Getting There By Rail
Deutsche Bahn (tel: (0800) 150 7090; website: www.bahn.de), Germany’s national rail service provider, operates a comprehensive and efficient rail service, including high-speed InterCityExpress (ICE) trains. There is a national railway enquiries line (tel: 11861 (within Germany) or (01805) 996 633 (from outside Germany, costing 12 cents per minute)). There is a separate hotline for cyclists who wish to take their bikes on the train (tel: (01805) 151415 (charged at 12 cents per minute)).
Until the massive new station, Bahnhof Lehrter– which will link the main north–south and east–west lines – is completed in 2006, the busiest station in Berlin will continue to be Bahnhof Berlin Zoologischer Garten (or, simply, ‘Bahnhof Zoo’), Hardenbergplatz 11 (tel: (030) 2974 9241; fax: (030) 2974 9159), in the western centre of the city. Facilities include a travel centre (open daily 0600–2200), tourist information, post office, bank, restaurant, buffet, café, shops, florist, newsagents and left-luggage. Ticket and information offices at Bahnhof Schonefeld, near the airport, are open daily 0530–2200 (tel: (030) 2972 9528; fax: (030) 2972 9654). The other major mainline stations are Bahnhof Lichtenberg, Weitlingstrasse 22, and Ostbahnhof, Am Ostbahnhof 9, in East Berlin. Some mainline services also stop at Bahnhof Spandau, to the west, and Bahnhof Wannsee, in the southwest.
Rail services: Berlin is part of the InterCityExpress (ICE) network, with super-fast trains to Hanover (journey time – 1 hour 35 minutes) and Frankfurt am Main (journey time – 3 hours 30 minutes). ICE trains also go to Hamburg – at present these trains cost more and their running time is little faster than the other services (journey time – 2 hours 10 minutes). An expanding web of high-speed trains serves destinations across Western Europe. Supplements are incurred for travel on ICE, IC and EC trains.
Transport to the city: The main stations are all located on the S-Bahn spine, which arches from west to east across the city. Connections to the U-Bahn network and north–south S-Bahn lines are available either directly or via a short journey on the main east–west line. Taxi ranks and buses are also available outside the main stations.
|
