Berlin by Train and Tram: Stepping Outside My Travel Comfort Zone

Today was another travel day—but not quite a departure day. We moved hotels to be closer to the Berlin airport because tomorrow morning we have an early flight to Munich, the final stop of this trip. Before making that move, however, we had one more full day to experience Berlin, beginning with something I certainly do not do at home: taking a train into the city to have breakfast on top of the Reichstag.

We boarded the fast train from the airport toward central Berlin, and even my experienced travel buddy, who speaks German fluently, was slightly confused by the system. We still made the train with six minutes to spare. That has been one of my observations about Berlin: the public transportation system is extensive, clean, comfortable, and remarkably efficient. The trains, trams, and buses we used were well maintained and, from what I saw, largely free of graffiti.

Berlin Central Station, however, is another story. It feels like entering a giant maze of levels, platforms, shops, and food options. When you are trying to catch a train, it can quickly become intimidating. Even traveling with someone who understands the language, finding exactly where we needed to go sometimes took a little work.

Navigating the intricate, multilayered train station felt like solving a maze, but with my travel buddy by my side, we embraced the challenge together.

As we continued through the city, history was never far away. Along the river is a memorial to people who were killed while attempting to escape East Berlin.

Memorial near the river honors those who perished trying to escape East Germany, remembering their brave yet tragic attempts to cross the water to freedom.

In other areas, a line of bricks embedded in the pavement marks where the Berlin Wall once divided East and West. It is easy today to simply walk across that line, but from 1961 until 1989 it represented a very different reality. The Wall was constructed by East Germany after millions of people had already left for the West, including many skilled and educated workers.

A subtle line of cobblestones marks the historical divide where the Berlin Wall once separated East from West, now serving as a poignant reminder of the city's divided past.

Then there were the bakeries. Bakeries everywhere! One thing that continues to amaze me is that despite all the bread, pastries, and cafés, I simply do not see as many overweight people in European cities as I might expect. I am not sure how Europeans manage to walk past all of them. I certainly have trouble doing it.

In a bustling bakery, patrons savor the delightful aromas and sights of freshly baked bread and pastries, capturing the essence of a neighborhood teeming with culinary charm.

Breakfast at the Reichstag was one of the highlights of the morning. The building, home to Germany’s parliament, is inseparable from the country’s modern history. The Reichstag fire of February 1933 occurred shortly after Hitler became chancellor. The Nazis blamed communists and used the crisis to suspend civil liberties and accelerate their consolidation of political power. Sitting there eating breakfast while looking out over modern Berlin was another one of those travel moments when the history I have read about suddenly felt very close.

Visitors approach the historic Reichstag building, a site of political intrigue and mystery, famously known for its tumultuous past and unexpected breakfast spot.

After breakfast, we jumped onto a boat for a tour along the River Spree. It was exactly what I needed—a chance to sit down, slow the pace, and see Berlin from a completely different perspective. Historic buildings, museums, government buildings, and the impressive Berlin Cathedral line portions of the river.

A stunning view of the majestic riverside church, showcasing its intricate architecture under a bright blue sky as boats glide peacefully along the water.

Berlin has pleasantly surprised me. It is a city that knows how to entertain while never allowing you to completely forget its history. There are museums everywhere, countless restaurants and cafés, outdoor spaces filled with people, and visitors from around the world.

By late afternoon, it was time to start wrapping up our Berlin adventure. Eventually, we located the correct tram and headed back toward our starting point. I have gained a new appreciation for Berlin’s public transportation. Would I have attempted all of this on my own? Probably not.

Without my German-speaking travel partner, I am fairly certain I would have boarded the wrong train and ended up in Austria.