In a nutshell
- There are 4 hop-on/hop-off providers in Berlin — we’ll show you which one is actually the best.
- Short on time? Our top pick for the hop-on/hop-off Berlin bus tour is City Circle Sightseeing Tour.
- Want live commentary in the Berlin dialect? Then check out Tempelhofer Sightseeing — it’s seriously fun.
- We’ve personally done the hop-on/hop-off tour in Berlin and are sharing our honest experiences with you.
What You Should Know About Hop-on/Hop-off Providers in Berlin
There are 4 different providers for hop-on/hop-off buses in Berlin. They’re all pretty similar and run nearly the same route.
So no matter which provider you choose, you really can’t go wrong.
What’s the Same with All Hop-on/Hop-off Providers in Berlin
- Buses run regularly with a frequency of 20 to 40 minutes.
- All buses are double-deckers that run with an open top deck in good weather.
- The buses stop at around 20 stops, taking you past the most important attractions in Berlin.
Highlights You Can Reach with the Hop-on/Hop-off Bus in Berlin
- Alexanderplatz with the Berlin TV Tower
- East Side Gallery
- Museum Island
- Brandenburg Gate
- Reichstag
- Victory Column
- Kurfürstendamm and Berlin Zoological Garden
- Potsdamer Platz
- Checkpoint Charlie
- Gendarmenmarkt
Our Recommendation: Which Hop-on/Hop-off Provider Is the Best?
We have two favorites for hop-on/hop-off bus tours in Berlin:
Tempelhofer Sightseeing – Berlin City Tour
Here’s a closer look at both.
City Circle – the Classic City Tour
For a truly classic hop-on/hop-off bus tour in Berlin, we recommend City Circle.
You can find a good route overview for the City Circle city tour on their website.
Advantages:
- frequent service
- best value for money
- the only provider with a 72-hour ticket
- the stop finder makes it super easy to get your bearings on the ground
- for families: dedicated children’s audio guide
- buses are easy to spot — bright yellow and pink
Book your City Circle hop-on/hop-off ticket
Tempelhofer Sightseeing – Live Commentary with a Berlin Accent
If you enjoy the Berlin dialect, you’ll love the Tempelhofer Sightseeing Bus. You get all the commentary live, with genuine Berlin wit and attitude — it’s really entertaining.
You can find the exact route for the Tempelhofer Berlin City Tour here.
Advantages:
- the only provider with live commentary
- the cheapest ticket
- optional combo ticket with a boat tour
Disadvantages:
- only a 24-hour ticket available
- buses run less frequently
- children ages 4 and up require a ticket
Book your Tempelhofer hop-on/hop-off ticket with live commentary
Hop-on/Hop-off Providers in Berlin: An Overview
In Berlin there are four hop-on/hop-off providers in total.
We’ve taken a close look at all of them. This table breaks down the key differences between each provider so you can choose the right one for you.
| City Circle Stadtrundfahrt | Tempelhofer Sightseeing | City Sightseeing | Big Bus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Validity | 24h, 48h & 72h | 24h only | 24h & 48h | 24h & 48h |
| Prices for 24h | 37 € | 30 € | 27 € | 34 € |
| Children free | up to 6 years | up to 3 years | up to 6 years | up to 5 years |
| City Pass discount | included in BWC** all inclusive & 25% with BWC | no | 25% discount with BWC | 25% discount with BWC or CTC** |
| Combo options* | Boat tour | Boat tour | Legoland Discovery Centre | Currywurst & Walking Tour |
| Routes | 1 route | 1 route | 1 route | 2 routes |
| Stops | 22 | 22 | 18 | 17 (red) 4 (blue) |
| Frequency | every 20–25 minutes | every 30–40 minutes | every 25 minutes | every 20–30 minutes |
| Operating hours | 9:30 AM–5:00 PM | 9:30 AM–5:00 PM | 9:30 AM–5:30 PM | 9:45 AM–5:15 PM |
| Audio guide / Live | Audio DE & EN | Live in DE only (Berlin dialect), Audio DE & EN | Audio DE & EN | Audio DE & EN |
| Link to ticket | Get tickets | Get tickets | Get tickets | Get tickets |
* Boat tours available only during the season from April to October
** BWC = Berlin Welcome Card, CTC = City Tour Card
Combo Tickets: Combine Hop-on/Hop-off with Attractions
Some providers let you add on an attraction like a boat trip on the Spree with a combo ticket.
Honestly, a combo ticket only really makes sense if you go for a 48-hour hop-on/hop-off ticket. Squeezing both a bus and a boat tour into one day is doable, but it’s a tight fit time-wise.
Our recommendation for combo tickets
Our top pick is the 48-hour combo ticket from City Circle, which includes the option of a one-hour boat tour on the Spree.
Hop-on/Hop-off City Circle with Boat Tour
If you’d rather combine the hop-on/hop-off experience with live commentary in the Berlin dialect and a boat trip on the Spree, this is the combo ticket for you.
Hop-on/Hop-off Tempelhofer Sightseeing with Boat Tour
Note: Combo tickets with an optional boat tour can only be booked during the season from April to October.
Hop-on/Hop-off Tours in Berlin: Our Experiences
We took a thorough look at all providers and personally tested the hop-on/hop-off Berlin bus tour with City Circle.
What we really love: you don’t need to walk much or figure out public transit, yet you still see a huge amount of the city in a short time.
The tour takes you past attractions, viewpoints, and museums that you’d otherwise only reach by public transit with multiple transfers. That’s a genuine advantage.
That said, you should build in some extra time for your hop-on/hop-off tour in Berlin.
Like any major city, Berlin has construction sites, traffic jams, and other surprises that can delay your sightseeing tour. It’s best to go in knowing that things don’t always run on schedule and that the next bus might take longer than expected.
Sometimes you might also have trouble spotting the stop right away. City Circle’s stop finder is really helpful here.
We did the hop-on/hop-off tour with a child and our advice is to not hop off too often in that case. Since the stated bus frequency isn’t always reliable, you can end up waiting quite a while at a stop with a little one in tow. It’s not a dealbreaker, but factor in some waiting time. Hopping off a maximum of once or twice is a good compromise.
Our Verdict on Berlin's Hop-on/Hop-off Buses
A hop-on/hop-off bus tour in Berlin is absolutely worth it — you get to see so much of the city in a short time and can plan your sightseeing at a relaxed pace. If you’re exploring Berlin over a weekend, we’d definitely recommend adding a hop-on/hop-off tour to your plans.
To make it easy to reach the first bus stop in the morning, it’s worth checking out our Berlin hotel tips and Berlin boutique hotels — we cover the best neighborhoods too.
We’ve had great experiences with the City Circle hop-on/hop-off buses.
The buses run quite frequently, the stop finder makes locating stops so much easier, and we really appreciate the option of a 72-hour ticket — perfect if you want to spread your sightseeing across multiple days.
What wins us over about the Tempelhofer hop-on/hop-off buses is the live commentary — no other provider in Berlin offers that.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hop-on/Hop-off Providers in Berlin
Is hop-on/hop-off worth it in Berlin?
Absolutely! If you want to see as much of Berlin as possible in a short amount of time, a hop-on/hop-off sightseeing tour is totally worth it.
It’s also a great choice if you’re not yet confident navigating the city or would rather avoid Berlin’s public transit.
That said, the buses are no substitute for public transportation. Getting around Berlin by U-Bahn or S-Bahn is significantly faster and cheaper.
Should I buy my hop-on/hop-off ticket in advance?
If you’re not sure whether or when you want to take a hop-on/hop-off bus tour, you can buy your ticket on the spot.
It’s worth checking ahead of time whether tickets are cheaper online — that’s the case with most providers.
When you book online, you receive a digital ticket as a voucher on your smartphone, which you exchange for a physical ticket with the driver on-site. This saves you time and means you can get started right away.
Is the hop-on/hop-off bus in Berlin wheelchair accessible?
According to the providers, most buses are wheelchair accessible — though we can’t guarantee this.
At City Circle, for example, there is one wheelchair space per bus, but it cannot be reserved in advance.
Is hop-on/hop-off Berlin good for kids?
When you’re exploring Berlin with kids, a hop-on/hop-off bus tour is a fantastic option for stress-free sightseeing.
Kids often don’t feel like walking through a city for hours. With a hop-on/hop-off bus, you have so much more flexibility — and most kids absolutely love riding on a double-decker.
We do recommend not doing the full loop with young children though. The complete circuit takes at least two hours, which gets boring fast. It’s better to hop off once or twice and mix things up. For example, you could get off at the Victory Column and enjoy one of Berlin’s most beautiful viewpoints — or hop off at the Berlin Zoo and visit the pandas, elephants, and more.
The tour works best for kids ages 3 and up. For younger children, it’s honestly not really worth it.
With most operators, children up to 6 years old ride for free. For older children, all operators offer family tickets.
You can easily bring a stroller or travel stroller along.
Our tip: Our top pick, City Circle, is the only operator in Berlin that offers a dedicated audio guide for kids.
What are the alternatives to the hop-on/hop-off bus in Berlin?
One solid alternative is riding the bus 100 operated by Berlin’s public transit authority. It passes many of the same attractions and things to do in Berlin, and all you need is a regular public transit ticket — which is significantly cheaper.
The downside: buses get packed during rush hour, there’s no audio guide, and you have to navigate on your own.
The hop-on/hop-off buses are rarely truly crowded, since there are plenty of options available across Berlin.
You could also join a guided city tour of Berlin instead.
How much luggage can I bring on the hop-on/hop-off bus?
You can bring as much luggage as you like on the hop-on/hop-off tour. There’s always room for larger suitcases on the lower deck.
That said, we’d recommend leaving your bags at your accommodation in Berlin. It’s much more relaxed — especially if you plan to hop on and off frequently.
Are dogs allowed on the hop-on/hop-off buses in Berlin?
Yes, you can bring your dog along, as long as it doesn’t occupy a seat or disturb other passengers.
Are the hop-on/hop-off buses included in the Berlin Welcome Card?
Yes! The Berlin Welcome Card all inclusive includes a hop-on/hop-off tour with City Circle.
With the standard Berlin Welcome Card you also get a 25% discount on hop-on/hop-off tickets with these providers: City Circle, City Sightseeing, and Big Bus.
We’ve written a detailed article about the Berlin Welcome Card — including whether the all inclusive version is actually worth it for you.
