Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Theatre ticket office
Right
Enjoy Berlin's parks for free
Berlin on a Budget
Accommodation
For low-cost
accommodation you can
check into inexpensive
youth hostels, hostels
run by the YMCA, or a
backpacker hostel. Or try
a Mitwohnzentrale, an
agency arranging shared
accommodation in private
homes at a low cost
(see
also p163).
transport network
operating anywhere
within the A, B and C
fare zones, as well as up
to 50 per cent reductions
for many tourist
attractions.
visit to one of the federal
ministries is particularly
interesting. Daily news-
papers will list these
events. Every year in
summer, “Schaustelle
Berlin” (a pun on “Bau-
stelle , meaning building
site) conducts guided
tours to Berlin's major
building sites and other
projects (
see also www.
berlin.de)
.
Reduced Tickets
Theatres and the
opera house sell reduced
tickets at the door on the
day of the performance,
mainly for pupils and
students who can show
a valid student card.
Alternatively, tickets can
be bought cheaply in
advance by anyone from
ticketing agencies such
as Hekticket. d
Hekticket
(030) 230 99 30
Restaurants
As in Britain, Indian
and Turkish restaurants
are often particularly
good value. Another
cheap alternative are
Turkish doner kebab
snack bars and German
curry sausage stands -
these often also sell other
snacks at low prices.
Free Concerts
Churches and smaller
concert halls in the outer
districts often put on
classical concerts for a
low admission fee or
even free of charge. The
city magazines and daily
newspapers list such
events in the appropriate
columns. All Berlin daily
newspapers also give
away free tickets for
current exhibitions and
events. Look at the Berlin
pages in the papers for
what is currently on offer.
Street Artists
Berlin has always
been a good place for
street artists, especially
on Breitscheidplatz and
along Ku'damm. There is
a legendary mime artist,
dressed as a clown, who
mimics passers-by
outside the cafés on the
eastern side of Ku'damm.
In summer, in Charlotten-
burg and Prenzlauer
Berg, you can often listen
to street musicians and
singers directly at your
table or outside the
restaurant or café.
Museums
Berlin's municipal
museums, especially
those on Museumsinsel,
can all be visited on a
three-day ticket costing
only €6. Admission is
also free on the first
Sunday of every month.
Markets
Berlin's weekly flea
markets always have a
vast range of special
offers for sale, besides
which they'll offer you
the opportunity to try out
your haggling skills
(see
also pp60-1).
WelcomeCard
The BVG Welcome-
Card offers the best and
cheapest way of visiting
exhibitions and museums
in Berlin and using public
transport throughout the
city. The WelcomeCard
costs €22 for one adult
and up to three children
under the age of 14
(children under 6 travel
free). It provides three
days of free travel on all
buses and trains of the
Berlin-Brandenburg public
Day of the
Open Door
Since Berlin is Germany's
political and cultural
capital, many public and
private institutions
regularly offer the chance
to take a look behind the
scenes, free of charge. A
Parks
Admission to all of
Berlin's parks and green
spaces is free. You can
enjoy their sports facili-
ties, and often also open-
air-concerts, without
having to form out for a
ticket
(see also pp68-9).
For shops & markets around town
see pp85, 107, 119
171
