Berlin’s U-Bahn stands out for its yellow-colored trains. The subway runs a network of approximately 146 kilometers and has 173 stations. Most of Berlin’s subway tracks run underground, but some operate above the ground as well.
Everything About Berlin U-Bahn
Berlin’s subway system is operated by BVG, or Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, a transport company that is part of the Transport Association Berlin-Brandenburg. Subway tickets can also be used on buses, trams, and the S-Bahn. Tickets are easily available at the ticket machines on subway platforms and ticket counters. Alternatively, you can download the free BVG app to purchase online tickets.
The trains begin running from as early as 4 am on weekdays and continue their operation till as late as 1 am. Trains are available in 5-minute intervals during the day and 10-minute intervals at night. Weekends see a heavy rush so trains operate 24 hours.
The city of Berlin is divided into fare zones which include the urban center, areas extending up to the city limits, and the surrounding areas of Berlin. A single-ticket is a one-way ticket that is valid for one person. It will not include return journeys or round trips. A short-trip ticket is valid for three stops and allows transfers. Children up to the age of five can travel for free provided they are accompanied by a paying adult. Children between the ages of 6 and 14 can travel on reduced-fare tickets.
Other types of tickets that are available across all three zones are daily, weekly, monthly, and group tickets. The fares of each are different and must be checked from U-Bahn’s official website. You must get your tickets validated before a subway trip. Unstamped tickets are not valid, and under such circumstances you could find yourself engaged in an uncomfortable conversation with the ticket inspector. Traveling without a valid ticket is a punishable offense in Berlin and can attract huge fines; regular offenders can even be jailed.
Speaking of losing your belongings on the subway, you need to know precisely who to approach and where to head to cut out the excesses and save time. Fortunately for you, we have all the relevant information you need to reclaim your things. Read on.
1) Submit Lost Item Report on BVG’s Website
Things get easy when you know how to pursue the matter without getting frayed. Today, most missing or lost item reports can conveniently be filled and submitted online without the hassle of waiting in endless queues physically at the subway station or on the phone with an agent.
When you realize your loss, your immediate instinct should be to lodge an online complaint on BVG’s website that will prompt you to share all relevant details regarding the item lost, like — the location where you lost it, the time and date, the train route, car number, and a full physical description of the item to help the authorities zero in on your things at the earliest. Please remember to leave a valid phone number and email id for them to reach you when there is a match.
Your lost and found request can remain active for several weeks.
2) Make a Visit to the Lost and Found Office
The BVG Lost and Found office is located on —
Fundbüro BVG
Rudolfstr. 1-8
10245 Berlin-Friedrichshain
You may have to pay a physical visit to the office if you are looking for bulk items that are not maintained electronically. Their hours of operation are between 9 am and 5 pm on weekdays, barring Wednesday.
Recovered items are not shipped. You will have to make arrangements to pick them up from the office at a convenient time. Lost property is always returned free of charge.
Lost items are stored for a maximum of 6 weeks at BVG’s Lost and Found office. Beyond this, the items are either destroyed, given to charity, or auctioned off, as the case may be. Personal documents and ID cards are returned to issuing authorities. Credit cards, membership cards, payback cards, etc., are destroyed in accordance with data protection regulations once the retention period expires. In the case of keys, you may have to provide a duplicate key or serial number as proof that the key belongs to you.
Perishable food items, heavily soiled, and odorous items are immediately thrown away for obvious reasons. Requests to secure video recordings can only be made by contacting the police. Beyond a 48-hour window, all recordings are automatically overwritten.
3) Post an SOS on Social Media
You do not entirely have to rely on the authorities to help you reunite with your lost property. Social media can save your day as it is fast and effective. All you have to do is to launch a successful social media campaign for valuable things that were lost on the subway and if the concerned authorities are doing very little about it. There have been ample incidents where individuals got their things back within hours after sharing their messages on social media platforms. Social media has a wide reach and you can depend on it as an incredibly useful tool for spreading a message or starting a campaign. Just appeal with a difference and watch the magic unfold.
Please take note of the Facebook and Twitter links in case you are considering using BVG’s social media accounts to post an SOS.
