Berlin Maps: a Few Useful Tips
It is always good to carry a map with you when in an unknown city, and Berlin is no exception. But what maps should you get and where?
What’s special about Berlin is that if you know how to make good use of it’s public transportation and have a suitable map, you can easily get anywhere you want.
Berlin’s public transportation system includes two sophisticated train systems (U-Bahn and S-Bahn), many bus lines, and the Tram trains. No single map can show all relevant information about these, but a good map with the basic routes will usually be enough for a traveler.
There are tons of maps available, usually with streets on one side and the transportation system route on the other. You’d find them in books and travel guides, and in various shops and tourist information agencies. Some of the more decent maps are actually given for free, like those offered by the BVG service centers (BVG is the main operator of city transportation).
It’s better to find a good map of the city and mark the places you want to visit prior to your trip.
BVG offer an interactive map, which can be partially downloaded as a PDF file from here.
On my blog, Berlin O Philia, I offer a few other useful links to maps and other Berlin related resources.