Free WiFi Hotspots in Berlin

12 December 2009 No Comment

Picture: Phone Guide Germany

Berlin will not get its free WiFi (WLAN) network throughout the city. However, there are still a lot of locations with free WiFi access to the web such as bars, cafes, hostels, hotels or even certain points of interest. With more and more people having a netbook or a smartphone with WiFi support and more and more people taking their mobiles on their trips to other countries, WiFi hotspots become hot again. For example, by using a free WiFi hotspot in Berlin mobile phone or netbook users from other countries save high data roaming expenses – all it might take to access the internet for free is to get a password at the counter and order one or two coffees during the online session. The Phone Guide Germany tells you at which locations in Berlin you will find free WiFi connections to the web.

Hostels and Hotels with Free WiFi in Berlin-Mitte

Visitors might choose a hostel or hotel that offers free WiFi access to the web for guests in the lobby or in the rooms. Hostels such as The Circus at Weinbergsweg 1a in Berlin-Mitte, EastSeven at Schwedter Straße 7, Prenzlauer Berg, the Malzcafe Hotel at Veteranenstrasse 10 or Motel One at Dircksenstrasse 36, Berlin-Mitte, provide for a wireless internet connection in the lobby or in the rooms for guests who bring their notebooks, netbooks or smartphones. All four hostels/hotels are popular among international guests and both in walking distance from the bars and cafes at Kastanienallee and at Hackescher Markt, and people putting up at these places can count on meeting people from all parts of the world and receiving help in planning their Berlin stay by the experienced staff. The Circus offers free WiFi in all rooms for people using their own netbook or smartphone and rents workstation PCs or notebooks to others for a small fee at the reception. EastSeven offers free wireless access to the web in rooms as well while Motel One has free WiFi in the lobby. The Malzcafe Hotel provides free internet access in the rooms als well as on the cafe terrace.

Cafe St. Oberholz at Rosenthaler Platz, Berlin-Mitte

This is the place to be for digital nomads. Wagging tongues say that here the Mac density is higher than at Apple stores. The St. Oberholz cafe at Rosenthaler Platz in Berlin-Mitte is crowded with notebook and netbook users every day, some of them come here every day. Only early birds stand a chance of getting one of the few power plugs. Since everybody seems to be working on his or her notebook and hardly ever socializes, you may get a feeling of being in good company or just alone. In addition to free WiFi access to the web the Sankt Oberholz offers coffee, tea, cakes, snacks and vegetarian food. Usually, the WiFi connection is good, but sometimes it can be a little slow.

Bar Kohlenquelle at Kopenhagener Strasse 16, Berlin Prenzlauer Berg

Situated in a quiet street at the Ringbahn close to Schoenhauser Allee, the Kohlenquelle – or as Berliners say “Koppe” – is reminiscent of the few years of illegal clubs in abandoned houses in East-Berlin after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The place is neither clean nor is the interior pretentious, prices for food or coffee are not really low anymore – but it is always crowded with students, wanna-be actors and media people because of events such as the Mittwochs-Club or because of the possibility to sit outside and enjoy the sun in Summer or maybe even because of the free WiFi access for guests.

Sony Center at Potsdamer Platz, Berlin-Tiergarten

People from Tokyo may wonder what is so special about the Sony Center at Potsdamer Platz since they see similar places all around their home town. However, Potsdamer Platz had been the busiest square in Berlin with lots of traffic and a vibrant nightlife before World War II and since the 1990s the place has really been hopping again at daytime. It has become a must-see for tourists who find here modern architecture, cafes, bars, museums, movie theaters, shopping malls and so on. Another reason to go there could be the free and open WiFi access. However, when many netbook or smartphone users are logged in, data transmission rates may approach zero.

Promo at Dortmunder Straße 8, Berlin-Tiergarten

Sanndwiches, salads, pizza and pasta are the specialties of the Promo in the Moabit quarter. Between noon and early afternoon the cafe offers a business lunch at special prices, at night there are different happy hours for cocktails. In general, prices at the Promo seem to be a little above “normal” Moabit level. In summer it is really nice to sit outside because the Promo is located at a traffic calmed area close to the river Spree. And while you surf the internet, your kids can romp about on the adjacent playground.

Freddy Leck sein Waschsalon at Gotzkowskysraße, Berlin-Tiergarten

Freddy Leck sein Waschsalon is not just a laundromat but also a cafe and a place to hang out and listen to classical music, watch TV, observe or meet others or surf the internet via free WiFi connection. People not knowing this place with its clean and fancy interior may think this is strange, some people say that’s what the owner actually is – but likable.

Espressolounge at Bergmannstraße 92, Berlin-Kreuzberg

The Espressolounge offers free WiFi, coffee, milk shakes, hot chocolate, self-made ice tea, (German lnaguage) newspapers and a view onto the life on Bergmannstraße in Kreuzberg through big windows. When it is warm you can also sit outside. The Espressolounge opens daily, but already closes at 8 p.m.

Cafe Morena at Wiener Strasse 60, Berlin-Kreuzberg

The Morena is a stylish cafe in Kreuzberg just around the corner from Goerlitzer Park and Oranienstrasse. You can order coffee, tea, snacks and breakfast platters, sit outside on sunny days surf the internet via WiFi for free. Wireless internet access is probably one of the main reasons why it can get crowded at certain days at this place. However: On a “good” day the staff of the Morena easily tops the conceit of a Viennese waiter – but that you can probably also say about certain guests.

Cafe Tasso at Frankfurter Allee 11, Berlin-Friedrichshain

The Cafe Tasso is a place for culture vultures: It is a cafe and a second-hand bookshop and offers free WiFi, organic food, books and lots of newspapers as well as movie nights, art exhibitions, concerts and lectures. The name of the cafe refers to the poet Torquato Tasso, one of the most important representatives of the Italian Renaissance.

Goodies at Warschauer Strasse 69, Berlin-Friedrichshain

Particularly, many cafes on or around Simon-Dach-Strasse have signs indicating free WiFi access to the web inside. Just keep your eyes open when walking around. Americans might feel at home at the Goodies (formerly known as Aromabar) because of the bagels, the organic food, the smoothies and the sandwiches they offer here. However, prices are not low by Berlin standards. Connecting to the web via WiFi is free of charge at the Goodies, though, and surfing the internet more relaxed than at the St. Oberholz.

Piu Gelateria at Boxhagener Straße 121, Berlin-Friedrichshain

The Piu Gelateria in Friedrichshain is an ice cream shop with international flair and lounge couches offering the opportunity to kill some time browsing the internet. In addition to ice cream and coffee it offers good talks with people from all over the world, good advice for Berlin visitors and free WiFi for guests. The Italian ice cream is handmade and served traditionally from a putty scoop.

Kleisther at Hauptstraße 5, Berlin-Schoeneberg

The Kleisther offers free WiFi, breakfast and newspapers and magazines at any time of the day. The interior is kept quite simple, people are mostly laid-back during the day. At night it might get pretty crowded in this place.

dai ragazzi at Winterfeldtstraße 36, Berlin-Schoeneberg

Somehow you get the impression the dai ragazzi (formerly known as schneerot) near Winterfeldtplatz in Berlin-Schoeneberg cannot decide on what it actually wants to be: a cozy cafe, an Italian restaurant or a cocktail bar. But then – who cares? WiFi access to the web is free at dai ragazzi day and night. You get the access password for the secured wireless network at the counter.

Stellwerk at Kranoldplatz 5, Berlin-Lichterfelde

The Stellwerk is a bar, a cafe, a lounge and a restaurant on three levels. Sitting on the patio you have a great view on the S-Bahn and life on Kranoldplatz.