Looks like we will be flying into Berlin Schonefeld. I was wondering if there is a train connection to Leipzig from there without backtracking into central Berlin. Bahn.de doesn't seem to think so. Anyone done it?

Sure there are connections! Type in from "Berlin Schönefeld" to Leipzig, and you get connections all days long.

For example:

Lv. 10:58 with the S-Bahn and arrive Berlin Hauptbahnhof at 11:40.
Lv. Berlin Hauptbahnhof at 11:53 and arrive Leipzig at 13:05. The normal fare is 44 Euros.

Try this link: http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/que...1&OK#focus

Perfect. Thanks!

Maybe I did not understand your initial question correctly, but it is exactly as you assumed:
You do have to backtrack to Berlin central station ("Hauptbahnhof&quot from Schönefeld airport station to connect to a southbound train to Leipzig.
Changing trains at Berlin Central will require some time, since you will arrive on the elevated platform of the suburban trains and have to go downstairs to the underground platforms on the north/southbound long distance trains.

There are no direct trains from Schönefeld airport station to Leipzig (except for some night trains, which you are probably not interested in).

Thank you Cowboy. It seems that backtracking through Hauptbahnhof would be the quickest. I seem to remember years ago leaving Lichtenburg for Dresden and passing through a Schonefeld station, that's why I wondered if there had been any updates. I know trains and stations around Berlin have changed a lot in the past 10 years.

You better enter "Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen". bahn.de comes up with connections through Berlin-Südkreuz which is considerably faster.

e.g.:

Berlin Schönefeld Flughafen dep. 10.27 (S-Bahn 45)
Berlin Herrmannstrasse arr. 10.51 / dep. 10.54 (S-Bahn 41)
Berlin Südkreuz arr. 10.59 / dep. 11.05
Leipzig Hbf arr. 12.05

It is a rather tight connection and with much luggage I would definitely recommend to take a taxi from the airport Schönefeld to Berlin Südkreuz. All the trains to Leipzig go through this station.

I.

Hi gertie,

we spent a very frustrating hour [at least] on the station at schoenefeld, before we managed to find the right platform for the Berlin train. and I'm supposed to speak german!

so I agree with Ingo that you'd be better off getting a cab to Berlin- sudkreuz. the cab we got back to the airport from our hotel in Mitte cost about 25E.

regards, ann

I did not find it that hard to find the right platform at Schoenefeld train station, but that was in 2004, so maybe they have changed things. However, the taxi to Berlin-Südkreuz sounds like a good idea.

Schönefeld airport is not too user-friendly with regard to public transportation.

The terminal buildings are a 1/4 mile walk from the station, or a ride on the (free) shuttle bus.
Going downtown, you can either take the faster Airport Express (a regular regional train, no surcharges) but which runs only twice an hour.
Or you take the S-Bahn which will either take you to Hauptbahnhof (S9, direct line, but kinda time-consuming), or S45/41 to Südkreuz station which requires changing trains at Hermannstr. station.
The options may sound a bit confusing, but are not that complicated in real life.

Taking a taxi to Südkreuz is by far the smoothest and "stress-less" option.

Thanks all. Sudkreuz it is.

> I seem to remember years ago leaving Lichtenburg for Dresden and passing through a Schonefeld station,

Yes, the fast trains from Berlin to leipzig used to pass Schoenefeld (and to stop there) but it changed with the building of the new central station and the north-south tunnel about 2 years ago. The trains Berlin to Leipzig take 40 min less now, but at the cost of bypassing Schoenefeld.

Nice to know my memory is still functioning correctly. I was beginning to wonder if that train trip years ago was all fantasy. Looks like Berlin will be very different from my last visit.