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Berlin public transport tickets: fares and passes

By The Travel FieldbookPublished on Updated on 5 min read
Two Berlin public transport tickets for journeys between Zones A and C.
Berlin BVG tickets for travel between Zones A and C. (Silas S · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Edited)

Berlin’s ticket choice depends on how often you ride, who travels with you and whether you will use attraction discounts. The standard Berlin WelcomeCard combines transport with partner offers, while ordinary tickets suit trips where transport is all you need. Count journeys within your intended travel window before choosing a pass.

Which ticket fits your stay?

  • For occasional journeys, choose singles or a four-trip bundle. Walk between nearby visits, but use public transport when your visits are spread across Berlin.
  • For a busy rolling day in AB, three singles cost €12.00 against €11.20 for unlimited travel, so the 24-hour ticket wins from the third journey.
  • Using every bundled journey costs €3.10 each in AB or €4.20 in ABC. Four journeys cost €12.40 or €16.80 against rolling-day fares of €11.20 or €12.90: unlimited travel wins from the fourth journey in either zone.
  • Buying a whole four-trip bundle costs more upfront than a rolling-day ticket in either zone. Unused journeys can serve later travel, but they are not savings on journeys you actually make that day.
  • For adults travelling together, AB small-group travel wins from four people: €35.30 against €44.80 individually. ABC wins from three: €37.70 against €38.70.
  • For a longer stay, consider the seven-day ticket’s calendar-based window. Choose the WelcomeCard only if its partner discounts justify paying extra.

Alexanderplatz U-Bahn station serves the U5, giving you a named starting point for cross-city visits rather than treating every outing as a walk.

Entrance and platforms at Alexanderplatz U-Bahn station in Berlin.
Alexanderplatz U-Bahn station, served by the U5 line.
Maksym Kozlenko · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Edited

Ticket prices and validity

Adult productABABCTravel window / use
Single€4.00—120 minutes; one direction
ABC single from 1 January 2027—€5.20Announced future fare
Short trip€2.80—3 rail stations / 6 surface stops
Four-trip bundle€12.40€16.80Four separate journeys
24-hour ticket€11.20€12.90Unlimited; from validation
24-hour small-group ticket€35.30€37.70Up to 5; travel together
Seven-day ticket——Seven calendar days
Zone-C extension€2.40—One zone-C journey; eligible AB base
Standard WelcomeCard 48 hours€28.50€34.50Hourly validity
Standard WelcomeCard 72 hours (three-day option)€39.50€45.50Hourly validity
Standard WelcomeCard 4 days€49.50€56.504-day product
Standard WelcomeCard 5 days€53.50€59.505-day product
Standard WelcomeCard 6 days€58.50€63.506-day product
Adult fares.

A single ticket permits changes and interruptions, but not a return or circular journey. Its window starts at validation. A stop for a visit does not turn it into a ticket for travelling back afterwards.

On a short-trip ticket, you may change within the U-Bahn and S-Bahn network. On buses and trams, you cannot change vehicles. Neither version permits interruptions or return journeys, and the ticket is non-transferable after validation. Choose it for a short, continuous trip rather than a sightseeing outing with stops.

The individual 24-hour ticket runs for a rolling period, not merely until the end of the day. The small-group version also runs from validation and covers unlimited shared journeys. If your party splits up, the group ticket does not cover separate outings.

A seven-day ticket with a printed start date runs from 00:00 on that date until 24:00 on the seventh day. A Berlin ticket bought in advance without a printed start date begins when validated and ends at 24:00 on the seventh calendar day from validation. It is not a rolling week measured from the first ride.

The hourly WelcomeCards start differently by format: hard tickets begin at validation, while online tickets begin at the selected validity date and time. These products give the full duration named in the table. Plan the start around your first transport use, rather than assuming that purchase alone starts every format.

The BVG Baureihe IK is a U-Bahn train type used on the network, including the U4 at Nollendorfplatz. Your ticket’s journey conditions matter when you change vehicles, not just when you board the first train.

A BVG Baureihe IK train at Nollendorfplatz U-Bahn station in Berlin.
A BVG Baureihe IK train on the U4 at Nollendorfplatz, Berlin.
Jcornelius · CC BY 4.0 · Edited

Zone-C extension tickets

Eligible AB base tickets
Standard single, four-trip and 24-hour tickets

Keep the base ticket and extension together for the trip. The extension is an add-on, not a standalone ticket. If most of your travel stays within AB and you only occasionally venture into zone C, you can retain your eligible standard ticket rather than change to a tourist product.

Is the WelcomeCard worth it?

The standard Berlin WelcomeCard provides discounts, not included attraction admission. You buy admission separately. Show the card before using a partner’s discounted service, and note that redemption conditions vary by partner.

Hourly WelcomeCard premiums over consecutive 24-hour tickets with matching zones and travel windows.
CriterionABABC
48-hour cost comparison€28.50 − (2 × €11.20) = €6.10 extra€34.50 − (2 × €12.90) = €8.70 extra
72-hour cost comparison€39.50 − (3 × €11.20) = €5.90 extra€45.50 − (3 × €12.90) = €6.80 extra

Standard WelcomeCard

Pros

  • Discounts of 25%–50% at more than 170 partners, including attractions, restaurants and theatres.
  • The adult’s transport ticket covers up to three accompanying children aged 6–14; any number under six travel free.

Cons

  • The extra cost only pays off if discounts you actually use exceed the premium.
  • Offers apply to participating partners, not every attraction you visit.

The standard adult AB or ABC 24-hour ticket also carries up to three children aged 6–14 free, provided its holder is at least 15, and children under six travel free too. That makes partner savings, rather than a unique child benefit, the deciding factor for many families.

Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station puts rail travel beside the central Hackescher Markt area. For outings combining transport and paid visits, add up the discounts on your chosen activities before paying the premium.

Berlin S-Bahn trains and platforms at Hackescher Markt station.
Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station in central Berlin.
Michael.F.H.Barth · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Edited

Four-trip validation and penalties

Redeem a separate journey from your four-trip ticket each time you set off. Zoologischer Garten U-Bahn station serves the U2. Buying the bundle alone does not make its individual journeys ready for travel.

Do

  • Stamp one paper ticket before boarding U-Bahn or S-Bahn; on buses, trams and ferries, stamp on board.
  • Activate an individual digital journey in the app before travelling.
  • Use each redeemed journey within 120 minutes, travelling one way; changes are permitted.

Don’t

  • Treat buying the bundle as validating all its journeys.
  • Use a redeemed journey for a return or circular trip.
  • Transfer a journey to another person after validation.
The platform at Zoologischer Garten U-Bahn station, with a train track and tiled wall.
A U2 platform at Zoologischer Garten U-Bahn station in Berlin.
Bildarbeiter · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Edited

Sources & fact-checking

Checks against the sources below cover: fares and charges.

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