Local public transport includes 187 km of tram lines, 1626 km of bus routes, 328 km of urban railway, and 150 km of metro lines. Its operation is carried out by Deutsche Bahn AG and BVG.
Berlin has two airports – Schönefeld and Tegel. The latter was built in 1948. It is the base for the airline «BFG». Schönefeld Airport was founded in 1946, and for a long time remained the main airport of the GDR. In the near future it will be rebuilt into Brandenburg Airport.
In addition to rental cars, Germany also has rail transport. So, one of the common types of public transport in the German capital is the urban railway. The railway network includes 166 stations. Many of its lines serve the city's suburbs, including Potsdam, Bernau, Teltow, Oranienburg, Blankenfelde-Mahlow, Königs Wusterhausen, Strausberg, Hennigsdorf, Erkner, and others.
The central part of the network includes three main lines. Specifically, from west to east runs the «Stadtbahn» line, consisting of elevated and ground-level stations. From north to south runs the «Nord-Sud Bahn», which passes mostly through a tunnel. And the circular line is the «Ringbahn». The railway network uses electric trains equipped with direct current, voltage, and power from a contact rail.
The Berlin U-Bahn is an important transport hub of the city. It first opened in 1902. Werner von Siemens actively participated in the development of the metro project. Currently, the Berlin U-Bahn has 173 stations and nine main lines with a total length of 150 km. The longest underground line in Germany is U7 with a length of 32 km, and the shortest is U4. Its length is three kilometers.
During peak hours, trains run every three to four minutes, and at other times every five to ten minutes. Since 2003, night lines have been in operation with 15-minute intervals. They operate on certain days of the week. At other times, night buses run along the metro routes.
Berlin also has one of the oldest and largest tram systems in the world – the tram lines. They first appeared in 1865, running between Charlottenburg and the Brandenburg Gate. A hundred years later, the last tram line closed in West Berlin, as all efforts were directed towards developing the U-Bahn. At the same time, in East Berlin, tram service began to develop more actively. After German reunification, the merger of the transport systems of east and west occurred in stages. In 1994, the modernization of the tram infrastructure began. Currently, the tram network consists of 374 stops.
Cycling is well developed in Berlin. Bike lanes are laid along many roads. Traffic on them at intersections is regulated by separate sections of traffic lights.
Buses in Berlin vary – regular, two-car, and double-decker. There are many bus routes throughout the city. Boarding is only through the front door. On the back wall of the driver's cabin there is a display showing the name of the stop.
Also, the city has many major companies providing car rentals in Germany. These include Avis, Sixt, Hertz, and many others. They allow you to have freedom of movement that does not depend on public transport schedules.
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