Which Airport Is Closest To Berlin's City Centre?

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asked 9 months ago

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The historic Tempelhof Airport is located less than 2km from Berlin's city centre and is also easily accessible by using the German capital's subway system, the U-Bahn. Often referred to as the City Airport, due to its proximity to the downtown core, Tempelhof was once the largest hub for air travel in the world and remains to this day one of the most prominent examples of Nazi-era architecture. Tempelhof's real significance lies in the fact that it was where more than 1,500 American and British military planes would land every day between 1948 and 1949, during the Berlin Airlift.

In more recent years, Tempelhof served as a hub for short-haul, regional flights, especially those to Brussels and domestic destinations within Germany. The airport, however, closed its doors to the public in October 2008, when all flights were transferred to the city's two other hubs, namely Schoenefeld in former East Berlin and Tegel. The closure of this historic and very conveniently located airport led to major protests and even a referendum, in which supporters called on local residents to save Tempelhof. The referendum, however, failed and local authorities have not decided what to do with the imposing and sprawling building. There are, however, plans to open it up for major festivals or fairs, including a fashion show to take place later this year.

Now that Tempelhof has stopped operating, it is easiest to reach Berlin's city centre from the Schoenefeld Airport, as this hub is connected to the downtown with the city's suburban rail network, the S-Bahn.