The capital of the Federal Republic of Germany has several airports. The main one, serving the lion's share of passengers, is called Tegel. It has been operating since the days of the GDR. True, it was located on the territory of Germany, in West Berlin. Despite the reconstruction and expansion, it gradually ceases to cope with the growing passenger traffic. To help him, the Berlin Brandenburg International is now being built. This giant aviation complex will completely replace Tegel in the future. But Berlin has another airport - Schönefeld. Our article will be devoted to him.
Schönefeld now accepts mostly low-costers. But if you are flying from Russia aboard an Aeroflot airliner, then most likely you will take your first steps on German soil in this hub. Where Schönefeld is located relative to Berlin, how to get from it to the capital of Germany and how not to get lost in its terminals, read in this article.
History of the airport
In 1934, at this place, not far from the townSchoenefeld ("Beautiful Field") was built aircraft factory "Henschel". Fourteen thousand aircraft were built on it until the end of World War II. To launch them into the sky, three runways 800 meters long were laid. When the Soviet troops occupied this base in 1945, the plant's equipment was stolen and sent to Russia, and what they could not take away was blown up. But already in 1946, the command changed its mind and decided to make Schönefeld Airport the main one in the occupied GDR. By order of the Soviet military administration in Germany No. 93, the construction of a civilian hub began in 1947. According to the plan, this airport was supposed to serve up to eighteen million passengers annually. Indeed, from 1960 to 1990 it was the main airport of the GDR.
With the fall of the Berlin Wall, Schönefeld's importance declined. Many airlines moved to the more developed and equipped Tegel. Schönefeld was given a second life by charter flights and low-cost airlines. And now the airport serves mainly them. According to the old Soviet tradition, the hub remains the air gateway to Germany for Aeroflot aircraft departing from Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Scheme of Schönefeld Airport
Although this hub is inferior in size and passenger traffic to Tegel, it is also a mini-city. An unprepared traveler can get confused here. But, if you think about it, Schönefeld is not an intricate labyrinth. You do not need to scurry from one terminal to another - unless you haveconnecting flight of different airlines. In this case, the scoreboard of Schönefeld Airport will tell you where to go in this case. There are four terminals in it, named simply, according to the first letters of the Latin alphabet. A and B are located in the main hub building. If you are traveling with Aeroflot, then on arrival you will be met by the first terminal. It also serves Ryanair and some others. The reputable low-cost airline EasyJet completely occupied Terminal B for its own needs. Standing at a distance, C serves special flights. D is the newest. It opened in 2005 to unload the main three terminals. It is used by the Norwegian Air Shuttle and Condor airlines.
Where is the airport located
The former main air gate of the GDR is located eighteen kilometers southeast of the center of Berlin. Nearby is the town of Schönefeld, which gave the name to the airport. Since this hub was previously of great importance, it is connected to the center of the German capital by a highway and a railway. Below we will look at how to get from Schönefeld Airport to key places in Berlin. The easiest way is by taxi. This is the most expensive way, but not the fastest, because there may be congestion on the streets of the metropolis. But the driver will take you to the very place of your destination - just say the address or name the hotel. The taxi rank is located in front of the exit from Terminal A. All cars are metered. A trip from the airport to the central district of Berlin (Mitte) or to Charlottenburg will cost you about forty-five euros (dailytariff).
Schönefeld Airport (Berlin): how to get to the city by rail
If your goal is the main station of the capital of Germany, then the best solution would be to use the Airport Express. This train leaves every half hour. But with the trains of the German railways you need to be careful. The station is located five minutes walk from the main building of the airport. But both regional RE trains and the Schönefeld Airport - Berlin Main Station express train and S-Bahn trains depart from it. To get to the city as quickly as possible, you need to stand on platforms 3 and 4.
You must purchase a ticket in advance. It costs 3, 20 € and is sold in vending machines. If you can't get along with the soulless machine, you can purchase your ticket from the English-speaking cashier who works next to the information desk in the arrivals area. Machines are located both in the main building of the airport, and at the railway station and at the bus stop. You need a ticket covering zones A-C. It is universal and is valid on all types of public transport. But the ticket must be stamped before boarding the train. Right on the platform of the station there are special red columns. If you want to use regional trains (RE7, RB14, 19, 22), then you need to be careful with the direction. You need those trains that go to the main railway station in Berlin.
On the train
There are two types of rail transport in Berlin -U-Bahn and S-Bahn. And if the first is a metro, then the second is a suburban train. Schönefeld Airport is connected to the center of Berlin by two branches. Trains on both run at intervals of ten to twenty minutes. The S9 will take you to the Pankow area, making stops at Adlershof, Schöneweide, Oostkreuz, Schönhauser Allee. S45 goes to the south of the city, to Sydkreuz. The ticket is the same as for the trains. It also needs composting. The fine for illegal driving is forty euros.
By bus
What if you arrive in Berlin late at night? How to get from Schönefeld Airport to the city center? Do you really have to fork out for a taxi (according to the nightly rate, such a trip can cost about sixty euros)? There is a bus service for this. Stops are located both at the railway station and at the exits of the terminals. For hurrying passengers, express X7 is provided, following to the station. m. "Rudov". Closer to the center, route No. 171 brings up (the final stop is at Hermann Platz). From midnight until early morning, passengers are served by two night buses. The N7 runs through the city to Spandau, stopping at Rudow, Hermann Platz and Jakob Kaiser Platz. N60 - express. It follows non-stop to Adlershof.
Services
Berlin's Schönefeld Airport, although inferior to the capital's "Tegel" in chic and splendor, is nevertheless equipped with everything necessary to make passengers waiting for their flight feel comfortable. Numerous scoreboards visiblesigns from everywhere will help even those who do not understand a word of German. Passengers board through the sleeves, so there is no need to expose yourself to the rigors of the weather. So if you're heading to tropical beaches via Schönefeld, you can change appropriately at the airport.
All four terminals have pharmacies, a first-aid post, bank branches and currency dispensers, exchange offices, a post office, mother and child rooms. There are many restaurants and cafes in the arrivals and departures halls. In the neutral zone, there are duty-free shops. There are many souvenir shops and boutiques in the free access halls.
VAT refund
What do I need to do to get my value added tax refund on purchases made? Schönefeld is an airport with a taxi-free service. In order to return the amount of VAT (and avid shopaholics sometimes accumulate a lot of it), you need to present purchases with receipts when passing through customs control. You will be given a form. It must be filled out and taken to the counter labeled Global Blue. It is located in Terminal A on the second floor. If you want to recalculate VAT on your bank card, then this service is free. Cash refunds of value added tax are subject to a fee of EUR 3.
Traveler reviews of Schönefeld airport service
Those passengers who have been to Tegel call Schönefeld small. Nevertheless, German accuracy also reigns here. Everything is designed without unnecessary glamor, but with maximum functionality. In peakduring the tourist season, queues are observed, as charter flights arrive at short intervals. But if you have registered and are in the international zone, you can relax.
Schönefeld is a very convenient airport for shopping. Prices here are like in the city, without supercharges. Duty free shops have a rich selection of perfumes, watches, children's toys, sweets, tobacco and alcohol. The cafe offers coffee and delicious cakes. There is also an observation deck at the airport, from where it is interesting to watch the takeoffs and landings of liners. Despite the fast and efficient work of all services, tourists are advised to arrive at the airport in advance. Since the hub is small, there may be queues. Especially for a long time you can linger at the security checkpoint.
