City Sightseeing Berlin: HOHO Bus – All Lines (A+B) & Icebar

Berlin’s coolest surprise is not on the bus. It is Icebar Berlin, where the room sits at minus 10 degrees and 69,000 kilos of ice shape the walls, furniture, and sculptures. Your ticket includes three drinks, and the nougat vodka is worth asking about if it is available.

I like the freedom of two routes and 26 stops, especially when you want a quick first look before choosing which sights deserve more time. I also like the open-top view of Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, and Berlin’s long avenues. The main drawback is timing: bus departures end fairly early, and the East Berlin route runs less often than the main circuit.

Key points at a glance

• Two routes cover old and divided Berlin: The Classic Tour links central landmarks, while the East Berlin and Wall Tour reaches Bernauer Strasse, Karl-Marx-Allee, and East Side Gallery.
• Icebar Berlin adds a memorable evening stop: You get entry and three complimentary drinks, but you must arrive for your booked time slot.
• The Classic Tour takes 120 minutes: Buses leave about every 25 minutes, with first and last departures from Stop 1 at 9:30am and 3:30pm.
• The East Berlin route takes 60 minutes: It runs about every 40 minutes, with the last departure from Stop 1 at 4:30pm.
• Commentary comes in 13 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Hebrew, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Arabic, and Turkish.
• A 24-hour ticket may suit a tight visit: The 48-hour option gives you more time to split the routes and hop off at major sights.

Why this bus tour works well in Berlin

Berlin is spread out, and its major sights do not sit in one compact old town. The hop-on hop-off format helps you connect the Brandenburg Gate area with Alexanderplatz, Checkpoint Charlie, Kurfürstendamm, and the former Wall districts without planning each leg yourself.

I would use the first full circuit as a moving introduction. Stay on board for the broad view, listen to the audio commentary, and note where you want to return. Then use the ticket as transport between selected stops rather than trying to see every stop in one sweep.

The open top deck is the main reason to choose this over a standard city bus. You get a clear view of Berlin’s wide streets and major buildings, though the experience depends on weather. Since the activity is wheelchair accessible, it also offers a practical sightseeing option for people who need an accessible vehicle. Pets and smoking are not allowed.

Both mobile and printed paper vouchers are accepted. The meeting point can vary with the option you book, so check your selected departure details before setting out.

The Classic Tour: Berlin’s central landmarks in 120 minutes

The A Tour is the main sightseeing circuit. It takes about two hours and runs every 25 minutes, which makes it the easier route for a first look at the city. The first departure from Stop 1 is at 9:30am, and the last is at 3:30pm.

Tauentzienstrasse, KaDeWe, and Lützowplatz

The route begins in the western shopping district at Tauentzienstrasse and KaDeWe. KaDeWe is one of Berlin’s best-known department stores, while Tauentzienstrasse gives you a sense of the city’s commercial side.

Lützowplatz follows, then Potsdamer Platz and the historic traffic light. These stops show how Berlin mixes modern redevelopment with reminders of the city’s divided past. Potsdamer Platz is especially useful as a visual lesson in change, since the area has been reshaped since reunification.

Potsdamer Platz, Gropius Bau, and Checkpoint Charlie

Potsdamer Platz is a good place to hop off if you want a central base for walking. From there, the route continues to Gropius Bau, an exhibition building near several important central attractions.

Checkpoint Charlie is one of the most recognizable Cold War sites in Berlin. It was a key crossing point through the Berlin Wall, and the stop gives you a direct connection to the city’s divided years. I would not treat the stop as the whole story of the Wall, but it is a useful starting point before visiting other Wall locations on the B Tour.

Gendarmenmarkt and Neptunbrunnen

Gendarmenmarkt is one of Berlin’s grandest squares. The bus gives you a quick look, while hopping off lets you spend more time taking in the surrounding architecture.

Neptunbrunnen, the Neptune Fountain, brings you closer to the historic center around Alexanderplatz. These stops work well for people who want central Berlin’s formal squares and public monuments without walking between every sight.

Alexanderplatz and Lustgarten

Alexanderplatz is one of the city’s key transport and shopping areas. It is also a practical stop for connecting with the B Tour, which begins at Rotes Rathaus near the Neptune Fountain and later reaches another part of Alexanderplatz.

Lustgarten places you near Berlin’s Museum Island area. You can use this stop for a walk around the central cultural district, although the bus ticket itself does not include museum admission.

Unter den Linden, Brandenburg Gate, and the Reichstag

The route along Unter den Linden brings you toward the heart of Berlin’s famous boulevard. The Brandenburger Tor stop is one of the best reasons to ride the open-top bus. You can see the gate from a helpful street-level position, then hop off to explore the area on foot.

The Reichstag stop is nearby. From the bus, the open top gives you a broad view of the building and surrounding government quarter. Keep in mind that the tour provides sightseeing and audio commentary, not entry to the Reichstag itself.

Hauptbahnhof, Siegessäule, and the western stops

Berlin Hauptbahnhof is a major rail station and a useful connection point. The route then reaches Siegessäule, the Victory Column, before heading toward the Zoo and Elefantentor.

The western end includes Café Kranzler and Kurfürstendamm 236. Kurfürstendamm, often called Ku’damm, is one of Berlin’s best-known boulevards. These stops give the route a different feel from the historic center, with more attention on western Berlin’s shopping and city life.

The East Berlin and Wall Tour: eight stops with a different focus

The B Tour takes about 60 minutes and runs every 40 minutes. The first departure from Stop 1 is at 9:30am, and the last is at 4:30pm.

This route is shorter, but I would not skip it if Berlin’s divided past interests you. It reaches several places that the Classic Tour does not, and it gives you a better sense of how the Wall affected neighborhoods away from the headline sights.

Rotes Rathaus and Oranienburger Strasse

The route starts at Rotes Rathaus, near the Neptune Fountain. This is convenient if you are already near Alexanderplatz or the central historic district.

The next stop is Oranienburger Strasse at Krausnickstrasse. The route then continues north toward Bernauer Strasse, shifting from central landmarks to places tied more directly to the Wall and its former border zone.

Bernauer Strasse and Mauerpark

Bernauer Strasse is one of the most useful Wall-related stops on either route. The listed stop is near Café Bar Central, and the bus continues to Mauerpark at Bernauer Strasse 455.

The name Mauerpark means Wall Park, and this part of the route helps you connect the physical history of the Wall with a present-day public space. You may want to hop off here, but watch the timetable carefully. With buses every 40 minutes, a missed bus means a longer wait than on the Classic Tour.

Alexanderplatz and Karl-Marx-Allee

The B Tour returns toward the Park Inn Hotel at Alexanderplatz. This gives you a second useful connection point in the same major city district.

Karl-Marx-Allee, near the Computerspielemuseum, shows another side of former East Berlin. The avenue is tied to the architecture and planning of East Germany, while the museum stop adds a modern cultural attraction. Admission to the museum is not included, so check your available time before leaving the bus.

East Side Gallery and Ostbahnhof

East Side Gallery, near Mercedes-Benz Arena, is the route’s strongest visual stop. This long surviving section of the Berlin Wall is covered with murals, making it easy to understand why the site draws so much attention.

The final listed stop is Ostbahnhof, near the Intercity Hotel. From here, you can connect with the rail network or continue your Berlin plans. Since the B Tour has only eight stops and a shorter circuit, it works best as a focused history route rather than a full city overview.

Icebar Berlin at minus 10 degrees

Icebar Berlin is included with entry and three complimentary drinks. Inside, the temperature is minus 10 degrees, and around 69,000 kilos of ice form the bar’s striking sculptures and interior.

You should treat this as a timed attraction, not a casual stop you can squeeze in whenever you happen to be nearby. Icebar opening hours are Tuesday through Friday from 5pm to midnight, and Saturday and Sunday from 4pm to midnight. It is closed Mondays, and last admission is one hour before closing.

Your Icebar ticket is tied to a specific time slot. Arrive on time because later admission is not guaranteed. This portion is also non-refundable, even though the wider activity allows cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Three drinks are included, which adds real value to the $48 price if you already want to visit the bar. One particularly useful tip is to ask the bartender about nougat vodka. It has been a favorite suggestion during the visit, and it gives the drink allowance a more local, playful character than simply ordering a standard beverage.

The cold is the point, but it also limits how long you will want to stay. Plan the Icebar as a compact evening experience after sightseeing rather than as a long night out. Food is not included, so arrange dinner separately.

Audio commentary and the open-top view

The audio guide is available in 13 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Hebrew, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Arabic, and Turkish.

This matters because Berlin’s sights often need context. Checkpoint Charlie, Bernauer Strasse, Karl-Marx-Allee, and East Side Gallery can look like ordinary city stops if you do not know what happened there. The recorded commentary gives you a basic historical framework while you watch the city pass by.

The audio guide is not a substitute for a specialist walking tour. Its strength is convenience. You can listen while moving between districts, then decide which places deserve a closer look on foot.

The upper deck gives you the best views, especially around Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag. On a wet or cold day, you may prefer the lower deck, but that reduces the wide-angle feel that makes this bus format appealing.

Is $48 a fair price?

At $48 per person, the ticket makes the most sense if you use both bus routes and the Icebar. The price includes either 24 or 48 hours of hop-on hop-off access, entry to Icebar Berlin, three drinks, and the audio guide.

A single day can feel tight if you want to ride both routes, hop off at several places, and make an evening Icebar appointment. The 48-hour choice gives you a calmer plan: take the Classic Tour on one day, use the B Tour and selected stops on the next, then keep the Icebar for its own time slot.

The value is weaker if you only remain on the bus for one short ride. Berlin also has regular public transport, so a visitor focused mainly on getting from one address to another may prefer ordinary transit. This ticket earns its keep through the commentary, open-top views, flexible stops, and included Icebar visit.

The limited departure windows matter. The Classic Tour finishes its Stop 1 departures at 3:30pm, and the B Tour finishes at 4:30pm. Do not assume you can start late in the afternoon and still complete both circuits.

Who should book this experience?

I would recommend it to first-time visitors who want a clear overview before choosing where to spend their walking time. It also suits families, mixed-age groups, and anyone who wants major sights without arranging several separate transport legs.

The B Tour is especially useful if you want more than postcard Berlin. Bernauer Strasse, Mauerpark, Karl-Marx-Allee, and East Side Gallery show different parts of the city’s Wall story.

I would be more cautious if you dislike fixed schedules or want long, detailed time at every sight. You need to watch the bus frequency, and the Icebar requires a firm time slot. Communication with the operator may also be frustrating if you need help after booking, so save your voucher and check the meeting point and Icebar time carefully before the day begins.

Should you book the Berlin bus and Icebar?

Book it if you want a convenient first look at Berlin, value open-top views, and like the idea of pairing major landmarks with a quirky evening attraction. The strongest plan is the 48-hour option, with the Classic Tour for central Berlin, the B Tour for Wall sites, and Icebar Berlin booked separately into your schedule.

Choose another format if you want a specialist guide, long visits inside museums, or a completely flexible day. For many visitors, though, the combination of 26 stops, two contrasting routes, three drinks, and a minus 10 degree bar makes this a useful introduction to Berlin rather than just another bus loop.

FAQ

How long is the Berlin hop-on hop-off ticket valid?

You can choose a ticket valid for 24 or 48 hours.

How many routes are included?

The ticket includes the 18-stop Classic Tour and the eight-stop Trendy East Berlin and Wall Tour, for 26 listed stops in total.

What time does the Classic Tour operate?

The first departure from Stop 1 is at 9:30am, and the last departure from Stop 1 is at 3:30pm. The full route takes about 120 minutes, and buses run every 25 minutes.

What time does the East Berlin and Wall Tour operate?

The first departure from Stop 1 is at 9:30am, and the last departure from Stop 1 is at 4:30pm. The route takes about 60 minutes, and buses run every 40 minutes.

What languages are available for the audio guide?

Commentary is available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Hebrew, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Arabic, and Turkish.

What is included at Icebar Berlin?

Your ticket includes entry to Icebar Berlin and three complimentary drinks. The bar is kept at minus 10 degrees and contains ice sculptures made with around 69,000 kilos of ice.

When is Icebar Berlin open?

It is open Tuesday through Friday from 5pm until midnight and Saturday and Sunday from 4pm until midnight. It is closed Mondays, and last admission is one hour before closing.

Can I use a mobile voucher?

Yes. Mobile and printed paper vouchers are both accepted.