Your Guide to Accessible Berlin
Accessible Public Transport
Getting around Berlin in your wheelchair using accessible S-Bahn, U-Bahn, bus or taxi
Accessible Attractions
The accessible facilities available at the most popular attractions in Berlin
DIY Walking Tours For All
Accessible DIY Walking Tours in Berlin
Berlin is a VERY accessible city.
There are a couple of major drawbacks which have a HUGE bearing on accessible travel in Berlin though (although the first of these is actually a big plus):
1. Don’t expect to easily find an accessible taxi in Berlin.
But as the abundant public transport networks are just so wonderfully accessible, an accessible taxi in Berlin is just not needed (and the choice between having abundant accessible taxis in central Berlin, or, abundant, and pretty excellent, accessible public transport in central Berlin, is a bit of a no-brainer – other city planners should take note); and
2. Google Street View is pretty much useless.
And as Google’s Street View is simply THE best tool for planning any accessible travel (allowing you to visually locate all dropped kerbs, and to actually view the terrain that you will be rolling along – so any problems or wheelchair obstacles are known about in advance of travelling), this is a pretty major disadvantage (I’m currently planning accessible routes in Berlin using Google Street View photographs that were taken in – 2008! – and Berlin has changed a LOT since then).
But there’s a very good reason why Berlin (and Germany in general) are so woefully covered by Google’s Street View:
https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/germany-street-view/
There is a better way of using Google Street View in Berlin though. Just click on the green circles instead. Yes, this will only be a single image – but it will likely be a LOT more recent. Not so good for locating dropped kerbs, but it gives you a much better understanding of what’s available to wheelchair using visitors to Berlin – example: the location of the elevator entrance to Museuminsel U-Bahn station (outside Berlin’s wonderfully accessible Humboldt Forum).
Why Berlin Is The Perfect Destination for Post-Covid Travel
Berlin is just naturally a very outdoor city to visit. Many of the most popular visitor attractions are outside (especially the Brandenburg Gate and many of the Berlin attractions that are related to the Berlin Wall).
Outdoor Berlin – where fresh-air and being socially distant is just the norm.
And many of Berlin’s attractions can be grouped together – so it is then simply a case of walking, or rolling, between them (there is even an island in the Spree river, where many of the most popular museums can be found – called Museum Island no less).
Accessible & Flight-Free Travel TO Berlin
There are four different accessible routes to get to Berlin from the UK which avoid the nightmare of airports; of the need to deliberately dehydrate yourself for the air journey; and which avoid giving airport baggage-handlers the chance to destroy your rather expensive wheelchair.
And where you are located in the UK will probably determine which way to reach Berlin is best for you:
- The accessible Newcastle to Amsterdam ferry (overnight) on Day 1; then the direct accessible Amsterdam to Berlin afternoon train on Day 2 (13:00-19:25);
- The very first accessible London to Amsterdam Eurostar train (you need to be at London St.Pancras station by 5am though!!!!); then the direct accessible Amsterdam to Berlin afternoon train (13:00-19:25). All in Day 1.
- Any later Eurostar train (that departs from London before 6pm); spend the night of Day 1 in an Amsterdam hotel; then take an earlier Amsterdam to Berlin train (07:00-13:15; 09:10-15:25; 11:00-17:25) on Day 2.
- Very early accessible London to Brussels Eurostar train; then accessible train to Cologne/Köln; then another accessible train from there to Berlin (this route is not recommended though – there are just too many changes/connections that have to be made).
There IS a night train between Brussels/Amsterdam and Berlin, However, for the time being anyway, the night train is NOT wheelchair accessible.
But for able-bodied people from anywhere south of Carlisle in the UK this is probably the best option. As you will be able to get to London St.Pancras train station by 14:30 at the very latest – in time to check in for the 15:04 Eurostar train to Brussels (the very latest Brussels Eurostar train that will arrive in Brussels – at 18:05 – in time to catch the overnight train from Brussels to Berlin – which leaves Brussels at 19:22 – and from the same Brussels train station that the Eurostar train arrives at in Brussels – variously called Brussels Midi, Brussel Zuid or Brussel Sud).
Accessible Ferry to Amsterdam from Newcastle
- Wheelchair Accessible Ferry
- Accessible Cabins Available
- Overnight Sailings
- Accessible Taxi Transfers in Amsterdam (FREE)
The ferry between Newcastle and Amsterdam is fully accessible. And accessible cabins are available on the ferry too.
The biggest plus is that the ferry crossing is overnight. So, not only do you save on a night’s accommodation, you arrive in Amsterdam early in the day.
There’s also a HUGE benefit when you travel from Newcastle to Amsterdam by ferry though, in an accessible cabin:
The ferry actually stops some way away from the centre of Amsterdam (at the port of Ijmuiden). And to complete the journey, DFDS run a shuttle coach service from Ijmuiden to the centre of Amsterdam.
But, being a coach, this shuttle service is definitely not accessible.
However, DFDS do take accessibility very seriously. So they arrange an accessible TAXI to transfer accesssible-cabin passengers between Ijmuiden and central Amsterdam (and back again on your return journey).
FREE (when you book an accessible cabin on the ferry)!
You just need to call DFDS directly (UK tel: 0344 848 6090) so that they can arrange your accessible taxi transfer to central Amsterdam (and for your return journey too). You should also book your accessible cabin on the ferry during this telephone conversation as well – rather than booking online first, and then still having to make a telephone call afterwards).
And this taxi will take you directly to Amsterdam Centraal Railway Station – in plenty of time for your pre-arranged assistance at Amsterdam Centraal station, and for you then to catch the direct train to Berlin (which departs from Amsterdam Centraal at 13:00, and arrives in Berlin Hauptbahnhof at 19:36).
Accessible Eurostar Train to Amsterdam from London
- Amsterdam in under 4 hrs
- Assistance from Boarding Gate to Train
- Wheelchair Accessible Toilet on Train
- Meal/drinks served at your seat
The direct London to Amsterdam train takes just under 4 hours (just under 5 hours to Amsterdam when you include the time difference).
However, if you want to make it to Berlin in 1 day, you’ll need to be at London St.Pancras Station by 5am (!!!!), to catch the very first London to Amsterdam train (even though the first train from London to Amsterdam departs at 06:16, you first have to arrive 75 minutes before departure to obtain assistance). This first train arrives in Amsterdam Centraal station at 11:13, which is in plenty of time to catch the Amsterdam to Berlin train).
If you can’t get to London St.Pancras that early, you’ll either have to spend the night in a London hotel, and travel on to Amsterdam the following morning, or, a much better option, travel on any London to Amsterdam train (that departs before 6pm!) on Day 1, spend the night in an Amsterdam hotel, and catch an earlier Amsterdam to Berlin train on the morning of Day 2 (the morning Amsterdam to Berlin trains are at 07:00-13:15; 09:10-15:25; and 11:00-17:25) .
There’s a real benefit for wheelchair travellers travelling on Eurostar trains though:
Although there ARE wheelchair accessible spaces on all Eurostar services to Amsterdam, these spaces are ONLY available in the Standard Premier and Business Premier class carriages. So my initial thought was that it would indeed be possible – BUT it would be extra expensive (and wheelchair accessible travel is expensive enough as it is).
But worry not:
Yes, these spaces are only available in the Standard Premier and Business Premier class carriages. But they are sold to wheelchair using passengers at a set Standard Class rate.
And, although your companion/assistant also has to buy a ticket (no free companion tickets here I’m afraid), they also travel at this same reduced rate.
So even though there’s an additional expense for needing to use a wheelchair – Eurostar make up for this by letting you both travel in Standard Premier or Business Premier class, at a seriously discounted rate.
Accessible Train from Amsterdam to Berlin
- Wheelchair Accessible Train
- 2/4 Wheelchair Spaces Available
- Can ONLY be reserved by telephone!
Image: Oxyman, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The TWO most important things to know before you book (which is actually very simple to do):
- It is not possible to book wheelchair spaces on the Amsterdam to Berlin train online. You can ONLY book wheelchair spaces via the NS International Service Centre, by calling +31(0)30 2300023, (or at an NS International desk in the Service Shop in an NS station, if you are already in the Netherlands).
Reserving by telephone is easy though – with English-speaking customer service agents too.
- The issuing of travel tickets, and arrangements for travel assistance – are done by two completely different departments within NS.
However, just ONE phone call is required (to +31[0]30 2300023).When you call to buy your wheelchair space tickets, once you have done so, the NS agent will transfer you to the department which arranges travel assistance. You simply tell them your ticket booking reference number (which you will just have obtained during your initial conversation), and they will then arrange for your assistance.
So, just ONE phonecall is required – but you will speak to TWO different people.
The train departs at 13:00 – but you need to be in Amsterdam Centraal Station 1 hour before that, to obtain assistance (the exact time & place will be communicated to you when you book your train tickets/assistance on the phone).
The train will arrive in Berlin HbF at 19:25 – leaving you time for a late supper in Berlin.
Arranging Wheelchair Assistance on the Amsterdam-Berlin train.
The recommended method is just to arrange assistance at the same time as you buy your travel tickets (as explained above).
However, if you did not do so, and you require to arrange assistance only, then you should call the travel assistance team directly: +31(0)30 235 78 22 (7 days a week, 24 hours a day). I would recommend doing this as soon as you have booked your tickets – but at the very latest, it must be done no later than 7 days before travelling (this time is so long, because NS staff need to arrange assistance at Berlin HbF too – and the assistance at that end is actually provided by Deutsche Bahn station staff).
Accessibility on the Amsterdam-Berlin train.
There are normally just two wheelchair spaces on every ICE International train – but there are FOUR wheelchair spaces on the Intercity Berlin train. These spaces are ONLY available in a 2nd class carriage though.
And accessible toilet facilities are located near these wheelchair spaces.
Plus, there is a seat reserved for a companion beside each wheelchair space.
Maximum wheelchair size permitted is 125 x 70 cm.
Powerchairs are not a problem (as long as they are within the allowed dimensions of course). However, there are restrictions when travelling with a mobility scooter. For advice contact: +31(0)30 235 78 22 (7 days a week, 24 hours a day).
There is a fourth option for flight-free travel between London and Berlin – but I really don’t recommend it.
Eurostar to Brussels; change for train to Cologne (Köln); and change again for train to Berlin.
As assistance has to be arranged for all departures and arrivals though, it’s perhaps one change too many (plus, you’d have to deal with the Deutsche Bahndits: and I’ve had the very expensive displeasure of dealing with them already – and I wouldn’t inflict that horrible experience on anyone else).
The European Sleeper night train from Brussels/Amsterdam to Berlin?
This would be IDEAL. Sadly though, for the time being anyway, the European Sleeper night train is NOT accessible.
Accessible Public Transport in Berlin
Berlin has one of the most wheelchair-friendly public transport networks in the world.
The S-Bahn (city railway) network is fully wheelchair accessible. However, while all S-Bahn trains are fully accessible, only around 81% of U-Bahn (metro/subway/tube) stations are wheelchair accessible. In a lot of cases though, a station will serve both S-Bahn and U-Bahn networks. So, even if you are simply using the U-Bahn there, the station will be totally wheelchair accessible if it also serves the S-Bahn.
All barrier-free stations are indicated with an elevator on the network map:
https://www.bvg.de/en/connections/network-maps-and-routes
At some stations though, the platforms are accessible via ramps rather than by wheelchair accessible lifts (elevators).
All trams and city bus services in Berlin are entirely accessible to wheelchair users (with the exception of the 218 excursion bus route – as this is occasionally served by vintage buses).
All BVG (the public transport operator in Berlin) buses in Berlin are fitted with manual extendable wheelchair ramps – so, where necessary, drivers can assist wheelchair-using passengers to board. And all buses have a dedicated wheelchair space on board too (however, the larger BVG double-decker buses have space for TWO wheelchairs – these double-deckers also service the popular 100 and 200 bus lines).
All Berlin trams can be accessed via a ramp or wheelchair lift at the first or second door of the tram. There are large wheelchair symbols which direct you to the correct door (where a Passenger Assistant will assist you to board – and also to exit when you reach your destination).
There is a total weight limit for yourself and your wheelchair (plus any luggage that you are carrying) of 350 kg on all Berlin trains – and you must apply the brakes on your wheelchair and hold on while the train is moving.
The Different Public Transport Fare Zones in Berlin
The accessible public transport in Berlin is divided into three different fare zones: AB, BC, and ABC.
Fare zone AB includes central Berlin, plus the area up to the city limits. Fare zone AB will probably be all that you require for seeing the best wheelchair accessible sights of central Berlin.
The fare zone ABC additionally includes Berlin’s surrounding areas (including BER Airport and, possibly importantly for you, Potsdam Central Station – Potsdam is home to to the Sanssouci Palace and gardens).
Tickets can be purchased from ticket machines & ticket desks in all U-Bahn and S-Bahn stations; onboard all buses in Berlin; and via the BVG Ticket-App (available in both the App Store and Google Play).
U-Bahn or S-Bahn? What's the difference?
The U-Bahn is the metro / subway / underground system in Berlin.
Whereas the S-Bahn is the Berlin suburban rail network. The distance between stations is generally longer on the S-Bahn than on the U-Bahn. So just think of the S-Bahn as an express service.
Many, but not all, central Berlin stations serve BOTH the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn though.
Berlin Public Transport Journey Planner
To make this an “Accessible Berlin Public Transport Journey Planner“, simply do the following:
First, enter your Start and End stations for your trip in Berlin. But DON’T submit the search yet;
Next, click on the arrow next to Extended Search – this will open the extended search options;
Select Barrier Free Access;
Return to the search box and click the Find Connection button.
You will then be presented with a list of all travel options for your route, and clicking an option will give you more-detailed info for that route – including the location of any lifts (elevators) needed.
Are the elevators working though?
At the bottom of the journey planner/search box, there is a link to the “All Connection and Lift Disruptions” page, which will show you any lifts that are Out Of Order. And although that actual page itself is translated to English, the comments are not (but simply run these through Google Translate).
However, if the station that you need to use is also an S-Bahn station (many central Berlin stations are – even if you are simply using the U-Bahn), then there is an even better source of information on the status of any lifts in that station at:
https://sbahn.berlin/en/plan-a-journey/rail-stations/
Simply enter the name of the station, and it will tell you how many elevators are in the station, the location of each, the platforms that they serve – and, importantly, the working status of each of these elevators.
Getting Around Berlin by Accessible U-Bahn
81% of Berlin’s U-Bahn (subway) stations are now step-free.
And all newer U-Bahn train cars are accessible/have level-boarding too (which is about 40% of them). You simply roll on/off (there is a gap of no more than 2 inches between the train car and platform). And all have a dedicated wheelchair space on board.
Older train cars though, do not have level boarding (there can be a gap/height difference of 6″ between the platform and the train car). They have ramps for wheelchar accessible boarding instead. They also have no dedicated wheelchair space on board – but it is no problem finding a suitable space.
So, in ALL cases, the train will be wheelchair accessible. But it might be easier if you wait for a newer train to arrive – and you get advance notice of whether the train will be newer/older):
Digital displays on platforms show the next train departure times. And if a wheelchair symbol is shown next to a train name/number, then it will be a newer train (and you can simply roll on/off without assistance). If a wheelchair symbol is not shown though, it will be an older train (and you will need a ramp to board, and the train operator will need to assist you/provide the ramp). If you do want to board an older train though, you should wait at the front end of the platform (where the first carriage of the train will stop), indicate to the train driver that you wish to board – and the driver will get the ramp/assist you to board. You should also mention the stop you want to leave the train at, so that the driver knows where he/she needs to get out and assist you again.
Getting Around Berlin by Accessible S-Bahn
All S-Bahn stations in central Berlin, and 90 percent of stations in the surrounding regions of Berlin, are now wheelchair accessible.
An excellent guide to all 168 S-Bahn stations in Berlin (and which also shows the exact location of each elevator in that station – and whether or not it is in service), can be found at:
https://sbahn.berlin/en/plan-a-journey/rail-stations/
S-Bahn trains are level with station platforms, allowing wheelchair users to easily roll on/off the train. Spaces for wheelchairs are available in each train car.
Getting Around Berlin by Accessible Tram
The Berlin on-street tramway consists of 22 lines, 9 of which are high frequency MetroTram lines that operate 24 hours a day. Of the 803 tram stops in Berlin, 530 are now barrier-free.
Most Berlin tram routes and tram vehicles are wheelchair accessible (via a ramp that extends from the floor of the tram). The wheelchair ramp is deployed by the tram operator – so wheelchair users wishing to board a tram, should flag the operator at the front of the tram.
However, some older vehicles with steps are still used when it is particularly busy. The information boards at tram stops will show if an incoming tram is not barrier-free and has steps.
To board a tram, position your wheelchair at the front of the tram stop (where you can then enter the tram from the first or second door). If the tram stop is not barrier free, please clearly indicate your wish to
enter the tram and tram staff will gladly help you with a ramp or electric lift.
When you want to exit the tram, press the stop button with the wheelchair sign before reaching the stop you want to get off at.
A map of all tram routes is available at:
Getting Around Berlin by Accessible Public Bus
Berlin is served by an extensive city bus system with more than 350 routes/lines. The city bus fleet consists of some 1,300 buses, all of which are wheelchair accessible (with the exception of some historical buses on line 218 that have steps).
The rear/centre bus door is equipped with a manual ramp which the bus operator will extend for wheelchair users. All buses are equipped with a priority space for wheelchairs.
While boarding, you should also mention which stop you want to get off at.
And most of the almost 6500 bus stops in Berlin are now accessible/barrier-free too (a barrier-free bus stop is at least 16 cm high, which allows easier wheelchair access).
When riding the bus, it’s safer if you position your wheelchair facing the rear of the bus. And even although you told the driver where you were getting off the bus, you should also press the stop button shortly before reaching that stop.
A map of all bus routes is available at:
Getting Around Berlin by Accessible Taxi
It’s not easy.
There are over 8,000 taxis on the streets of Berlin. The vast majority of these are standard saloon car type vehicles only though.
However.
Uber trialled a new Taxi Wheelchair service in Berlin in July 2022 (the pilot scheme involved just 20 adapted vehicles). A scheme that has since been expanded though.
I’ll test out this new service on my next visit to Berlin (which is planned to happen fairly soon), and report my experience here.
The Berlin WelcomeCard. Is it worth buying?
The Berlin WelcomeCard certainly makes getting around a lot simpler – as you have an unlimited travel card for the duration of your visit (so no worrying about buying tickets for each individual journey that you make in Berlin).
It also covers various durations (from 2-6 days).
The Berlin WelcomeCard will also give you discounts of up to 50% at around 200 Berlin shops, restaurants and attractions.
However, depending on how much you actually want to see in Berlin, it may be easier/cheaper just to buy individual travel tickets as you go.
Wheelchair Accessible Toilets in Berlin
THE best resource for locating wheelchair accessible toilets in Berlin is provided by wheelmap.org (the map shows the location of each accessible toilet, there is a short text description; and there are even some with photographs):
The Most-Popular Accessible Attractions in Berlin
#1. Accessible Reichstag Building in Berlin
- Accessible Entrance
- Accessible Lifts to All Areas
- Accessible Dome
- Accessible Rooftop Restaurant
- Accessible Toilets
As accessibility was part of the actual design and construction brief for the new home of the Bundestag, the parliament of the reunified Germany, and for both visitors and politicians, then all public areas of the Reichstag are wonderfully accessible.
First things first though. Given the high level of demand for Reichstag visits, and the limited capacity, it is simply not possible for the “Visitors’ Service of the German Bundestag” to satisfy all requests when it gets seriously busy. So as soon as you know when you will be in Berlin, book your Reichstag visit for then.
Entrance to the Reichstag building is free. But.
You MUST book your trip to the Reichstag building from the official Bundestag website. And you MUST show your passport when you actually visit (security is tight, airport-style).
#2. Accessible Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
- Accessible Public Area
- Accessible Restaurants Nearby
- Accessible Toilets Nearby
The Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) stands on Pariser Platz, which is considered one of the most beautiful squares in Berlin.
Flanked on either side by the Liebermann House and the Sommer House, the main paved area by the Brandenburg Gate is comprised of small flat paving stones, which are very easy to wheel on, and is relatively level (there’s a barely noticeable 1% gradient). The pavements on either side of the square, minimum width 160cm, have a completely smooth section, and also have the same, barely noticeable, 1% gradient.
#3. Accessible Humboldt Forum in Berlin
- Accessible Entrance
- Accessible Lifts to All Areas
- Accessible Dome
- Accessible Rooftop Restaurant
- Accessible Toilets
Sometime in the very near future, the newly-opened Humboldt Forum will become the #1 visitor attraction in Berlin.
The Humboldt Forum is a recreation of the Royal Palace (the Berlin Palace) that once stood here. The original Berlin Palace was badly damaged during WWII, and was pulled down by the East German authorities in 1950, and the Palace of the Republic of East Germany (the East German Parliament) was constructed in its place, which itself was pulled down in 2009.
And when it comes to accessibility (especially accessibility in a post-Covid world), it is THE perfect destination for wheelchair users visiting Berlin.
#4. Accessible Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin
- Open-Air Attraction
- Accessible Public Square
- Mini Wheelchair Ramps
The Gendarmenmarkt is the most beautiful public square in Berlin. And, being a mainly outdoor attraction, it is wheelchair accessible – although the square is criss-crossed with cobbles (between larger and smoother paved areas), so you’re suspension will get a good workout. There are mini-ramps at various places on the edge of the Gendarmenmarkt, which allow step-free access where required.
The Gendarmenmarkt is the site of three architectural marvels: the Konzerthaus (the Berlin concert hall), and on either side, and facing each other, the Französischer Dom (the French Cathedral) and the Deutsche Dom (the German Cathedral): although neither building is actually a cathedral though – Dom simply refers to the domed buildings. And in the centre of the Gendarmenmarkt square, there’s a monumental statue of German playwright, poet, and philosopher Friedrich Schiller.
#5. Accessible Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin
- Partially Accessible Palace Buildings
- Accessible Park & Gardens
- Accessible Toilets
Charlottenburg Palace was once a royal summer residence, but today it is Berlin’s largest and most magnificent palace.
And although Charlottenburg Palace is easily accessible from central Berlin, it’s far enough out that it is not swamped with visitors. Perfect.
#6. Accessible Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin
- Accessible Open-Air Memorial
- Accessible Lift Down to Info Centre
- Fully Accessible Info Centre
- Accessible Toilet
The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is in two parts. At ground-level is the actual memorial itself. 2,711 concrete stelae, of varying sizes, sit on an undulating slope. The combination of the irregularly sized stelae, with the irregular slope, instils a feeling of unease in visitors. Deliberately so (this is not a comfortable subject).
And, although they all have identical widths and depths, the stelae vary in height too: from a lowly 20cm – all the way up to a towering 4.7 metres. This change in height, and the narrowness of the alleys between the stelae, adds to this feeling of unease. Creating a feeling of claustrophobia even (and being lower down to start with, this feeling of claustrophobia is only heightened for wheelchair users)….
#7. Accessible Topography of Terror in Berlin
- Accessible Exterior/Interior
- Accessible Entrance
- Accessible Café
- Accessible Toilet
Berlin’s Topography of Terror is situated in what was the most-feared address in Nazi Berlin:
8 Prinz-Albrecht-Straße.
Gestapo, SS and Reich Security HQ!
And although the building was pulled down after the war, the Soviets later replaced it with the Berlin Wall – remnants of which are now on display in the accessible “Topography of Terror” museum.
#8. Accessible Berlin Wall Memorial
- Accessible Documentation Centre
- Accessible Lift
- Accessible Toilet
- Accessible Rooftop Viewing Area
- Accessible Outdoor Memorial
The Berlin Wall Memorial runs along both sides of Bernauer Strasse, and features both an indoor exhibition, and part of the actual Berlin Wall itself. And wheelchair access is easy in both parts of the Berlin Wall Memorial.
On one side of Bernauer Strasse, is the outdoor Berlin Wall Memorial (where both the Window of Remembrance and the Chapel of Reconciliation can be found).
First though, you should head to the indoor Berlin Wall Memorial exhibition housed in the Documentation Center on the opposite side of the road (Bernauer Strasse 111). This is a 3-story building with a viewing platform which overlooks the preserved section of the actual Berlin Wall on the opposite side of Bernauer Strasse (including the “Death Strip”, and a reconstructed watch tower).
#9. Accessible East Side Gallery Berlin
- Open-Air Attraction
- Accessible Restaurant Nearby,
- Accessible Toilets Nearby
- Acccessible via Public Transport
The “Longest Open-Air Art Gallery in the World” is wheelchair accessible!
The East Side Gallery in eastern/central Berlin runs for 1.3km along the pavement of Mühlenstrasse by the river Spree – although the main part of the longest preserved section of the Berlin Wall can be found on Mühlenstrasse between the Ostbahnhof train / S-Bahn / U-Bahn station and Oberbaumbrücke (the Oberbaum Bridge). You simply start at one end, and roll to the other.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, 118 artists from 21 countries worldwide were invited to paint murals along this stretch of the Berlin Wall – as a celebration of the end of the division of Germany, and also as a reminder of the inhumanity of the GDR border regime (at least 13 people died in the border area along Mühlenstrasse while trying to flee across the river Spree to West Berlin either shot by East German border guards, or drowned in the Spree).
#10. Accessible Panoramapunkt Berlin
- Accessible Entrance
- Accessible Lift (Fastest in Europe)
- Accessible 24th floor Panoramacafé
- Accessible Toilet
Enjoy stunning 360° views over Berlin from the wheelchair accessible Panoramapunkt – 103 metres above Potsdamer Platz in central Berlin.
Including views of the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag Building, Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom), the Victory Column, Bellevue Palace – and on a good day, you can even see as far as the wind turbines on the border between the Berlin and Brandenburg states.
And as the Berlin TV Tower (Fernsehturm) is NOT accessible, Panoramapunkt is the best way for wheelchair users to enjoy a birdseye view of central Berlin.
Accessible DIY Walking Tours in central Berlin
There are currently two different DIY Walking Tours of Berlin. The same route, but split in two if you have the time (recommended).
It is indeed possible to see Berlin in a day – but that’s all you will have time for (seeing Berlin attractions).
Plus, it’s long walk in 1 day (so possible, but definitely not recommended).
Most crossings you will encounter on both routes are light-controlled – but in ALL cases they have dropped kerbs on both sides.
Individual accessibility guides are available for many of the “Points of Interest” on each Berlin DIY Walking Tour:
- Berlin in a Day DIY Walking Tour
Points of Interest: Berlin Hauptbahnhof > Reichstag Building > Brandenburg Gate > Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe > Panoramapunkt > Topography of Terror > Checkpoint Charlie > Gendarmenmarkt > Humboldt Forum > Berliner Dom > Altes Museum > Neues Museum > Alte Nationalgalerie > Pergamonmuseum. - Berlin in 2 Days DIY Walking Tour
Points of Interest (Day 1): Berlin Hauptbahnhof > Reichstag Building > Brandenburg Gate > Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe > ending Day 1 with seeing the Berlin sunset from the top of Panoramapunkt.
Points of Interest (Day 2): Topography of Terror > Checkpoint Charlie > Gendarmenmarkt > Humboldt Forum > Berliner Dom > Altes Museum > Neues Museum > Alte Nationalgalerie > Pergamonmuseum.
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Thank you so very much – and have a great time in Berlin!