What you need to know when arriving at the Berlin-Schönefeld International Airport

Berlin is a special city. After all, during the USSR it was divided between two countries. The eastern part was the capital of the now defunct German Democratic Republic. West Berlin, surrounded on all sides by the GDR, had a special status. Proceeding from this, even then the city needed two airports. So, in West Berlin in 1948 was built, and in 1960 became an international hub Tegel for civil aviation. It still works and is named after Otto Lilienthal (Flughafen Berlin-Tegel Otto Lilienthal). For the capital of the GDR, East Berlin, in the same years was built its own air harbor. It was named after the town near which it is located. This article is devoted to this second, smaller in size and passenger flow international airport in Berlin, Schönefeld. Where it is located, how many terminals there are and how to get to the city center or the Tegel hub - about all this and not just read below.

History

We have already briefly highlighted the prerequisites for the creation of an air harbor for East Berlin. But it arose in 1948, not from scratch. Back in 1934 in Schönefeld began to work plant Henschel, which until the end of World War II was built more than fourteen thousand aircraft. In April 1945, he was captured by Soviet troops. All that could not be taken to the USSR, the winners blew up. But already in 1946, after a number of political agreements, the new authorities decided to master what remained of the industrial capacities of the aviation plant. Three runways were restored and a railway service was resumed. In 1947, the Soviet Military Administration issued an order to build a civilian airport Berlin-Schönefeld. It was erected in record time. Later, until 1990, this hub was repeatedly rebuilt, modernized and expanded.

Modernity and future

When the Berlin Wall fell and all of Germany united in one country, Schönefeld faced difficult times. The main airline of the GDR, Interflug, which considered this airport basic, ceased to exist. The other carriers preferred to take off and land in a more comfortable, large and modern Tegel. Berlin Schönefeld Airport until 2003 was used for charter flights. This period ended when low-cost busters came on the stage of international flights. Such budgetary companies as "IsiJet", "Rianair", "Private Wings" and "Condor Flyugdinst", began to consider Berlin-Schönefeld as their base airport. Passenger traffic as a result increased to 18 million people a year. But back in 1996, the authorities of the federal land decided to build a new hub near Schönefeld. Opening of the Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport. Willy Brandt is scheduled for 2017. After that, Tegel and Schönefeld will be closed. But until this happened, let's look at the convenience in the eastern hub of the capital of Germany.

Berlin-Schönefeld Airport: Terminals and Amenities

The air harbor complex consists of four terminals. Two of them - A and B - are in the main building. Schönefeld Airport is still used mainly by low-cost airlines. Therefore, terminal A is placed at the disposal of the airline "Rianeir", and B serves exclusively low-fire "IsiJet". C was created for flights to Israel, and is now used for special flights and charters. The terminal D, opened in 2005, was designed to help the first three to unload a large passenger traffic. Mostly it serves such low-costers as the Norwegian Air Shuttle and Condor. Despite the congestion, all procedures at the airport pass quickly, with German punctuality. All amenities are provided. There is a VAT refund point, many catering outlets, shops (including duty-free), ATMs, a medical center, a mother and child room.

Where you can fly from Schönefeld

Despite the fact that the air harbor is favored by low-costers, airliners of quite respectable airlines also land here. Thus, from Russia Aeroflot planes (from Moscow-Sheremetyev and St. Petersburg) arrive here. All flights are displayed on the scoreboard. Berlin-Schönefeld accepts planes from Egypt, Belarus, Ukraine, France, Israel, Tunisia, Greece, not to mention the charters that go to the most diverse resorts in the world. Needless to say, this hub serves as a stop for trips around Germany.

How to get from Schönefeld Airport to Berlin

The air harbor is located 18 kilometers southeast of the city center. Getting to Berlin by taxi will not be difficult. But the trip will take the same amount of time as the train, but will cost about 60 euros. There are other, more budgetary options for how to get from the center to Berlin-Schönefeld. There are as many as eight day and two night bus routes that follow from different parts of the city to the airport. If you rate the speed, then as quickly as possible you can get to Berlin by train Airport Express. He arrives at the main station, and from there a different express train departs to Tegel airport. From the railway station Flughafen Berlin Schoenefeld, which is located at the terminals, regional electric trains S9 and S45 depart.