About BER to the Spreewald
The Spreewald, a UNESCO biosphere reserve south-east of Berlin, is a landscape of hundreds of small waterways where flat-bottomed punts are still used for transport. It is famous for its pickled gherkins and the Sorbian/Wendish culture of the region.
How long does the taxi take to Lübben, Lübbenau and Burg?
- Lübben (Spreewald) – A13 to the Lübben exit, about 70 to 80 kilometres, 50 to 60 minutes.
- Lübbenau – a little further down the A13, around 90 kilometres, roughly an hour.
- Burg (Spreewald) – via the A13 and A15, the last kilometres on country roads, about 110 kilometres and 75 to 90 minutes.
Summer weekends with day-trippers from Berlin slow the final stretch into the towns, especially around the harbours in Lübbenau.
Regional train or taxi into the Spreewald?
Lübbenau now has a regional train straight from the airport that takes about 50 minutes, and Lübben is on the same line. If your hotel is near the station, the train is a sensible option. Burg, however, has no railway station, and many guesthouses lie outside the town centres along the waterways. With suitcases, bicycles or children, the transfer from station to accommodation becomes a second journey. The taxi skips it.
Lübben: island castle and harbour
Lübben is the gateway to the Lower Spreewald and a good base for cyclists and paddlers. Hotels and holiday flats cluster around the castle island and the harbour where the punts depart. Narrow streets in the centre mean the car sometimes stops a few metres from the door; tell your driver if you are staying on the castle island itself.
Lübbenau and Lehde: punts and gherkins
Lübbenau is the busiest Spreewald town, with the large punt harbour, the castle park and shops selling Spreewald gherkins. The lagoon village of Lehde, with its open-air museum, lies just outside and is mostly reached by boat or on foot. Some guesthouses there can only be approached on the final stretch on foot or by punt. Ask your host in advance where a car can stop and note it in your booking.
Burg: a village spread across the meadows
Burg is a scattered settlement: houses, farms and holiday homes are dotted across a wide area of meadows and channels, connected by lanes and small bridges. Navigation systems sometimes struggle with the addresses. Give the name of the guesthouse, the street and, if possible, a landmark such as the Bismarck Tower or the thermal spa. Road signs here are bilingual, in German and Lower Sorbian, a reminder of the region's Wendish heritage.
Arriving late: rural evenings in the Spreewald
Flights that land at BER in the evening bring you into the Spreewald after dark, when lanes between the villages are unlit and many guesthouse receptions have already closed. Ask your host whether there is a key box or a late check-in, and write the code or the instructions down before you leave the airport rather than relying on mobile reception in the meadows. Restaurants in the smaller villages often close early, so a snack from the terminal is a good idea. If the house is hard to spot, ask your driver to wait a moment with the headlights on until you have found the right door.
Tips for your Spreewald trip
- Combine your arrival with a stop at Tropical Islands, which is on the way.
- Punt tours run mainly from spring to autumn; in winter the region is quiet and some guesthouses close.
- Bikes in bags or a pram need space: choose a six-seater.
- Cottbus and Dresden are further south; see the long-distance overview.
