Find out how to plan a trip to Berlin on a budget. Here, you’ll discover how to spend less on accommodation, travel insurance, attraction tickets, shopping, car rental and much more.
1. Save on mandatory travel insurance for Berlin
As well as being essential for your vacation, travel insurance is a must if you want to go to Berlin. This is because, in order to enter any place in Europe, you need to have Travel Insurance with a minimum cover of 30,000 euros in medical assistance.
We have already tested several companies and this one has been the best. It’s reliable and at a good price.
2. Save on paid tours in Berlin
Berlin’s main attractions are usually very expensive and require a considerable investment to buy tickets. It is therefore advisable to buy all your tickets online, which is usually more economical. As well as saving money, this approach saves you time and queues.
There are incredible tours that take you to see the best of Berlin and several other German cities. We’ve traveled the world and found a great company that offers all these guided tours at very good prices. On our last trips, it was precisely this Berlin Tickets website that we used.
As well as being one of the biggest ticket sellers in the world, the site is very secure and you can buy all your tickets in one place.
3. Save on accommodation in Berlin
Accommodation is also an important point in your travel planning. In Berlin, prices are very relative, depending on the area of the city. That’s why our tip for finding great hotels at very good prices is to use this Berlin Hotel Finder.
We always use it on our trips and we really like this site, which is the largest hotel booking platform in the world. And with it, you can confidently and safely book great accommodation at incredible prices. We always save a lot with this tool and recommend it to anyone who wants to travel to Germany.
4. Save on shopping in Berlin
A smart suggestion for saving even more during your stay in Berlin is to control your spending while shopping in the city and throughout Germany. Avoid buying souvenirs, clothes or anything else in the tourist areas, where prices tend to be significantly higher than in places further away from the center.
Due to the high concentration of tourists in these areas, stores increase their prices to take advantage of the demand. If you move a little beyond these areas, you will find products for substantially more affordable prices.
Plus, always try to use a prepaid card or take euros in cash, as the exchange rates applied to credit card transactions tend to be higher, resulting in additional costs for your purchases.
In Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt, for example, you can find outlets that offer much lower prices and various promotions. Choosing to store at these stores will ensure that you save considerably. And items you can’t find in the outlets can be purchased in the region’s large shopping malls and centers.
5. Save on calls and Internet in Berlin
Another tip on how to plan a trip to Berlin on a budget is to save money when using your cell phone. In short, using your international roaming abroad is usually the worst option and ends up being much more expensive. And sometimes, in order to use the Wi-Fi, most hotels charge a very expensive daily fee and you can only use your cell phone inside the hotel.
For this reason, and many others, what most people do to travel cheaply to Germany, and which is very worthwhile, is to buy an prepaid SIM card. We always use this Mobile Chip. It’s electronic (eSIM), you install it instantly and you can use your cell phone’s internet anywhere in the world.
6. Save on car rental in Berlin
Another good recommendation on how to plan a trip to Berlin on a budget is to save money on car rental. Many tourists who go there choose this option to have the freedom to get around, to be able to visit various places in the city, to go to the outlets and shopping malls with a trunk and to get to know the neighboring cities. So take a look at the tips below and make the most of it.
Book your car in advance
Make your reservation online as soon as possible, because another tip on how to plan a trip to Berlin on a budget, and get a cheap car, is to book as far in advance as possible and online. The earlier you book, the cheaper you’ll pay. It’s well worth it and you’ll save a lot with promotions, paying much less than renting a car on the spot.
Don’t rent a GPS in Berlin
Another good tip is not to rent a car with a GPS, as it costs a lot per day. Instead, you can buy a good chip, like the one we listed above, unblocked for international calls and with unlimited Internet. That way, you’ll be able to use the map and location apps with your own cell phone.
Use this incredible price comparator
There are some car rental price comparators in Berlin (and throughout Germany) that are sensational and search all the main car rental companies there, finding the best prices and excellent deals.
We recommend one that you can use by going to the website and entering the date of your trip. It then searches for all the best car rental companies in Berlin.
If you want to do the search, click here on Car Rental Comparator. In just a few seconds, you’ll have all the options for renting a car in Berlin from the best companies on your screen, and you can choose the cheapest one. You really will save a lot.
More tips: prefer larger and reliable rental companies, such as Europcar, Budget and Avis. Take out basic insurance when booking, which is super important and is usually included in the price. But don’t fall for the companies who, when you pick up the car, try to push extra insurance that isn’t worth it.
7. Save money with a transfer service in Berlin
A valuable recommendation for those who don’t intend to rent a car in Berlin is to book a transfer service from the airport to the hotel (and/or vice versa). The advantages are numerous: prior scheduling with the driver, guaranteed private transportation, comfort for travelers with lots of luggage, among other benefits.
There is a very good website, this Transfer Search, which is the largest in the world. It offers 3 transfer options: one way from the airport to the hotel, one way from the hotel to the airport or both (round trip). Just enter the airport you’re arriving at, the destination and choose the best option and type of car.
They give you the price, the journey time and all the information. We found it much cheaper than taking a cab from the airport and everything was always very quick and easy. It’s very worthwhile if you’re not going to rent a car. It’s also an excellent place to buy Berlin’s tickets and tours.
8. Save money on train travel in Europe
A great option for those who want to know how to travel cheaply to Berlin in Germany and to other countries, such as Spain, Holland and France, is to use the trains. Trains in Europe are great, fast and very comfortable.
Plus, it’s a way of saving money, because sometimes airline tickets are much more expensive and you lose a lot of time with flights, boarding and checking in at the airport. So, one tip for finding the best tickets and the lowest prices is to use this Europe Train Finder.
It’s the largest train ticket website in the world and it searches all the best train companies in Germany and Europe to show you the best options.
