Berlin - Potsdam. Help please!
 

Hi everyone,

We are travelling from Berlin to Potsdam for a day trip in mid August. Our hotel in Berlin is near Checkpoint Charlie, and we would ideally like to be on a train to Potsdam at around 9:30am (our tickets for Schloss Sansoucci are for midday, and we would like to get breakfast in Potsdam first).

I'm getting a bit confused by the rail network on how to get there. From what i'm reading, i see that we need to catch the S7 line. We are hoping to catch this from Friedrichstrasse train station in Berlin. My question is, are we able to catch this the entire way from Berlin - Potsdam, or will we have to stop in Wannse and switch to a DB train from Wannse to Potsdam (i can see on some instructions that the Berlin city limit stops at Wannse, and i was wondering if the trains therefore stop there as well).

I'm assuming buying the tickets will be as simple as using one of the ticket machines in the station. Are the directions really clear to which platform we will need to wait on? We are novices at catching trains in Europe, and it's a huge fear of mine that we will end up on the wrong train.

Thanks for any advice that you are able to give us! :)

There are direct trains from Friedrichstrasse to Potsdam - I took one in 2014. I may have taken the S7, don't remember, but there are other direct trains from Berlin as well. I think I had a day pass for public transit that included the train all the way out to Potsdam, but that pass costs more than the one for just local Berlin transit. Berlin is spread out, so having a transit pass for the city itself isn't a bad idea to get around.

I must have bought my ticket from one of the ticket machines. If you aren't sure about getting on the right train, ask someone. English is commonly spoken in Berlin, especially by younger people.

Kiwi:

There are direct DB regional trains from Friedrichstrasse station to Potsdam, take lines RE1 or RB21, NOT the S-Bahn.

Regional trains will make the trip in just under half an hour compared to almost 45 minutes by S-Bahn.

You may want to ride the U6 U-Bahn from the vicinity of Checkpoint Charlie to Friedrichstrasse station.

Tickets are available at any U-Bahn, S-Bahn or DB station. As there is a integrated fare system for all of Berlin and Potsdam's transport system, tickets will be valid on DB trains as well as all other means of public transport.

I recommend you buy a day ticket for zones A, B and C: It will be valid on Potsdam's tramway, too, if you want to take it from the city center (which is charming) to the palaces.

VBB, the authority regulating public transport in Berlin and Brandenburg have a very useful website in English that will answer most questions you may have about taking trains and buses in and around Berlin:

http://www.vbb.de/en/index.html

Hope this helps; enjoy your trip.

Kiwi-

I forgot: DB regional trains for Potsdam always leave Friedrichstrasse station from platform 3.

Cheers!

Yes, it looks like there's a direct line. If I recall correctly, there should be a sign on the platform and on the front of the train with the name of the station at the end of the line for the direction it's going. I think they charge a flat price per ride, but there are day passes you can buy, as well.

Here's a website you might find helpful:

http://www.s-bahn-berlin.de/en

Wow thanks for the advice Andrew, Rasperry7 and Trophywife007! That was exactly what i was looking for. Very grateful for the advice that the DB trains leave from platform 3 also, that's put my mind at rest!

One last question - i am assuming that when you purchase the tickets from a ticket machine, it will show you whether the train is a DB regional line vs S-Bahn?

when visiting Potsdam from Berlin we boarded at Zoo Station, 30 minutes to Potsdam Station. Here attached below are my Berlin and Potsdam pix from which you may draw an idea or two. We were able to stop at Wannsee returining, took a taxi to the mansion and returned to the train station an hour later to catch the next train to Berlin.

<i>it's a huge fear of mine that we will end up on the wrong train</i>. Not to worry...if the station signs are noted in cyrillic letters you're on your way to Siberia. <i>Krasny Sibir!</i>

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...lin2005Edited#
These show both Berlin scenes and Potsdam scenes.

Wow the pictures look great Stu! what time of year did you visit Germany?

We took S-7 line (S-Bahn train) from Friedrichstrasse to the last stop on the west, which is Potsdam Hauptbahnhof. No need to change train at all. You'll need a ticket or day-pass covering ABC zone, because Potsdam is in the C zone.

From the TI office in Potsdam Hbf we got bus schedule, and took Bus 695 for a short ride to Sanssouci. If you have time to visit Cecilienhof afterward, then take Bus 695 back to Potsdam Hbf and then take Bus 603 to Cecilienhof.

If you have a day-pass covering ABC zone, it will also cover local buses in Potsdam.

I've taken the S7 to Potsdam from the Savignyplatz station because you can get the fare covered on the Berlin pass. I love Potsdam. Sansoucci is great and there are lots of other places to visit. We ate outdoors the last time I was there and had a lovely meal. I want to go back to see Ceilienhof because we didn't have enough time to do everything.

Kiwi...on our most recent visit it was a cool October..note colorful foliage on some of the trees around the Reichstag/ Have fun....

we were there also in Potsdam in September and it was lovely. there is a botanical garden in the grounds plus the Cecilienhof.

we stopped a night there and had dinner in the old fashioned Gaststaette which is right next to Potsdam's Brandenburg Gate. Very reasonable and good beer, but I don't know about the breakfasts.

in Berlin itself we liked the boat trip round the centre as well as the standard stuff. Museums are very well air-conditioned if it is hot.

Thanks everyone! I feel a lot more confident now with navigating the train system :)