Berlin Metro Map 2024 (Underground) – Timetable, Tickets & Prices

With a total length of 146 kilometers and currently 173 stations, Berlin has the largest subway network in Germany. The Berlin subway network, which has been in use since 1902, is under the auspices of Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) and currently has a steadily growing number of passengers on its 10 lines. In 2016 alone, BVG reported over 530 million passengers, most of whom traveled on the particularly busy U2, U7 and U9 lines.

As in many other major international cities, the subway lines in Berlin have been clearly recognizable by the “U” in front of them on the subway timetable since they were renamed in 1984. This clearly differentiates you from the S-Bahn, bus and streetcar network. The Berlin subway network should not be confused with the Metrotram lines, which are preceded by a capital “M”.

The Berlin subway lines at a glance

• U1 (Uhlandstraße – Warschauer Straße)
• U2 (Pankow – Ruhleben)
• U3 (Nollendorfplatz – Krumme Lanke)
• U4 (Nollendorfplatz – Innsbrucker Platz)
• U5 (Alexanderplatz – Hönow)
• U55 (Central Station – Brandenburg Gate)
• U6 (Alt-Tegel – Alt-Mariendorf)
• U7 (Rathaus Spandau – Rudow)
• U8 (Wittenau – Hermannstraße)
• U9 (Rathaus Steglitz – Osloer Straße)

Since the beginning of the new millennium at the latest, Berlin has become a hot spot for tourists from Germany and abroad. Between 2010 and 2015 alone, the number of visitors to the capital climbed by 40 percent from around 9 million to well over 12 million. Berlin’s subway network is also becoming increasingly important as a result, since many sights are several kilometers apart.

Landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island and the Reichstag can be easily reached by subway. As a result, the number of people who have to deal with the subway plan in Berlin is also rising sharply. As in any major city with an extensive subway network, the question always arises for out-of-towners as to which subway ticket is the right one for which price.

While local public transport in many other cities is made up of various independent ticket systems, causing confusion among tourists in particular, this is handled much more simply in the German capital. If you buy a subway ticket in Berlin, you can also use all other means of transport in the Berlin Brandenburg Transport Association (VBB). In addition to subway trains, this also includes suburban trains, buses, streetcars, ferries and regional trains.

The final ticket price depends on the period of validity and the fare zone selected. There are basically three different fare zones in Berlin. These result from the three sub-areas into which the public transport network is divided. While sub-area A comprises the city center including the S-Bahn ring, sub-area B extends from there to the city limits. Outside the city limits, sub-area C extends within a radius of approx. 15 kilometers, which also includes journeys to and within Potsdam. However, if you want to buy a subway ticket in Berlin, it’s easy, as there are only three possible fare zone combinations.

The three standard tickets

• AB Ticket – all of Berlin (recommended for most tourists)
• ABC Ticket – all of Berlin and the surrounding area
• BC Ticket – not valid in the city center area

A classic single ticket is valid in one direction for two hours. This means that it is also possible to change in the same direction. However, round trips and the return journey towards the starting point are excluded. For tourists who want to stay in the city for several days, we recommend the “WelcomeCard”, which allows unlimited use of the subway network. This special ticket is offered in validity periods from 48 hours to 6 days. It also gives you bonuses and discounts, such as reduced admission to museums.

Ticket machines are located on every platform in Berlin. Tickets are validated by inserting them into the usually red or yellow ticket validators, which are located next to the ticket machines or at the entrances to the platform. Alternatively, the “WelcomeCard” is available as a print ticket and can therefore be printed out in advance.

However, print tickets in the subway are only valid in conjunction with an official photo ID (driving license, ID card, passport). If you wish, you can also use the “BVG Fahrinfo Plus Berlin” app, which can also be used to book all common tickets. Just like the print ticket, the mobile ticket is only valid in combination with an official ID document.

The subway timetable in Berlin, as in other major cities around the world, is very tightly timed to enable convenient and fast travel within the city. During the week, the subway in Berlin starts operating between 4:00 am and 4:30 am, depending on the line, and stops between 0:30 am and 1:00 am. Depending on the time of day, the interval is between 3 and 4 minutes during rush hour and 15 minutes at night. For most of the day, however, there is a 10-minute interval. At weekends, all subway lines in Berlin, with the exception of the U55 and U4, run every 15 minutes on a 24-hour basis.

To the timetables of the Berlin subway lines:

U1, U2, U3, U4, U5, U55, U6, U7, U8, U9

If you want to get around Berlin during the week after the subway closes, you can use the Metrotram (M lines), which operate 24 hours a day. After midnight, the Metrotram runs every 30 minutes. Alternatively, there are the night bus lines N1, N2, N3, N4, N5, N6, N7, N8 and N9, whose routes are roughly based on those of the subway lines.

Berlin visitors may well experience déjà vu when descending to the subway stations, as some have already been the backdrop for numerous well-known films. In addition to German productions such as “Otto – Der Liebesfilm”, “Emil und die Detektive” and “Zeiten ändern dich”, Hollywood blockbusters were also filmed there. The Reichstag U55 station in particular will be familiar to film fans from Equilibrium and Resident Evil. Matt Damon was also a guest on the Berlin subway as part of the filming of the thriller “The Bourne Conspiracy”.

In the future, the subway plan in Berlin will expand considerably. Work on merging the U5 and U55 lines is in full swing. Everyone can marvel at the large construction sites from Alexanderplatz to the street “Unter den Linden” and the Brandenburg Gate. In the future, Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe are considering, among other things, extending the U8 by 1.6 kilometers to the “Märkisches Zentrum”. The closure of the gap in the U1 under Ku’Damm to Adenauerplatz with transfer options to the U7 is also being planned. Furthermore, the extension of the U7 by two to three stations in the direction of Schönefeld station is currently being examined.