Logistics
The useful stuff
In this section we’ll be providing you with all the necessary information for a smooth CSA experience.
In case we missed something or if you have further questions, please contact our logistics expert Magdaléna Farnesi: farnesi@centropa.org.
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The Hotel – Holiday Inn Express Alexanderplatz
Stralauer Strasse 45 Berlin 10179
+49 30 7501070
hiex-berlin@ihg.com
Check-in: 15:00h Check-out: 10:00h
From Airport Schönefeld to the hotel
Option 1:
- Bus X7 direction U Rudow or Bus 171 direction U Hermannplatz
- Change at: U Rudow for subway line U7 direction Rathaus Spandau
- Change at: U Herrmannplatz for subway line U8 direction Wittenau
- Get off at Jannowitzbrücke and walk ca 500 m. The hotel is on your left hand’s side.
- See map on how to get from U and S lines stop Jannowitzbrücke to the hotel
Option 2:
- Walk from the terminal to the airport train station (Schönefeld Bhf)
- Take regional Train RE7 or RB14 (in alternating intervals)
- You can either get off at Berlin-Alexanderplatz and walk to our hotel (about 1 km), OR
- Change at: S Ostkreuz Bahnhof for city train (S-bahn) S7, get off at S+U Jannowitzbrücke and walk about 600m. The hotel will be on your left hand’s side.
- See map on how to get from U and S lines stop Jannowitzbrücke to the hotel.
How to get from U and S lines stop Jannowitzbrücke to the hotel
From Airport Tegel to the hotel
Option 1:
- Bus X9 direction Zoologischer Garten
- Change at Ernst-Reuter-Platz for the subway line U2 direction Pankow
- Get off at Klosterstraße and walk ca 250 m to the hotel. The hotel is on the left side of the street.
- See map on how to get from subway stop Klosterstraße to the hotel
Option 2:
- Bus 109 direction Zoologischer Garten (operates in 10 min intervals)
- Change at Tegeler Weg/Jungfernheide for the city train (S-Bahn) no S41 direction Ringbahn
- Change at Schönhauserallee for the subway line U2 direction Ruhleben
- Get off at Klosterstraße and walk ca 205 m. The hotel is on the left side of the street.
- See map on how to get from subway stop Klosterstraße to the hotel
How to get from subway stop Klosterstraße to the hotel
Option 3:
- Bus TXL direction Alexanderplatz to Spandauer Str./Marienkirche. From there you can walk about 1 km to the hotel.
- Alternatively, you can get change at Alexanderplatz Bf. for S3, S5, S7, S9 and go to Jannowitzbrücke. From there walk approximately 500 m to the hotel.
- See map on how to get from U and S lines stop Jannowitzbrücke to the hotel.
How to get from U and S lines stop Jannowitzbrücke to the hotel
From Berlin Main Station “Hauptbahnhof” to the hotel
- Take local train line S5, direction Strausberg Nord
- Get off at Jannowitzbrücke
- Walk ca 500 m to the hotel.
- See map on how to get from U and S lines stop Jannowitzbrücke to the hotel
How to get from U and S lines stop Jannowitzbrücke to the hotel
Conference venues
Holiday Inn Express
Stralauer Str. 45, 10179 Berlin
+49 (0)30 7501070
Polnisches Institut
Burgstraße 27, 10178 Berlin
Anhalter Bahnhof
10963 Berlin
Holocaust Memorial Information Centre
Cora-Berliner-Straße 1, 10117 Berlin
Konrad Adenauer Stiftung
Tiergartenstraße 35., 10785 Berlin
Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
Hiroshimastraße 28, Haus 2, 10785 Berlin
Pestalozzi Str. Synagogue
Pestalozzistraße 14, 10625 Berlin
Polnisches Institut
Holiday Inn Express
Anhalter Bahnhof
Holocaust Memorial Information Centre
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung
Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
Pestalozzi Str. Synagogue
Important phone numbers
Using your phone in Berlin
If you are from an EU country, you can use your phone the way you use it at home: you pay the same price for calls, text messages and roaming as you would if you were at home.
If you are from a non-EU country, you will need to check with your telephone provider to see if you have the ability to use your phone and if you can send text messages while abroad. Sending texts (SMS) and making phone calls can be costly. Make sure you set your smartphone so that the data roaming is turned off.
Fabian Rühle
Program coordinator; European public schools
Lauren Granite
Program coordinator; US teachers
Magda Farnesi
Logistics
Bori Pál
Logistics
Public transport in Berlin
With a valid ticket, ticket holders have access to all public transport in Berlin: S-Bahn, U-Bahn, buses, trams and ferries. The fare depends on the tariff zone and the ticket’s period of validity.
Berlin is divided into three tariff zones: AB, BC und ABC. Tariff zone AB includes the urban area to the city boundary. Zone ABC additionally includes Berlin’s surrounding area and Potsdam Hauptbahnhof. Please note that the Tegel airport is in Zone B, and the Schönefeld airport is in Zone C.
General information
Buying Tickets
Tickets can be purchased at multilingual ticket machines on the platforms of S-and U-Bahn stations. In buses, fares are paid to the bus driver, in trams at machines inside the trains. In larger stations the S-Bahn and BVG provide ticket counters.
Validation of Tickets
Before the journey starts tickets must be validated by stamping them at the yellow or red boxes on the platforms, in buses or trams. In case of inspection, a ticket that is not stamped is invalid.
Tickets and Fares
One Way Ticket
A single fare ticket (Einzelfahrschein) is valid for one person and a two hour journey through the city.
Tariff AB: 2.80; reduced: 1.70 Euros
Tarif ABC: 3.40; reduced: 2.50 Euros
Short Distance Ticket
A short distance ticket (Kurzstrecke) costs 1.70 Euros, reduced 1.30 Euros and and is valid for three stops with S- and U-Bahn. Changing trains is allowed. The ticket is also valid for six stops in buses and trams, but only if not changing vehicles.
Day Ticket for one Person
A day ticket (Tageskarte) allows travelling during the whole day for as many trips as desired. The ticket is valid from the day of its validation until 3 a.m. the following day and costs 7 Euros in tariff zone AB, reduced 4.70 Euros, and 7.70 Euros in tariff zone ABC, reduced 5.30 Euros.
Seven-Day-Ticket for one Person
The seven-day-ticket is valid for seven consecutive days from the day of its validation. The ticket costs 30 Euros. Its validity ends on the seventh day at midnight.
Further types of tickets and information: https://shop.bvg.de/index.php/tickets
Route planner: http://www.bvg.de/en/
Frequently asked questions
What should I bring with me to the CSA?
Please bring with you your laptop/tablet, as you’ll need it during the work sessions.
Make sure to have your passport or ID with you during the whole time, and definitely on Friday, July 12, for the synagogue visit.
US teachers: you’ll need charger adapters to charge your devices.
Besides the above, bring whatever you need to feel comfortable in Berlin – however, in general we recommend you to pack lightly.
How should I dress during the CSA?
You can expect a hot summer weather in Berlin, so we recommend light clothing, but be also prepared for occasional rain and chilly evenings. We recommend you the check the weather forecast before your travel. Definitely bring comfortable walking shoes, since we will do a lot of walking. You will need to look nice for Shabbat dinner on Friday night – women, please wear a dress or skirt that covers your knee, and have something to cover your shoulders and elbow. Men, no need for a tie, but a nice shirt and pants. In the synagogue, you need to cover your head – you can either take a hat/kippah with you, or get a kippah at the entrance.
How do I get to the seminar on the first day?
On July 8, Monday, the Centropa team is going to welcome you in the hotel lobby with registration between 13:00 – 14:30. At 14:30, our group will walk together to the conference venue, the Polnisches Institute (Burgstraße 27, 10178 Berlin).
Berlin has a great public transport system, and you can use the BVG route planner or Google Maps to find the best connections. Above on this Logistics page we have listed you a few options of how to get to the hotel from the airports and the main train station.
In the hotel, the official check-in starts only at 15:00, but we requested an earlier check-in, so we hope most of you can get your rooms before our program starts. In any case, you can leave your luggage in the hotel. The first meal you’ll receive from us is an afternoon coffee break; therefore we advise you to have lunch or take snacks with you. If you arrive to Berlin later, we advise you to go to the hotel first, and then please join us at year earliest convenience.
Do I need a travel insurance for the CSA?
Yes. Centropa shall not be held responsible for your health and well-being while participating in the seminar and therefore we ask you to please arrange an appropriate medical and personal accident insurance for the period of the seminar for yourself.
How should I prepare for the CSA?
We want to make sure that you take out of your CSA experience as much as possible; therefore we ask you to come prepared, and complete the CSA pre-trip assignments. The assignments include a “Scavenger hunt” to get to know the Centropa website better, and interesting readings and articles about the history and current issues or Germany. Besides, we ask you to read “The Holocaust – A Short Story” by Wolfgang Benz, a book we’ll discuss together after our visit in Wannsee.
If you are interested in further readings, films, and podcasts related to Berlin and Germany, browse through our recommendations at the Read&Watch page.
How does the Superevent app work?
During the Summer Academy, we’ll use an event manager app called Superevent, and we ask you to please download it to your phone and use it. In the application, you find the schedule and important information, you can use the social features to stay in touch with your fellow participants, and you’ll receive real-time notifications and updates from the Centropa Team. All participants have received an email invitation to this app (if you don’t find yours, check your spambox). First you need to download the Superevent app to your device from your App store / Google Play. Then you need to enter your invitation code (received in the email) and log in with setting your email and password. If the app doesn’t seem to work on your device, you can always use the web app version: https://event.do/superevent/a/#/events/3450
How much free time will I have in Berlin?
You find the exact seminar schedule here. During the seminar, you’ll have 5 free evenings, and a free afternoon on July 12, Friday. If you are looking for recommendations of what to do in your free time, check out our “Explore Berlin” page.
How can I use my phone in Berlin?
If you are from an EU country, you can use your phone the way you use it at home: you pay the same price for calls, text messages and roaming as you would if you were at home.
If you are from a non-EU country, you will need to check with your telephone provider to see if you have the ability to use your phone and if you can send text messages while abroad. Sending texts (SMS) and making phone calls can be costly. Make sure you set your smartphone so that the data roaming is turned off.
Who do I call if I need help?
If you need help during the CSA, feel free to contact the Centropa team:
Fabian Rühle (Program coordinator; European public schools): +49 176 457 51975
Lauren Granite (Program coordinator; US teachers): +1 301 787 0052
Magda Farnesi (Logistics): +420 775 213 774
Bori Pál (Logistics): +3630 593 84 84
How about money?
The currency in Berlin is the Euro (EUR,€). 1 euro is about 1,2 USD.
During the Summer Academy, we ask you to cover for yourself your trip to and from the airports, and your meals, transportation costs and entry fees during your free time.
What do I need to arrange if I arrive to Berlin earlier or stay later?
Unless discussed with you otherwise, Centropa has booked you a hotel room in the Holiday In Express Alexanderplatz for July 8-15. If you arrive earlier or stay later in Berlin, you need to arrange accommodation for yourself on your own. You can decide to stay in the same hotel, but we ask you to arrange this with the hotel separately.
What’s all this about?
Contact Us
+43 1 4090 971
office@centropa.org