Reichstag Tickets Berlin: how to buy and prices

The Berlin Reichstag building is an old historic building with the appearance of a neoclassical temple crowned at the top by a modern glass dome. Today the majestic Reichstag operates as the official seat of the German Parliament and can be visited by tourists and locals alike. Here's everything you need to know to get tickets to the Reichstag Berlin.

The first and most important thing you should know is that the Reichstag tour is free for both tourists and locals, but an appointment by registration is required. The reason is simple: since it is one of the most visited monuments in Berlin, it is very necessary to coordinate groups of visitors in advance. However, with the online booking of the guided tour of the Reichstag you don't have to rack your brains.

It's very simple: just choose the date and time (you have two options available) of the visit and you will meet your guide at the entrance on the agreed day. During the two-hour tour you will visit the Plenary Hall, climb the Dome for the best panoramic view of the city and you will also have the opportunity to tour the government district to understand how the German political system works. Complete, isn't it?

If you still prefer to go on your own to visit this monument, to book your general admission ticket to the Reichstag building in Berlin you have these options:

• Book your Reichstag tickets online: Through the official website Deutscher Bundestag you can book your visit to the dome of the Reichstag building in Berlin up to weeks before your trip.
• Booking to visit the Reichstag on the same day: If you are in Berlin and wish to visit the dome but have not booked in advance it is good to know that you can apply for your Reichstag ticket directly at the Visitor Service area located on the south side of Scheidemannstrasse, very close to the Berlin Pavilion.

Please note that places to visit the Reichstag are subject to availability, and in peak tourist seasons it can be difficult to get tickets for the same day. Tickets are issued a minimum of two hours before the visit and expire two days after issuance.

In both cases you will have to provide your personal information and show an official photo ID, generally a passport is enough for foreigners. The opening hours of the service center are from 13h to 17,30h.

Tours are one of the best ways to get to know the cities and learn about their monuments thanks to the professional guides that accompany you. If it is a city as important as Berlin, this option is more than recommended.

The guided tours of the city stop at the main attractions of the city center, including of course the Reichstag. From the outside you can admire its impressive architecture and with the explanations of the guide you will be able to understand the history and uses of the German Parliament. A visit to the interior is not included but it will be an ideal way to introduce you to the history of this building.

Guided tours of the Reichstag dome are available as long as the German Parliament is not in session.

• Price: Guided tours of the Reichstag Berlin are available from 16€.

As to whether or not a guided tour is worth it... totally! It is without a doubt one of the best ways to get to know the iconic building and learn some really interesting details. Choosing a guided tour has many advantages and I'll share them with you below.

Learn about the history of the city

Berlin is a European city that has been at the center of important historical events mainly in the last century, this includes the events linked to the Second World War and the subsequent Cold War. Having an expert native guide to lead you through the most important landmarks is really enriching.

Skip the line at the entrance

Waiting time to enter the dome, and many other attractions in Berlin, can be really long especially in the peak tourist months. However, guided tours avoid this kind of inconvenience and are especially useful if you are only in the city for a day or two.

Variety of options

Guided tours of the Reichstag can be combined with other experiences such as lunch at the Reichstag restaurant or a tour of other important historical buildings or museums in Berlin.

In Berlin you will find a tourist card known as Berlin Pass that offers free entry to more than 60 attractions and museums throughout the city; however the Reichstag is not in this list of attractions because it is already a free attraction and free of charge even for tourists.

However, I recommend you to hire the Berlin Pass service to see the other attractions of the city, including the Museum Island, the Berlin Cathedral and you can even access a ticket for a cruise on the Spree River.

The Reichstag Building is located in Platz der Republik; it is located in the center of Berlin specifically in the western end. The beautiful building is surrounded by several points of interest that you can visit before or after your visit: to the south you will find Hauptbahnhof and to the north you will find Tiergarten and the famous Brandenburg Gate.

Due to its central location you will be able to get there very easily using any of the following means.

• Bus: You will find several bus stops nearby, Reichstag/Bundestag 3 minutes walk; S+U Brandenburg Gate 9 minutes walk; Behrenstr./Wilhelmstr. 12 minutes walk and Schumannstra 12 minutes walk. The Berlin Sightseeing Bus stops at the Reichstag.
• Subway: The nearest subway station is the Bundestag 6 minutes walk away, you can get here by taking the Berlin subway lines U2 and U5.
• S-Bahn: You will find two nearby stations S+U Brandenburg Gate 11 minutes walk away and S+U Friedrichstr. BHF 13 minutes walk away.
• Private vehicle: Parking available in the complex is limited and often hard to come by, however you will be able to find parking options all around.

A visit to the Reichstag dome is definitely edifying for both children and adults, especially if you hire an expert guide who can accompany the family through the highlights of the exhibition.

If you decide to do the tour on your own, please note that the Reichstag tour with advance reservation comes with an audio guide that you receive immediately upon entering the dome and the exhibition area. The audio guides are easy to use and are available in several languages including Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese and Russian. If you are visiting Berlin with children, you can request a special audio guide for children.

There is much to see inside the Reichstag and every traveler is likely to find his or her list of favorite elements; in a personal consideration, I find that every visit to the Parliament complex deserves a pause to admire the following highlights.

• The architecture of the dome: redesigned by famed architect Norman Foster, the Reichstag dome sought to establish a conceptual and symbolic link between modern Germany and its historical past; paying homage to a unified and stronger Germany after the fall of East Germany and the end of the Cold War.

The impressive structure is made entirely of steel and glass, the choice of material combined with its privileged position gives us fabulous 360-degree views of the center of Berlin.

• The cone of mirrors

The Reichstag Dome is located just above the Plenary Hall of Parliament and in addition to providing panoramic views of Berlin has another eye-catching element at its center: an inverted cone made of mirrors. This ingenious resource feeds natural light into the chambers of Parliament just below. From inside the dome it is possible to view the halls below.

• Photographic exhibition

Inside the Parliament building you will find hundreds of old photographs describing the history of the building together with the most important historical moments of the city.

• Bundestag Restaurant

On the rooftop of the Parliament building you will find a restaurant that offers amazing views of the center of Berlin; besides the good food it is worth a visit just for the wonderful panoramic view. If you decide to have lunch or dinner here be aware that booking in advance (minimum two days before) is absolutely necessary. Another popular alternative is to book an excursion to the Reichstag that includes lunch at the restaurant.

As you will realize once you enter the Reichstag, there is a lot to see inside the building; if you want to just walk around and see the highlights you can take a quick 40-minute tour.

But if you really want to enjoy the wonderful views of the city from the gigantic glass dome; if you want to appreciate the architecture of the Parliament and if you want to absorb all the historical information inside the building you should set aside about 2 or 3 hours of your itinerary. This is the time that most guided tours inside the Reichstag usually take to give tourists a complete tour of the place.

Access to the Reichstag Dome is available to the public on a rolling schedule from 8am to midnight; the last entrance for tours is at 9:45pm, this makes a visit to the Reichstag one of the best things to do in Berlin at night. If you are planning a trip to Berlin it is important to keep in mind the days of limited opening hours or closure of the Reichstag.

• December 24: Reichstag will be closed all day.
• December 31: Limited opening hours, with the Reichstag closed from 4 p.m. onwards.
• Rest of the year: Access to the Reichstag Dome will be closed several days of the year for cleaning and maintenance work; it is important to consult the official website before visiting.

The best time to visit the Reichstag may vary depending on your goals and what you want to get out of your visit.

• To avoid waiting in line, it is best to book a guided tour in advance of your trip, as due to the monument's popularity you will find lines almost year-round.
• To take pictures and get fabulous views of the city it is best to visit the Reichstag during the day. Take the opportunity to include other interesting visits or activities in the center of Berlin.
• For a dramatic and out-of-the-ordinaryexperience I recommend visiting the Reichstag on an evening tour and combining it with a show or dinner.