Welcome to Berlin!
If you are new to the city, or it’s been a while since your last
visit you may notice things are a little different here than other
European cities. Here are seven basic tips to get you navigating the
capital like a local.
Transportation
1. Obey the
Ampelmann
This is the
Ampelmann. Isn’t he cute? He was an East German invention designed
to make street-safety fun for children.
When he’s green
and happy, like the picture above, it means it is safe to cross the
street. But when he is red and sticking his arms out, stay off the
road.
The trouble is, that
the widest streets have two sets of Ampelmanns (Ampelmen?
Amplemänner?) – one that will take you to a median between two
lanes of traffic, and the other that will take you to the far side of
the street. In many cases, these men are not synchronized, so it is
key to obey the Ampelmann that is closest to you, and not the one on
the far side of the street.
2. Stay out of
the Bicycle Lane!
Most streets in
Berlin have a separate cycle lane – sometimes it’s a separate
lane indicated on the road, and other times it’s a dedicated
portion of the sidewalk, often marked, or a different colour. But
this doesn’t always seem to be enough and cyclists here have free
rein. They’re pretty nonchalant about little things like, darting
in between cars stopped at traffic lights, running reds when they
think they can get away with it, and rolling through the rest of the
pedestrian-designated sidewalk, even when they have their own. But
pedestrians beware! Never, ever (EVER!) step into the bicycle lane!
Not only do the cyclists get cranky (a bit rich, I know), but a
pedestrian hit by a cyclist in the bike lane is considered to be at
fault.
3. Always have
buy a ticket before you get on the train, bus or tram
It’s oh so ever
tempting. There’s one little ticket box at the head of the train
platform, and nothing to prevent you simply from getting on the
train: no attendants, no turnstiles, no one to see that you haven’t
duly paid out your €2.80. The train’s right here and the next one
won’t come for four whole minutes…. You could just jump on the
train…
But it’s not worth
it!
Rather than invest
in bulky infrastructure like ticket takers and gates, BVG (the Berlin
Transit Authority) feels it’s better to pay plain-clothes ticket
checkers. These super-sneaky individuals climb on the train, dressed
as everyday people, pretend to look bored and stare at the ceiling,
until… Wham. As soon as the doors lock everyone in with them, out
come the official IDs and ticket scanners, and “Fahrscheine Bitte,
Tickets, please!”
The team splits up
and moves to opposite ends of the cars, then work towards the middle.
Most people nonchalantly dig their out passes, but a few will start
to look panicky, checking and re-checking places they know no ticket
exists… and a few try to get out of the way… but you’re stuck
on a train, being sandwiched in – there’s nowhere to go! Rule
breakers are hauled off the train at the next station for a good
old-fashioned public shaming and a fine of €60. This happens often
enough that it is unnecessarily risky to try and ride without a pass.
Lifestyle
4. Suits are
Highly Overrated
Berlin’s dress
code trends strongly toward casual. Jeans are easily the norm, as are
flat shoes for the ladies, and scarves are less a fashion accessory
than a thing to keep your neck warm when it’s chilly. It’s a very
rare thing to see a suit, or even what we might call
‘business-casual’ when out and about – even those getting out
of the Mercedes and Audis keep it simple.
Wear what you want,
wear what is comfortable. Wear you!
5. A Park or
Sidewalk Café is the Perfect Place to Spend an Afternoon
It’s 2pm on
Wednesday, the sun is shining and the weather is nice and warm. You
might think that it sucks that you have to be stuck behind your desk…
But not so in Berlin! Sunny, warm days lure everyone out from their
offices and computers and into the plethora of parks and cafes that
blanket the city. Berlin is definitely not a place for those who live
to work, and good weather is not to be squandered. So enjoy a beer or
a coffee under the shade of the chestnut trees, or to really
assimilate, get your FKK on in the Tiergarten.
Food and Drink
6. Pork Products
are the Cornerstone of a Berliner Diet
Pork products of
various shapes, sizes and colours are omnipresent. And cheap. You can
enjoy cured ham for breakfast, Curry Wurst for lunch and breaded
schnitzel for dinner, all for €20 or less. For those who are
concerned about the vitamin deficiency that will surely result from
such a diet, fear not – most of these dishes come with sauerkraut,
or potatoes… or both! So the odds of getting scurvy will be
minimized even if your mid-section won’t be.
7. Beer!
Another waistline
expander is Germany’s ubiquitous beverage. Beer is cheap, and it is
everywhere. For less than a euro you can buy half a litre of beer at
the grocery store. It is marginally more expensive in cafes and
restaurants, but still cheaper than water or coffee. It usually comes
in small size (0.3 litres), but really, it’s more appropriate to go
for a normal one (0.5 litres)… and you can start at lunchtime…
and drink it pretty much anywhere.
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