Berlin/Dresden advice
 

Hi all, first time poster here who appreciates all of the valuable advice and insight. My gf and I are biting the exchange rate bullet and heading to Germany for thanksgiving week in late November. We are exploring all possible open-jaw and package options, but as of now we are just flying r/t to Berlin and will have 5 days/nights. Barring a super deal on a rental car, we will most likely just stick to the trains and be doing one overnight trip, and Dresden seems like the favorite.

My most immediate question would be advice on how best to structure the trip: should we sack up and just take the train from TXL upon landing to dresden? or is using the s/u-bahn to get from the city center back to the train station and out to dresden easy?

Any other special tips or insights on the trip (Berlin, Dresden, other side trips, hotels, etc) would be appreciated. Thanks folks!

OK: I'll try a response, but I don't understand the term 'sack up'. I assume that it does not mean that you intend to sleep at TXL on arrival?
TXL is connected to Berlin by bus: I was not aware that a train service was available there. The usual procedure would be to catch the airport bus to Berlin HBF (the main train station), and from there get a train to Dresden.
The HBF is in the centre of Berlin, so, obviously, getting from the city centre to the HBF is quite easy.
I'm not clear about how many nights you are staying in Berlin, but Dresden is only two hours from Berlin, so, if you left early enough, it could be a day trip, not necessitating an overnight stay.
A convenient place to stay in Berlin is the IBIS hotel near Anhalter S-Bahn station. It's the usual IBIS standard, relatively inexpensive, within walking distance of Potsdamerplatz, Checkpoint Charlie etc, and has two supermarkets closeby. It is bookable on-line.
A daytrip to Potsdam is easy by S-Bahn, and the Sans-Souci Palace is well-worth a glance.

Great idea to do the combo Berlin/Dresden. I am a Dresden resident (and frequent poster here ;-) ) and did the travel you plan to do in opposite direction: Dresden to Berlin, overnight, TXL to Newark on Continental.

I'd say it depends on when your flight arrives if it makes sense to head for Dresden directly. And when your flight back from TXL leaves. In my experience the planes from NY arrive in Berlin in the morning, so it makes sense to add the 2-3 hours trip to Dresden. And it is almost impossible to catch a flight from Berlin to NY w/o an overnight in Berlin - train connections in the morning are too late and inconvenient.

So, what I did was to catch the TXL bus to Hauptbahnhof (central railway station) and hop on the train to Dresden there. Easy thing to do. I can recommend some hotels for you in Dresden if you give me a budget. Please note that the Chess Olympiad takes place in Dresden in November (12-26 Nov I think). So early booking recommended, otherwise it is not a main tourist season, though.

I.

jp,

Congratulations on your upcoming trip. Given its cultural diversity, seemingly never-ending new construction, and strong emphasis on the arts, Berlin has to be one of Europe's most exciting cities. Toss in a short visit to nearby Dresden, and you've got the formula for a great five days.

Dresden usually deserves an overnight, but since your time in Berlin is fairly limited, I would base yourself in Berlin and see Dresden as a daytrip. Do, however, get a very early start on the day as the train ride is about 2.5 hours and there is much to see and do in Dresden, including the newly-restored Frauenkirche, art-packed Zwinger complex (don't miss the Old Masters Gallery), Royal Palace, and Hofkirche. Fortunately, all of these are located in Dresden's historic core, right next to the River Elbe. Speaking of which, Dresden is a great place from which to hop on a steamboat and tour a stretch of the Elbe. Consider such a cruise if the weather's on your side.

About Berlin, you'll have little trouble occupying your time as there are countless quality museums, art galleries, walking tours, and a great after-hours scene (refer to any good guide book for specific recommendations). You might want to consider staying in an area to the west of the Memorial Church. Savignyplatz is a short walk to a train station (a real convenience) while also placing you in a real neighborhood, one that can give you a respite from the hectic pace of Berlin. Pension Peters will provide you with very good value for money.

www.pension-peters-berlin.de

Best of luck.

Thanks for the tips...we will debate Dresden as a daytrip vs. an overnight. Perhaps we will substitute Potsdam or Spreewald instead of Dresden? Those seem to be shorter/cheaper trips. Anyway thanks again and keep any insider tips coming.