Ostkreuz

Surely the world's most confusing station. No central departure board, just individual ones for individual platforms. Avoid if you want to get to your destination (a) on time, and (b) with your sanity intact ...though it does have some nice painting between platforms 2 and 3...

Incredibly confusing station. I have been there many times as I live close by, but I don't even want to think about how confusing this place must be for a visitor, especially if you are trying to find your train connection. It's especially difficult to get to the platform for the airport express train... several sets of stairs and if you aren't used to how signage works in Germany, you may just have to ask people for guidance. Nice little variety of stores (newspapers, beverages, food), even though these usually are very crowded.

Huge station with plenty of great restaurants and cafes… no complaints there. The only issue? The signage. Want to exit? The sign says go right. You go right… then another sign tells you to go left. You end up going in circles until you finally ask someone for directions. That said, it offers good connections to the airport and other parts of the city, which is definitely a plus.

A nice station is available in the security department. There are also restaurants that serve food and there is a quick shopping mall. When they finish the maintenance work, it will be even more beautiful.

Horrible station. Its redevelopment was some ten years ago but the planners seriously underestimated its passenger flow. Millions of people transfer here but there’s not a single ticket counter, which is a joke. And the most ridiculous thing, they did not plan a stop for the SBahn line turning here to the airport just passing by near the station building. The only advantage, it’s close to the nightlife and cafes in Friedrichshain.

There's been a pool of piss on the way to the only elevator from the neue bahnhofstr side for the last 2 weeks. If you have a stroller or a bike be prepared to wade through it

Very confusing station. No signs how to transfer to airport. Luckily kind locals knew that the train went from the other side of the station.

Many platforms, different levels, not brilliant signage... If you can change trains elsewhere, do..

One of the most impressive things about German cities and Berlin is no exception to this, is the efficient and plentiful provision of public transport options Berlin is criss-crossed by well signposted and organised Deutsche Bahn railway trains, U-Bahn subway trains, S-Bahn psuedo-subway trains, trams and buses. These run reliably, are clean and run on an integrated ticketing zonal fare system. You can buy tickets for journeys within or across the fare zones (A to C), either for single journeys or as a daily travel cards and these cover all modes of transport. Just remember to validate your tickets for travel at the little validation machines on the platform The next most impressive thing about German public transport is the honesty of the travelling public. I was surprised and then shocked to find that you can just stroll onto the train platforms with passing any ticket barriersand watching travellers, people do pay for tickets. Perhaps to London's shame, I'm fairly sure that if there were no ticket barriers, a significant number of passengers would abuse the system. Some already try to do so despite the presence of ticket barriers Ostkreuz is a major interchange for a lot of S-Bahn services located in the eastern end of town. It provides another way to get to Berlin Schoenefeld Airport via the S9 line. You just need to locate the correct platform from which your service is departing and the departure boards are quite clear There are a few eateries but no toilet (I had to hold it a little til I got to the airport!). There are customer service agents with red hats to help customers but they weren't particularly helpful with regard to toilet facilities! Despite this, the station was a model of German efficiency - who needs the private sector to suck out last amounts of taxpayers' subsidy if the public sector can run such an efficient transport system?

Folks unfamiliar with the German transport system probably fall in love with it instantly. Trains run on time, busses are considerably clean, trams are modern, and subways are a vital part of every big city. This is especially true for Berlin. Public transport gets you anywhere. At Bahnhof Ostkreuz ("East cross") all the city trains (S-Bahn) come together. It is one of four major stations (Suedkreuz, Gesundbrunnen, Hauptbahnhof) and it has been re-constructed for years. It now has a full-size roof which protects you from wind and rain, some food options, and large escalators that connect the North/South-bound and the East/West-bound platforms. I remember the good old days in the 1980's when Ostkreuz was one of the bigger transit hubs in East Berlin, with the best currywurst outside the station. Now I believe there's a Doner Kebab place, among plenty of food and drink options in the neighborhood.

Thought there was plenty of construction at Ostkreuz for a few years, it was well worth it, as the new station is wonderful. In particular, the large glass dome over the main section is nice, especially on cold or rainy days. The most important thing is to pay attention to where you are going, and it helps to know which of the many exits is the correct one for where you are headed.

Pay attention to the signs and you won't get lost (like I did today). Many trains come in and out he so it is easy to get confused. people are super friendly and will put you back on track.