Looks like AB is indeed the cheaper option here (I can reconcile the EUR 44.00 all inclusive, whereas I see LH 1-way at EUR 94.00.

If you indeed prefer to see the pretty countryside, I'd go for a car rather than a train. That let's you stop wherever you fancy and will most likely not take longer than the train. In fact, I'd make a case that with a bit of luck you could make it in less than 5 hours (i.e. much less than the train takes) if you really wanted to by car.

And with a car going 5 hours only on autobahns you see much less than the train - lots of windblocks and walls and the driver, if they take their eyes off the road may be roadkill. Cars are great if you want to take say five days but to drive straight thru don't think you will see anything much - no cities, like trains slice thru. But driving should be a viable option - espif cannot get a 49 euro air fare (what are the taxes on the 49 euro fares? Are toilet priveleges included?

Pal, I stopped in Dresden on my way to Berlin from Prague last year. Stayed 2 nights and enjoyed it.
We plan to take a couple of side trips from Munich.
I am of European background ,I have visited Europe numerous times, I LOVE big cities - just my preference.
AB cheapest flight (total price) is 29 euros, but 6:00 AM
is not for me.
I had a very hard time choosing a hotel in Berlin on my first visit; I did follow Thin's recommendation of Melia not because I am America ( I am not) or conservative ( God forbid) but because I like his taste ( also, the rate was very low).
It took several days for Berlin to "grow" on me, but apparently it did.

Danon, what I think is funny: "I also find train stations confusing ( much more than airports) so I get to the station 20- 30 min before departure."

But you need to go to the train station to get on the S-Bahn train to the airport, no?

To each their own, but I would definitely take the train. (But I *really* hate flying, so I am the non-typical traveller.)

Hi everyone, thank you all for your responses. I am just seeing them now as Fodors has been down for me for the past two days (!). Thanks to this, I am now leaning towards flying, unless the cost is a significant issue.

By train stations I mean a real trains station - NOT Metro, Tube, S-Bahn or U-bahn stations.

Try getting to Termini in Rome or Atocha in Madrid (for the first time) 2 minutes before departure. Good luck!

Flight from Munich to Berlin or Air Berlin is $113, and on Lufthansa $132. Boooking Air Berlin. I also realized that since I am there for work in Munich, my company will pay for my aiport transfer to Munich.

And I will just take the train from the Berlin airport to the Melia. (That should be easy to figure out right?)

You need to take a bus first:
1. Bus no. 128 in direction to Osloer Str. and get off at U-station Kurt-Schumacher-Platz.
2. From Kurt-Schumacher-Platz take the underground train U6 in the direction of Alt-Mariendorf and get off at Friedrichstr.

A cab is simpler and will cost around EUR 20.00.

HSV, thank you. I thought there would a train station from the airport. The hotel's website says a taxi will be EUR 30.00 I'll see how the weather is that day (mid-March) and see how adventurous I'm feeling, but a taxi looks more likely at this time!

agree with hsv

Agree that probably rather EUR 20.00 plus than minus. EUR 30.00 sounds steep. Maybe hte hotel wants to play it safe (I would in their place), but I honestly cannot rule EUR 30.00 out completely.

When I took it last summer ,taxi from Melia to TXL was 19 euros, but it was middle of the day. In the rush hour ( who can count on traffic anyway) could be more.