Are you looking for the best view in Berlin? Well, you’d be hard-pressed to find one better than that of Germany’s tallest tower, the Berlin TV Tower. Standing at the height of 368 meters, this Berlin attraction is not only home to an observation deck but also a rotating restaurant offering unparalleled dinner views up to 80 kilometers on a clear day. The Berlin TV Tower is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers (yes, that is a thing) and sees over 1.2 million visitors every year, which is quite impressive considering it can only hold up to 400 people at a time. That being said, because of its limited capacity and popularity, long lines are almost always found outside, and the tower often sells out of tickets in advance. Don’t fret, though! That’s where we come in.
There are several ways to go about getting reservations and tickets for the Berlin TV Tower, also known as the Berliner Fernsehturm. We here at Road Affair have put together the ultimate guide to how to buy tickets to the Berlin TV Tower. This way, you can save precious time and money during your holiday to the city!
Quick Answer – How to Buy Tickets to the Berlin TV Tower: The best way to buy tickets to the Berlin TV Tower is online in advance here. These tickets cost the same as on the official website but they allow you to skip the line.
Best Ways to Get Tickets to the Berlin TV Tower
As we said before, there are several ways to buy tickets to the Berlin TV Tower, and the best way really depends on how you want to experience the tower and the city. There are several ways to group attractions for discounts or skip the lines outside. We’ll lay out all the best options below so you can find the right ticket that fits your itinerary.
Line Up In-Person (Not Recommended)
When it comes to where to buy tickets to the Berlin TV Tower, you can opt to head straight to the tower and buy tickets in person. However, we strongly advise against lining up in person as you might have to wait in long lines in the cold or heat of the summer.
Tickets to the Berlin TV Tower work on a timed entry system, meaning each ticket has a timeslot for entrance to prevent too many people from heading up to the top at the same time. So even if you do get through the line for a ticket, you might have to wait even longer until the next time slot is ready to take you.
Buy a Ticket Online in Advance (Recommended)
Save yourself money and the hassle of standing in lines by booking tickets to the Berlin TV Tower in advance. Tickets at the door are actually more expensive than online as the tower is trying to encourage fewer lines for a more organized and enjoyable visit. You can opt to purchase your tickets on the Berlin TV Tower official website or a third-party seller such as GetYourGuide. We recommend the latter as Berlin TV Tower tickets on GetYourGuide are the same price as the official website but with the addition of a fast pass.
Buy a Combo Ticket
In addition to a regular ticket to the observation deck, you can purchase a combo ticket with several other experiences at the tower. Each combo ticket comes with a standard observation deck ticket along with a skip-the-line ticket to the Berlin TV Tower to bypass the line downstairs!
Combo Ticket With VR Experience
The new Berlin Odyssey VR experience has to be one of the coolest things in the city to see. You’ll strap on a headset to enjoy a VR tour of the city like no other as you’re taken back in time through hyper-realistic animations and reconstructions to learn about Berlin through the past centuries. So if this sounds like your kind of attraction, you can group both the Virtual Reality experience and the observation deck into one ticket.
Combo Ticket With Window Seat Meal at The Sphere
If you’re looking for the best seat in the city to enjoy a meal, don’t leave it up to luck! Berlin TV Tower’s rotating restaurant, the Sphere, boasts outstanding views of the city, including the Berlin Cathedral, Brandenburg Gate, and many more iconic Berlin buildings and monuments. To guarantee you get the best view of the city, book this window seat table and observation combo ticket to the tower. You can purchase this pass on the official website, but again, we recommend GetYourGuide as the price is actually lower!
Combo Ticket With Breakfast at The Sphere
If you want to take a boujee brunch to the next level, consider booking breakfast at the Sphere. This combo breakfast and observation ticket includes the option between two preset breakfast options. The first is the tower breakfast, which includes a classic German selection of cold meats, cheeses, breads, fresh fruit, and coffee. The second option is a vegan breakfast, which serves up a delicious spread of avocado, jam, chickpea cream, veggies, breads, and coffee. Regardless of which breakfast you go for, you’re guaranteed a window seat.
Combo Ticket With Afternoon Tea at The Sphere
Another great way to experience the Berlin TV Tower is by booking a combo ticket with afternoon tea at the Sphere. With this combo ticket, you are guaranteed to be seated at a window seat in the restaurant. Once you make it to your table, you can pick which sandwich you’d like (ham, salmon, or Brie cheese), a cup of coffee or tea, and a muffin to enjoy, all while the restaurant rotates.
Combo Ticket With a Three-Course Dinner at The Sphere
The most luxurious way to experience the Berlin TV Tower is by booking a three-course meal at the Sphere. This is a great way to celebrate a special occasion or take your holiday date night to the next level with your partner. You’ll be sitting at one of the window seats so that Berlin acts as the backdrop for your dinner. The three-course meal includes two glasses of wine, unlimited mineral water, an appetizer, a main, a dessert, and a hot beverage to enjoy at the end of your meal. Afterward, you can head to the observation platform to snap some memorable pics!
Purchase a Tourist Pass
If you’re planning on hitting up multiple attractions while on vacation in Berlin, then a tourist pass might be the perfect fit! The Berlin Welcome Card offers free transportation in travel zones A, B, and C, along with access and discounts on several Berlin attractions. The pass includes zones to and from the Berlin Brandenburg Airport for the mere price of a taxi!
Useful Information for Visiting the Berlin TV Tower
What’s the Best Time to Visit the Berlin TV Tower?
The best time to visit the Berlin TV Tower depends on how you want to experience the tower. If you’re looking to avoid crowds, then consider visiting the Berlin TV Tower on the weekdays from Tuesday to Thursday. Weekends, including Friday and Monday, tend to be more popular, especially in high season. To take it one step further, consider booking entry times early in the morning or after 7 p.m. as it tends to be less crowded then as well. Therefore, to completely avoid crowds, visit the tower during the off-season (December to February), during the week, and at an off-peak time in the morning or evening.
Now, if you want some seriously incredible pictures from the top of the tower, you’ll want to purchase a ticket for sunset time. However, keep in mind that sunset is a very popular time to visit the tower, so you’ll definitely come across more people during this peak time.
What Are the Berlin TV Tower Hours of Operation?
The Berlin TV Tower is open almost 365 days a year, with a few closing dates throughout the year. The observation deck and the Sphere restaurant are open daily from 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. from March through to October and 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. from November until February. You can view which days the tower is closed on the official website.
How Do You Get to the Berlin TV Tower?
The easiest and fastest way to get to the Berlin TV Tower is by public transit. You can drive yourself or take a rideshare, but you run the risk of traffic and limited parking, which can make you late for your time slot! To save yourself the stress, opt to use public transit instead. You can take the S5, S7, or S9 trains to S Alexanderplatz Bhf station, the M2 tram to S+U Alexanderplatz Bhf stop, or the U2, U5, or U8 subway lines to Alexanderplatz station. The 142, 200, and 248 bus routes also stop nearby.
Since the Berlin TV Tower is located in a fairly central part of the city, you could also walk to it from other attractions! Some nearby attractions within a 20-minute walk include the Berlin Cathedral, Berlin Dungeon, Neues Museum, and the Gendarmenmarkt.
How Do the Berlin TV Tower Tickets Work?
The Berlin TV Tower runs on a timed ticket entry, which works to the advantage of those who book Berlin TV Tower tickets in advance. Essentially, when you purchase a ticket in person, the computer registers the ticket number and compares it against the average length of a visitor and the amount of pre-booked tickets to generate an average wait time. During this time, you are free to roam about nearby attractions or get a bite to eat. Once your ticket number comes up in the virtual queue, you’ll then receive an SMS message letting you know your entry time will be up in 30 minutes.
Now, if you’ve booked your Berlin TV Tower ticket in advance online with a set entry time, you’ll be required to get to the tower at that time. In fact, you technically are supposed to get there 10 minutes early to join the queue for that particular entry time. However, humans aren’t perfect, so the Berlin TV Tower does give you a grace period of 10 minutes after your initial entry time to check-in. If you are later than 10 minutes, you will forfeit your spot and need to call or speak to customer services about joining the regular virtual queue for the next spot.
Once you make it to the entrance for your allotted time slot, you’ll then have to wait in line for a security check and to get in the elevators. There are only two elevators that shuffle visitors up and down the tower, so these lines can get very long, especially if people are spending a lot of time at the top of the tower.
How Much Do Tickets for the Berlin TV Tower Cost?
Prices for the Berlin TV Tower vary based on age and the type of ticket you want. It should be noted that infants aged 0-3 are completely free of charge for all experiences at the tower, but they will still need a ticket! A child ticket applies to those aged four to 14.
If you’re looking for a standard observation deck ticket, that will run you €24.50 for adults and €14.50 for children. The cost of the observation deck ticket with the VR experience is €29.50 for adults and €19.50 for children. It’s €28.50 for adults and €18.50 for children for an observation deck ticket and a window seat reservation at the Sphere restaurant. Breakfast at the Sphere restaurant and an observation deck ticket cost €40 per person, and afternoon tea and an observation deck ticket will run you €35.50 per person. For the deluxe three-course meal, the cost is €110 per person.
The Berlin Welcome Card is priced based on how many days you would like it to be valid. Each day the card is valid, you can use it as much as you want for attractions, transportation, or discounts. The starting rate for a two-day Berlin Welcome Card is €30 per person.
What Are the Best Hotels Near the Berlin TV Tower?
Since the Berlin TV Tower is located centrally and close to several other popular attractions, you might want to consider staying in the neighborhood! This way, you’ll be close to the main attractions and save on transportation.
If you’re looking for a modern hotel with all the amenities, then consider booking a room at Casa Camper Berlin. This four-star hotel offers a fitness center, an airport shuttle, a spa, and an on-site restaurant that provides room service.
Another fantastic hotel in Berlin is the Regent Berlin. This five-star hotel features a classic old-world-style interior with modern amenities such as soundproof walls, a fitness center, an on-site restaurant, and private parking. It’s also pet friendly!
For a hotel with apartment-style rooms, you can’t go wrong with The Mandala Suites. This four-star accommodation offers soundproof rooms, on-site parking, a spa, a fitness center, and an airport shuttle.
What’s the Security Process at the Berlin TV Tower?
Everyone looking to enter the Berlin TV Tower will need to go through a security bag check. To help the line go as quickly as possible and to avoid having any items confiscated, make sure that you don’t have weapons or dangerous items like fireworks or knives or outside food and drink. Scooters, bicycles, skateboards, trolleys, prams, or suitcases are also not allowed inside the tower. However, prams and trolleys can be left downstairs. Animals are also not permitted unless they are registered as a support animal.
What About Visiting the Berlin TV Tower With a Disability?
Unfortunately, since the tower was constructed in the 1960s when accessibility wasn’t a priority, the Berlin TV Tower is not accessible to those with mobility disabilities who need wheelchairs, scooters, or walking aids to move about. However, those with visual impairments can bring service animals with them.
FAQs: Facts About the Berlin TV Tower
When Was The Berlin TV Tower Built?
The Berlin TV Tower was built in 1965.
Why Was the Berlin TV Tower Built?
The Berlin TV Tower was primarily built to broadcast GDR television programs. However, the government also wanted it to stand as a symbol of the strength of socialism.
Where is The Berlin TV Tower Located?
The Berlin TV Tower is located at Alexanderplatz, across the Spree River from Museum Island (Berlin Cathedral).
What is The Berlin TV Tower?
The Berlin TV Tower is Germany’s largest tower and features an observation deck with a bar and a rotating restaurant.
There you have it, everything you need to know to plan a relaxing and memorable tour of the Berlin TV Tower. Don’t forget to fully charge your phones and cameras before going so you can snap some incredible pictures!
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