Related Content
Content
Frankfurt to Berlin by train
How to travel from Frankfurt (Main) to Berlin by train on the regular high speed ICE services
Share
Routes
From Frankfurt Main Hbf to Berlin Hbf
Journey Summary
4hr 11min - 4hr 17min (approx)
Daily
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 6 months ahead of the travel date
RESERVATIONS:
Book 1st class ticket journey tickets on DB Bahn and your seat reservation is included - but they're optional when booking 2nd class tickets, or if you will be travelling with a 1st or 2nd class rail pass.
Opting to reserve is particularly recommended if you will be travelling at business hours and/or during the day on Fridays and Sundays.
---------------------------------------------------------
FINDING TICKETS:
In some hours there is a faster train service designated ICE S (ICE Sprinter).
When making an online booking, check that you’re looking at booking info for the direct trains - and don't be overly concerned about which route the train will be taking.
The trains via both Kassel and Erfurt will be combined together in the search results.
More important is that you look for journeys that have:
- 0 in the Chg. column
- ICE in the Products column (some of the trains via Erfurt are faster ICE-S services)
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
---------------------------------------------------------
Our step-by-step guide to booking train tickets (and reservations) on the DB (German national railways) website is available HERE.
There's also a guide to booking with an independent ticket agent.
If you're new to booking tickets for train journeys in Germany, we also recommend taking a look at our guide to German train tickets - it should help you save time and money and confusion.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| DB Bahn | from €17.90 | |
| Omio | from €17.90 | |
| SaveATrain | from €17.90 | |
| Happyrail | from €17.90 | |
| Trainline | from €19.90 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Now that the high speed line between Erfurt and Halle has opened, the ICE trains from Frankfurt (Main) to Berlin now take two different routes:
(1) that route via Erfurt OR
(2) the more established route via Kassel.
The new ICE 4 trains are now operating some some of the depatures on either route.
The alternative faster, but less frequent, 'ICE-Sprinter' services take the route via Erfurt.
---------------------------------------------------------
These regular ICE services are slower than those 'Sprinter' services on that route via Erfurt because they divert off the direct route in order to call at Leipzig.
Though it usually doesn't particularly matter which route the train you board happens to be following, if you opt to THESE regular ICE trains.
---------------------------------------------------------
Arriving in Berlin:
Though what can matter is the location of your final destination in the city.
Whether the train travels via Erfurt or via Kassel, it will call at Berlin Hbf, the city's main station - the trains via Erfurt will arrive at the lower level (tief), while those via Kassel will arrive at the upper level.
However, the route that the trains takes to Berlin does make a difference to the other stations in the city that that the ICE trains will call at - and leaving the train at Berlin Hbf may not be your best option.
(1) The trains via Kassel:
- Depart from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf in odd hours
- Also call at Berlin-Spandau station*
- Terminate at Berlin Ost station
if you’re heading to West Berlin the best option is usually to leave this train at Berlin-Spandau
You can then connect there into a S-Bahn (local) or Regio trains on to Zoologischer Garten (Berlin-Zoo) station, which is the main station in West Berlin.
Zoologischer Garten station also has trains from Berlin Hbf, but you'll end up travelling back the way, that the train from Frankfurt (Main), will have just travelled.
(2) The trains via Errfurt and Leipzig
- Depart from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf in even hours
- Also call at Berlin-Sudkreuz station
- Terminate at Berlin-Gesendbrunnen station (or Hamburg).
---------------------------------------------------------
If you are new to travelling by train in Germany, we recommend taking a look at our German Train Travel Guide.
It is packed with info and useful links to help ensure you’ll have a stress-free trip.
Now that the high speed line between Erfurt and Halle has opened, the ICE trains from Frankfurt (Main) to Berlin now take two different routes:
(1) via Erfurt OR
(2) via Kassel.
via Kassel
This is a journey of four distinct phases:
- From Frankfurt to Fulda on to the train will travel on a conventional railway
- Between Fulda and Hildeshein the train will make use of Germany's first high speed line; this is the part of the journey with a wow factor as the train will travel across dozens of viaducts and bridges, which occur as flashes between numerous tunnels
- Then between 10 minutes after departure from Braunschweig until Berlin-Spandau the train will be on a high speed line across dull farmland.
- One of the highlights of the journey comes right at the end of the trip when the train travels on a viaduct across Berlin with great views over the city centre.
via Erfurt
These trains follow the route above to Fulda and then take a twisty, but scenic route to Erfurt.
But then after departure from Erfurt they will travel at up to 290 km/h on Germany's newest high speed line for around 40 minutes, but the remainder of the journey on to Berlin is back on conventional tracks.
From Frankfurt Main Hbf to Berlin Hbf
Journey Summary
3hr 56min
Daily
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: 6 months ahead of the travel date
RESERVATIONS:
Book 1st class ticket journey tickets on DB Bahn and your seat reservation is included - but they're optional when booking 2nd class tickets, or if you will be travelling with a 1st or 2nd class rail pass.
Opting to reserve is particularly recommended if you will be travelling at business hours and/or during the day on Fridays and Sundays.
---------------------------------------------------------
FINDING TICKETS:
There are two alternative services of ICE trains from Frankfurt (Main) to Berlin Hbf, the more frequent standard ICE services and THESE faster ICE-S/ICE-Sprinter services.
What makes these trains stand out on DB Bahn is that these trains have an 'S' beside the ICE in the train details column.
Use the earlier/later buttons to search for the cheapest ticket prices.
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
---------------------------------------------------------
Our step-by-step guide to booking train tickets (and reservations) on the DB (German national railways) website is available HERE.
There's also a guide to booking with an independent ticket agent.
If you're new to booking tickets for train journeys in Germany, we also recommend taking a look at our guide to German train tickets - it should help you save time and money and confusion.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| DB | from €17.90 | |
| Omio | from €17.90 | |
| Happyrail | from €17.90 | |
| SaveATrain | from €17.90 | |
| Trainline | from €19.90 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Depatures from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf are in odd hours (usually), but if the departure times of these ICE-Sprinter services don't suit, there are up to 2 x alternative ICE trains per hour from Frankfurt (Main) to Berlin.
Arriving in Berlin:
Final Destination: Berlin Hbf
All trains also call at: Berlin Südkreuz
Berlin Hbf is shown as 'Berlin Hbf (tief) on the DB online timetable and this indicates that these trains will arrive at the lowest level in the station.
Berlin Hbf is the main station in the city so take care not to leave the train at Südkreuz if you want to head to the main station in Berlin.
Check the location of your final destination in Berlin, as Berlin-Sudkreuz station is connected by local S-Bahn trains to the eastern and western edges of the city centre,
It has direct S-Bahn trains on lines S2 and S25 and S26 which head north into the city centre and call at Anhalter and Brandenburger Tor and Postdamer Platz and FriedrichstraBe stations - amongst others.
Check your connections in Berlin on this public transport map.
---------------------------------------------------------
The journey:
These trains use the new high speed line via Halle and Erfurt, but they DON'T divert off of the direct route in order to call at Leipzig
DB Bahn classifies these fastest trains from Frankfurt to Berlin as ICE-Sprinter (ICE - S), but you will be travelling on a standard ICE 3 train.
---------------------------------------------------------
If you are new to travelling by train in Germany, we recommend taking a look at our German Train Travel Guide.
It is packed with info and useful links to help ensure you’ll have a stress-free trip.
Depatures from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf are in odd hours (usually), but if the departure times of these ICE-Sprinter services don't suit, there are up to 2 x alternative ICE trains per hour from Frankfurt (Main) to Berlin.
Arriving in Berlin:
Final Destination: Berlin Hbf
All trains also call at: Berlin Südkreuz
Berlin Hbf is shown as 'Berlin Hbf (tief) on the DB online timetable and this indicates that these trains will arrive at the lowest level in the station.
Berlin Hbf is the main station in the city so take care not to leave the train at Südkreuz if you want to head to the main station in Berlin.
Check the location of your final destination in Berlin, as Berlin-Sudkreuz station is connected by local S-Bahn trains to the eastern and western edges of the city centre,
It has direct S-Bahn trains on lines S2 and S25 and S26 which head north into the city centre and call at Anhalter and Brandenburger Tor and Postdamer Platz and FriedrichstraBe stations - amongst others.
Check your connections in Berlin on this public transport map.
---------------------------------------------------------
The journey:
These trains use the new high speed line via Halle and Erfurt, but they DON'T divert off of the direct route in order to call at Leipzig
DB Bahn classifies these fastest trains from Frankfurt to Berlin as ICE-Sprinter (ICE - S), but you will be travelling on a standard ICE 3 train.
---------------------------------------------------------
If you are new to travelling by train in Germany, we recommend taking a look at our German Train Travel Guide.
It is packed with info and useful links to help ensure you’ll have a stress-free trip.
Newsletter
Sign up to receive the latest travel news stories and to hear about what we've been working on for you.
See if there’s a unique journey guide for your trip, featuring info on the trains, tickets & stations.
This is one of more than 1000 journey guides available on ShowMeTheJourney, which will make it easier to take the train journeys you want or need to make. As always, all images were captured on trips taken by ShowMeTheJourney.
