Travel around Germany and Europe via the rail system is a good way to travel. There are many trains that traverse the countryside in route from one major city to the next or you can board a local train, which makes many stops along the way. Berlin is a major rail hub with train connections to Hamburg, Warsaw, Vienna, Frankfurt, Prague, Paris and more. When traveling to Berlin you can buy a direct ticket on the national Deutsche Bahn or use a Eurail pass, if you happen to have one. The ICE (InterCity Express) is a fast way to travel to and from Berlin. The trains even have special internet and cell phone connections.
There are several train stations, from which national and international trains depart. One of the largest stations in Berlin is nicknamed the Zoo, because of the popular Zoological gardens that are located nearby. Many westbound trains depart from this central location. Eastbound trains often depart from the Ostbahnhof (East Train Station). There is also the centrally located Lehrter Stadtbahnhof, which since its opening in 2006 has gradually begun to handle most of the intercity express and international trains.
The mass transportation system for Berlin is called the Metro and has two components. The U-bahn is the underground system of trains or subway lines and it should be noted that these lines run mostly through the city center. Each line has the letter U followed by a number. The band U-2 is actually named after one of the Berlin subway lines. The U-bahn is quick, efficient and almost always on time.
The other system is called the S-bahn train. These trains are mostly above ground, but one line does run underground.These trains are not as numerous as the U-bahn trains, but they do run further away from the city center. It is possible to transfer from a U-bahn to a S-bahn or vica versa.
The Berlin Metro runs on the honor system, but there are train inspectors, who on occasion ask riders to show a current and valid ticket. If they cannot do so, the traveler is fined.
