Practical info at the Alex

The questions no guidebook answers: where are the toilets, where do I leave my suitcase, how safe is it at night? Here the honest answers.

Toilets

Public toilets at the Alex are rare. The most reliable addresses: Alexanderplatz station (Rail & Fresh, paid but clean), Alexa shopping centre, Galeria department store.

Luggage storage

Lockers at Alexanderplatz station, various sizes, 24 hours available. €4 to €6 per day.

WiFi

Free WiFi in almost every shopping centre and café on the square. "Free Berlin WiFi" from the city works reliably at the Alex – if not fast.

ATMs

Plenty available. Sparkasse, Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank and Postbank have machines at or in the station. Non-bank machines (Euronet, with "Free Cash" ads) often charge high fees – avoid.

Is the Alex safe?

By day, entirely. In the evening and at night, like any major station in a European metropolis. Regular police presence. Pickpockets are the most common problem – no more, no less than in Rome or Barcelona.

If you're out alone in the evening, apply standard rules: don't flash valuables, stay aware of your surroundings. Panic is unwarranted, so is carelessness.

Best time to visit

May to September for good weather. December for the Christmas market. November and February are the cruellest months – wet, grey, windy.