IATA Code: SXF
Address: Airport Schoenefeld
12529 Berlin
Distance From City: 18km
Terminal Plan: Here
Day Trip Possible: Yes
Overview: Despite being overshadowed by the much larger Berlin Tegel airport, Schonefeld has turned into a great model for a low-cost carrier airport. It’s not a prohibitive distance from the city – in any case, much less than the London airports, and has a great S-Bahn connection, which at a couple of Euros, is the best option to get into town in around 30 mins. There are plenty of developments ongoing here, with the intention of creating a much larger airport in the region, which Schonefeld may become a part of, as it seeks to compete with the larger European hubs.
Although Ryanair offer a good range of flights here with good frequency, Easyjet is the dominant player here with many more routes and exclusive use of one of the terminals.
Getting there: The railway station is located next to the airport and should be the best option. With trains running every 10 minutes, you are not likely to be waiting long although do look for the Express trains (which have less stops). The usual taxis and car rental options are available here. As is the case with many airports with the metro station, it may be helpful to take some Euro coins to use in the machines.
General Tips: Certainly one of the better low-cost airports in Europe, with a fantastic amount of connection potential – both Easyjet and Germanwings offer flights, the latter especially offering destinations that would be unchartered territory for a regular Ryanair user. With good frequencies on many routes, there are plenty of day trips possible both from London and also domestically. Bear in mind though, that you should not expect a fantastically new airport with up-to-date facilities. Despite having four terminals, it’s pretty plain to see that some of these have been hastily erected to cope with the burgeoning passenger numbers. As a result, some of the symptoms remain: long queues (especially when a lot of flights arrive) and lack of seating.
Budget Travellers Guide: Often overlooked by Ryanair customers, Berlin is usually one of the destinations that is to be picked up cheaply and really should be recommended highly – no more difficult to get to the town centre than, say, Stansted at a fraction of the price. The airport is pretty unremarkable but very functional, comparable broadly to Frankfurt’s Hahn. What the future holds for Schonefeld is unsure, particularly if it is marginalised into the new development, but currently this is a great destination for the low-costs.
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