3 Best Informative Tours of Sachsenhausen from Berlin in 2024
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Are you looking for the best informative tours of Sachsenhausen from Berlin?
For those seeking to learn more about the dark history of Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, there is no better way than by taking a guided tour of the site from Berlin.
As a history buff, visiting important historical sites is something I always try to do on my travels.
When I visited Berlin, I knew I wanted to take a day trip to Sachsenhausen, the closest former Nazi Concentration Camp to Berlin. Sachsenhausen is just about 45 minutes away, making it easy to visit on a day trip from Berlin.
The best Sachsenhausen tours from Berlin provide an informative and engaging experience for travelers interested in learning more about this tragic period in history.
On these tours, visitors will get to explore Sachsenhausen’s grounds, learning about the camp’s history and its origin, what “everyday life” was like for the prisoners held there, and more about the camp and the horrors that occurred there.
While you can visit Sachsenhausen on your own, having a tour guide can be immensely helpful in gaining a more comprehensive understanding of Sachsenhausen’s history.
If you’re planning on including a day trip to Sachsenhausen in your Berlin itinerary, consider booking one of these informative guided tours of Sachsenhausen from Berlin to make the most of your visit.
A World in Reach contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a commission at no cost to you! Read my full disclosure here.
Looking for the best guided tour of Sachsenhausen from Berlin?
This tour is perfect for travelers who want an incredible guide at an affordable price!
BEST GUIDED TOURS OF SACHSENHAUSEN FROM BERLIN
Important Things to Remember when Visiting Sachsenhausen
The very most important thing to remember when visiting Sachsenhausen is that you are visiting a location where innocent prisoners were tortured and murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust.
During your visit, keep the history of the site in mind.
Avoid taking disrespectful photos (this is not the place for posed pictures or cute selfies), talking loudly, or behaving inappropriately in any way.
3 Best Tours of Sachsenhausen from Berlin
1. Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Tour from Berlin
⭐️ RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars (read more reviews) | TOUR LENGTH: 6 hours | BOOK NOW
Having a great tour guide who is knowledgeable and engaging can really make a tour great, which is why the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Tour from Berlin is one of the very best Sachsenhausen guided tours.
On this tour, you’ll meet your expert historic guide in the Berlin city center at 10:00 AM before boarding the S Bahn train to Oranienburg, the city where Sachsenhausen is located.
Important Note: The train tickets to and from Oranienburg aren’t included in the tour cost. You’ll need a Berlin transit ticket that includes zones A, B, and C, which is about €8 for the round-trip to and from Oranienburg.
A valid Berlin ABC Zone WelcomeCard also works.
Once you arrive in Oranienburg, you’ll walk with your guide for 20-30 minutes to the memorial. Make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes!
At the site, your guide will lead you around the site, teaching you about the history of the camp’s origin, the timeline of the atrocities that were committed at the camp, and tell stories of the brave prisoners and those who were lucky to survive.
The outstanding guides truly make this tour one of the best. The guides are expert historians who are licensed and trained by the Sachsenhausen Memorial Authority.
“Great tour with a guide who was incredibly knowledgeable and an excellent communicator. The camp would be difficult to navigate on your own so having a guide walking you through the different portions and giving context was essential in my opinion.” – Ruben S. (Read more reviews)
As a bonus, the tour provider makes a €3 donation to the Memorial Authority on behalf of each guest, which contributes to the upkeep of the Memorial.
Although the tour is a somber experience, you’ll return to Berlin with a greater understanding of the history of Sachsenhausen and the prisoners who were held there.
In my opinion, this is the best guided tour of Sachsenhausen from Berlin. And with nearly 2000 5-star reviews, it seems that other travelers agree!
IMPORTANT INFO
Tour Duration: 6 hours
Starting Time: 10:00 AM
Meeting Point: Outside Friedrichstraße Train Station
What’s Included: Expert historian guide, pick-up and drop-off from the center of Berlin, a tour of Sachsenhausen, €3 donation to the Sachsenhausen Memorial Authority
What’s Not Included: Hotel pick-ups and drop-offs, food and drink, gratuities
Size of Tour: Maximum of 30 travelers
BEST GUIDED TOURS OF SACHSENHAUSEN FROM BERLIN
2. Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial: Small Group Bus Tour from Berlin
⭐️ RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars (read more reviews) | TOUR LENGTH: 4 hours | BOOK NOW
If you want the same great tour as the one above but with private transportation, then this tour is for you!
The Sachensenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Small Group Bus Tour from Berlin is nearly the exact same tour as the above Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial tour, except it includes private bus transportation rather than taking public transportation to Sachsenhausen.
It’s also a couple of hours shorter because you’ll be driving directly to Sachsenhausen instead of taking the train and then walking to the camp.
After meeting the group, you’ll board the air-conditioned bus that will take you directly to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp.
There, the expertly-trained historian guide will lead you on a tour of the camp and memorial, teaching a masterclass in World War II history as you walk through the camp’s barracks, administrative buildings, and crematoriums.
Phil was our guide and he shared valuable and informative historic background before reaching the camp. The details he provided on site brought to life what happened there. Highly recommend the visit and Phil as guide. – Pamela K. (Read more reviews)
After the extremely educational and thought-provoking tour, you’ll board the bus and head back to Berlin.
In addition to the knowledgeable guides, this tour is great because it includes private transportation on a comfortable bus with a maximum of just 25 travelers.
IMPORTANT INFO
Tour Duration: 4 hours
Starting Time: 10:00 AM
Meeting Point: Outside Friedrichstraße Train Station
What’s Included: Expert historian guide, pick-up and drop-off from the center of Berlin, private transportation on an air-conditioned bus, guided tour of Sachsenhausen
What’s Not Included: Hotel pick-ups and drop-offs, food and drink, gratuities
Size of Tour: Maximum of 25 travelers
BEST GUIDED TOURS OF SACHSENHAUSEN FROM BERLIN
3. Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp and Potsdam Tour from Berlin
⭐️ RATING: 4.1 out of 5 Stars (read more reviews) | TOUR LENGTH: 7 hours | BOOK NOW
If you’re short on time and want to make the most of your day trip from Berlin, then this Sachsenhausen and Potsdam combo day tour is perfect for you.
After you meet your guide and fellow tourmates, you’ll board a private bus and head towards Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp and Memorial for a guided visit of the camp.
There, your guide will take you on an educational tour around the camp. You’ll learn about how the camp was run, the different jobs that were forced upon the prisoners, and more about the camp’s history.
Next, you’ll board the bus again and head towards Potsdam, the former Slavic town turned Royal residence.
Enjoy a guided walk of the palaces and gardens of Potsdam before having some free time to explore on your own.
After some time in Potsdam, you’ll board the bus again and head back to Berlin while reflecting on your day.
Tours are led by bilingual English and Spanish guides. You’ll be packing in a lot of exploration in just 7 hours, which some travelers said felt rushed, but this is a great way to see a lot if you have limited time.
“Chisca was wonderful. My son and I were the only English speaking travelers in the group but Chisca made every effort to pull aside and explain details to us is English. The concentration camp was sad but important to see. Potsdam was beautiful. We actually decided to stay there for dinner and skip the bus ride back! – GetYourGuide traveler (Read more reviews)
IMPORTANT INFO
Tour Duration: 7 hours
Starting Time: 9:30 AM
Meeting Point: Brunnen der Völkerfreundschaft Fountain in Alexanderplatz
What’s Included: English/Spanish-speaking guide, private transportation to and from Berlin, guided tour of Sachsenhausen, guided tour of Potsdam
What’s Not Included: Hotel pick-ups and drop-offs, food and drink, gratuities
BEST GUIDED TOURS OF SACHSENHAUSEN FROM BERLIN
Visiting Sachsenhausen from Berlin: Frequently Asked Questions
Can you visit Sachsenhausen from Berlin without a guided tour?
You can independently visit Sachsenhausen from Berlin without taking a guided tour.
To get to Sachsenhausen, take the S Bahn or a regional train from Berlin to Oranienburg Station (S Oranienburg Bhf).
You can easily get to Oranienburg from pretty much any station in Berlin. Use Rome2Rio to find out the best route and trains to take from your starting point.
One of the easiest stations to leave Berlin from is Friedrichstraße. From there, the trip to Oranienburg will take about 45 minutes.
To take the train to Oranienburg, you’ll need an ABC zone ticket, which is €3.80 each way. A Berlin ABC Zone WelcomeCard will also work.
Once you get to Oranienburg, you have a couple of options for getting to Sachsenhausen.
You can walk from the train station to the memorial, which takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Bring comfy shoes if you plan on walking because you’ll probably be doing a lot of walking and standing at the memorial as well.
The bus (#804 and #821) also runs from Oranienburg Station to a stop called Sachsenhausen Gedenkstätte, which is a short walk from the memorial. Taking the bus is the easiest way to get to Sachsenhausen from Oranienburg Station.
Even if you don’t opt for a guided tour of Sachsenhausen from Berlin, I highly recommend taking one of the public guided tours offered on-site.
These tours cost €3 and run twice on Saturdays, once at 11:00 AM and again at 2:00 PM.
If you’re not visiting on a day that the guided tours are held, you can rent an audio guide for €3.50.
You can learn more about the guided tours and audio guides on the official Sachsenhausen Memorial website.
BEST GUIDED TOURS OF SACHSENHAUSEN FROM BERLIN
What should I bring with me on a tour of Sachsenhausen?
One of the most important things to bring, or wear, on a tour of Sachsenhausen is a comfortable pair of shoes.
While touring the site, you’ll be doing a lot of walking and standing. Plus, some tours require you to walk to and from the memorial from the train station, which takes about 30 minutes.
Keep an eye on the weather forecast as well. For much of the tour, you’ll be outside, so you’ll want to have a warm coat if it’s cold outside and a rain jacket or umbrella if it’s raining.
It’s also a good idea to bring some snacks and a reusable water bottle as most tours don’t include food or drinks.
BEST GUIDED TOURS OF SACHSENHAUSEN FROM BERLIN
How long should I spend at Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp?
Most guided tours of Sachsenhausen from Berlin last between 4-6 hours, depending on whether you take public or private transportation.
You can plan on spending at least 2-3 hours exploring the memorial. The guided tours offered at the memorial last for 2 hours.
BEST GUIDED TOURS OF SACHSENHAUSEN FROM BERLIN
Final Thoughts: Best Tours of Sachsenhausen from Berlin
As you can see, you have quite a few great options for guided tours of Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp and Memorial from Berlin.
You can opt for a cheaper tour that takes public transportation or splurge a little for a great tour with private transport. Or, if you want to pack a lot into one day, choose a Sachsenhausen + Potsdam combo day tour!
Taking a guided tour of Sachsenhausen rather than going on your own gives you a deeper insight into the history of the camp.
You’ll hear from historians who are experts on the site – not only do they know the history of Sachsenhausen, but they also know the stories of the prisoners who were held there.
After your tour, you’ll return to Berlin (or your home city) with a new understanding of World War II history that is deeper than anything you could read about in a textbook.
Looking for the best guided tour of Sachsenhausen from Berlin?
This tour is perfect for travelers who want an incredible guide at an affordable price!
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