Biking in Berlin: Safety tips and how to find the cheapest bike rental
There’s no question about it — one of the best ways to see Berlin is on two wheels. Nearly every street in the city has a bike lane, and many locals pedal as their main form of transportation come rain or come shine.
Berlin is also massive. Biking makes it possible to get between sights, restaurants and bars relatively quickly. Seriously, in many cases it’s the fastest way to get around. And you’ll get to experience the city like a local to boot!
Tips for biking in Berlin
Ready to hop on a bike? Here are helpful tips for biking in the city as well as ideas on how to save when renting a cycle.
General biking tips
Navigating bike lanes
As we just mentioned, most streets in Berlin have bike lanes. Sometimes they’re directly on the street, but most often they’re integrated directly into the outer edge of the sidewalk in red or grey bricks. Although you may see the occasional bicycle stenciled onto the bricks, most sidewalk bike lanes are not marked (the ones in the street usually are).
Keep an eye out for red bike lanes painted next to the sidewalk in Berlin. Photo: Eric Sehr
Important note to pedestrians: Do not walk in the bike lane. If you do, don’t be surprised if riders yell at you. Since most Berliners use their bicycles as a mode of transportation, they ride very fast. You don’t want to be in their way.
Slow? Stay on the right: When cycling, if you’re more in the mood for a slow, leisurely ride, make sure you always stay to the right so, any speed demon can easily pass you on the left; otherwise, again, it’s very likely someone will yell at you.
Safety tips
As Berlin cyclists can be an impatient and occasionally aggressive bunch, never allow your children to ride in the bike lane. By law, children are allowed to ride on the sidewalk.
We don’t recommend adults ride on the sidewalk, though. If you do, there is (again) a very good chance you’ll be yelled at, this time by pedestrians. The one exception is the sidewalks next to cobblestone streets — only the grumpiest of grandmothers (and yes, there are some…) would yell at someone for choosing not to take a bone-shaking ride across cobblestones.
Signaling: If you’re riding on the streets, it’s a very good idea to use hand signals when turning.
Locking up: And since bikes often get stolen in Berlin, be sure you always lock your bike to something (a bike rack, tree, fence, etc.).
Bikes on public transit: You can take your bicycle on the U-bahn or S-bahn, except during rush hour. Just make sure you purchase a bike ticket from the station machines (Fahrradticket) for €1.90 for central Berlin or €2.20 for Berlin and Potsdam. Take note that bikes are not allowed in the first train car or the first door of each individual car.
Bike tours and itineraries
If biking around the city sounds too fast and stressful for you, there are also lots of more low-key options for exploring Berlin atop a Fahrrad (“bicycle”).
Exploring parks by bike
With more than 520 acres to explore, Tiergarten park is a natural choice for pedaling around. If you get tired of trees, ponds, and gardens, several major tourist destinations are also close to the park, including Potsdamer Platz, Brandenburg Gate, the Victory Column, and Holocaust Memorial.
To get a glimpse of Berlin’s transportation history, why not bike around the Park at Gleisdreieck. Fairly new, this park includes plenty of old train tracks from the huge train depot located there before the war. Take a break to watch the skaters do their tricks in the skate pool or do a few tricks yourself on the monkey bars, trampolines, and jungle gyms scattered throughout the park.
A group bike tour is a fun way to see Berlin. Photo: Rae Allen
Affordable bike tours
For a taste of Berlin’s most recently formed hipster paradise, take a ride down the Landwehr Canal at Maybach Ufer into the neighborhood known as “Kreuzkölln.” If you’d rather go on a guided bike tour, two companies offer tours at a nice price.
- Free Berlin offers three-hour tours such as Berlin’s Best and Poor But Sexy for €19, price of bike included.
- Berlin on Bike! offers similar tours for a few euros more. Both also give discounts to Welcome Card holders.
Biking in front of the famous East Side Gallery of the Berlin Wall. Photo: Leo G
How to save on bike rentals
Whatever you do, try not to rent directly from hotels or most bike rental agencies in the major tourist areas; if you do, it’s likely you’ll pay twice as much. Either way, make sure the rental price per day is no more than €10.
Super cheap rentals
For bargain hunters, we recommend:
- Prenzlauerberger Orange Bikes (€7 per day plus €25 deposit) or Berlin on Bike! (€10 per day) in Prenzlauerberg
- Rent a Bike 44 in Neukölln (€4 per day)
- M’eierrad in Kreuzberg (€3 per day)
Buy a bike (no joke!)
If you plan on staying a little longer in Berlin, it might make sense, both money and comfort-wise, to buy a cheap used bike. The best places to look online are Craigslist (most likely in English) or eBay Kleinanzeigen (in German).
Happy cycling!
About the author
Hi Eurocheapo!
I enjoy reading your blogs. However, I believe this one could be improved. In Berlin, there is a company offering refurbished bicycle rentals for as little as 15 euros a month. Their prices are way better than what you have here.
The company is called Recyclies.
Cheers,
Ben