Public Transport to BER: How to Reach the Airport Quickly and Stress-Free – from Every Part of Berlin

Flying from BER soon and wondering how best to get there? Berlin Airport is easily reachable from every neighbourhood by public transport – often faster than a taxi.

We show you the best connections from the north, south, east and west of Berlin, what a ticket costs and what you should particularly watch out for in 2026.

Before you board the train, make sure you have the right ticket. BER is located in fare zone C of the VBB (Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg). This means: for the journey from central Berlin you need an ABC ticket for €5.00. It is valid for all means of transport – S-Bahn, regional train, FEX and all express buses – without any surcharge.

If you already have a day ticket ABC or the Berlin Welcome Card, the journey to BER is already included. Tickets can be bought at machines in all stations and terminals, or conveniently in the BVG app, S-Bahn app or VBB app on your smartphone.

Here you can see at a glance which connection suits your neighbourhood best:

Those living in the north of Berlin reach BER most quickly via the Central Station (Hauptbahnhof). From there, the FEX (Flughafen-Express) goes directly to Terminal 1 in just 23 minutes – around the clock every 15 minutes, without changing trains.

From Pankow or Prenzlauer Berg, take the tram or S-Bahn to the Central Station; from Wedding, the U6 or S-Bahn. For an even simpler option: the S9 runs every 20 minutes directly through the city centre to BER – though it takes around 45 minutes from the Central Station.

At night from the north: The FEX runs 24/7 every 15 minutes – the best choice even at night. Alternatively, night bus N7X takes you directly to BER from S+U Zoologischer Garten with few stops.

Those living in the south have it particularly easy: express buses X7 and X71 run directly from U-Bahn station Rudow (U7) to BER – every 5 to 10 minutes, without changing. This is often even faster than the regional train and avoids a change at the station.

From Neukölln, take the U8 to Hermannplatz, then U7 to Rudow. From Tempelhof or Mariendorf, line X71 also runs from U Alt-Mariendorf (U6) every 20 minutes directly to the airport. Those coming from Schöneberg or Steglitz are better off taking the S-Bahn to Südkreuz and changing to the FEX there – from Südkreuz to BER is only 14 minutes.

At night from the south: Night bus N7 runs every night from U Rudow directly to BER. On nights without U-Bahn night service, it covers the entire U7 route from Rathaus Spandau – perfect for everyone from Neukölln and Tempelhof.

East Berlin is very well connected thanks to regional train lines RB24 and RB32. From Ostkreuz, Lichtenberg or Schöneweide, both lines run together twice an hour directly to Terminals 1 and 2 at BER – without changing.

From Friedrichshain, take the S-Bahn to Ostkreuz; from Lichtenberg, board the RB24 or RB32 directly. From Köpenick or Treptow, take the S46 or S8 to Schöneweide and change there. Alternatively, the S9 runs from Ostkreuz every 20 minutes to BER, but takes around 30 minutes.

At night from the east: RB24 and RB32 only run until around 10pm. After that, your best option is to take the S-Bahn to Ostkreuz and catch the FEX from there, which runs 24/7 every 15 minutes towards Südkreuz and BER.

From the west, the journey to BER is a little longer – but still easy to plan with the right connection. The most common route goes via the S-Bahn to the Central Station or Potsdamer Platz, from where the FEX goes directly to BER.

From Charlottenburg, take the S5 or S7 to the Central Station, then the FEX – total journey time around 40 minutes. From Spandau, take the S7 to the Central Station, then FEX – around 50 minutes. From Wilmersdorf, you can also take the U7 to Rudow and change to the X7 or X71 there – this takes 60 to 65 minutes, but without changing to a regional train. From Zehlendorf, the S1 goes to Südkreuz, from where the FEX reaches BER in just 14 minutes.

At night from the west: Night bus N7X runs on weekday nights from S+U Zoologischer Garten directly to BER – few stops, fast connection. Ideal from Charlottenburg and the City West. Alternative: FEX from the Central Station, runs 24/7 every 15 minutes.

Early flight or late arrival? No problem. Here are all the night options summarised:

For early flights (departure before 8am), plan your departure at least 90 minutes before check-in closes. The FEX is the most reliable choice at these times – it runs punctually and regularly, even when the city is still asleep.

Berlin's public transport network is generally good – but works can extend your journey time. Here is what you should currently bear in mind:

Warning: S9 and S85 disrupted (until 6 July 2026)

From 12 June (10pm) to 6 July 2026 (1:30am), S-Bahn lines S9 and S85 only run between BER and S Altglienicke. A replacement bus service then covers the connection to the city – this significantly extends journey times. During this period, use the FEX or express buses X7/X71 instead.

Apart from this disruption, the FEX, X7/X71 and RB24/RB32 are currently running stably and without problems. For up-to-date information, a quick look at the BVG app or vbb.de is worth it – simply enter "Flughafen BER Terminal 1" as your destination and the app shows you the best current route.

The airport station "Flughafen BER" is located directly under Terminal 1 – at level U2. From the platforms, escalators or lifts take you to the check-in hall in just a few minutes. If you are flying from Terminal 2, follow the signs to T2 from arrival level E0.

For first-time visitors to Berlin: at the Central Station you will find the FEX on the regional train platforms – the signs to "Flughafen BER" are clearly marked. If in doubt, just ask the BVG app.

• ABC ticket for €5 purchased – valid for S-Bahn, regional train, FEX and all express buses
• Best connection for your neighbourhood found (table above)
• Departure planned at least 90 minutes before check-in closes – for early flights, allow 2 hours
• Current works checked in the BVG app
• For night flights: FEX (24/7), N7 from the south or N7X from the west planned
• If you want to use the S9: until 6 July 2026, switch to the FEX or X7/X71 instead