Berlin Brandenburg Airport is about 25 km south of the city centre. The good news is that Berlin has excellent public transport, making this one of the cheapest airport-to-city journeys in Europe.
The one ticket fact that matters
Berlin's public transport is divided into fare zones. The airport is in zone C. Most of central Berlin is in zones A and B. That means every rail journey from BER into the city — FEX, S-Bahn, regional train — needs a Berlin ABC ticket at 5.00 EUR (VBB/BVG, prices from 1 January 2026).
- ABC ticket: 5.00 EUR — covers the airport zone and all of Berlin. This is the ticket you need from BER.
- AB ticket: 4.00 EUR — covers Berlin's zones A and B only. It does not cover the airport. Travelling from BER on an AB ticket is fare evasion and will get you fined, regardless of where you are heading.
- Kurzstrecke (short trip): 2.80 EUR — not applicable to airport journeys.
There is no cheaper airport ticket and no airport surcharge: the standard VBB fare applies. Tickets come from the machines at the station (cards accepted, English available) or the BVG/VBB app. Paper tickets must be validated before boarding. Children under 6 travel free.
Price comparison by destination
| Destination | Train | Approx. distance | Taxi (metered) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hauptbahnhof | 5.00 EUR (FEX, 30 min) | ~30 km | ~70-75 EUR |
| Alexanderplatz | 5.00 EUR (S9, 50 min) | ~25 km | ~60-65 EUR |
| Potsdamer Platz | 5.00 EUR (FEX) | ~24 km | ~60-65 EUR |
| Kurfurstendamm | 5.00 EUR | ~30 km | ~70-75 EUR |
| Friedrichshain | 5.00 EUR | ~22 km | ~55-60 EUR |
| Kreuzberg | 5.00 EUR | ~22 km | ~55-60 EUR |
Fixed-price private transfer
BER Berlin - Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
From€71for 2 passengers
Other destinations
Every train fare is the same because every one of them crosses the same three zones. The taxi figures are derived from the published tariff below and exclude waiting time — treat them as the shape of the fare, not a quote.
How the taxi meter works
Berlin taxis run on a tariff set by the Berlin Senate: 4.30 EUR base, then 2.80 EUR per km for the first 3 km, 2.60 EUR per km from 3 to 7 km, and 2.10 EUR per km beyond that, plus a 1.50 EUR surcharge on all journeys from BER. A short trip of up to 2 km costs a flat 6.00 EUR, but that only applies when you hail a moving taxi in the street, not at a rank. There is no night surcharge on Berlin taxis.
Waiting time is charged too, so rush hours (7-9 AM, 4-7 PM) push the fare up as traffic slows on the A113 and the city streets. The tariff is revised periodically — check the current one before you travel.
Rideshare and transfers
Uber and Bolt are not bound by the taxi tariff. They price dynamically, so the fare depends on demand at the moment you book, and surge pricing is common at peak times and late at night. Check the app for a live quote.
Pre-booked transfers are not covered by any tariff either. The price depends on distance, vehicle and supplier, and is fixed when you book rather than moving with the traffic.
The budget option
The train is the clear budget winner. At 5.00 EUR per person, a solo traveller saves comfortably over 50 EUR compared with a taxi. Even for groups, trains are cheaper: a family of four pays 20.00 EUR total on the FEX versus roughly 60-75 EUR for a taxi, and children under 6 ride free.
Tipping
Tipping taxi drivers in Germany is customary but modest. Rounding up to the nearest euro or adding 5-10% is standard. There is no tipping culture for pre-booked transfers, though it is appreciated.