About Taxi from BER to Potsdam
Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg, lies on the Havel south-west of Berlin and was the summer residence of the Prussian kings. Its palaces and parks are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the rebuilt old town around the Alter Markt now houses the state parliament and the Museum Barberini.
How long does the taxi from BER to Potsdam take?
Plan on 45–70 minutes. Drivers either follow the southern motorway ring and enter Potsdam from the south, or cut through Berlin on the city motorway and the AVUS. In Potsdam itself, the Lange Brücke and the streets around the main station are the usual bottleneck in the rush hour. A metered taxi from the rank keeps running through every jam; with a booked airport taxi the total price for the vehicle is fixed before you set off.
Old town: Dutch Quarter, Alter Markt, Landtag, Barberini, St Nicholas
- Dutch Quarter – red-brick gabled houses between Mittelstraße and Benkertstraße. The lanes are narrow and cobbled; the driver usually stops at Nauener Tor or on Friedrich-Ebert-Straße, a minute's walk away.
- Alter Markt and St Nicholas Church – the domed church dominates the square, which is largely car-free. Ask to be let out at the edge of the square on Friedrich-Ebert-Straße.
- Brandenburg State Parliament – the Landtag sits in the reconstructed City Palace on the south side of the Alter Markt. Visitors use the public entrance facing the square.
- Museum Barberini – the art museum stands next to the Landtag on Humboldtstraße, close to the Havel. Timed tickets are common, so build in a buffer when your flight is tight.
New Garden, Cecilienhof and the Marble Palace
The New Garden lies on the Heiliger See north of the centre. Cecilienhof Palace, built in the style of an English country house, hosted the Potsdam Conference at the end of the Second World War. The Marble Palace stands right on the lake shore at the other end of the park. Cars cannot drive through the garden; tell your driver which palace you want, so the car takes the nearest access road and you are spared a long walk across the park.
Alexandrowka, Glienicke Bridge and Peacock Island
- Alexandrowka – the Russian colony with its wooden houses lies north of the Nauener Tor, with the small Alexander Nevsky church on the hill above. It is a short ride from the old town.
- Glienicke Bridge – the green steel bridge between Potsdam and Berlin-Wannsee became known for spy exchanges during the Cold War. Cars cross it, so the driver can drop you on either bank.
- Peacock Island – technically part of Berlin, the island in the Havel is reached only by a small ferry from the landing on Nikolskoer Weg. The taxi stops at the ferry; dogs and bicycles are not allowed on the island.
Science and greenery: Einstein Tower and Biosphäre
The Einstein Tower stands in the science park on the Telegrafenberg. You register at the park gate; the interior can only be seen on occasional guided tours, mostly in winter. The Biosphäre, a tropical hall with plants, butterflies and reptiles, lies in the Volkspark in the north of the city, a good option on a rainy arrival day.
Events through the year
- Potsdam Palace Night – the illuminated night in Sanssouci Park usually took place in August; it is currently paused, and the organisers plan to return with a new concept.
- Potsdam Sanssouci Music Festival – concerts in palaces and gardens, usually in June. Venues vary, so check the exact address on your ticket before booking.
- Potsdam Dance Days – contemporary dance, usually from late May into June, centred on the fabrik in the Schiffbauergasse cultural quarter by the Tiefer See.
- Christmas markets – the main market lights up Brandenburger Straße from late November, and a Bohemian market in Babelsberg's weavers' quarter adds one weekend in December.
More Potsdam pages
The palaces in the big park have their own page: Sanssouci Palace and Park. Film fans should look at Filmpark and Studio Babelsberg. Where to stay is covered on Potsdam hotels, and the Potsdam travel guide compares train and car. For towns beyond Potsdam, see Berlin's surrounding towns.
