Berlin is huge, much bigger than Paris! In north-eastern Germany, Berlin has 12 administrative districts, each with their own style that offers the feel of several “downtowns” in Berlin.

On the last count, Berlin had 3.5 million inhabitants and a total of 5 million people originating from 180 countries.

The language spoken is German (English is also frequently spoken), and the currency used is the euro.

Getting around Berlin

Berlin is a city so large that you cannot go into all areas of interest by walking so you will need to be familiar with the public transport system while staying in your hostel. As in many other cities, Berlin uses bus, tram or train (the equivalent of Paris RER). The BVG (Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe) manages the transportation system, one of the most efficient and modern in Europe, which is in constant development. The tram goes mainly to the eastern part of the city. If time permits, rent bikes as the city is rather flat and offers highly developed bike paths that can be used easily by hostel travelers. If necessary, you are allowed to carry your bike on the train.

To go from the eastern to the western part of the city and vice versa, the buses 100 and 200 are very practical.

The different transport systems allow the use of a single ticket that costs depending on the number of zones you travel. You can also buy a day pass that allows unlimited travel.

And of course, Berlin is bisected by the River Spree where you may travel by boat to combine business activities with pleasure. All kinds of excursions are possible.