Berlin Bus 100:
A Local Perspective & Budget-Friendly Alternative to Hop-On Hop-Off Buses
Is Berlin Bus 100 a good alternative to a hop-on hop-off bus?
Yes, Bus 100 is a great budget-friendly alternative to a hop-on hop-off bus if you can do without an audio guide and tourist services. The route runs from Zoologischer Garten to Alexanderplatz, passing sights including the Siegessäule, Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Unter den Linden and Museum Island.
THE BERLIN LOCALS RECOMMEND.
What sights can you see on Berlin Bus 100?
On a ride with Bus 100, you’ll see sights including Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the Siegessäule, Bellevue Palace, the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Unter den Linden, Museum Island, Berlin Cathedral and the Berlin TV Tower. According to BVG, the full route between Zoologischer Garten and Alexanderplatz takes around 30 minutes.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Route: BVG Bus 100
- Route: Zoologischer Garten – Alexanderplatz
- Journey time: around 30 minutes
- Fare zone: Berlin A, covered by a Berlin AB ticket
- Berlin AB single ticket: €4.00
- Berlin AB 24-hour ticket: €11.20
- Sights: including Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Siegessäule, Bellevue Palace, Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Unter den Linden, Museum Island, Berlin Cathedral and Berlin TV Tower
- My seat tip: head upstairs on a double-decker and sit as close to the front as possible
- My sightseeing tip: take Bus 100 from Alex to Zoo, then take Bus 200 back on a different route
Alright, friends,
I can’t tell you how many times I heard guests complain about the price of hop-on hop-off bus tickets during my time as a concierge. €37 per person used to be nothing unusual. Today, you can sometimes get tickets for less due to the fierce competition between the different operators – while the companies try to outbid each other on prices and, in some cases, high commissions for partners.
I regularly sent guests who were short on time or simply didn’t want to spend that much money on sightseeing to Bus 100 instead. Why? That’s what this blog is about.
My name is Phil. I grew up in the 1990s near Warschauer Straße, between Oberbaum Bridge and Frankfurter Tor, and spent more than ten years working in Berlin’s upscale hotel industry. But long before this blog, Bus 100 was more than just a tip I gave to hotel guests.
Why Bus 100 Is More Than Just a Tourist Bus to Me
I used to take Bus 100 with friends quite often, sometimes simply to pass the time. If I had enough time, I’d even choose it over the faster S-Bahn.
And during my years working in the hotel industry, the route eventually became part of my commute. After work, I often took Bus 100 to Alexanderplatz. Of course, there were faster ways to get there. But sitting upstairs on the bus and watching Berlin pass by is just different from travelling underground on the U-Bahn or speeding through the city on the S-Bahn.
That’s exactly why I later started recommending the route to guests as well. Bus 100 isn’t something created for tourists. It’s a regular Berlin city bus that just happens to have a damn good route.
Is Bus 100 Worth It for Sightseeing in Berlin?
Bus 100 is particularly worth it for visitors on a budget, families, people with limited time and anyone who wants to get a general overview of Berlin first.
However, don’t expect a traditional sightseeing tour. There’s no guide telling you the history of the buildings along the way and no tourist audio guide. The bus can also get crowded. After all, it’s not just visitors using it to get around Berlin, but regular BVG passengers too.
On the other hand, you’re only paying the regular BVG fare. I particularly like Bus 100 in bad weather. If it’s raining outside, you can simply stay on the bus and see Berlin from the dry instead of walking from one sight to the next.
It’s also pretty relaxed for families with children – and with the right 24-hour ticket, one adult can take up to three children aged 6 to 14 with them. Children under six travel for free.
What Sights Can You See on Bus 100?
The route crosses part of central Berlin, connecting City West with Tiergarten, the government district, Unter den Linden, Museum Island and Alexanderplatz.
The classic sightseeing route through City West starts at Zoologischer Garten. Shortly afterwards, the bus passes Breitscheidplatz and Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church before heading towards Tiergarten.
For me, this is where one of the most beautiful sections of the entire journey begins. The bus passes the Nordic Embassies before reaching Großer Stern, with the Siegessäule standing in the middle of the roundabout.
For me, Tiergarten and the Siegessäule are definitely among the sections where sitting upstairs on the bus really pays off.
From Tiergarten to the Government District
After the Siegessäule, the route continues past Bellevue Palace and Haus der Kulturen der Welt into the government district. Shortly afterwards, the bus reaches the Bundestag / Reichstag and then Brandenburg Gate. The current stops on Bus 100 confirm this direct route through Berlin’s political centre.
If you have enough time, it’s definitely worth getting off here. You can easily spend quite a while around Platz der Republik, the Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate.
If you just want to get a first impression of Berlin, simply stay on the bus. For me, that’s exactly the big advantage of this tour:
You decide for yourself how much Berlin you can handle today.
Unter den Linden, Bebelplatz and Museum Island
After Brandenburg Gate, the route continues along Unter den Linden. From here, the sights really do start coming one after another.
The bus stops at Staatsoper, among other places, putting you right in the historic centre around Humboldt-Universität and Bebelplatz. Shortly afterwards, you’ll reach the Museum Island stop.
If you have enough time, I’d get off here too. On and around Museum Island, you’ll find Berlin Cathedral, Altes Museum, Neues Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie and other important sites in Berlin’s history all within a short distance of each other.
From here, it’s also not far to Hackescher Markt and the Hackesche Höfe. Especially if you’re using Bus 100 not just as a sightseeing tour but as the starting point for a day in Berlin, it’s easy to combine sightseeing with a few walks around the city.
The Final Stretch to Alexanderplatz
From Museum Island, Bus 100 continues along Spandauer Straße, past Marienkirche and towards Alexanderplatz. The Berlin TV Tower is pretty hard to miss on this part of the route.
The classic journey finally ends at Alexanderplatz. In around half an hour, you’ve seen a pretty good cross-section of central Berlin: from the old West Berlin centre around Zoo, through Tiergarten and the government district, all the way to the historic centre and Alex.
Of course, you haven’t “seen” Berlin after that. The city is far too big for that. But as a first introduction to Berlin, the route works surprisingly well.
Where’s the Best Place to Sit on Bus 100?
If a double-decker turns up, my tip is clear: head upstairs. And if there’s a seat free at the front, even better.
In my experience, double-deckers run on this route very often. However, I wouldn’t count on getting one on every single journey.
If you can’t get a seat right at the front upstairs, it’s not the end of the world. Just grab a good seat anywhere on the upper deck. Especially around Tiergarten, the Siegessäule and along the route towards Brandenburg Gate and Museum Island, the higher perspective makes a big difference for me.
And yes, of course other people know that the front seats upstairs are the best ones too. Especially during busy tourist periods, you definitely won’t be the only one with that idea.
Stay on the Bus or Get Off Along the Way?
Both work. If you’re short on time or it’s raining, I’d simply ride the entire route. If you have more time, you can get off at individual sights and continue your journey later.
Your ticket matters here, though.
A Berlin AB single ticket currently costs €4.00 and is valid for 120 minutes for a journey in the direction of your destination. You can interrupt your journey, but return and round trips are not permitted. If you really want to use Bus 100 like a hop-on hop-off bus and get on and off several times, a 24-hour ticket is much more straightforward. It currently costs around €12.00 for Berlin AB and allows unlimited travel for 24 hours.
It’s still worth checking the latest prices with BVG before your journey. Fares can change.
Bus 100 or a Hop-On Hop-Off Bus – What’s the Difference?
Bus 100 is much simpler: you get a regular BVG bus ride past many of Berlin’s sights, but without tourist commentary or additional services.
That’s only fair to point out. A traditional hop-on hop-off bus isn’t just selling you the route. You’re also paying for the tourist concept behind it: an audio guide, designated sightseeing stops and the option to take the tour without having to deal too much with Berlin’s public transport system.
Bus 100, on the other hand, is honest everyday Berlin.
For someone visiting Berlin for the first time who wants background information on every sight, a traditional sightseeing bus can definitely make sense.
But if you simply want to explore Berlin independently and on a budget, watch the city go by and decide for yourself where to get off, I don’t think you necessarily need those extra services.
My Tip: Take Bus 100 One Way and Bus 200 Back
If you want to see more, don’t just take the same route back: take Bus 100 in one direction and Bus 200 in the other.
That’s my real tip for a cheap little sightseeing tour of Berlin.
For example, you can take Bus 100 from Alexanderplatz to Zoo and switch to Bus 200 there. Between Zoo and Alexanderplatz, Bus 200 takes a different route, passing places including the Philharmonie and Potsdamer Platz. From there, the route continues further east. BVG also lists the Bundesrat, Checkpoint Charlie and Nikolaiviertel among the sights along the Bus 200 sightseeing route.
That way, you’re not simply seeing the same streets twice on the way there and back.
With a 24-hour ticket, you can easily turn this into your own little BVG sightseeing tour: get off somewhere, walk for a while, hop back on and keep going.
Bus 100 there, Bus 200 back – simple, cheap and two pretty different perspectives on Berlin.
Who Is Bus 100 For – and Who Isn’t It For?
Bus 100 is particularly good for travellers on a budget, families, rainy days, visitors with limited time and anyone who wants to get a first feel for central Berlin.
If you’re spending three days in Berlin and want to explore every sight in detail, the ride obviously isn’t a substitute for proper planning. And if you’re expecting historical commentary along the way, you’ll be disappointed on a regular BVG bus too.
But that’s also part of its charm.
You’re sitting among Berliners, commuters and other visitors on a regular yellow bus while passing some of Germany’s most famous landmarks.
I used to take this route with friends just to pass the time, later on my way home from work, and eventually started recommending it to guests when I worked as a concierge.
And that probably describes Bus 100 better than anything else: it’s both everyday Berlin and one of the easiest sightseeing tours in the city.
Berlin isn’t a tourist attraction. Berlin is a city.
See you in the real Berlin – or right here in the next blog.
Take care 🖤
MOST IMAGES USED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGES AND WERE NOT TAKEN AT THE LOCATIONS FEATURED IN THIS POST.
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