What Is Tempelhofer Feld?

The site began as a military parade ground in the 18th century before becoming one of the world's earliest commercial airports in the early 1920s. Its best-known building, the vast crescent-shaped terminal, was expanded under Nazi architect Ernst Sagebiel between 1934 and 1941 and was, for decades, one of the largest buildings on earth by floor area. Tempelhof's most significant historical moment came in 1948–49, when it served as the primary landing point for the Berlin Airlift — the operation that kept West Berlin supplied by air for nearly a year after Soviet forces blockaded all road and rail access to the city.

Commercial and later general-aviation flights continued at Tempelhof until the airport closed for good in October 2008, with operations shifted to Berlin's other airports. The runways and taxiways sat largely untouched, and in 2010 the city opened the entire field to the public as parkland. In 2014, Berliners voted in a referendum to keep Tempelhofer Feld permanently free of large-scale development, rejecting a proposed housing plan — which is why the runways, control tower, and open grassland are still intact today rather than built over.

Tickets & Prices 2026

Entering Tempelhofer Feld itself is free — there's no gate to buy through, no timed slot, and no booking required to walk, cycle, or picnic on the field. Two separate things do get sold under the "Tempelhofer Feld tickets" search, and it's easy to conflate them with park entry. First, the historic terminal building next to the field — run separately as THF Berlin — offers paid guided tours of the Nazi-era architecture and Cold War history, and occasionally hosts ticketed trade fairs, festivals, or film shoots inside the hangars; pricing and current tour schedules are listed on the operator's own site. Second, the field regularly hosts ticketed public events — guided walking or cycling tours across the runways, seasonal festivals, and occasional concerts — bookable through Grün Berlin's event calendar on the official park website.

If you're just visiting the open field to walk, cycle, fly a kite, or picnic, none of that applies to you — walk in through any entrance, any day, at no cost. Tempelhofer Feld itself isn't part of any city sightseeing pass, since entry is already free.

Opening Hours & Best Time to Go

Tempelhofer Feld's gates run on a seasonal schedule tied to daylight, and the range is wide — from under 10 hours a day in midwinter to 17 hours in midsummer. As of mid-2026, the posted monthly hours are:

• January: 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• February: 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• March: 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
• April: 6:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
• May 1–15: 6:00 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.; May 16–31: 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
• June–July: 6:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
• August: 6:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
• September: 6:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
• October: 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
• November: 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• December: 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Once the posted closing time passes, the main entrances lock — visitors already inside can still leave through revolving exit gates at the designated points, but you can't enter after hours. Confirm current hours on the official Tempelhofer Feld visitor site before an early-morning or late-evening visit, since the schedule shifts through the year.

Late spring through midsummer (May–July) is the best window for a long visit — the field is green, kite-flying conditions on the open runways are consistently good, and the extended evening hours make a sunset picnic realistic on a weeknight. Weekday mornings are the quietest time to walk or cycle the full loop; weekend afternoons draw the biggest crowds, especially for the fenced dog-run areas and the barbecue zones.

How Long to Plan

A short stop — a walk out onto the open runway, a few photos of the control tower and terminal facade, then back — takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Most visitors who come to actually use the park budget 1.5 to 3 hours: enough time for a proper walk, a picnic, and a look at one of the community garden plots near the Columbiadamm side. If you're cycling or skating the full 6-kilometer paved loop around the perimeter, plan on half a day once you add stops for photos, a break at one of the food kiosks near the main entrances, and time to enjoy the kite-flying areas along the way — the field is genuinely large, running roughly 4.5 kilometers end to end.

How to Get There

The main western entrance sits at Tempelhofer Damm, directly served by Tempelhof station — both U-Bahn line U6 and the S41/S42/S45/S46/S47 Ringbahn S-Bahn lines stop here, making it the easiest approach from almost anywhere in the city. A short walk from the platforms puts you right at the gate closest to the old terminal building and control tower.

Paradestraße station, also on U6 one stop south of Tempelhof, serves a secondary entrance and is a good option if you're heading straight for the southern lawns rather than the terminal side. For the northern entrance near Columbiadamm, the closest access point is around Lilienthalstraße, reachable by bus from either Hermannplatz or Südstern U-Bahn stations. Car parking around the field is limited, so public transit is the practical way in.

Visit Tips: Rules, Booking & Common Mistakes

There's no queue at the entrances — you just walk in — but a few site rules are worth knowing before you go. Cycling and skating are only permitted on the paved paths, not across the open grass. Dogs must stay leashed everywhere except the three fenced dog runs (roughly 4 hectares total). Barbecuing is restricted to three designated zones with specific equipment rules (elevated grills only, no fires on the ground), and motor vehicles and motorbikes aren't allowed on the field at all. Four of the main entrances are step-free and barrier-accessible.

The most common planning mistake is assuming "tickets" applies to the park itself — it doesn't, unless you've specifically booked a guided terminal tour or a listed event through the official calendar. The second is underestimating the walk: at 386 hectares with almost no shade across most of the open runway area, plan water and sun protection even on a mild day, and consider renting a bike if you want to see more than one corner of the field. Finally, don't linger past the posted closing time expecting to exit from anywhere — head for a marked entrance/exit point before the gates lock for the night.

Nearby Attractions

Tempelhofer Feld sits south of central Berlin, so pairing it with the city's headline sights means a short ride rather than a walk. From Tempelhof station, U6 runs north directly toward the city center; get off at Unter den Linden and it's a walkable stretch to the Brandenburg Gate and on to the Reichstag Building, both worth combining into one city-center afternoon after a morning at the field. In the other direction, the same general area puts you within reach of Museum Island on the Spree, a natural add-on if you're spending a full day moving between Berlin's Cold War history and its museum quarter.

Frequently Asked Questions