The simplest normal public transport route from Berlin Brandenburg Airport to the Berlin TV Tower is to take the S9 toward Spandau to S+U Alexanderplatz, then walk to the entrance opposite Alexanderplatz S-Bahn station. This is the clearest route when the S9 is running normally because it avoids a central-city transfer. Before relying on it, check current BER or S-Bahn service notices, because construction can temporarily interrupt S9 service.
The Berlin TV Tower is easy to see, but the entrance can still catch visitors out. The tower rises above Alexanderplatz, so the visual landmark is obvious; the practical trick is finding the entrance side. Use the official cue: the entrance is opposite Alexanderplatz S-Bahn station.
For most visitors, the route is simple: BER Airport to S9 toward Spandau, get off at S+U Alexanderplatz, exit toward Alexanderplatz / Fernsehturm, then walk to the entrance opposite the S-Bahn station.
Best station for Berlin TV Tower
The best station for Berlin TV Tower is S+U Alexanderplatz. It is served by S-Bahn and U-Bahn lines and places you directly beside the Alexanderplatz area where the tower stands.
The station is large, so the name alone is not enough. After you arrive, follow signs toward Alexanderplatz, Fernsehturm, or the open square. If you come out into a shopping passage or road edge with no clear view of the tower, you may simply be on a less useful side of the station.
The key entrance cue is official and simple: the Berlin TV Tower entrance is opposite Alexanderplatz S-Bahn station. Use the tower as your visual anchor, but use the S-Bahn station side to find the entrance.
For a first visit, choose S+U Alexanderplatz over nearby tram stops or other central stations. It is the best reset point if you lose your bearings around the square.
Check current S9 service before you leave the terminal
S9 is the direct airport route only when it is running normally through to central Berlin. If there are S-Bahn works, replacement buses, or airport rail restrictions, follow the current BER or S-Bahn notice before leaving the terminal.
At the time of this June 2026 update, BER has announced temporary restrictions affecting S9 and S85 service between the airport and the city. That does not make S9 the wrong normal route, but it does mean you should not blindly follow an old saved route without checking current service.
The safe rule is simple: use S9 to Alexanderplatz when it is running normally. If official service notices show disruption, follow the airport or S-Bahn alternative for that day.
How to get to Berlin TV Tower from Berlin Brandenburg Airport
From Berlin Brandenburg Airport, the easiest normal route is the S9 toward Spandau. It runs from BER Airport through central Berlin and stops at S+U Alexanderplatz.
After landing at BER, follow signs for the airport railway station. The station is below Terminal 1, so do not leave the terminal area looking for a city bus unless current service notices say the S-Bahn is disrupted.
Buy or validate a ticket that covers Berlin ABC zones. BER Airport is in Zone C, while Alexanderplatz is in central Berlin, so an airport-to-city trip needs ABC coverage.
Take the S9 toward Spandau and stay on until S+U Alexanderplatz. Do not get off early just because the TV Tower becomes visible from parts of the city. The tower is visible from far away, but Alexanderplatz is the station that puts you closest to the entrance.
Before you travel, check current S-Bahn service. If S9 is interrupted by works or replacement buses, follow the official BER or S-Bahn alternative for that day. The route is simple when the S9 is running normally, but the current service notice matters more than an old saved route.
At Alexanderplatz, follow signs toward Alexanderplatz or Fernsehturm, then walk to the entrance opposite the S-Bahn station.
Ticket tip from BER Airport
A common mistake is buying an AB ticket because the TV Tower is in central Berlin. The destination is central, but the airport is not. BER Airport is in Zone C, so a trip from BER to Alexanderplatz needs Berlin ABC coverage.
If you already have a Berlin AB ticket or pass, check whether you need an extension ticket for Zone C before boarding from the airport. It is better to fix this at the airport station than to realise the problem after you are already on the train.
Buy and validate your ticket before boarding. Do not treat the airport ride like a short city-center hop.
S9 direct or FEX plus U5?
For airport arrivals, the S9 is the easiest route to explain when it is running normally. You board at BER, stay on the train, and get off at Alexanderplatz. There is no central station transfer and no need to compare several platforms while tired from a flight.
FEX plus U5 can still be useful. Airport rail information lists Airport Express and regional train options to central Berlin, and U5 connects Hauptbahnhof with Alexanderplatz. This route may be faster on some days, especially if S9 is disrupted or if your route planner shows a clean connection.
For a first visit, choose S9 if it is running normally and your priority is simplicity. Choose FEX plus U5 if the current timetable clearly favors it or if S9 is temporarily restricted.
The arrival goal is the same either way: S+U Alexanderplatz, then the entrance opposite Alexanderplatz S-Bahn station.
From Berlin Hauptbahnhof or the city center
If you are already at Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the U5 is one of the cleanest routes to Alexanderplatz. It takes you directly to S+U Alexanderplatz without needing to cross the city on foot.
From the central S-Bahn corridor, lines such as S3, S5, S7, and S9 can also bring you to Alexanderplatz. If you are near an U-Bahn station, U2, U5, and U8 may be useful depending on your starting point.
From Brandenburg Gate, Unter den Linden, or Museum Island, the U5 often works well. From Hackescher Markt or nearby central areas, walking may also be reasonable in good weather, but a timed TV Tower ticket is a good reason to use the train instead of guessing your way across central streets.
The important rule is this: your route should end at S+U Alexanderplatz, not just somewhere that gives you a view of the tower. The TV Tower is visible from many places in central Berlin, but Alexanderplatz is the station that puts you closest to the entrance.
Bus or taxi
A bus is rarely the first choice from BER Airport to Berlin TV Tower. It can work during disruptions or late at night, but the S9 or an airport train connection is usually easier for most airport arrivals.
A taxi makes sense if you are arriving late, traveling with children, trying to make a timed ticket, or simply too tired to read station signs. It is also a reasonable backup in heavy rain, because the last part of the route is outdoors across a busy square.
Be careful with luggage, though. Berlin TV Tower has safety rules for bags, and larger luggage cannot be taken up the tower. There is no luggage storage available at the tower, so if you are coming straight from the airport with suitcases, consider going to your hotel first.
If you use a taxi, ask for Berliner Fernsehturm at Alexanderplatz or the Berlin TV Tower entrance opposite Alexanderplatz S-Bahn station. Saying only “Alexanderplatz” may get you close, but the square is large enough that a more precise drop-off is better.
The final walk from Alexanderplatz station
The final walk is short, but it is the part that decides whether your arrival feels smooth or oddly annoying. Once you reach S+U Alexanderplatz, do not just follow the first crowd leaving the platform. Look for signs toward Alexanderplatz or Fernsehturm.
When you reach street level, look up. The TV Tower is one of the easiest landmarks in Berlin to spot from this area. The tall shaft and sphere will tell you the general direction immediately.
But the entrance is not simply “where the tower looks tallest.” The official entrance cue is stronger: the entrance is opposite Alexanderplatz S-Bahn station. Use the tower for direction, then use the S-Bahn station side to find the actual entry point.
If you see tram tracks, open square space, and the tower directly nearby, you are close. If you are inside a shopping passage or moving along a road edge with no clear entrance signs, step back into the open square and re-orient toward the S-Bahn station side.
The World Clock can help you understand the square, but it is not the entrance. If you drift toward shops, tram stops, or the wrong side of Alexanderplatz, return to the S-Bahn station side and look for the signed TV Tower entrance.
If you have a timed ticket
Add a small buffer after your train arrival. Alexanderplatz is busy, and the final walk can take longer than expected if you come out on the wrong side of the station.
If you have a timed TV Tower ticket, do not spend your last minutes wandering toward the tower base from every angle. Use the entrance cue immediately: opposite Alexanderplatz S-Bahn station.
Keep your ticket ready before you reach the entrance area. The TV Tower has security checks, so arriving calm and a little early is better than arriving exactly on time and rushed.
If you feel turned around
Return to S+U Alexanderplatz signs or the open square outside the station. This is the easiest reset point because the TV Tower is directly beside the area.
Look up for the tall sphere of the Fernsehturm, then orient yourself toward the Alexanderplatz S-Bahn station side rather than wandering around the whole square.
Head to the entrance opposite the Alexanderplatz S-Bahn station. If you reach the World Clock, tram stops, or shopping areas first, use them only as orientation points and move back toward the tower entrance side.
The main mistake is continuing to circle the base of the tower without checking the station side. Stop, reset, and use the official entrance cue.
Best route by situation
From BER Airport in normal S9 service, take S9 toward Spandau and get off at S+U Alexanderplatz.
If S9 service is disrupted, check BER or S-Bahn Berlin service notices and follow the official alternative for that day.
If you are at Berlin Hauptbahnhof, take U5 directly to Alexanderplatz.
If you want the fewest decisions from the airport, use S9 when it is running normally.
If you want the fastest route on a disrupted day, compare FEX plus U5 with the current S-Bahn alternative.
If you have heavy luggage, consider going to your hotel first because large luggage is not allowed up the TV Tower and the tower does not provide luggage storage.
If you arrive late, have children, or are running close to a timed ticket, taxi may be calmer than navigating station exits.
FAQ
What is the nearest station to Berlin TV Tower?
The nearest practical station is S+U Alexanderplatz. It is the best arrival point because the Berlin TV Tower entrance is opposite Alexanderplatz S-Bahn station.
How do I get to Berlin TV Tower from Berlin Airport?
When S9 is running normally, take the S9 toward Spandau from Berlin Brandenburg Airport and get off at S+U Alexanderplatz. From there, exit toward Alexanderplatz / Fernsehturm and walk to the entrance opposite the S-Bahn station.
Do I need an ABC ticket from BER to Berlin TV Tower?
Yes. BER Airport is in Zone C, while Alexanderplatz is in central Berlin. For a trip from the airport to the TV Tower, you need Berlin ABC coverage.
Is S9 always the best route?
S9 is the simplest normal route because it avoids a transfer. However, service works can temporarily interrupt it. Check current BER or S-Bahn service information before relying on the direct route.
Is FEX plus U5 better than S9?
It can be better on some days, especially if S9 is disrupted or if your route planner shows a clean connection. For simplicity, S9 is easier when it is running normally.
Is the Berlin TV Tower entrance easy to find?
It is easy once you know the cue. The tower is visible from the square, but the entrance is opposite Alexanderplatz S-Bahn station, so do not rely only on walking toward the tower base.
Can I bring luggage to Berlin TV Tower?
Large luggage cannot be taken up the tower, and there is no luggage storage available at the tower. If you are coming from the airport with suitcases, it is usually better to stop at your hotel first.
Can I walk to Berlin TV Tower from Museum Island?
Yes, you can walk from Museum Island or Hackescher Markt if the weather is good and you are not carrying heavy luggage. For a timed ticket or a no-guess arrival, use S+U Alexanderplatz.
Quick checklist
Take the S9 toward Spandau from BER Airport when normal service is running.
Check current S9 service before relying on the direct route.
Use a Berlin ABC ticket when starting from the airport.
Get off at S+U Alexanderplatz.
Follow signs for Alexanderplatz / Fernsehturm.
Find the entrance opposite Alexanderplatz S-Bahn station.
Do not rely only on walking toward the visible tower base.
Avoid bringing large luggage to the tower.
Sources checked
Berliner Fernsehturm – confirmed official entrance location opposite Alexanderplatz S-Bahn station, opening hours, baggage restrictions, and accessibility notes – https://tv-turm.de/en/faqs/
BVG – confirmed S+U Alexanderplatz station, U2 / U5 / U8, S3 / S5 / S7 / S9 connections, and Berlin fare zone A location – https://www.bvg.de/en/connections/station-overview/s-u-alexanderplatz
S-Bahn Berlin – confirmed S9 route from BER Airport through central Berlin toward Spandau and normal service frequency information – https://sbahn.berlin/en/plan-a-journey/s9/
Berlin Brandenburg Airport – confirmed airport railway station location under Terminal 1, public transport options, and current S-Bahn service notices – https://ber.berlin-airport.de/en/orientation/getting-here/public-transport.html
DB Regio Berlin-Brandenburg – confirmed S9 route between BER Airport, Alexanderplatz, Hauptbahnhof and Spandau, and Berlin ABC ticket requirement from the airport – https://www.dbregio-berlin-brandenburg.de/db-regio-no/Fahren/flughafenexpress/flughafenexpress-en
Last updated: June 2026
