Visiting the Reichstag: Tickets, Tips & Everything You Need to Know

Visiting the Reichstag: What Ticket Options Are There?

There are quite a few options when it comes to visiting the Reichstag — more than most people realize.

Here’s a full overview of everything you can book:

Visiting the Reichstag or the Reichstag Dome?

As you can see in the table above, the Reichstag Dome and the Reichstag building don’t automatically come together.

A dome ticket only covers the rooftop terrace and the dome itself. The interior of the Reichstag and the plenary chamber are not included.

To see those, you’ll need to join a guided tour, which you have to reserve weeks in advance. The good news: the guided tour also takes you up to the dome at the end.

So if you want the full Reichstag experience — plenary chamber, rooftop terrace, and dome — a guided tour ticket is the way to go.

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Visiting the Reichstag Dome

Plan on spending about one to two hours for your visit to the Reichstag Dome.

After the ticket and bag check at the visitor center, you’ll be escorted with a group to the elevator inside the Reichstag building.

From there, it’s straight up to the rooftop terrace. Once you’re up top, you can borrow an audio guide for free and move around freely between the dome and the terrace.

Book a Reichstag Dome appointment online

To visit, you’ll need to register and provide three preferred time slots — these can even be three different times on the same day.

You’ll then receive an email confirming your appointment for one of the three requested slots.

That confirmation is your ticket for the Reichstag Dome. Bring it to the visitor center entrance along with your ID.

Register for the rooftop terrace & dome

Book a Reichstag Dome appointment on the spot

At the visitor center on Scheidemannstraße, you can also book a same-day appointment — as long as there’s still availability.

Make sure to bring your ID, since you’ll need it both when booking your time slot and again at the ticket check.

The ticket desk for the Reichstag Dome is on the Tiergarten side of the street, right next to the Berlin Pavillon restaurant.

You’ll spot it easily by the large screen outside showing remaining spots for each time slot.

Dining at the Käfer Rooftop Restaurant

On the rooftop terrace, right next to the dome, you’ll find the Käfer Rooftop Restaurant.

This wonderfully stylish restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When the weather cooperates, there’s a fantastic outdoor terrace with sweeping views of Berlin’s landmarks.

You can only get in with a reservation, which automatically includes access to the dome.

Depending on the time of your reservation, you’ll be booking the corresponding meal. The reservation is binding and can only be canceled free of charge up to 24 hours in advance — otherwise, you’ll be charged for the meal.

Here too, you’ll need to show your ID at the security check in the visitor center.

Reserve for breakfast

Reserve for lunch

Reserve for aperitivo

Reserve for dinner

Visiting the Reichstag Building

If you want to see inside the Reichstag building and the plenary chamber, you can only do so on a guided tour.

These are run by the Bundestag and are completely free of charge.

Book a Reichstag guided tour

There are various 90-minute tours of the Reichstag building, each with a different focus:

• History and Architecture
• Art
• Family tours

At the end of every tour, you can head up to the dome on your own.

Tours don’t run every day, so spots fill up fast.

Here’s what’s on offer:

General tour of the Reichstag building

This is the most popular tour — and it’s usually booked up weeks in advance.

You’ll get a brief introduction to the history and function of the Reichstag, see the Cyrillic inscriptions left on the walls by Russian soldiers during World War II, and have plenty of time for questions.

The tour wraps up at the plenary chamber, where your guide says goodbye at the elevator that takes you up to the dome.

Tour of the Reichstag building with a focus on parliamentary history

This tour is a bit easier to book, since its historical focus makes it slightly more specialized — meaning fewer people go for it.

You’ll be guided to various locations inside the Reichstag where historical exhibits are on display.

The focus is entirely on the history of the Reichstag and of parliamentarism in Germany.

You’ll also see the plenary chamber on this tour and can head up to the dome afterward.

Tours of the Reichstag building with a focus on architecture and art

Throughout the Reichstag building, you’ll find numerous paintings and sculptures created by artists commissioned by the Bundestag.

This art and architecture tour puts those works front and center.

You’ll also get an insight into the work of architect Sir Norman Foster, whose innovative ideas shaped the renovation and modernization of the Reichstag after reunification.

Family tour of the Reichstag building

Family tours are held at the Reichstag too — conveniently scheduled on weekends and public holidays only.

Kids get a simple, age-appropriate explanation of what the Bundestag does and how parliament works.

The tour is suitable for children between the ages of 5 and 14.

Paid tour of the Reichstag building and government district

This is a more extensive option organized by an external provider, which is why it comes with a fee.

You’ll visit not just the Reichstag building and dome, but also the entire government district. The meeting point is at the Brandenburg Gate, and the tour wraps up at the dome after about 2.5 hours.

Entry to the Reichstag building is automatically included as part of this tour.

Another big plus: tickets are available on shorter notice than the free tours.

To the tour of the Reichstag building, dome, and government district
Our tip: If you’re generally interested in guided tours, you’ll find plenty of great options in our article on the best Berlin city tours.

Attending a Bundestag session

The plenary chamber has 230 seats in the public gallery, and they fill up quickly. Reserve well in advance.

Plenary sessions are held during fixed weeks throughout the year — you can check the schedule in the session calendar. Visitors can attend on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Each visit lasts one hour and starts on the hour.

You won’t know which topics will be discussed at the time of booking — you’ll only find that out during the debate itself.

After the session, you can still visit the dome if you’d like.

Register to attend a Bundestag session

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting the Reichstag

Here are the most common questions that come up about visiting the Reichstag: