Szczecin (Berlin?) port help - RSSC Voyager 08

[atltravel]

Can anyone give my info on this port? Also about getting to Berlin from here. Or what did you do in this port?

[HeinBloed]

Hello,

 

only to the 2nd part.

 

Berlin is about 2,5 hours away by train.

 

But there is only 1 daily direct train which leaves already 6.10 am.

 

More trains with one change.

 

But honestly spoken - the transfers are on places I would not go if you are not (ethnic) white person.

 

It's a part of Eastern Germany where I as non-white person will even feel not comfortable to change the trains...

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

HeinBloed is correct about the direct train daily in each direction but the connecting trains are very easy. There are a couple different cities that they use for connections but the train you are switching to will be either arrive on the same platform or the adjoining platform with sufficient time to switch trains.

 

The trains originate at the main station in Szczecin which is in the downtown. You would have to get to it from the port and I don't know what that would cost. I think a taxi would be expensive because the water and the city are not really close but perhaps the ship is offering an alternative for those wanting to spend the day away from the port in the town. The trains go to the Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Berlin Hbf) which is the main train station that recently opened and you can connect to anywhere in Berlin from there with the subway (U-Bahn) or suburban trains (S-Bahn) easily. Buy a Day Pass (Tageskarte) for a nominal price and have unlimited use including buses and trams. Just make sure you plan a return train with sufficient time to make it back plus connect back to your ship.

 

You can buy study timetables and buy tickets at: http://www.raileurope.com

Even better information can be had from the German Railways website and then click on the English link. If you're savvy and can figure it out, you can also buy tickets from this website for less money then from Rail Europe and they mail them to you. This website is: http://www.db.de

Finally, no matter how you get to Berlin, if you're sightseeing on your own rather than with a tour, get the transit daypass for sure. There is an English link to the Berlin transit system at: http://www.bvg.de

 

Berlin is an INCREDIBLE CITY and very worth your visit.

 

BobK/Orlando

[HeinBloed]

HeinBloed is correct about the direct train daily in each direction but the connecting trains are very easy. There are a couple different cities that they use for connections but the train you are switching to will be either arrive on the same platform or the adjoining platform with sufficient time to switch trains.

 

The trains originate at the main station in Szczecin which is in the downtown. You would have to get to it from the port and I don't know what that would cost. I think a taxi would be expensive because the water and the city are not really close but perhaps the ship is offering an alternative for those wanting to spend the day away from the port in the town. The trains go to the Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Berlin Hbf) which is the main train station that recently opened and you can connect to anywhere in Berlin from there with the subway (U-Bahn) or suburban trains (S-Bahn) easily. Buy a Day Pass (Tageskarte) for a nominal price and have unlimited use including buses and trams. Just make sure you plan a return train with sufficient time to make it back plus connect back to your ship.

 

You can buy study timetables and buy tickets at: www.raileurope.com

Even better information can be had from the German Railways website and then click on the English link. If you're savvy and can figure it out, you can also buy tickets from this website for less money then from Rail Europe and they mail them to you. This website is: www.db.de

Finally, no matter how you get to Berlin, if you're sightseeing on your own rather than with a tour, get the transit daypass for sure. There is an English link to the Berlin transit system at: www.bvg.de

 

Berlin is an INCREDIBLE CITY and very worth your visit.

 

BobK/Orlando

 

 

3 corrections:

 

1. there is no subway so far to transfer at Hauptbahnhof as the only projected subway U 55 is still under construction

 

2. db.de is the website of the Holding. To check all passenger train operations visit http://www.bahn.de

 

3. DO NOT BUY TICKETS at www.raileurope.com! They are more expensive than local tickets. The first station in Germany is part of Brandenburg. There you can get for 28,00 EUR a so-called Brandenburg-Berlin-Ticket which is valid from 09.00 am to 03.00 am of the next day. Therefore you only need the Polish section from Sczeczin to the border point Tantow. But the 28,00 EUR is good for upto 5 persons on one ticket and if you are sure that you are visiting only the "typical" tourist sights alongside of the so-called Stadtbahn (east-west-commuter-train) incl. Hauptbahnhof (Reichstag/Brandenburg Gate area) - Potsdamer Platz - Alexanderplatz - Zoologischer Garten (West Berlin) - Unter den Linden you do not need to buy an additional day pass from BVG. Only if you are sure that you would like to take buses, trams or subway. The Brandenburg-Berlin pass is available online. If you buy at http://www.raileurope.com you get only the international tickets which are good for the one single train which goes direct but even this with a high premium when we compared already the prices for Warnemünde - Berlin.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

HeinBloed, thanks for the corrections. I did not realize that the U-Bahn was not already linked with Berlin Hbf. For me I almost consider the U-Bahn and S-Bahn to be the same thing; for practical purposes they are. I did mention that tickets are cheaper at the DB website than from Rail Europe and I have successfully purchased tickets there but even the part of the website that is in English is difficult to understand.

 

Please clarify how someone originating at Sczeczin would buy a Brandenburg-Berlin ticket? If they purchase only a Polish ticket at the station in Sczeczin can they also buy the Brandenburg ticket there as well or do they have to get off the train at the first German station to purchase it?

 

Thanks,

BobK/Orlando

[HeinBloed]

The Brandenburg-Berlin-Ticket is available online on http://www.bahn.de.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Danke, Heinbloed.

[atltravel]

Thanks guys for all the train options, but I was really looking for tour, guide, and bus options. Taking the train is not an option.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Thanks guys for all the train options, but I was really looking for tour, guide, and bus options. Taking the train is not an option.

 

I'm not aware of any ships that do Berlin tours from Sczeczin. Check your sailing to see if anything is offered. If it's not then you'd have to do Berlin on your own which means the trains as described. Sczeczin is not a huge tourist city so there is no demand for day tours to Berlin. And it's in Poland, not Germany, so another reason not to offer tours. I may be wrong, but I'm sure not aware of anything like that. (Ships that stop at Warnemünde in northern Germany offer the Berlin tours.)

 

BobK/Orlando

[HeinBloed]

Check here:

 

http://www.rssc.com/voyage/details.jsp?code=VOY080715&page=ports&portcode=SZZ07232008

 

Berlin is offered out of Sczeczin.

 

The best places to discover Berlin is normally

 

Warnemünde (train station in front of Cruise Terminal)

Hamburg (90 minutes by high-speed-train to Berlin).

 

Sczeczin is not "normal" but it would work!

 

Poland and Germany are both members of the EU so crossing the border is not like a nightmare like sometimes from Canada to the US (on some days on some specific points).

 

Regards,

HeinBloed