Sleeping in Berlin Tegel Airport

Whether your situation calls for a short nap or an overnight slumber, this sleep guide will give you the essential information needed to prepare you for sleeping in Berlin Tegel Airport.

Our guide is updated with the help of airport sleepers who tell us about their experiences at Berlin Tegel Airport. If you have a tip or photos to share, please take a moment to write a review to help us keep this sleep guide up-to-date!

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Sleeping in Berlin Tegel Airport

Of the five terminals, only Terminal A stays open during the night, so between 12:00AM – 3:30AM, that’s where you’ll need to be.

Locations & Seating

Berlin Tegel Airport sleepers — (Photo courtesy of Allen S. and Ben S. / 31Jul2009)

Seats are limited during the day and in high-demand with overnight sleepers, so grab a spot as soon as it opens. You’ll generally find metal, curved seats and benches – use an extra layer for cushion.

Travellers report decent sleep in Terminal A, upstairs near the Customs and Police area, where a couple cushioned, straight benches are better than what’s downstairs.

Rest Zones

At the time of this update, there are no designated rest zones within the airport.

Airport Environment

At the time of this update, we have not received reports from travellers related to the overall terminal environment, such as temperature, lighting, and noise. In general, here are some good expectations:

Temperature: Expect the airport to cool down at night, with air conditioning running and fewer people inside.
Noise: Even as overnight flights slow down or stop entirely, the airport may still run announcements and cleaning crews may make the rounds, so anticipate some noise.
Lighting: The airport may stay bright thanks to around-the-clock lights, but certain corners may be dimly lit.

Arrive prepared! We recommend earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones, an extra layer of warmth, and eyeshades or something else to cover your eyes, such as a shirt or towel.

Pro-tip: If you chose a spot near any eateries, keep in mind that the staff arrive early and they can get pretty loud in the kitchen.

Showers

Freshen up (and loosen those stiff muscles) with a shower before your flight. Location: Terminal A, downstairs – open during the day for a small fee.

Food & Drink

With no 24-hour food concessions available, stock up on food and water before the food concessions close for the night. Cafes reopen around 4:00 AM.

Hotels

Prefer some privacy and comfort? If you would like a good solid sleep between flights without leaving the hotel, sleep pods are available. Nap Cabs are self-service pods equipped with a full bed, small desk, WiFi, privacy blinds, and more. Rent by the hour, though daytime stays are pricier. Located in the pre-Security area of Terminal B, Level 3 – so you will have to process through Security before your flight. See the hotel section in our Airport Guide for locations or visit Tripadvisor to find hotels deals at Tegel Airport.

Lounges

While Berlin Tegel Airport has a few lounges, none have designated sleep rooms or rest areas. If you simply want to relax in a comfortable seat, check out this list of lounges in our Berlin Tegel Airport Guide that you can pay to access.

Security & Safety

Generally, overnight sleepers are ignored by airport staff, as long as you’re already in Terminal A for the night. If you’re elsewhere, they’ll likely make you relocate.

When it comes to security and safety, however, it’s hit or miss. Some travellers report that security guards check IDs and tickets during the night, but others experienced little security, with doors open and unlocked all night, allowing homeless folks and other vagrants to wander in. A couple reports even said that security staff seemed to go home for the night.

As a precaution, here are a few tips to ensure you have a safe airport sleeping experience:

Know Where Security is Located. Whether you are sleeping in the airport by yourself or with friends, it is good to know where security is. Know where their office is located and look for video cameras in the spot you decide to stay the night. Ask security where it is safe to spend the night. They’ve probably seen many airport sleepers before you and they will direct you to a safe spot.
Don’t Seclude Yourself. If you are travelling alone we recommend that you sleep near other travellers or close to security.
Hide Your Valuables. Don’t leave all your mobile devices out in plain view. We have received reports from people who woke up with earphones and no ipod and a laptop bag strap and no laptop bag (or laptop). Same goes with important documents and money. Keep these secure on your body, so that no one can get them without waking you up.
Secure Your Bags. If you are a deep sleeper, you may want to padlock your bag to something. If your bags have zippers turn the bag upside down (zippers to the floor) or sleep with your bag up against the wall, so that it would be hard for someone to access.
Choose to Stay Alert. If you don’t feel safe, drink coffee and stay awake and be alert. You can always sleep on the plane!

Pro-tip: Don’t be surprised if you receive an early morning wake-up call. Security is known to make the rounds waking people up as travellers begin to arrive for morning flights.