The Wonderful World of German Public Transportation

One of the biggest things that I'll miss about Germany, specifically Berlin, is the public transportation.  It is so easy to get around here and I have so much freedom because of it. Germany in general has an amazing train system called the Deutsche Bahn. There are three different types of trains that go various speeds and distances.

The Regio Bahn (Regional Train)

The Regio Bahn is bright red and stays within the region of your starting point. These are the slowest of the three trains and are taken if it is not a very far trip or they are taken to the edge of the region where you must then transfer to another train. Also, sometimes these are two stories. 

The IC (Intercity)

The IC goes faster than the regional trains and connects major cities. They're often for longer trips than the regional train, making them more comfortable.

The ICE (Intercity Express)

The ICE looks a lot like the IC, except that they're newer and more modern. These run between major cities, as well as into surrounding countries. They are the high speed train and can reach up to speeds of 320 km/h (about 200 mph). This is my favorite type of train because they're so comfortable and I love to take long trips with the ICE!

In Berlin, we have many different forms of Public transportation. I am really going to miss being able to jump on the subway or a bus and go anywhere I want in the city! 

Bus

The majority of the busses in Berlin are double decker busses. Since there are so many people here these go on the most used routes, single story busses usually go in the more residential areas/less commonly used routes. I take a two story bus to and from the U bahn station on my way to school everyday.

U bahn (Underground subway) 

The Berlin U bahn system is the largest and most extensive underground system in all of Germany and it is the type of public transportation that I use the most. Since I now live very far from my school, I take two different U bahn lines everyday as well as a bus to get to school. For the most part the U bahn stays underground but in certain places it goes above ground.

S bahn (above ground subway)

The S bahn is an above ground subway system, which I prefer because I like to see the city as I'm going places. However, it is not as extensive as the U bahn network so I do not use it as often. 

Trams

The street trams are in quite a few areas of Berlin, however most are in the area around Alexanderplatz, so I have yet to use a tram. 

Taxis

Like all major cities, Berlin also has Taxis. They are a pale yellow color and are found all over Berlin. I have never used a taxi because they are very expensive here and I know my way around the U and S bahn systems. For the most part, taxis in Berlin are used by the tourists.