Berlin Brandenburg Airport offers a genuine three-way choice: an excellent train connection, reliable taxis, and pre-booked transfers. The train changes the equation compared to airports without rail links.
Side-by-side comparison to city centre
| Factor | FEX train | Taxi | Pre-booked transfer | |---|---|---|---| | Price (1 person) | EUR 4.00 | EUR 45-65 | EUR 50-80 | | Price (4 people) | EUR 16.00 | EUR 45-65 | EUR 50-80 | | Journey time | 30 min to Hauptbahnhof | 30-50 min | 30-50 min | | Door to door | No — station to station | Yes | Yes | | Luggage handling | Self-service | Driver loads | Driver loads | | Child seats | N/A | Rarely available | On request | | Booking needed | No | No | Yes | | Runs at night | Until ~midnight | 24 hours | 24 hours |
The train is hard to beat on value
The FEX runs every 30 minutes, takes 30 minutes to Hauptbahnhof, and costs EUR 4.00. For solo travellers and couples heading to central Berlin, this is the obvious choice. You save EUR 40+ and the journey is fast and reliable. The station is directly under Terminal 1 with escalators and lifts from the arrivals level.
The S-Bahn (S9) takes longer at about 50 minutes to Alexanderplatz but serves more stops, which is useful if your hotel is near an S-Bahn station in eastern Berlin.
When a taxi wins
Taxis make sense when you have heavy luggage, are heading to an address far from a train station, or when the FEX has stopped running. Berlin taxis are metered, clean, and driven by licensed professionals. The ride from BER to most central locations costs EUR 45-65. During off-peak hours, the trip takes about 30 minutes, matching the train.
Taxis also win for groups of three or four. A single taxi fare of EUR 50 split four ways is EUR 12.50 per person, not dramatically more than the EUR 4.00 train ticket, and you get door-to-door service.
When a transfer makes sense
Pre-booked transfers are worth the premium for specific needs: child seats, a guaranteed vehicle type (MPV or van for groups), meet-and-greet service, or very late arrivals. The driver waits in the arrivals hall, monitors your flight, and handles luggage. For business travellers or families with young children, this convenience justifies the extra cost over a taxi.
The transfer is also useful for destinations outside Berlin, such as Potsdam or locations in Brandenburg, where the taxi meter keeps running and the fare becomes uncertain.
Bottom line
Take the train if you can. It is fast, cheap, and efficient. Take a taxi if you have luggage reasons or the train is not running. Book a transfer if you need specific services that taxis cannot provide. Berlin makes the choice easy because the train option is genuinely excellent.