Flow – follow Berlin’s rivers with the S-Bahn

The Tegeler Fließ is about 30 kilometers long. Of these, a total of 10 kilometers are located on Berlin's urban area. The leisurely flowing stream has created over time large wetlands and moorland meadows. Even on his last kilometers in the middle of Berlin he meanders through a wide meadow landscape. In the past, peat was cut along the Tegeler Fließ, but today its banks are protected over long stretches. On our hike you will accompany the Tegeler Fließ on its last part through the district Tegel until its confluence with the Tegeler See.Your hike starts at the S-Bahn station Waidmannslust. The station is approached every 10 minutes from the S-Bahn line 1. You leave the station and follow the Artemisstraße until the Tegeler Fließ. First, you wander through a small forest. A little later, the forest opens to a wide wet meadow. In the warm months, Asian water buffalos live here. The big animals are perfectly adapted to a life of ponds and streams and take care of the care of the unique landscape. The hiking trail leads you along the meandering Tegeler Fließ towards the mouth. Together you cross the motorway and the S-Bahn tracks. Finally, your ways separate: At the Tegeler Hafen, the river flows into the Tegeler See and you walk on to the S-Bahn station Tegel. Here you get on the S-Bahn line 25, which goes to the city center every 20 minutes.

The Erpe is a 32 kilometer tributary of the Spree. On its course from Werneuchen to Köpenick, it changes its name several times and flows as Stienitzfließ, Langes Elsenfließ and Neuenhagener Mühlenfließ through forests and meadows. By far the most beautiful section is the Erpetal between Hoppegarten and Friedrichshagen. Here, the Erpe flows through a wide floodplain landscape. You can explore the Erpetal on a leisurely hike. You accompany the Erpe up to its mouth in the Spree.Your hike along the Erpe begins at the S-Bahn station Hoppegarten, which you can reach every 20 minutes on the S-Bahn line 5. You wander past the old racecourse and shortly afterwards you are standing on a wide meadow. The trail leads you through the picturesque Dahlwitz and the adjoining castle garden. You walk under the Berliner Landstraße and enter the Erpetal nature reserve on the other side. At the beginning of the trail runs through a light mixed forest. Here you can enjoy the shade and have time and again between the trunks to take a look at the Erpe and their meadows. At the old Heidemühle you cross the Erpe and wander now on wide, tree-lined meadows. On its way to the Spree, the Erpe flows through a small garden colony and a peaceful pasture landscape. Just before you reach the Spree, the trail ends on a wet meadow. Here you turn right and come to the S-Bahn station Hirschgarten. Every 10 minutes the S-Bahn line 3 takes you from here home.

The source of the Annafließ is located in the middle of Strausberg. From there, the stream meanders through the city and then flows through moors, ponds and forests to Lake Stienitz. Depending on the season and rainfall, the width of the river may vary considerably. In very hot and dry summers, the stream above ground even dries out completely. Our hike will take you from Strausberg town along the river Annafließ through the extensive Strausberg forests.With the S-Bahn line 5 you drive every 20 minutes to the station Strausberg city. You circle around a residential building and then meet in the narrow green belt on the main road on the Annafließ. In the urban area, the path does not always run directly on the stream bank. After you have crossed under the S-Bahn tracks, the path leads you past a garden colony. Shortly thereafter, a forest road branches off the narrow road. Just like the Annafließ, the trail meanders through the dense forest. You circle the peaceful Herrensee, which is traversed by the Annafließ. At the edge of a residential area you follow the forest path further south. After you have passed the swan pond, you leave the Annafließ and continue walking towards Strausberg S-Bahn station. With the S-Bahn line 5, it goes back to Berlin.

The Lietzengraben is a narrow tributary to the Panke. The watercourse rises in the Schönower Heide, flows through the pastures of Hobrechtsfelde and flows into the Panke at the Karower ponds. Actually, the narrow watercourse is of natural origin. In the course of time, however, he was straightened and redirected again and again by human hands. However, the Lietzengraben suffered the greatest influence by human impact until the 20th century. Since the beginning of the 20th century, sewage was purified on the Rieselfeldern of Hobrechtsfelde. The balance of the Lietzengrabens was disturbed lasting. Meanwhile, the landscape was renatured sustainable and the ditch could recover.Your hike at the Lietzengraben begins at the S-Bahn station Röntgengental. The station is served every 20 minutes from the S-Bahn line 2. First it goes through a small peat field and over the rustic pastures of Hobrechtsfelde. After crossing the Hobrechtsfelder Dorfstraße, you will find a small hiking car park. The comfortable hiking trail leads straight ahead through a light forest. Soon, a forest road branches off to the left. You cross a small creek and a little later you meet the wet meadows of Lietzengraben. Along the watercourse you walk comfortably southwards. On the wet meadows and in the dense shore plants you can observe many waterfowl all year round. The hiking trail leads you past the Bucher carp ponds and finally under the S-Bahn tracks and the motorway. On the other side, the Lietzengraben flows through the nature reserve Karower ponds. Here, too, birdwatchers get their money's worth. After you have explored the ponds extensively, you cross the Panke and reach the S-Bahn station Karow. Here, the S2 line will take you every 10 minutes back to the center of Berlin.

The Panke rises in Bernau and lays back about 30 kilometers, until it flows into the Spandau shipping canal at the northern harbor. A total of 20 kilometers of the creek are located on Berlin's urban area. On our hike you will accompany the Panke from the city limits through meadows, through parks and finally through the city to Wedding. At the mouth of the Nordhafen your paths separate again.The S-Bahn line 2 drives you every 20 minutes to the S-Bahn station Röntgengental. Here begins your hike. After a short stretch along the road, you will meet the Panke, which flows through a wide meadow landscape. You follow their lethargic run and reach the Schlosspark Buch after a while. The Panke meanders through the beautifully landscaped garden. You cross the Wiltbergstraße and between two small shopping centers you and the river continue your journey together. Pastures and small woodland alternate until you cross the bridges of the motorway and S-Bahn. On the tree-lined shore you continue hiking. Once again it goes under the tracks and the highway. For a while, the road runs between the highway and a small garden colony, but thanks to dense trees, you will not get much of it.At Pankebecken and the carp ponds, the Panke flows through a quiet residential area. On a short section along a quiet road you reach the castle park Niederschönhausen. Here is also worth a visit to the garden café of the castle. The Panke now disappears between two rows of houses and you follow it on the parallel road to the Bürgerpark Pankow. After the section through the park, the Panke meandered through the densely built-up areas of Pankow and Wedding. The trail leads most of the time along the park-like landscaped shore along. Shortly before the Panke flows into the Nordhafen, the path ends and you turn off in the direction of S-Bahn Station Wedding. From here, Ring Line S41 and S42 will take you back home every 10 minutes.If the whole hike is too long for you, then you can also end your hike at Bürgerpark Pankow. Simply get off at S-Bahn station Wollankstraße and take the S-Bahn line 1 or 25.

The breeze rises in Wandlitzer See and flows over 17 kilometers through a haunted alder quarry to the Havel. The very slowly flowing river is more reminiscent of stagnant water in many places and has created an impressive landscape in the ice age Briesetal. In the wide river bed of the breeze are countless living and dead trees, reminiscent of an ancient primeval forest. On your hike, you will cycle on cozy forest paths and on footbridges in the middle of the Briesetal valley.Every 20 minutes, the S-Bahn line 1 will take you to the Borgsdorf train station, the starting point of your hike. Along the S-Bahn tracks you hike back a bit and turn into the forest cemetery in Briesetal. Today, your hike runs counter to the direction of the river, so you are heading deeper and deeper into the forest. The path leads along a section of moor and then meanders on a footbridge over the broad river valley. At the small Briesesee you can already stop in the beer garden Briesekrug, before you continue your tour. Now begins the most exciting part of your hike. Along dead trees, marsh grass and murky water you wander through the silent forest. Along the way you also meet the old forester's house. There is a small snack bar open on weekends. After you have crossed the Briese at the campsite Zühlsdorfer mill, you leave the enchanted forest and reach the station Zühlsdorf a little later. From here, the regional train RB27 takes you every hour to the station Karow, where you can change to the S-Bahn line 2.

With over 66 kilometers in length, the Nuthe is one of the largest tributaries of the Havel. The Nuthe rises in the Fläming and flows from there in a loop to the north. In the middle of the city of Potsdam, it flows into the Havel. The narrow river flows leisurely across the wide fields of Fläming and is only navigable to the last meters. On our hike, you will explore the Nuthe from its mouth in Potsdam to the wide wet meadows near Saarmund.At the main station Potsdam, which is approached every 10 minutes from the S-Bahn line 7, your tour begins. You leave the station and walk along Havelufer to Nuthemündung. Contrary to the direction of flow you follow the shore path on the Nuthe. After a short detour through a residential area the Nuthewanderweg runs through a light forest. On the outskirts of residential areas you walk out over quiet meadows and small woods out of the city. Shortly before the city limits you leave the Uferweg to cross the railway tracks on a short detour. On the other side of the track, the trail leads you along the edge of the Drewitzer Nuthewiesen. Soon you have left civilization behind you and are wandering contentedly through an open meadow landscape. In the distance, a small railway bridge crosses the river. Before you reach the bridge, the path turns left. Only a short time later you will meet the station Saarmund. From there, the regional train RB23 will take you once an hour to Potsdam Central Station. Here you change to the S-Bahn line 7 and drive back to Berlin.

The Löcknitz rises at Hoppegarten and winds its way leisurely through the idyllic Löcknitztal until it flows into the Flakense near Erkner. The Löcknitztal is one of the best preserved lowland river valleys in Brandenburg. The open river valley was formed as a meltwater channel during the last ice age. Through the entire Löcknitztal with its beautiful trees and the peaceful meadows leads a beautiful hiking trail. On our hike you can explore the Löcknitztal from Erkner.Every 10 minutes, the S-Bahn line 3 takes you to Erkner S-Bahn station. You wander for a short distance through the small town and reach after a short time the Löcknitztal. The banks are densely overgrown and especially in summer, the many trees provide cool shade. On a narrow headland you walk along the Wupatzse and then you cross the river on a wooden bridge. Shortly afterwards, you will find yourself on the course of the old Löcknitz, meandering through the forest in meanders. After you have crossed the highway, peaceful peace returns. You enjoy the beautiful hiking trail and the natural surroundings. At the small wall trout plant Klein Wall you take a short break before you continue your hike. You follow a comfortable forest road and finally reach the station Hangelsberg. From there you can take the regional express RE1 back to Berliner Ostbahnhof.