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Berlin’s historic Tegel airport spared from mid-June closure

Berlin's historic Tegel airport, slated for closure from mid-June, will be kept open for a few more months after all, its management said Wednesday.

Published: 3 June 2020 16:36 CEST
Berlin's historic Tegel airport spared from mid-June closure
Berlin's Tegel airport on April 29th. Photo: DPA

The tiny airport, beloved for its retro look and super-fast check-in times, will now remain in operation until November, airport boss Lütke Daldrup told a press conference.

Maintaining traffic at Tegel will “enable us to create the necessary space” to adhere to social distancing measures imposed as part of the battle against COVID-19, Daldrup said.

READ ALSO: Berlin's Tegel airport to close in mid-June amid drop in passenger numbers

Germany announced Wednesday that it will lift its travel warning for European countries, with flights to popular holiday destinations set to resume from mid-June.

Berlin's city government had announced on May 20th that Tegel would be shut down on June 15th for at least two months due to the coronavirus outbreak and may never reopen.

But the airport will now remain in use until November 8th, bridging the gap to the planned opening of Berlin's new international airport known as BER.

More flights expected

Daldrup had previously stressed several times that he would “not carelessly” close Tegel Airport prematurely if money could be made there – a case which now seems to be coming true. 

Due to the rapid opening of the neighbouring countries for tourists and business travellers, the airlines now expect a quick revival of air traffic.

In April and May, only one percent of normal operations had been measured in Tegel. This small number of about a dozen flights a day would have been taken over by the old GDR airport Schönefeld (in the immediate vicinity of the new BER).

However, the capacities there will not be sufficient as air traffic increases, as only one third of the usual number of passengers can be handled there due to the social distance rules in the wake of the corona restrictions, said Daldrup. 

The summer holidays in Berlin and Brandenburg will begin in three weeks.

A rarity

Tegel's colourful history as a location for aviation dates back to the early 20th century when a Prussian airship battalion was based there. The first hangar was constructed over a hundred years ago in 1906.

It played a crucial role in breaking the Russian blockade on West Berlin in 1948 and welcomed its first commercial flight at the start of the 1960s, a moment that marked it out over Tempelhof as the main landing station in the city's west.

Reachable from most parts of the city with a regular bus ticket, the airport is something of a rarity in western Europe – an inner city airport with connections to destinations across the continent.

But with the multi-billion euro BER airport set to open almost a decade behind schedule at the end of October, Tegel's last chapter could well have now been written.

READ ALSO: 'No risks' ahead of Berlin Brandenburg (BER) airport opening in October 2020

BER was planned in the 1990s and construction began in 2006.

It was originally to open in 2011 but the date has been repeatedly pushed back over a series of issues, including fire safety.

The airport is intended to replace both Tegel and Schönefeld.

In anticipation of the new BER airport, not much money was invested in Tegel despite the nine-year construction delays there. Many of the facilities are therefore no longer in good condition.

 

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Explore Austria: Mauer, a charming wine-hiking spot on Vienna’s outskirts

Catch the very tail-end of the wine season and autumn foliage in one of the lesser-explored corners of the Austrian capital: Mauer.

Published: 12 November 2021 17:03 CET
Updated: 24 September 2023 08:20 CEST
Explore Austria: Mauer, a charming wine-hiking spot on Vienna’s outskirts
Beautiful views and cosy taverns await you on the edge of Vienna. Photo: Catherine Edwards

Wine-hiking is an autumn must-do in Austria. There’s the official Wine Hiking Day (Weinwandertag) that usually draws in big crowds, but it’s also possible to follow the routes through beautiful scenery and wine taverns on your own.

Mauer in the southwest of Vienna is one of the routes that is mostly frequented by locals.


The footpath takes you through scenic vineyards. Photo: Catherine Edwards

You can reach this part of the 23rd district using Vienna’s public transport, and you have a few options. From the Hietzing station on the U4 line, you can take the tramline 60 or bus 56A. The former will take you either to Mauer’s central square or you can get off earlier at Franz-Asenbauer-Gasse to start the hike. If it’s too early in the day for wine just yet, you could start your day at the small and charming Designo cafe (Geßlgasse 6).

Otherwise, the residential area itself doesn’t have much to see, but keep an eye out as you wander between the taverns later — there are some beautiful buildings.

To start the hike, head west along Franz-Asenbauer Gasse, which will take you up into the vineyards, growing some red wine and Vienna’s specialty Gemischter Satz or ‘field blend’, which as the name suggests is a mixture of different types of grapes.

Photo: Catherine Edwards

The paved road takes a left turn, but the hiking route follows a smaller path further upwards. Here you’ll have magnificent views over the whole of Vienna.

If you stick to the official hiking route (see a map from Weinwandern here) you can keep the whole route under 5 kilometres. But more adventurous types don’t need to feel limited.

You can also follow the Stadtwanderweg 6 route (see a map here) either in full, which will add on a hefty 13 kilometres, or just in part, and venture further into the Mauerwald. If you do this, one spot to aim for is the Schießstätte, a former hunting lodge offering hearty Austrian meals.

EXPLORE AUSTRIA

In any case, you should definitely take a small detour to see the Wotrubakirche, an example of brutalist architecture from the mid-1970s built on a site that was used as a barracks during the Second World War.

Not far from the church is the Pappelteich, a small pond that is not only an important habitat for local flora and fauna, but a popular picnic spot for hikers. Its only water supply is from the rain, and due to climate change the pond has almost dried out in recent years, prompting the city to take action to boost its water supply by adding a permanent pipe.


The church is made up of over 150 concrete blocks. Photo: Catherine Edwards

What you really come to Mauer for, though, are the Heuriger or Viennese wine taverns. 

The most well-known is Edlmoser (Maurer Lange Gasse 123) which has previously been named as the best in Vienna. Note that it’s not open all year so check the website, but in 2021 it should be open between November 5th and 21st, and is also serving the goose that is a popular feature on Viennese menus this time of year.

Tip for translating Heuriger opening times: look for the word ausg’steckt, which is used by those taverns which aren’t open year round. They will also often show that they’re open by attaching a bunch of green twigs to the sign or front door.


Buschenschank Grausenburger. Photo: Catherine Edwards

Also worth visiting are cosy Buschenschank Grausenburger (Maurer Lange Gasse 101a), Heuriger Wiltschko (Wittgensteinstrasse 143 — located near the start of the hiking route, this is a good place to begin your tour) and Heuriger Fuchs-Steinklammer (Jesuitensteig 28).

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