Germany’s third largest airport, Berlin Brandenburg “Willy Brandt” airport BER, is scheduled to open on Oct. 31.

IATA code for the entire airport location will change to BER with the start of the 2020/2021 winter schedule. The existing Schӧnefeld SXF airport will be part of BER as Terminal 5 and Tegel TXL is set to close Nov. 8.

With three terminals and two runways on a total area of 3632 acres, BER has an initial annual capacity of 27 million passengers. The plan is to gradually increase that capacity to an annual 45 million passengers by 2040, creating an estimated 60,000 new jobs by 2035.

During the ceremonial opening, a Lufthansa and an easyJet plane will be landing simultaneously at the new airport.

Getting there
BER Airport is connected to the rail and road network and can be reached from Berlin’s centre in about 30 minutes. After opening, up to 14 trains per hour will be available for passengers. Deutsche Bahn (DB) has integrated the BER airport into its current network and is already offering the first long-distance rail connections.

COVID measures and testing
As of August 20, 2020, all passengers arriving from high-risk areas have to undergo a free COVID test within 72 hours and isolate in a private environment until the results arrive. At the airport, all passengers are required to adhere to RKI (Robert-Koch-Institute) guidelines and official government recommendations to contain the virus. These can be found in hygiene protocols and include keeping at least six feet distance, wearing a mask, and washing / sanitizing their hands regularly. In addition to that, it is recommend that all passengers inform themselves regularly about new measures taken by German officials.