Public transport The public transportation in Berlin is generally very efficient. One company, called BVG, operates it. There are underground lines called U-Bahn (Pronounced ooh-baann), urban railway lines called S-Bahn, buses and tramways (Trams). Another company (DB) operates the regional trains, which can be taken as well while they make their way within the boundaries of Berlin, though they only stop at the main railway stations.
Unfortunately, the S-Bahn operation has been severely disrupted lately by technical malfunctioning, and smart visitors should avoid using some of its lines. The beat way to learn about the public transportation system in Berlin is using the BVG web site (partly in English). Timetables, tariffs, charts of all the public transport lines, a route planner and an online map of Berlin (in German) are available there. The troubled S-Bahn has its own web-site, and it's not a bad idea to look at it from time to time. And there is a separate web site for the regional railways. Another very good information source is the web site of the public transportation corporation of Berlin and Brandenburg. It gives information (in English too) about timetables and rates not only in Berlin but also in Potsdam and the whole federal state of Brandenburg.
Periodical tickets are better If you plan staying in Berlin more than a few hours you may save money by buying periodical tickets, such as a day ticket, which enables you to go by public transportation all day long with the same ticket. A better idea is to buy the Berlin Welcome card, which combines free transportation with handsome reductions of entrance fees to most of the museums and other attractions. All kinds of tickets can be bought at the BVG booths or at the bus, or using the automatic machines inside the railway and underground stations. Remember! Tram drivers do not sell tickets.
Going by U-Bahn is the fastest and the most effective public means of transportation, but you cannot see much through the windows. The buses and trams are slower but are more useful for sightseeing. On the other hand, the taxis in Berlin are the best means of arriving from the airport to your hotel, and vice versa.
