Berlin on your own - different train stations?

[AstoriaPreppy]

Heading on a Celebrity cruise this summer, stopping in Warnemunde for the day. We’ve booked Celebrity’s Berlin on your own by train excursion, with pickup in Warnemunde on the chartered excursion train. 

 

One question: I’ve seen *multiple* reviews, comments, complaints and gripes across multiple lines, mentioning the drop off and pick up stations in Berlin being different for this excursion. However, none of these comments mention which station the train stops at on arrival and where it leaves on departure. Most of the times it’s an exasperated passenger saying “no one told us” or “we were so confused and had to take a taxi,” etc. 

 

Does anyone know specifics? It would certainly help us plot out our day in Berlin knowing what station we’ll start the day at and what station we’ll conclude. 

[MeHeartCruising]

On 3/10/2024 at 1:13 PM, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

Heading on a Celebrity cruise this summer, stopping in Warnemunde for the day. We’ve booked Celebrity’s Berlin on your own by train excursion, with pickup in Warnemunde on the chartered excursion train. 

 

One question: I’ve seen *multiple* reviews, comments, complaints and gripes across multiple lines, mentioning the drop off and pick up stations in Berlin being different for this excursion. However, none of these comments mention which station the train stops at on arrival and where it leaves on departure. Most of the times it’s an exasperated passenger saying “no one told us” or “we were so confused and had to take a taxi,” etc. 

 

Does anyone know specifics? It would certainly help us plot out our day in Berlin knowing what station we’ll start the day at and what station we’ll conclude. 

 

Can you post a description of your excursion?  I can't get to it without having a cruise booked.

 

It was years ago, but when I was on an excursion that did this, it didn't matter which train station we were taken to because once at a Berlin train station, we were put on a bus and then taken into the city center.  We were dropped off at the Berlin Hilton (near the Stadtmitte U-Bahn station).  Pickup was at the same location.  This info was included in the excursion's description, so I could plan accordingly.  

[AstoriaPreppy]

6 hours ago, MeHeartCruising said:

 

Can you post a description of your excursion?  I can't get to it without having a cruise booked.

 

It was years ago, but when I was on an excursion that did this, it didn't matter which train station we were taken to because once at a Berlin train station, we were put on a bus and then taken into the city center.  We were dropped off at the Berlin Hilton (near the Stadtmitte U-Bahn station).  Pickup was at the same location.  This info was included in the excursion's description, so I could plan accordingly.  

 

Hmmmm... maybe that's the case for us as well? I don't remember seeing details about a coach before, but it's absolutely in there now. 

 

Here's the description: 
 

---

 

Overview

Berlin is about a 2.5- 3 hour train ride. Throughout the journey, your escort will provide you with water and light snacks, Berlin city maps, and an "emergency kit" with essential phone numbers to prepare you for your exploration activities in Berlin. Your escort will also inform you of your departure time and location in Berlin. After a day of exploring on your own, you'll take the train back to your ship. The coach will transport you from the arrival/departure train station to the city center.
 

Highlights

• Explore Berlin at your own pace.
• Discover your own Berlin—see the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, or browse the city’s unique boutiques and shops.
• Sit back and enjoy scenic views of the northern German countryside on a relaxing train ride.
•  

Important details and advisements

 

• During the transfer to/from Berlin guests will be escorted and assisted by an English-speaking host.
• Guests may be required to pay between 50 cents and 1 Euro to use the public toilets.
• Guests must be at least 18 years old to consume alcohol. Alcohol may be served, please drink responsibly. 
• Please note that shops are normally closed on Sundays in Germany and only souvenir shops will be open.
• The train ride between Warnemunde and Berlin is approximately 2.5- 3 hours each way, subject to daily train traffic conditions.

[MeHeartCruising]

4 hours ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

Hmmmm... maybe that's the case for us as well? I don't remember seeing details about a coach before, but it's absolutely in there now. 

 

Here's the description: 
 

---

 

Overview

Berlin is about a 2.5- 3 hour train ride. Throughout the journey, your escort will provide you with water and light snacks, Berlin city maps, and an "emergency kit" with essential phone numbers to prepare you for your exploration activities in Berlin. Your escort will also inform you of your departure time and location in Berlin. After a day of exploring on your own, you'll take the train back to your ship. The coach will transport you from the arrival/departure train station to the city center.
 

Highlights

• Explore Berlin at your own pace.
• Discover your own Berlin—see the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, or browse the city’s unique boutiques and shops.
• Sit back and enjoy scenic views of the northern German countryside on a relaxing train ride.
•  

Important details and advisements

 

• During the transfer to/from Berlin guests will be escorted and assisted by an English-speaking host.
• Guests may be required to pay between 50 cents and 1 Euro to use the public toilets.
• Guests must be at least 18 years old to consume alcohol. Alcohol may be served, please drink responsibly. 
• Please note that shops are normally closed on Sundays in Germany and only souvenir shops will be open.
• The train ride between Warnemunde and Berlin is approximately 2.5- 3 hours each way, subject to daily train traffic conditions.

It’s poorly written, but I think it sounds like there will be a bus involved.  Even so, it would be nice if they told you more details.  I looked back at the excursion  description from my day.  It was way back in 2008!  In the description, they told us the Hilton Hotel was our drop off and pick up point.  That allowed me to make specific plans in advance.  Good luck

[XuGator]

On 3/10/2024 at 1:13 PM, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

Heading on a Celebrity cruise this summer, stopping in Warnemunde for the day. We’ve booked Celebrity’s Berlin on your own by train excursion, with pickup in Warnemunde on the chartered excursion train. 

 

One question: I’ve seen *multiple* reviews, comments, complaints and gripes across multiple lines, mentioning the drop off and pick up stations in Berlin being different for this excursion. However, none of these comments mention which station the train stops at on arrival and where it leaves on departure. Most of the times it’s an exasperated passenger saying “no one told us” or “we were so confused and had to take a taxi,” etc. 

 

Does anyone know specifics? It would certainly help us plot out our day in Berlin knowing what station we’ll start the day at and what station we’ll conclude. 

We did this last year and were definitely frustrated that the train stations were not communicated ahead of time.  Drop off was at Berlin central station which is in the heart of the city and a few minutes walk to the Reichstag.  The tour told us the meeting point for the train back to the ship would be at the Berlin Gesundbrunnen station which is a few miles north of the city. It definitely adds an element of stress and unknown as you are meeting at a new place nowhere near where you were dropped off. Almost everyone took a taxi or metro to get there (as that is what the tour guides suggested) but we ended up walking it. It took about an hour to walk via google maps. It’s very helpful if you  have cell phone service and google maps available. It would have been nice to know ahead of time so we could plan accordingly. There was no bus or any transportation provided to the return station and everyone had to find their own way there. 

Edited May 31 by XuGator

[Scottishclover]

Gesundbrunnen is a large hub station. For anybody in this situation in the future, pretty much all regional trains heading north stop here and it also has very frequent S-Bahn and U-Bahn connections. Lots of ways to get there from central Berlin.  My daughter lives in Rostock and often needs to change trains in Gesundbrunnen after a day in Berlin. 

 

I do understand the extra stress, if you are not expecting it. I find it ridiculous that you are not told about this before the excursion. 

[XuGator]

Yeah I feel like if you are paying extra for a ship sponsored excursion, then you shouldnt have to worry about finding your own transportation (taxi, metro, train) back to the pickup spot. If they wanted to leave from a different, distant station, then they should provide a shuttle or bus that brings people there from central Berlin (near the drop off). We are pretty savvy with navigation and public transit but many others on the tour, especially the older people were extremely uncomfortable and it was hard to gauge how much time to travel to the pickup station to be back or you will miss the long train ride back to the port and potentially miss the ship. Many cruisers book these tours so all the travel arrangements are handled for them. Many on our tour didn't have data or cell service either so it made it even more difficult for them.

Edited May 31 by XuGator

[AstoriaPreppy]

Quick update: we ended up canceling our Celebrity excursion and are just doing Berlin by commuter train on our own.

 

After a bit of research, I discovered that there's nonstop IC trains that are exponentially less expensive than the excursion, round trip from Warnemunde to Berlin Hbf. We'll depart around 8 am and return at 5:30 pm, arriving at the train around 8 pm. We've done commuter trains while traveling in the past, and are pretty independent travelers, so this seems like a great option to maximize our time in Berlin.