Tempelhof Airport: A 4-Step Visit Guide

Most visitors do two things at Tempelhof, so the steps below start with the field and end with the building.

Step 1: See what Tempelhof airport is today

Tempelhof airport is a public park and an event venue, not a working airport. Flights ended on 30 October 2008, according to the airport's own chronicle. The City of Berlin says the 300-hectare field opened as a park in 2010 and still has two runways.

Admission to the field is free. It has three main entrances and seven side entrances, on Tempelhofer Damm, Columbiadamm and Oderstraße. The gates close at set times that change with the season, as the City of Berlin's park page lists.

You can still leave through the revolving gates after closing time. Check the month before you plan a sunset picnic, because the field shuts early in winter.

Key Takeaway The field is free every day, but in January and December the gates close at 17:00, while in June and July they stay open until 22:30.

Step 2: Get to Tempelhof airport by U-Bahn or S-Bahn

The easiest way to reach Tempelhof airport is the U6 line of the U-Bahn (the underground). For the old terminal, get off at Platz der Luftbrücke or Paradestraße. Both stops are within walking distance, according to the airport's directions page.

For the field, use Tempelhof station. The City of Berlin lists the U6 and the S-Bahn lines S41, S42, S46 and S47 there. Buses 140 and 184 also stop at the station, and the N6 and N84 run at night.

You do not need a special ticket. Your normal Berlin ticket works, and the getting around Berlin guide explains the fare zones. The airport's page does not say anything about parking, so plan to arrive by train.

The Visitor Center, where guided tours start, sits at Platz der Luftbrücke 5. It is directly left of the main entrance to the old terminal.

Pro Tip Use Platz der Luftbrücke if you have a tour booked, and Tempelhof station if you just want to walk onto the field.

Step 3: Walk or cycle the old runways

You can walk or cycle the paved runways for free, and cycling is the most popular way to cross the field. The City of Berlin allows bikes and skates on paved surfaces only. Cars, motorcycles and mopeds are not allowed.

Dogs must stay on a leash outside the marked areas. Barbecues are allowed only in the marked areas, and the grill must stand at least 20 cm high. Bring water and a jacket, because the open field has little shade or shelter.

Not everyone wants to ride alone. The Best Travel Destinations' count of GetYourGuide listings for Berlin on 27 October 2026 found 18 bike tours among 352 experiences, from €24 to €69, with a median start price of €35. If you prefer a guide, a bike tour Berlin can show you more of the city than one park.

Here are two that fit. The three-hour Green City bike tour through parks and gardens is from €35 per person as of 28 October 2026. It has free cancellation and a 4.7 rating from 34 reviews on GetYourGuide. The operator is Berlin on Bike, and the tour meets at the Kulturbrauerei in Prenzlauer Berg. The listing does not say it stops at Tempelhof, so ask the operator before you book if the field matters to you.

The three-hour history bike tour is from €36 per person as of 28 October 2026. It has free cancellation and a 4.8 rating from 123 reviews. CityRiders runs it, and the meeting point is Lindenstraße 28. Check the route with them too, since the listing does not name Tempelhof.

If you just want to ride the runways, rent a bike in town and go on your own. That costs less and gives you the whole field.

The best way to see a huge open space is slowly, with a bike and no plan.

Step 4: Join a guided tour of the airport building

Yes, you can go inside the airport building, and the official way is a guided tour. The official tour page says public tours run daily except Tuesdays at set times and last about two hours. A 60-minute short tour called "THF in 60 Minutes" also exists.

Other tours go deeper. "Tempelhof Myths" looks at the legends about the building, and "Hidden Places" visits air raid shelters and bunkers. A newer tour called "Tempelhof Visions" covers the site's future. The official page does not publish prices, start times or languages, so check it before you go.

The history behind the tours is short. The airport opened on 8 October 1923, and construction of the new terminal began in 1936. Forced labour started in the building in 1940, and the site held a forced labour camp from 1941. The Airlift began on 26 June 1948, when the Soviet Union blockaded West Berlin, and the last Airlift flight landed on 30 September 1949. All dates come from the airport's chronicle.

The Cold War story continues across town. The best next stop for the divided city is the wall memorial Berlin page, which covers the Bernauer Strasse site. Admission to its exhibitions is free, according to the Berlin Wall Foundation. For the Nazi-era side of the story, see Third Reich and WWII tours in Berlin.

If you want a guide for the war years outside Tempelhof, the Operation Berlin 1945 battlefield tour is from €49 per person as of 28 October 2026. It lasts about 2.5 hours, is limited to 15 people and has free cancellation. It has a 4.6 rating from 33 reviews. On the Front Tours runs it in English and meets near Berlin Hauptbahnhof (the main station). It does not enter the airport building.

One honest limit: the building tour is the wrong choice if you only want a quick free look. The field is free and needs no booking, and the tour is the only official way to see the inside.