“Getting there is Half the Fun” – Transport to & How to Find the Hotel
General information "how to reach the hotel": https://www.seminaris.de/en/hotels/conference-hotel-berlin-dahlem/location/.
Routes from the Airport BER to Seminaris Campus Hotel, Takustrasse 39, 14195 Berlin (- Dahlem), Subway station U “Dahlem-Dorf” (station has two exits, one with stairs, one with a lift in the middle of the platform):
The easiest way to reach the hotel from the Airport is by S-Bahn starting from the 2nd underground level of BER airport, ticket for zones “ABC” 3,80 € :
- S45 destination “Westend” is perfect and runs every 20 minutes. At “Heidelberger Platz” change to the U3, direction “Krumme Lanke” to “Dahlem-Dorf”. Travel time in theory is more or less 1 hour, provided trains run as scheduled.
- Alternatively, you can take the FEX, RE8 or RB23 to “Ostkreuz” and change there to a Ring-Bahn S41 in clockwise direction to “Heidelberger Platz”, and then again change to the U3, direction “Krumme Lanke” to “Dahlem Dorf”. This is more complicated (2 changes involving stairs) and will take more time, so we suggest you take option 1.
There´s also a number of connections by busses, trains (RE, FEX) and subway U7/U3, but all are less convenient than the options above. We recommend to check the BVG website or app to make sure your train options are running.
At U “Dahlem-Dorf” head for main street Königin-Luise-Strasse and follow it east some meters, until Takustrasse appears to your right-hand side. From there you should already see the hotel complex in front of you, hidden by or surrounded by Green and trees, etc.
Important: If your mobility is limited, e. g. as you use a wheelchair, please contact us. Were happy to provide you with a tailored travel plan.
Arrival by rail and routes to Seminaris Campus Hotel, Takustrasse 39, 14195 Berlin (-Dahlem), Subway station U “Dahlem-Dorf”:
Berlin has got 4 big railway stations.
The southern one is “Südkreuz”, map: https://www.bahnhof.de/downloads/station-plans/4859.pdf
where your train will probably stop when coming from the South.
“Hauptbahnhof”, map: https://www.bahnhof.de/downloads/station-plans/1071.pdf
is the main station in central Berlin,
“Ostbahnhof”, map: https://www.bahnhof.de/downloads/station-plans/530.pdf
a major hub for some long distance trains from or to the Northeast resp. East, and “Gesundbrunnen” in the North of Berlin, which probably has no impact in your case.
Most of you should arrive at Südkreuz or Hauptbahnhof. Try to book these hubs.
Südkreuz: Your train will stop at street level. Go one floor higher and look for track 11. Take any S-Bahn to “Westend”, “Gesundbrunnen” or Ring S41 clockwise. In principle any should fit. If it only goes to “Bundesplatz”, wait for the next. S-Bahn from here runs any few minutes. Get off at “Heidelberger Platz” and change to U3 “Dahlem-Dorf”. Done!
Hauptbahnhof: Dependent on your platform of arrival you have to walk your way through that steel & glass cathedral for a while. Find track no. 16 for S-Bahn on 2nd floor, S-Bahn from here is usually heading westward (at least it should). In principle any should go to “Zoologischer Garten” (3rd stop from there).
Change there to U9 direction “Rathaus Steglitz”, get off at “Spichernstrasse” and change to the U3 to “Dahlem-Dorf”. Congrats!
Ostbahnhof: Get on any S-Bahn heading west (directions “Potsdam”, “Westend”, “Westkreuz”, “Spandau”…) to “Zoologischer Garten”. Change there to U9 direction “Rathaus Steglitz”, get off at “Spichernstrasse” and change to the U3 to “Dahlem-Dorf”. Ostbahnhof is undergoing a huge roof building site, take care, due to limited space on the platforms.
We want to recommend you have a look into the following websites before your trip:
Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe BVG: https://www.bvg.de/en
Berlin route map: https://sbahn.berlin/en/route-map/
Hotel on OSM: https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/52.4576/13.2910&layers=T
Ticket App iOS: https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1232772818?amp%3Bct=Go-Live&%3Bmt=8&pt=118040828
Ticket App Google Play Store/Android:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.bvg.ticket
GUIDELINES:
Firstly and in general, public transport in Berlin seems frequent for one half of mankind and the hell for the remaining half. Berlin is currently covered by building sites, especially on the roads and railway tracks. Be prepared for stops or delays along the route due to congestion (when on busses), police investigations and medical urgencies (especially S-Bahn) along with other unexpected adventures. It doesn´t have to happen, but it can. So relax. Getting angry doesn´t speed your trip up.
Secondly, ticket controllers come along in civilian clothes and identify themselves by documents/badges. If you buy a single printed ticket for your trip, you must validate this at one of the little red machines on platforms, this will stamp it with the date and give a “pling” sound. Possessing a ticket without validation will mean a fine of 60 € if you are caught. The inspector will accompany you to leave the train in the next station, note your personal data there and issue the fine. If you are fined, make sure that you are issued a receipt.
Thirdly, along with Single trip tickets, there are day tickets, 4 trip tickets and weekly tickets. If you make more than 2 trips in a day, then the day ticket is worthwhile. If you plan to use public transport more than twice every day then get a weekly ticket. Day tickets and monthly tickets only need to be validated once before use and NOT before every trip, validating multiple times will make a ticket invalid.
Fourthly, when you come in summer, Germany will probably have the 49 €-Ticket allowing travel of the entire German public transport a whole month, except for long distance trains. This might lead to heavily crowded rush hours and weekends.
Finally, when changing from one transportation method to the other, follow the green “S” signs for S-Bahn and the yellow “U” signs for underground train. Your trip doesn´t have to deal with trams as they mainly run in the eastern part of the city and you will be based in the west.
Besides all of this you should nevertheless enjoy the trip, as it gives you a first glance of “Planet Berlin” and its inhabitants.
Of course, you are free to plan your own route using the BVG site or App. We have only chosen those which we think are the most convenient connections. Subway trains run more frequent, are faster, busses allow more sightseeing, but S-Bahn generally offers more space (for luggage) and ventilation (Berlin knows summer heat waves). And busses are normally the most confusing mode of transport to use when you are in an unknown town. Plus can become really crowded! So please stay safe and have a good and entertaining trip.
Welcome to The City!
