Best Berlin Hop On Hop Off Bus Tours

Berlin Hop On Hop Off bus tours can be a great way to see the highlights of the city in a short amount of time. It’s no wonder they’re popular with first time visitors to Berlin. But I know the options can be overwhelming. In this article, I’m going to show you two of the most popular options for hop on hop off buses in Berlin, the differences and similarities, what you can expect, and more.

There are several different sightseeing tour buses in Berlin, but I will be focusing on the two biggest ones here. Too many options can get so overwhelming, so looking at only the best Berlin hop on hop off buses should make it a little easier for you to decide which one to take.

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Quick verdict: Berlin sightseeing bus tours

There’s a lot of information in this article about the features of the different Berlin hop on hop off buses. So if you’re looking for a quick glance at the differences between the two, this will help you out.

Big Bus Berlin

• Price (adult 24 hour ticket): A few euros more expensive
• Price (family 24 hour ticket): Cheaper family ticket for 2 adults & 2 kids
• Date change: Can't change the date on a 24 hour ticket
• Kids ages: 5 - 15
• Extras: Standard ticket includes both routes; 24 hour ticket comes with digital walking tour; 48 hour tickets have flexible date change, free walking tours, free currywurst

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City Sightseeing Berlin

• Price (adult 24 hour ticket): A few euros cheaper
• Price (family 24 hour ticket): No family ticket, more expensive for 2 adults & 2 kids
• Date change: More flexibility to change the date on a 24 hour ticket
• Kids ages: 6 - 14
• Extras: Must buy different ticket to get both routes; Standard 24 & 48 hour tickets have no extras; higher tier 24 hour tickets have options for TV Tower or Ice Bar or Boat Tour

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As you can see, the differences are subtle, but they can help you pick one over the other. For example, if you have a 5 year old kid, City Sightseeing is cheaper because their child age ticket starts at age 6, whereas Big Bus starts at age 5. But City Sightseeing does not have a family ticket, so for two adults plus two kids, Big Bus is cheaper with their family ticket option. This is just one small example though, so if you’re still not sure, keep reading for an in depth look at both Big Bus Berlin and City Sightseeing Berlin bus tours.

Who is a Berlin hop on hop off tour good for?

Taking a hop on hop off bus in Berlin is a good idea for those who want to get an overview of the city in a short amount of time. It’s good for people who might only have one day in Berlin and want to see as many sights as possible without having to figure out public transportation.

But even if you have a week in Berlin, a hop on hop off bus tour can also be a good way to see some of Berlin’s most important landmarks before diving deeper into sightseeing and learning about Berlin’s history. And it can be a good option for people with physical limitations who can’t be on their feet much.

I’ve also heard from people who visit for the Berlin marathon that the hop on hop off tour was a good option for the day before the race when they wanted to rest their feet. So there are lots of different people who can benefit from taking a bus tour like this in Berlin.

Who is it not good for?

While there are lots of reasons why taking a hop on hop off bus tour in Berlin can be a great idea, it’s not for everyone. It’s not for people who want to get off the beaten path in Berlin. Taking a hop on hop off tour might not be right for you if you want to explore slowly and spend lots of time at each attraction.

Berlin Hop On Hop Off Tours

Big Bus Berlin and City Sightseeing Berlin are the two big hop on hop off bus tours in Berlin that I’m discussing in this article, and they have a few similarities. They both offer 24 hour and 48 hour ticket options. Both companies offer mobile tickets or a printable ticket, and both have wifi on the bus.

But it’s the differences between these two sightseeing bus tours in Berlin that will help you decide which is the best one for you. Let’s take a look at Big Bus Berlin and City Sightseeing Berlin hop on hop off bus tours.

Note: Sightseeing bus tours run nearly every day of the year. However, certain events that block major roads might interfere. For example, the hop on hop off buses can’t operate on the day of the Berlin Marathon, which is the last Sunday in September.

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Have questions about planning your trip to Berlin?

Join the Facebook group here to chat with Ali (she runs this site) and other people who have been to Berlin for tips.

Big Bus Berlin

Here’s all the important information about the Big Bus Berlin sightseeing buses.

Choosing a date: With Big Bus Berlin, you choose the date you want to do the 24 hour hop on hop off tour, and it’s not changeable. If you buy one of the 48 hour options, then you have the flexibility to change your date.

Audio guide languages: English, German, Italian, French, Spanish, Russian, and Brazilian Portuguese.

Route: Big Bus Berlin has two routes. The red route has 17 stops and includes the main sites in central Berlin. The blue route has 4 stops and takes you to the East Side Gallery, with stops at both ends of the East Side Gallery. They overlap at Alexanderplatz.

Times: 9:51- 16:51 (red route) and 10:15-16:15 (blue route)

Frequency: Every 20-30 minutes for the red route, and every 60 minutes for the blue route.

Duration: If you stay on the bus for the full route, the red route takes about 2 hours, and the blue route takes about 40 minutes.

Adult vs children ages: Big Bus considers anyone who is 16 and older to be an adult. Kids tickets are available for ages 5 to 15. Children under 4 years old or younger ride free with an adult.

City Sightseeing Berlin

Here’s all the important information about the City Sightseeing Berlin hop on hop off bus tours.

Choosing a date: With City Sightseeing Berlin, you choose a date on the calendar, and then you can redeem the voucher any day within 3 months starting from that date. There is free cancellation until 24 hours before the chosen date.

Audio guide languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Hebrew, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Polish, Arabic, Turkish

Route: City Sightseeing Berlin has two routes, one with 18 stops, including the main sites in central Berlin, and a second route that includes the East Side Gallery and Bernauer Strasse Wall Memorial. The “Classic” ticket only includes the main route, so you’ll have to buy the 2 Routes ticket to get both the Classic and the East Berlin routes.

Times: 9:30am – 5:30pm

Frequency: Every 25 minutes for the classic route, every 40 minutes for the East Berlin route.

Duration: If you stay on the bus for the full classic route, it takes about 2 hours, and for the East Berlin route, it’s about one hour.

Adult vs children ages: City Sightseeing considers anyone who is 16 and older to be an adult. Kids tickets are available for ages 6 to 15. Children under 5 years old or younger ride free with an adult.

Berlin has other sightseeing tour buses, but sometimes too many choices can be overwhelming and confusing. Big Bus Berlin and City Sightseeing Berlin are the ones I see most often, they have good reviews, and they have great options to show you around the city. Hopefully this blog post has helped you decide which one is right for you.

And in case you’re looking for walking tours, bike tours, food tours, or any other interesting kind of experience, check out my list of sightseeing tours in Berlin.

Berlin Travel Resources

I want you to have the best trip to Berlin, and hopefully this guide to Berlin hop on hop off sightseeing bus tours is helpful. But there are lots more tips on the site!