Warnemünde Cruise Port to Berlin: train, taxi, car compared
Berlin is about 240 km from the Warnemünde cruise terminals, and the only sensible public route is the S-Bahn to Rostock Hbf and then the RE5 regional train, 2 hours 37 minutes to Berlin Hbf. The RE5 runs only every two hours, so the connection at Rostock decides your day, and a return trip leaves very little time in Berlin on a normal day call. A taxi or car is faster but costs 420 euros or more one way.
- Cheapest
- €34.20S-Bahn to Rostock, then RE5 to Berlin Hbf · 3 h 30 min
- Fastest
- 2 h 40 minPre-booked private car · €440
- Taxi
- €420–€590Taxi (long-distance) · 2 h 45 min
S-Bahn to Rostock, then RE5 to Berlin Hbf: €68.40 for the group, about 3 h 30 min. No booking needed.
Train
S-Bahn to Rostock, then RE5 to Berlin Hbf
3 h 30 min
For the group€68.40
S-Bahn to Rostock, then RE5 to Berlin Hbf
DB Regio · Stadt-Land-Meer-Ticket 31 euros + 3.20 euros S-Bahn
- Per person
- €34.20
- Door to door
- 3 h 30 min
- Runs
- 04:03–20:03
- Frequency
- RE5 every 2 hours; S-Bahn every 10 to 15 min
- Board at
- Warnemünde station, 500 m (5 min) from the cruise terminal
- Suitcases
- Fine
Train
Same trains with a Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket
3 h 45 min
For the group€63
Same trains with a Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket
DB group day ticket · 51 euros for one, 87 for four
- Per person
- €51
- Door to door
- 3 h 45 min
- Runs
- 09:00–20:03
- Frequency
- RE5 every 2 hours; valid from 09:00 on weekdays
- Board at
- Warnemünde station, 500 m (5 min) from the cruise terminal
- Suitcases
- Fine
Private car
Pre-booked private car
2 h 40 min
For the group€440estimate
Pre-booked private car
Driver meets you at the cruise terminal · price fixed when you book
- Per person
- €440 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 2 h 40 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Pre-booked
- Board at
- Driver waits at the terminal
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Taxi
Taxi (long-distance)
2 h 45 min
For the group€420–€590estimate
Taxi (long-distance)
Rostock taxis · agree the fare before you leave
- Per person
- €420–€590 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 2 h 45 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Rank outside the terminal
- Board at
- Taxi rank near Warnemünde Cruise Center
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Every option in detail
TrainS-Bahn to Rostock, then RE5 to Berlin Hbf
- €34.20
- 3 h 30 min
- 04:03–20:03
- → Berlin Hbf (underground platforms)
Walk from the Warnemünde Cruise Center to Warnemünde station, about 500 metres, and take the S-Bahn to Rostock Hbf in 21 minutes. A single Rostock-zone ticket for that leg is 3.20 euros from the Warnow transport authority. At Rostock Hbf change to the RE5, which leaves at 34 minutes past every second hour on weekdays after 17 October 2026 and reaches Berlin Hbf 2 hours 37 minutes later. The Stadt-Land-Meer-Ticket covers the RE5 between Rostock and Berlin for 31 euros one way, valid on the day and the day after. Check on bahn.de whether it also covers the S-Bahn, because the DB page does not list Warnemünde.
TrainSame trains with a Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket
- €51
- 3 h 45 min
- 09:00–20:03
- → Berlin Hbf (underground platforms)
The Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket is valid in second class on regional trains and S-Bahn all over Germany, from 09:00 to 03:00 the next day on weekdays and from midnight at weekends. It costs 51 euros for one traveller, 63 for two, 75 for three, 87 for four and 99 for five, and it covers the Rostock S-Bahn as well as the RE5. Every traveller's name goes on the ticket. It beats the single fares from two people upwards, but the 09:00 start rules out the first RE5 trains on weekdays. IC and ICE trains are not included.
TaxiTaxi (long-distance)
- €420–€590 per vehicle (estimate)
- 2 h 45 min
- 24 hours
- → Any address in Berlin
There is no published fixed fare for this trip. Rostock taxis charge 3.90 euros to start and roughly 2.20 euros per kilometre after the first two, and observed fares for the 236 km Rostock to Berlin run are between about 324 and 589 euros. We show 420 to 590 euros as an estimate. Ask the driver for a fixed price in writing, because on a day call you may also pay for waiting time. The drive takes about 2 hours 30 minutes.
Private carPre-booked private car
- €440 per vehicle (estimate)
- 2 h 40 min
- 24 hours
- → Your hotel or any Berlin address
A pre-booked sedan starts at about 440 euros one way for up to three passengers, with the price fixed when you book. The drive takes about 2 hours 30 minutes. A car for the return can be booked for a set time, which helps with the sailing deadline. Larger groups pay for a minivan, which costs more than a sedan.
The same trip in a different situation
Arriving late at night
A day call does not leave much time in Berlin. The last RE5 from Berlin Hbf to Rostock leaves at 22:46 and reaches Rostock at 01:21, and a night S-Bahn at about 01:33 reaches Warnemünde at 01:54, but most ships are long gone by then. For a normal all-aboard time of 17:00 to 18:30, the last sensible train from Berlin Hbf is the 12:46, reaching Warnemünde at about 16:00. The 14:46 gets you to Warnemünde at about 18:00. The last outbound connection from Warnemünde is the 20:03 S-Bahn for the 20:34 RE5, arriving in Berlin at 23:11. Until 16 October 2026 the published timetable data shows the RE5 only as far as Neustrelitz and the IC 17 re-routed via Schwerin, so check bahn.de before you travel. VBB also lists a closure of the RE5 between Birkenwerder and Nassenheide from 30 October to 6 November.
See the comparison →4 people, 4 suitcasesTravelling as a group of four
Four people on single fares pay about 136.80 euros (four times 31 euros plus 3.20 euros), but the Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket for four is 87 euros, or 21.75 euros each, and it also covers the S-Bahn. A taxi at 420 to 590 euros works out at 105 to 148 euros each, which is only worth it if time matters more than money. A sedan carries three, so four people would need a minivan. For two people the ticket is 63 euros, which is about the same as two single tickets.
See the comparison →Practical tips
- The railway station is about 500 metres from the Warnemünde Cruise Center, a walk of roughly 5 minutes on flat ground.
- Plan around the RE5, not the S-Bahn. It runs only every two hours, so catching the 08:34 or 10:34 from Rostock Hbf matters more than the S-Bahn timing.
- The RE5 reaches Berlin Hbf on the underground platforms and continues to Südkreuz. IC trains from Rostock currently run via Schwerin to Ostkreuz, not Hbf, and take longer.
- The Deutschlandticket costs 63 euros per month on subscription and covers the S-Bahn and the RE5, but it is not sold for a single day.
- Coach day trips to Berlin are sold by cruise lines and resellers at around 140 US dollars and up, return, and they remove the timetable risk.
- Buy tickets in the DB Navigator app or at a machine at Warnemünde station before boarding.
Questions travellers ask
How do I get from Warnemünde cruise port to Berlin by train?
Walk 500 m to Warnemünde station, take the S-Bahn to Rostock Hbf in 21 minutes and change to the RE5, which takes 2 hours 37 minutes to Berlin Hbf. It runs every two hours. The fare is about 34.20 euros with a Stadt-Land-Meer-Ticket.
Is there a direct train from Warnemünde to Berlin?
No. You change at Rostock Hbf. The RE5 is the only regional train that runs to Berlin Hbf, and IC trains from Rostock currently stop at Ostkreuz, not Hbf.
Is the Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket worth it for Berlin?
For two or more people, yes. It costs 51 euros for one person, 87 euros for four, and it covers the S-Bahn and RE5. It starts at 09:00 on weekdays, so it rules out the earliest trains.
How long does it take to get from Warnemünde to Berlin?
About 3 hours 10 minutes if you catch a good connection: 5 minutes' walk, 21 minutes on the S-Bahn and 2 hours 37 minutes on the RE5. A taxi or car takes about 2 hours 30 minutes.
What is the last train from Berlin back to Warnemünde?
The last RE5 from Berlin Hbf leaves at 22:46 and arrives at Rostock Hbf at 01:21, with a night S-Bahn at about 01:33. For a ship leaving in the evening, take the 12:46 or the 14:46 at the latest.
