Berlin Hop on Hop off Bus Tours

Berlin is one of the most exciting tourist destinations in Europe, but also one of the most tiring to travel around. One solution is to use the sightseeing bus, a service designed for travellers who don't want to leave anything behind.

If you've never been on a sightseeing bus before, you'll probably find it an "inauthentic" option, but if you want to get to know Berlin in detail, this is a very practical and comfortable solution. I'll tell you about all the options available:

This is the cheapest option to make use of the sightseeing bus in Berlin and it also has the advantage of live commentary on the different attractions in addition to the recorded ones.

How it works

You can book a pass to use it for one or two days and you can also upgrade to the Premium option which includes a one-and-a-half hour walking tour of central Berlin (highly recommended) or the Deluxe option which, in addition to the walking tour, includes a one-hour river cruise.

With either option you will have access to two different routes with free stops. You can use this service as a means of transport between the different points of interest in Berlin, but I recommend that, at least once, you do the whole tour with live commentary so you can see the city in a relaxed way and from a different point of view, enjoying the sights and without stress.

Big Bus buses also have an app so you can locate them in real time.

Blue Route Itinerary

Red Route Itinerary

The guided walking tour

As for the guided walking tour, you can choose between a morning or afternoon schedule (when you book online, you'll be informed of everything via email). You will pass by places such as the Brandenburg Gate, Chekpoint Charlie and the Holocaust Memorial. A specialised guide will explain the history behind each of these sites.

The cruise

Finally, the river cruise also has various timetables. The total duration is one hour and on this occasion there are no free stops, but the tour is designed to see different points of interest in the city from the river.

This option is quite complete in terms of route; the Berlin sightseeing bus is the one with the longest routes, so it's a good option if you're going to do the whole tour as a stroll through the city. The tours are themed: one focuses on Berlin's highlights and the other on the Wall area.

Both have built-in audio commentary. You can buy a 24- or 48-hour pass depending on your plans, and you can also optionally extend it by taking an hour-long cruise on the River Spree.

Itinerary of the "Best of Berlin" route

Itinerary of Route 2 or "Wall Route"

If you have little free time to explore the city, this can be an ideal option to get an overview of Berlin and get an impression of the city to complete on future trips. The red City Sightseeing buses that travel around the city are based on the Hop On Hop Off concept, which means that the route has free stops where you can hop on and off as many times as you want during the 24 hours that the pass lasts.

The general route that you will have access to with the City Sightseeing tourist bus is quite complete (it lasts a total of two and a half hours) and the pass also includes a one-hour cruise on the river that runs through the city that you can enjoy during the days and times indicated to you via email when you make your online booking.

On the same day you can take the cruise and the full tour on the sightseeing bus while enjoying the audio commentary and panoramic views.

Itinerary

There are different sightseeing bus companies in Berlin and they all operate on a stop-free concept. This means that buying a pass for one or several days not only gives you the right to take the whole route as many times as you want, but you can also use it as a means of transport, hopping on and off wherever you want.

And what is the difference with a regular bus? Mainly the panoramic views and the commentary on the monuments you see along the way. However, for me, the fundamental difference is something I didn't expect the first time I got on the bus, and that is how comfortable and useful the route is for finding your way around the city.

While the regular buses are designed to connect the whole city regardless of its points of interest, these routes are specifically designed for those who want to visit the city and want to do so without having to change lines or look at maps.

You can book your pass online for one or more days and pick it up at any of the points indicated to you by email once you have made your booking. You can also have it delivered to your home or hotel. Some of the sightseeing bus options in Berlin have several routes and with the pass you will be able to access all of them.

Ana's Traveller Tip

Berlin's sightseeing buses are adapted for children and people with reduced mobility.

Using the sightseeing bus in Berlin has many advantages; especially because of the size of the city, it is a great help when visiting the main sights. However, having a one- or two-day sightseeing bus pass does not preclude you from walking around certain parts of the city, and the best way to do this is by taking a guided tour.

On board the sightseeing bus you will enjoy audio commentaries about Berlin's main attractions that will probably arouse your curiosity. On guided walking tours these commentaries are expanded and personalised with a more personal tone as the guides on these tours are often locals as well as experts on the city.

The sightseeing bus tour is ideal to get an overview of the city, but don't forget to go deeper into the areas that catch your attention with the organised walking tours of Berlin, you have in my article on Best Tours and Day Trips from Berlin a summary of the best ones.