Car rentals in Berlin

Part of our guide to car hire in Germany.

Driving and Parking in Berlin: What You Need to Know

• Rules of the road: Germany drives on the right. The limit is 50 km/h in built-up areas and 100 km/h on rural roads, and 130 km/h is the recommended speed on Autobahn sections without a posted limit. Many stretches near Berlin carry a lower posted limit, so follow the signs rather than the advisory figure.
• The low emission zone: Central Berlin is a low emission zone, bounded by the S-Bahn ring, and only vehicles with a green sticker may enter. The rule applies to foreign-registered vehicles, and the fine is listed at €80. Check the windscreen for the sticker when you collect the car, and ask the supplier if it is missing. The sticker is tied to the registration number, so it stays with the car.
• Paid parking zones: Berlin has more than 50 paid parking zones across the centre and parts of Spandau, each managed by its district. Common rates are 25 or 75 cents per 15 minutes, or about €1 to €3 an hour depending on the zone, with a maximum stay of two to three hours in many places. Paid hours vary by zone and by street, so the sign at the bay is the rule that counts.
• How to pay: Pay at a coin-operated ticket machine and place the ticket where it is clearly visible from outside the car. Many zones also accept payment by mobile phone, which requires registration in advance and may carry provider fees.
• Trams, cyclists and priority: Trams run on many streets in the east of the city, and they have priority over cars. Give way to cyclists when you turn, and remember that unmarked junctions follow the priority-to-the-right rule. Leave a clear gap at tram stops, and do not stop on the rails, because a blocked line can bring the fine and the tow truck.
• Park and ride: Many regional train, S-Bahn and underground stations on the edge of the city offer free parking. Leaving the car at an outer station and taking the train in is usually quicker than looking for a space in the centre.
• If the car is towed: Call the police or the city's tracing service, and expect towing and transfer costs to run from €52 to €565 according to the city's published range. Read the signs for temporary restrictions before you leave the car overnight.
• Motorway links: The A10 ring road circles the city, and the main routes out use it. The A111 leads north to Oranienburg, the A13 leads south-east towards the Spreewald, the A115 leads south-west towards the A9 for Leipzig, and the A113 serves the airport at Schönefeld. Join the ring early in the day, because the approaches slow at weekday rush hours.
• Equipment: German law requires a warning triangle, a first-aid kit and a reflective vest in the car. Hire cars are normally equipped, and you can confirm this at collection.
• Winter driving: Tyres with the Alpine symbol are required in snow, ice, slush or black ice. Tyres marked only M+S have not been accepted since 1 October 2024, and winter hires normally come fitted correctly.
• Phone and alcohol: Holding a phone while driving costs €100 and one point. The alcohol limit is 0.5 per mille, and 0.0 applies to novice drivers and drivers under 21. Treat any alcohol before driving as a risk.
• Tolls: Germany has no general toll for cars. Private cars pay only on a few private tunnels elsewhere in the country, and none of the routes below carries a charge.
• Before you drive away: Photograph the car on all four sides, the wheels, the windscreen and the interior at collection and again at return.

Top Places to Visit from Berlin by Car

• Potsdam — about 31 km south-west, in roughly 35 minutes. The former royal town has Sanssouci Park and its palaces, and the drive suits a half-day. Check the parking signs near the palaces before you leave the car, and allow time at weekends in summer, when the roads from Berlin carry more traffic.
• Sachsenhausen Memorial, Oranienburg — about 35 km north, in roughly 40 to 50 minutes by the A111 and A10 to the Oranienburg exit. The memorial is at Straße der Nationen 22, with parking nearby, and opens from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm from 15 March to 14 October and to 4:30 pm from 15 October to 14 March.
• Spreewald — about 100 km south-east, in roughly 1 hour 15 minutes by the A13 to Lübbenau. The biosphere reserve of waterways is best seen by boat from Lübbenau, so leave the car in the town and plan to start from the boat landings. The drive suits a day trip with an early start.
• Leipzig — about 192 km south-west, in roughly 2 hours 11 minutes by the A115 and the A9. The route is faster by car than a day of connections with luggage, but many German cities have their own low emission zones, so check the green sticker on your windscreen.
• Dresden — about 194 km south, in roughly 2 hours 20 minutes. The drive suits a full day, or an overnight stay if you want to see the old town without watching the clock. Use a garage rather than the street, because the posted rules vary.

When is the Best Time to Hire a Car in Berlin?

Peak season: June to August is the busiest period for visitors, with long daylight hours that suit the day trips above. The weeks before Christmas also fill hotels and roads in the city.

Shoulder season: April to May and September to October bring steadier traffic and milder weather, which suit the longer drives to Leipzig and Dresden. Roads are easier to read, parking in the outer districts is simpler, and a day on the Autobahn is less tiring than in the heat of July.

Low season: January to March is the quietest period for visitors. Daylight is limited, and winter tyre rules apply in wintry conditions. Allow extra time on the Autobahn after snow, and plan longer drives to leave and arrive in daylight.

Advance booking: Book several weeks ahead for the summer and the pre-Christmas weeks, and earlier for automatic cars or larger vehicles. Free cancellation means booking early carries no penalty.

How Payment Works for Car Hire in Berlin

A rental prepayment confirms your booking online with Instant Confirmation, and you pay the balance directly to the supplier on arrival. The price and vehicle class shown at booking are the terms you receive at the desk, and cancellation is free. The supplier may place an excess hold on the main driver's credit card, so check that the card in the driver's name has enough available limit.

Car Hire Pick-Up Locations in Berlin

Your booking confirmation from eCarBookers locks in your price and your vehicle class before you arrive. You pay the balance at the desk on collection, and the terms confirmed at booking are the terms you receive. Always confirm your hire in advance to guarantee your price from the moment you collect the keys.

• Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)
• Berlin Central Station
• Berlin Downtown