Imani in Berlin: The Metro Chronicles (Book 1)
The metro system in Washington D.C. is fairly simple and easy to understand. The metro in Berlin is a completely different story. The first few days on the metro were actually kind of easy because it was short rides with Ari as a guide. However, it was only a few days ago when I was riding the subway in Berlin that I realized how convoluted the metro can really be.
The first thing to understand about the Berlin metro is that while metrocards are necessary, the system of payment is rather strange compared to how things work in America. Before riding the metro, one is required to purchase or obtain a metro card. However, you don’t have to scan your metro card every time you get on and off the subway like you have to in D.C. Instead, the card system is honor-based. In other words, you keep your card tucked away unless an inspector happens to get on your train an asks to scan and check your card. What this means is that someone could be riding the metro without having purchased a metro card, which is crazy. There is a fine for those who do get caught in the act though.
On a particularly long ride on the metro, while riding with only a small group of us from Howard University, we were carded. It was almost surreal. I felt like I was being pulled over even though I’d done nothing wrong. Another highlight on that ride was getting turned around (a.k.a. We took a wrong stop or two). The craziest and most confusing part of riding the metro in Berlin is reading the maps. There is the U-bahn, which we spend the majority of our public transport on, and the S-bahn. With all the different paths this entails, it gets even more confusing when you can’t read anything. For example, on that long ride aforementioned, we were returning to CIEE’s campus, and we knew what the name of the U-bahn stop near the campus was, but nobody could pronounce it or direct us to the right train to get on to get there. Sure, we eventually figured it out, but it’s a lot different from being on the metro in D.C. where you know how to say and read where you’re going.
The last point of issue on our journey was finding help when we were turned around. As one might expect, most people in Berlin speak German. I, however, do not. When you aren’t quite sure where you are, you would usually ask for help. However, it takes some courage to ask for that in a foreign country where English is not the primary language. In the end, we did ask for help and get to where we needed to be. Overall, the metro was confusing; but I’m definitely starting to get the hang of it now. Berlin is unique, and I appreciate that and our little adventure on the metro.