First-time traveler guide
Berlin, Germany
The facts people look for first, pulled from this guide.
From BER Airport
It shows live platforms, delays and carriage positions, and sells both long-distance and local tickets.
Yes. Deutsche Bahn lists luggage lockers at the station (General-Pape-Straße 1): 72 lockers of 24 × 42 × 76 cm for €3.00; 15 lockers of 44 × 61 × 93 cm for €5.00. All are paid with coins only and can be used for up to 24 hours.
Escalators and lifts link the two levels in the middle of the station, under the large glass roof.
From BER Airport
From the City Centre
By Car or Taxi
Südkreuz has two levels that cross at right angles, and knowing which level you need is the key to finding your way.
The upper level carries the Ringbahn (S41, S42) and the other S-Bahn lines that use the ring. The lower level carries the north–south lines: long-distance ICE and IC trains, the FEX airport express, regional trains and the S2, S25 and S26.
Escalators and lifts link the two levels in the middle of the station, under the large glass roof. Long-distance platforms are long, so check the carriage position display (Wagenreihung) on the platform or in DB Navigator to see where your coach will stop.
Before You Arrive
At the Station
Common Mistakes
Yes. Deutsche Bahn lists luggage lockers at the station (General-Pape-Straße 1): 72 lockers of 24 × 42 × 76 cm for €3.00; 15 lockers of 44 × 61 × 93 cm for €5.00. All are paid with coins only and can be used for up to 24 hours. Prices are as listed by Deutsche Bahn in October 2026.
Take the FEX airport express, which leaves about every 15 minutes and takes around 15 minutes, or the hourly RE20. You need an ABC ticket, because the airport is in fare zone C. The Deutschlandticket is also valid on both.
Many ICE and IC trains heading south stop here as well as at Hauptbahnhof, including services towards Leipzig, Munich, Dresden and Prague. Check DB Navigator to see whether Südkreuz is listed for your train.
DB Information at Südkreuz is open every day, including public holidays, from 06:00 to 22:30.
The Ringbahn lines S41 and S42 stop on the upper level, and the north–south lines S2, S25 and S26 stop on the lower level.
Yes. Deutsche Bahn lists around nine places to eat and six shops at Südkreuz, plus toilets. Opening hours vary, so check bahnhof.de if you arrive early or late.
Crossing station in the south of Berlin, on the border of Schöneberg and Tempelhof. It began as Papestraße station and was rebuilt and renamed Südkreuz in 2006, when Berlin's new north–south main line opened.
Südkreuz is Berlin's main stop for long-distance trains heading south. Many ICE and IC trains towards Leipzig, Munich, Dresden and Prague call here as well as at Hauptbahnhof, so if you live in the southern half of the city, boarding here can save you a trip into the centre.
The station is built on two levels at right angles to each other: the circular Ringbahn runs across the top, and the north–south lines run underneath. It is large but compact, and transfers between the two levels take only a few minutes.
