Trains on RE8 run straight from BER T1-2 to Berlin Ostbahnhof
RE8 is a Regionalbahn train linking Berlin Brandenburg Airport Terminal 1-2 station with Berlin Ostbahnhof in about 25–30 minutes. It runs beyond the city toward Wismar via stations like Berlin Hbf and Gesundbrunnen, so it suits trips that continue past central Berlin. Trains use the underground "Flughafen BER – Terminal 1-2" station directly below the terminal check-in hall.
From BER, RE8 usually departs at roughly 60-minute intervals during the day, so you plan around a timetable rather than just walking onto the next train. The ride to Berlin Ostbahnhof is typically a few minutes quicker than the S-Bahn from the airport. If your flight lands late, check the last RE8 of the night; some days the final departure leaves the airport station before 23:30.
RE8 uses DB Regio regional carriages with standard and 1st class, and the same ABC Berlin-Brandenburg fare zones apply as on S-Bahn or FEX. A single AB+C ticket or a Berlin ABC ticket (around €4.40 at current prices) covers the ride from BER to city stations such as Ostbahnhof or Alexanderplatz. You can buy tickets from DB red machines on the station concourse, from BVG machines marked "ABC", or in the DB Navigator app before boarding.
Step-by-step from Terminal 1 check-in to the RE8 platform takes about 5–10 minutes if you know where you’re going. Follow the blue Deutsche Bahn and train icons down two levels from the arrivals hall to the "Flughafen BER – Terminal 1-2" station. Once in the station, look at the departure boards for trains marked RE8 toward Wismar or Wittenberge, then head to the listed platform, usually Gleis 1 or 2.
If you’re coming from Terminal 2, allow an extra 5–10 minutes to walk over to the Terminal 1 building before heading down to the underground station. T2 has no separate train stop; you exit, follow signs toward T1, and then descend via escalators or elevators. Factor this walk into your timing if your RE8 departs on the hour and your flight lands at, say, 09:15.
Use this basic sequence for taking RE8 from BER into the city: 1) Exit arrivals at Terminal 1 and follow train/DB signs. 2) Go down two levels to "Flughafen BER – Terminal 1-2". 3) Buy a Berlin ABC ticket (around €4.40) from a BVG or DB machine. 4) Check the board for RE8 direction Wismar or Wittenberge and note the platform. 5) Validate any paper ticket at the small yellow or red validator before stepping onto the train. 6) Board, stow luggage in the rack near the doors, and ride to Ostbahnhof, Hbf, or your onward stop.
One final tip: if timing doesn’t line up and you just missed an RE8, compare options with FEX and S-Bahn on the station board; a 4-minute change at Ostkreuz or Südkreuz can beat waiting 55 minutes at BER for the next regional train.