FESTIVALS, HOLIDAYS AND OTHER ANNUAL EVENTS IN Berlin

There are a number of festivals, holidays and other events celebrated in Berlin each year. The main ones are listed below.

From 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Good Friday, it is forbidden to dance (“tanzverbot“) on the streets of Berlin, as in the other cities around the country. It is a sign of respect for the faithful who pay tribute to the ordeal of Christ.

In Berlin, parents hide candy and Easter eggs painted in bold colours, which kids merrily go on the hunt for.

On the first of May, it is customary to offer a sprig of lily-of-the-valley to close ones. Many vendors occupy the pavement on that occasion!

This three-week festival is a celebration of modern dance, showcasing the latest trends in choreography, in a series of performances at various venues across the city featuring companies and artists from all over the world. The programme also includes workshops and lectures by both dancers and critics.

Commemorates the anniversary of Germany's reunification in 1990. Celebrations in Berlin include a huge street party at the Brandenburg Gate, plus concerts and other stage performances.

Held every year since 1964, this four-day jazz festival attracts many big names for a programme of performances at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele and several other venues in the city.

In Berlin, Saint Martin's feast day is celebrated with a parade through the city's streets by children carrying lanterns they have usually made themselves and singing songs known as Lanternlieder.

Berlin welcomes almost 70 Christmas markets. With its glassblowers dazzling visitors, the Gendarmenmarkt is steeped in history. The markets in the old town of Spandau and the Opernpalais are not to be missed!

CLIMATE AND WEATHER IN Berlin

Month	Min. Average Temperature (°C/F°)	Max. Average Temperature (°C/F°)	Average Rains (MM)	Best Time to Travel
January	-2/28	3/37	42/1.7	Not the best period to go
February	-2/28	4/39	33/1.3	Not the best period to go
March	1/34	8/46	40/1.6	Not the best period to go
April	4/39	13/55	37/1.5	Not the best period to go
May	9/48	19/66	54/2.1	Good period to go
June	12/54	22/72	69/2.7	Good period to go
July	14/57	24/75	55/2.2	Good period to go
August	14/57	24/75	58/2.3	Good period to go
September	10/50	19/66	45/1.8	Good period to go
October	6/43	13/55	37/1.5	Not the best period to go
November	2/36	7/45	44/1.7	Not the best period to go
December	0/32	4/39	55/2.2	Not the best period to go

Berlin-Brandenburg Willy-Brandt International Airport

The Berlin-Brandenburg Willy-Brandt International Airport is located about 28 kilometres (17 miles) south of the city centre. It opened on October 31^st, 2020.

• Three terminals
  • Terminal 1 (Air France)
  • Terminal 2
  • Terminal 5

• By car
  • Accessible via the six-lane A113 (Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg exit), with a travel time of about 45 minutes.
  • More than 10,000 parking spaces are available:
    • P1 and P3 parking facilities located near Terminal 1, easy to access by foot. EUR 3 for 1 hour, then EUR 3 per extra hour, or EUR 25 for 1 day and EUR 39 for 2 days.
    • P7 and P8 parking facilities located near terminal 2. EUR 3 for 1 hour, then EUR 3 per extra hour.
    • P51, P52, P54 and P56 parking facilities located near Terminal 5. Several charging stations for electric cars are available there. EUR 3 for 1 hour, then between EUR 3 and EUR 6 per extra hour.
    • Several car rental companies have counters at the airport's terminals.

• By train
  • S-Bahn: the S9 and S45 suburban trains connect the airport with the city centre. Trains leave every 20 minutes and make a stop at the “Terminal 5” station.
  • Airport Express: this train takes you to the Berlin central station (Hauptbahnhof) in 30 minutes. It runs several times every hour.
• By bus
  • Several bus lines connect the airport with the city centre. Lines 163, 164 and 171 run about every 20 minutes. From midnight to 4:30 a.m., night buses take over (N7 buses every 30 min, N7X every 15 minutes, N36 every hour, and N60 every 30 minutes).
  • Express bus lines X7 (every 5 minutes), X71 (every 20 minutes) and BER1 (every hour) are operated from 4:30 a.m. to midnight, with a travel time of 45 to 50 minutes. Tickets can be purchased from the driver on board.
• By taxi
  • Taxis are available at the ranks from terminals T1, T2 and T5, city bound. Make sure you use an official taxi. The trip to central Berlin takes about 45 minutes and costs around EUR 50.

• Services: shops, bars and restaurants, free Internet access (Wi-Fi) available in the airport.
• Telephone: +49 (0)30 6091 6091 0
• Website: https://ber.berlin-airport.de/en.html

GETTING AROUND Berlin

Berlin is a very easy city to get around. Its public transport options provide nearly complete coverage of the city, by night as well as by day. The S-Bahn, U-Bahn and trams run through the night on Friday and Saturday and the eves of public holidays. In addition, the system uses integrated tickets and passes, valid for all modes of transport.

By rail

Berlin's U-Bahn (underground metro) operate every day from 4 a.m. to 1 a.m. A single ticket costs EUR 2.90 to EUR 3.60 depending on your destination. Tickets are valid for 2 hours. Useful tip: the Tageskarte (day pass) offers unlimited access to all public transport in Berlin (BVG). Rates: EUR 8.60 to EUR 9.60, depending on your destination. For further information, please visit https://sbahn.berlin/en/.

By bus

Berlin has the largest network of bus routes of any city in Germany. Two of these are particularly of interest for visitors: bus 100 and bus 200, linking Tiergarten to Alexanderplatz and passing by many important landmarks. For further information, please visit https://www.vbb.de/en.

By tram

Berlin trams run predominantly in East Berlin. They stop at the city centre and at the Hackescher Markt and Alexanderplatz stations.

By taxi

Berlin has nearly 7,000 taxis. The initial charge is EUR 3.90, plus EUR 2 per kilometre for the first 7 kilometres (4 miles), then EUR 1.50 per kilometre after that. A short-distance fare (Kurzstrecke) is also available at all times of the day or night for taxis hailed in the street: EUR 5 for a trip of no more than 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) without intermediate stops and with a maximum of four passengers.

By bicycle

Bicycles are an excellent way to discover Berlin, which has a large and well-developed network of cycling paths. There are many bike rental shops dotted around the city. Average rates are EUR 8 to EUR 12 for 1 day.

However, there is a self-service bike rental network called “Call a Bike” (VLS) operated by Deutsch Bahn. It costs EUR 0.10 per minute or EUR 9 for 1 day. For further information, please visit https://www.callabike.de/en/cities/Berlin.

Visitor information

Upon your arrival in Berlin, you can get in touch with local tourism professionals for further information and to help organise your stay.

Offers practical information and many useful recommendations (accommodation, restaurants, public transport, festivals, cultural events, etc.).

• Address: Erdgeschoss - Eingang Europaplatz - 10557 Berlin
• Opening hours: every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Telephone: +49 (0)30 25 00 23 33
• Website: https://www.visitberlin.de/en

The official website maintained by Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus (DZT), the German national tourist board, provides a wealth of information on Berlin.

Website: https://www.germany.travel/en/home.html

Currency and Exchange Rates

The currency used in Germany is the Euro (EUR).

1 SEK = 0,10 EUR

1 EUR = 10 SEK

The above exchange rate is given for information because is variable.

Medical information

In order to travel in the best conditions and for your health and safety, we invite you to check all information regarding preventive measures and best practices to be respected, available on the official website of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/

Your comfort, well-being and health are at the heart of Air France's concerns, and we want to help you prepare for your trip in the best way possible. Find out more about the measures taken to ensure safe travelling on our website: https://www.airfrance.fr/FR/en/common/page_flottante/information/coronavirus.htm#notre-engagement-sanitaire

See your doctor before you travel. It is also recommended to take out insurance covering medical expenses and repatriation before your trip. Berlin counts several hospitals and medical institutions, as well as quality medical practitioners and health specialists.

There are no vaccination requirements for visitors to Germany.
For more information, contact Air France's international vaccination centre:

• Address: 38 quai de Jemmapes, 75010 Paris
• Website: https://www.vaccinations-airfrance.fr
• Telephone: +33 (0)1 43 17 22 00
• To make a vaccination appointment:
  • online (click here)
  • call the centre at +33 (0)1 43 17 22 00

Tap water is safe to drink in Berlin.

Administrative formalities

Entry requirements for Germany

For stays of less than three months, travellers from the Schengen area, as well as those from the countries of the European Union not included in the area, need only be in possession of a national identity card or a passport valid for the duration of their stay.

As a general rule, travellers from all other countries are subject to visa requirements, although foreign nationals from certain countries may enter Germany for up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes.

For further information, visit the website of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees:
http://www.bamf.de/EN/Migration/Einreisebestimmungen/einreisebestimmungen-node.html

Useful addresses

To enjoy peace of mind during your stay in Berlin, visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your country.

Essential phrases

Good to know

+49

+ phone number (without 0)

0 : 00
of time difference with
Stockholm

Start of daylight saving time: last Sunday in March
End of daylight saving time: last Sunday in October

BANKS

Usually open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

GOVERNMENT OFFICES

Usually open Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

230 V / 50 Hz

Tipping
In Berlin like elsewhere in Germany, tipping is not expected. In principle, the service charge is included in the bill. But if you are particularly pleased with the service, you may certainly round up the bill or leave a few extra euros on the table.