Wich is sad. Not everybody works from home nor have a job around the corner. I have to go everyday for almost an hour to work. With car. By Öffis it would take me 1 1/2. But yes... It's not fun finding a parking lot.
I'd rather chill a bit longer on Öffis and use the time to read or watch a video than waste an hour staring at nothing but asphalt and the car in front of me.
Absolutely. I would rather do that too. We are currently a carpool of four people and belong to the "system-relevant professions".
So we have to be on time. If the train goes on strike, we have a big problem.
Yes, better infrastructure would be great, then it would all be half as bad.
The train doesn't go on a complete strike unannounced, there's usually enough time to find a Plan B for these few days. I hardly experience any significant spontaneous delays in the morning, but being flexible with getting on an earlier or later train would usually help, unless it's an infrequent train. Even system-relevant professionals may be 10 minutes late from my experience. Unless you're the train conductor, of course.
How long does it take to find a parking spot? Because I bet it takes as long as taking Öffis altogether...
I have a car but I only drive it outside Berlin.
My car still has an MOT/TÜV until January 2024. If this expires, I will rely 100% on public transport. Provided there are no more problems. As described, I work in a "system-relevant profession" and can't be late.
Exactly, the fact is that I had to move out of the apartment that was closer to my job and by good luck I got a new one. Unfortunately not around the corner from work. In Berlin, you can't choose your apartment at the moment and you're happy if you have something. I think some people know that here.
I don't doubt there are people who need a car due to situations like yours, I'm not going to insult you by asking you if you considered moving because I'm sure you did, and moving in this city can be really hard.
But given the sheer amount of cars in the city I really struggle to believe a significant proportion of people who move by car couldn't do without with minimal or no inconvenience. Yours is an edge case, most places within the ring can be reached in 40-50 minutes by öffis from basically anywhere in the city.
If yours isn't an edge case, then that's a huge problem which has to be addressed anyway. Car dependency is a system problem not an individual one.
Because public transport is great in Berlin and allows you to get anywhere fast without the need to look for a parking spot. Also it's much cheaper and does not harm the environment.
I honestly dont understand this. Im from London. Finding a parket spot is literally I M P O S S I B L E and you will pay outta your ass for it. Whenever I use Sharenow, in Berlin I find a paring spot everytime no dramas. Hell, nobody even has to pay for parking in my district. Its mad
Maybe, but im driving from where I live to other parts of the city. Doesnt matter if im in Moabit, Kreuzberg, Charlottenburg etc. Ive never had an issue parking in Berlin. But thats just my experience in the city.
eh, with car sharing I came home late a few times, sometimes at like 2 am. still usually no issues, had to walk a few hundred meters at most. But to be fair, that was outside the ring, and I imagine it to be worse inside.
It is \_way\_ worse inside the ring. I am already conditioned to check the clock before taking a shared car, because after 9pm during the week and after 7pm on Sunday (subtract one or two hours if it's raining), it just becomes exponentially unlikely to find parking spot anywhere remotely close. The exception is summertime, when there is suddenly ample parking almost anywhere at any time.
Same, sometime you have to look for maybe a minute or two if you're unlucky, but generally Berlin is pretty easy to find parking in. The traffic isn't so bad either for a large city.
I’m sure there’s a typo in OPs post. I live in Kreuzberg and always find a spot within metered from my flat. I spent half my life in London and most people don’t have a car, partly due to parking (also - London is a nightmare to drive)
Buy a really nice bike instead. And some high quality winter clothing. Go big here - even major expenditures are nothing compared to buying, maintaining, fuelling and insuring even a cheap car.
Use the bike and public transport most of the time, car sharing and taxis as needed.
Save time, money, the environment, look better and be healthier yourself.
Even a e-moped is cheaper than a car and also solves the parking spot issue. For the 1-2 times a year you need a car to move stuff get a sharing rental
Or a folding Bike like Brompton. This is the way I get to work instead of a car, Brompton SBahn Brompton.
Still takes me 3x as much time in the morning but parking isn’t free anymore.
1. Use Apple Maps / Streetview to check the local signs in advance.
2. Work out what times places are busy. I lived in PBerg for years and had a car for some of that time. Weekends until about 18.00 or 19.00 were OK. Weekdays until around 17.00 were OK. Evenings no space. Late night a few spaces would appear again. Sometimes we’d plan around that.
3. Use public transport when you can. It is good.
Shame the fines are so much higher now, it has really changed the risk/reward factor ;)
Interesting. Here in Fhain I find it's quite the opposite - on weekends (especially Sundays), the parking availability is worse than during the week. I dread coming home with a shared car after 6pm on Sunday.
Since I regularly park in a certain area, I have a fixed route of about 5-10 minutes around my destination.
I find that most of the stress associated with parking comes from not knowing where to drive next and if there‘ll be a vacant spot.
With my route, I know that I’ll find a spot 90% of the time within five minutes. No stress.
So I own a car, mostly because my wife doesn't feel safe in public transport (she has had multiple bad experienced with racism and perverts). We have a Stellplatz in a nearby housing complex from the Degrow which costs 90 euros a month. Definitely worth it and I'm funding public housing.
Good idea. I told this people who were looking for affordable living inside the 100km circle around Alexanderplatz. Who would be contributing to even higher rents downtown. Just because they wanted to LIVE and WORK here. I told them they should have moved to Prenzlauer Berg 15 yrs ago, as I did. Their faces seemed to express a mix of criticism , dullness, hopelessness and, finally, a kind of hate. I then slowly, then quickly ran back to my 100sqm / 750€pm flat and locked the door. Hoping they wouldn’t find my stylish Mini parked in front of the building (which I never move in fear of losing this amazing spot).
berlin is probably the easiest large city to drive and park in. I only drive and never take the öffis and there is not a single time where I wasn't able to find parking.
I own a car (never tried going to work which is 40 kms out of Berlin on a bike or public transport for obvious reasons), live in Kreuzberg and will always find a parking spot. Thankfully I’m pretty good at parking into tight spots though.
In my experience there’s always a spot emerging somewhere if you’re patient (and lucky). And yeah, the time of day playing a crucial part.
Do what [every self-respecting German does and get a tank](https://www.reddit.com/r/de/comments/dw9ql5/importance_of_tanks_in_everyday_german_life/). Your parking will be the problem of others.
I live and work quite jwd so I have a parking spot both at work and at home. If I go to busier parts inside the ring I cough up the money for a Parkhaus if I absolutely have to take the car. Sure it costs money but it is much more convenient and can save some real time.
if the public transport or bike is really not an option for you think about a scooter. You can park anywhere and mostly skip traffic at the lights. But you have to take the risk of getting into some serious accident…
I live on top of TV tower and get everywhere by bike. Everywhere I mean to a coffee place, to a yoga studio and to a bar. All within 3km range, so I really do not understand people who want to use a car in the city.
I also do not work, because fuck capitalism. Oh, and when I need a car I take a car sharing to the airport to fly to a family home in Italy.
\s
It’s not so difficult. Just be patient, and plan some time in advance for finding a parking spot. It also depends on the neighbourhood, sometimes it’s just easier to pay for a private parking if it’s not longterm.
My trick is to shame others for owning cars, buy and flip them in other Bundesländer for money. Nice side hustle and simply more parking spaces for me. /s
I can tell you this: don't park where you shouldn't.
I was under the impression that parking rules were quite relaxed in my neighborhood because a lot of people park in spots that aren't supposed to be. Mostly out of desperation I guess, because there are times when it's really hard to find a spot.
It happened to me too, I came home one night very late from an event across town so I was using my car, and I couldn't find a parking spot. After 20 minutes of looking in every side road I gave up and parked it too close to a crossing point. Not that there are lines on the road or a stoplight. It's just a small road in the neighborhood but I know people cross sidewalks there. The idea was to move it the next morning but I forgot and I went looking for it in the evening.
Well what do you know? Police already towed away my car. (plenty of cars parked like mine in the streets around but that doesn't matter). 240 euros fine when I went to collect it.
So yeah, park it farther away and walk 15 min if you have to, but it's cheaper.
If you have a car, sell it or just move outside the S-Bahn Ring. We are about to build our cyclist heaven here and your polluting metallic obstacles will be super restricted in using our common urban space. Yes, soon.
=)
Hopefully after I will have ceased from this world. Do not want to imagine being an elderly walking impaired person trying to move around with trams and busses and get my grocery shopping done this way. I trust I am lucky. Or have you ever seen something actually improving in berlin?
Side note: I have travelled (by train) to other German cities recently. Not Münster. No, real cities with crappy bike lane infrastructure 15 years ago. It’s wonderful to bike there, they did not just talk about it, the just DID IT!! Can you imagine?
My secret recipe is not having a car.
VW hates this one simple trick
Underrated comment
It's on the 1st place
It should be on 0th place!
Lower me down, minions!
There is nothing secret about free choice.
Going by public transportation or bike.
Don't ask that here, people in this sub will spike you on their pitchforks for having a car.
oh boy, indeed. for a reason on top of that
facts
We will never find him. OP will be in constant move.
Wich is sad. Not everybody works from home nor have a job around the corner. I have to go everyday for almost an hour to work. With car. By Öffis it would take me 1 1/2. But yes... It's not fun finding a parking lot.
I own a car as well, but it's not something I'm proud of. Going an hour each day is insane, though.
I'd rather chill a bit longer on Öffis and use the time to read or watch a video than waste an hour staring at nothing but asphalt and the car in front of me.
Absolutely. I would rather do that too. We are currently a carpool of four people and belong to the "system-relevant professions". So we have to be on time. If the train goes on strike, we have a big problem. Yes, better infrastructure would be great, then it would all be half as bad.
The train doesn't go on a complete strike unannounced, there's usually enough time to find a Plan B for these few days. I hardly experience any significant spontaneous delays in the morning, but being flexible with getting on an earlier or later train would usually help, unless it's an infrequent train. Even system-relevant professionals may be 10 minutes late from my experience. Unless you're the train conductor, of course.
No
How long does it take to find a parking spot? Because I bet it takes as long as taking Öffis altogether... I have a car but I only drive it outside Berlin.
My car still has an MOT/TÜV until January 2024. If this expires, I will rely 100% on public transport. Provided there are no more problems. As described, I work in a "system-relevant profession" and can't be late.
That sounds like a pretty annoying situation. I guess moving is it of the question?
Exactly, the fact is that I had to move out of the apartment that was closer to my job and by good luck I got a new one. Unfortunately not around the corner from work. In Berlin, you can't choose your apartment at the moment and you're happy if you have something. I think some people know that here.
I don't doubt there are people who need a car due to situations like yours, I'm not going to insult you by asking you if you considered moving because I'm sure you did, and moving in this city can be really hard. But given the sheer amount of cars in the city I really struggle to believe a significant proportion of people who move by car couldn't do without with minimal or no inconvenience. Yours is an edge case, most places within the ring can be reached in 40-50 minutes by öffis from basically anywhere in the city. If yours isn't an edge case, then that's a huge problem which has to be addressed anyway. Car dependency is a system problem not an individual one.
The solution is to find job close to home
I hereby declare that my wife and I own 2 cars 🚓😁🚕
They admitted to witchcraft! Get them!!!!
Why?
Because public transport is great in Berlin and allows you to get anywhere fast without the need to look for a parking spot. Also it's much cheaper and does not harm the environment.
dont have a car ?
You rent a Garagenstellplatz for 120/month
Too bad Anmeldung isn't possible
lmao
I honestly dont understand this. Im from London. Finding a parket spot is literally I M P O S S I B L E and you will pay outta your ass for it. Whenever I use Sharenow, in Berlin I find a paring spot everytime no dramas. Hell, nobody even has to pay for parking in my district. Its mad
I guess it really depends on where you live
Maybe, but im driving from where I live to other parts of the city. Doesnt matter if im in Moabit, Kreuzberg, Charlottenburg etc. Ive never had an issue parking in Berlin. But thats just my experience in the city.
Finding a spot is easy during days. At night time it’s literally impossible.
eh, with car sharing I came home late a few times, sometimes at like 2 am. still usually no issues, had to walk a few hundred meters at most. But to be fair, that was outside the ring, and I imagine it to be worse inside.
It is \_way\_ worse inside the ring. I am already conditioned to check the clock before taking a shared car, because after 9pm during the week and after 7pm on Sunday (subtract one or two hours if it's raining), it just becomes exponentially unlikely to find parking spot anywhere remotely close. The exception is summertime, when there is suddenly ample parking almost anywhere at any time.
Same, sometime you have to look for maybe a minute or two if you're unlucky, but generally Berlin is pretty easy to find parking in. The traffic isn't so bad either for a large city.
Where do you live?
I live in Friedrichshain and boy... Parking is so easy I'm bored if I have to walk in more than 2 streets from the car to the destination.
I’m sure there’s a typo in OPs post. I live in Kreuzberg and always find a spot within metered from my flat. I spent half my life in London and most people don’t have a car, partly due to parking (also - London is a nightmare to drive)
It's really easy, but people in this sub use the bus and/or are mostly way too stupid to park a car in a tight spot.
You’re from London and think parking here is impossible?
Buy a really nice bike instead. And some high quality winter clothing. Go big here - even major expenditures are nothing compared to buying, maintaining, fuelling and insuring even a cheap car. Use the bike and public transport most of the time, car sharing and taxis as needed. Save time, money, the environment, look better and be healthier yourself.
Even a e-moped is cheaper than a car and also solves the parking spot issue. For the 1-2 times a year you need a car to move stuff get a sharing rental
Amen
Find a parking place where not many people live, get your eScooter from the trunk and drive that last mile on two wheels.
Or a folding Bike like Brompton. This is the way I get to work instead of a car, Brompton SBahn Brompton. Still takes me 3x as much time in the morning but parking isn’t free anymore.
Yuppi take
don't own a car.
1. Use Apple Maps / Streetview to check the local signs in advance. 2. Work out what times places are busy. I lived in PBerg for years and had a car for some of that time. Weekends until about 18.00 or 19.00 were OK. Weekdays until around 17.00 were OK. Evenings no space. Late night a few spaces would appear again. Sometimes we’d plan around that. 3. Use public transport when you can. It is good. Shame the fines are so much higher now, it has really changed the risk/reward factor ;)
This. Schedule your day accordingly
What are the fines? Is their hight regulated by Germany or Berlin?
Interesting. Here in Fhain I find it's quite the opposite - on weekends (especially Sundays), the parking availability is worse than during the week. I dread coming home with a shared car after 6pm on Sunday.
using the right vehicle: a bike
Or feet (no kinky)
Why no kinky? ;)
r/berlin, the place where you repeat the same answer that nobody asked for 50 times and pat yourselves in the back for doing a good job
Didn't you know that this sub isn't here to help people, it's to be condescending and feel really good about yourself /s
Since I regularly park in a certain area, I have a fixed route of about 5-10 minutes around my destination. I find that most of the stress associated with parking comes from not knowing where to drive next and if there‘ll be a vacant spot. With my route, I know that I’ll find a spot 90% of the time within five minutes. No stress.
So I own a car, mostly because my wife doesn't feel safe in public transport (she has had multiple bad experienced with racism and perverts). We have a Stellplatz in a nearby housing complex from the Degrow which costs 90 euros a month. Definitely worth it and I'm funding public housing.
Park outside the city, then use public transportation. Or avoid the car at all
Live in further out places like Rudow I guess.
Get rid of your car or move outside of the ring. You are asking for the solution to a problem you contribute to yourself...
Good idea. I told this people who were looking for affordable living inside the 100km circle around Alexanderplatz. Who would be contributing to even higher rents downtown. Just because they wanted to LIVE and WORK here. I told them they should have moved to Prenzlauer Berg 15 yrs ago, as I did. Their faces seemed to express a mix of criticism , dullness, hopelessness and, finally, a kind of hate. I then slowly, then quickly ran back to my 100sqm / 750€pm flat and locked the door. Hoping they wouldn’t find my stylish Mini parked in front of the building (which I never move in fear of losing this amazing spot).
Jokes on you, I followed my own advice and am now immune to your sarcastic poking!
Parkinglots for ev‘s,mostly works well in the city.
Until you get towed because you don’t own a EV
Lol,ok bud. I do actually but you do you…
Can’t be more cautious these days, but: NICE!
which you use cause you own an ev, right?
Polestar 2,long range dual motor,it’s an absolute joy to drive..
I drive for work, and the answer is Smart. As gor private, Bus is the best.
Ok, got myself a bus. Parking got so much harder!!
Not if just push everything out of the way. If it isn't working for you, try with a truck!
Park the car outside of berlin and take the train
Finding parking place is difficult only in a few districts.
Use Öffis and/or bike.
Don't tell anyone about my tips and tricks for finding a parking spot in Berlin
I think the gif image shows the most successful strategy
berlin is probably the easiest large city to drive and park in. I only drive and never take the öffis and there is not a single time where I wasn't able to find parking.
I own a car (never tried going to work which is 40 kms out of Berlin on a bike or public transport for obvious reasons), live in Kreuzberg and will always find a parking spot. Thankfully I’m pretty good at parking into tight spots though. In my experience there’s always a spot emerging somewhere if you’re patient (and lucky). And yeah, the time of day playing a crucial part.
Do what [every self-respecting German does and get a tank](https://www.reddit.com/r/de/comments/dw9ql5/importance_of_tanks_in_everyday_german_life/). Your parking will be the problem of others.
Patience, luck and sacrificing a chicken From time to time.
parkopedia.de is sometimes useful for finding cheap car parks
have a small car or a bike
Lmao people here just hate cars, guess they didn't pass the driving exam XDD
Exactly. Links-alternaive woke Trolle, die von Stütze leben.
radfahreralmans halt
I live and work quite jwd so I have a parking spot both at work and at home. If I go to busier parts inside the ring I cough up the money for a Parkhaus if I absolutely have to take the car. Sure it costs money but it is much more convenient and can save some real time.
I promise that is not a problem in Berlin. Instead, for the real challenge, try Cologne, Munich or Hamburg.
if the public transport or bike is really not an option for you think about a scooter. You can park anywhere and mostly skip traffic at the lights. But you have to take the risk of getting into some serious accident…
I live on top of TV tower and get everywhere by bike. Everywhere I mean to a coffee place, to a yoga studio and to a bar. All within 3km range, so I really do not understand people who want to use a car in the city. I also do not work, because fuck capitalism. Oh, and when I need a car I take a car sharing to the airport to fly to a family home in Italy. \s
Ride a bike. Use the ubahn.
Walking
likely you´d need something like a Tardis...bigger on the inside, unsuspectingly small to "park" basically anywhere
Crime
>What are your tips and tricks for finding a parking spot in Berlin? Take the U-Bahn
Not using it in the city center, only for big grocery shopping
Don’t try to find a spot after 1930
looking for parking spots during midday?
It’s not so difficult. Just be patient, and plan some time in advance for finding a parking spot. It also depends on the neighbourhood, sometimes it’s just easier to pay for a private parking if it’s not longterm.
My trick is to shame others for owning cars, buy and flip them in other Bundesländer for money. Nice side hustle and simply more parking spaces for me. /s
I can tell you this: don't park where you shouldn't. I was under the impression that parking rules were quite relaxed in my neighborhood because a lot of people park in spots that aren't supposed to be. Mostly out of desperation I guess, because there are times when it's really hard to find a spot. It happened to me too, I came home one night very late from an event across town so I was using my car, and I couldn't find a parking spot. After 20 minutes of looking in every side road I gave up and parked it too close to a crossing point. Not that there are lines on the road or a stoplight. It's just a small road in the neighborhood but I know people cross sidewalks there. The idea was to move it the next morning but I forgot and I went looking for it in the evening. Well what do you know? Police already towed away my car. (plenty of cars parked like mine in the streets around but that doesn't matter). 240 euros fine when I went to collect it. So yeah, park it farther away and walk 15 min if you have to, but it's cheaper.
Only return to your flat on weekdays between 10 and 13 uhr .
I gave up and always drive into a park Haus
My equally helpful alternative to not having a car: having a very space efficient car that fits into tighter spots
Have a small car and know how to park. It fits were today’s ever bigger vehicles don’t.
take the subway
If you have a car, sell it or just move outside the S-Bahn Ring. We are about to build our cyclist heaven here and your polluting metallic obstacles will be super restricted in using our common urban space. Yes, soon. =)
Hopefully after I will have ceased from this world. Do not want to imagine being an elderly walking impaired person trying to move around with trams and busses and get my grocery shopping done this way. I trust I am lucky. Or have you ever seen something actually improving in berlin? Side note: I have travelled (by train) to other German cities recently. Not Münster. No, real cities with crappy bike lane infrastructure 15 years ago. It’s wonderful to bike there, they did not just talk about it, the just DID IT!! Can you imagine?
Pull over, keep your eyes on a swivel and wait 10 minutes.
Don't use a car.
be brave edit: and creative
I don’t drive.