönefeld is also serviced by s-bahn which are slower but allow you to travel directly to different parts of the city picking up an information leaflet at the airport is always a good bet they tell where you can pick up public transport to get to the centre as well as list timetable information and costs getting around berlin at first trying to navigate around berlin s extensive transport networks can seem a bit daunting spend a few days though and the efficiency of this system becomes evident public transport in berlin is quick and connected run smoothly by the bvg check out www.bvg de for general information and up-to-date details about any delays or repair works and remember the transport runs in both directions after the transport number is a place name indicating the last stop for that train check on the map to make sure you re travelling in the right direction also pick up the two separate maps one showing the s/u bahn and the other the tram system these will help you switch from one service to the other and also providing information about what trams stop where u-bahn the u-bahn is berlin s underground train service it covers a large amount of the city and makes frequent stops so you can get fairly close to where you want to be they transport 12

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run from 4.30 a.m to 12.30 a.m and all through the night on friday and saturday s-bahn the s-bahn is a light rail system and covers longer distances than the u-bahn but stops less frequently it is especially useful for travelling between east and west making stops at the major visitor attractions it s the best way to get slightly further afield for daytrips to outside the city such as to potsdam or sachsenhausen they run between 4.30 a.m and 12.30 a.m every day and overnight fridays and saturday trams the trams make even more frequent stops than the ubahn covering places outside the reach of the u-bahn and s-bahn they run only on the eastern side of the city another gdr relic so remember this when looking at the map that the middle of the map is not the city centre tram stops interlink with the major u-bahn and s-bahn stations making it easy to combine transport methods they often run along the middle of the roads right alongside traffic and have yellow signposts to mark where the stops are some of the tram services run all through the night and many of the ones that don t still run fairly regularly into the later hours buses buses run frequently throughout the day between 4.30 a.m and 12.30 a.m night buses also run at half hour intervals and follow some of the s-bahn routes sunday to thursday nights when the s-bahn is not running tickets tickets can be bought at s-bahn and u-bahn stations on-board trams or at other venues with a bvg option tickets allow you to use all of berlin s transport options including the sbahn u-bahn trams regional trains buses and ferries the city is divided into transport zones ­ a b and c most of the major sites are located in zone b so unless you plan on venturing further afield we recommend getting an ab ticket transport 13

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remember berlin is a large city with attractions in every district the day weekly and monthly tickets are good value and allow you to see the city without having to worry about buying tickets every time you travel allowing for more sightseeing and less travel time types of tickets short trip ticket for 1.30 this ticket is valid for up to three stops on the u/sbahn or six on the tram useful for short distances to one place single trip tickets these are valid for use in one direction allowing you to change and make use of all the transport options 2.10 for an ab zone tickets 2.80 for abc zone transport day tickets a ticket allows you unlimited travel on any method of transport from the time of validation until 3 a.m 6.10 for an ab zone ticket 6.50 for abc these tickets are great for visiting several places in one day weekly tickets if you re staying a week in berlin getting one of these tickets is likely to offer a reasonably priced method of getting around the city an ab zone ticket costs 26.20 and an abc zone costs 32.30 monthly tickets these are a great option if you re going to be in berlin for a bit longer 72 for an ab zone ticket 88.50 for an abc zone ticket bicycles are popular in berlin and available to pick up cheaply at flea-markets if you are staying in berlin longer you are able to take them on the s-bahn and u-bahn but you ll need a special bicycle ticket bike rental is also wildly available with many shops dotted around the city taxis are another option while they can be costly a taxi is the best bet if you re lost or need to get somewhere the public transport doesn t cover 14

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