(click for a full PDF map of the U-/S-Bahn network).
If you are flying to Berlin, you will land at either Tegel (TXL) or Schönefeld (SXF) Airport. Most flights from outside of Europe land at Tegel. (Rumors of the existence of a large new airport called Berlin-Brandenburg International (BER) have thus far proven to be premature.)
Both airports are accessible via public transportation with travel times of about 45 minutes to the city center.
Almost all long-distance trains to Berlin stop at Berlin Hauptbahnhof (central station). Many also stop at Bahnhof Südkreuz south of the center, Bahnhof Gesundbrunnen north of the center, and/or Ostbahnhof east of the center; depending on the location of your hotel, one of those other stations may be more convenient for you. All of these stations are connected to the S-Bahn network.
All public transportation in Berlin is operated by the BVG, which divides the city into three transit zones (A, B and C) and uses a unified ticketing system, i.e. the same tickets are valid on all underground and overground trains (S-Bahn and U-Bahn) as well as public buses and trams (Straßenbahnen). The BVG website includes a very useful journey planner, which will tell you the quickest connection between any two points (stations or addresses) in Berlin.
(click for a full PDF map of the U-/S-Bahn network).
There are no gates or turnstiles at entrances to stations, but tickets are sometimes checked by plain-clothes control officers riding on trains or trams; on buses, you should normally show your ticket to the driver upon boarding.
The most commonly needed ticket for individual trips is a single ticket (Einzelfahrschein) Berlin AB: this is good for all travel within zones A and B for up to 2 hours after validation and can be bought for 2.70€ from automated machines in all U- or S-Bahn stations or in trams, or from the bus driver when you board a bus. If the distance of your trip is at most 3 stations in the U-/S-Bahn network or up to 6 stops on a single bus/tram line, then you can instead buy a Short-trip ticket (Kurzstrecke) for 1.70€. Important: unless you are buying a ticket from a bus driver, all tickets need to be validated (entwertet) before you start your journey — this is done by sticking them into validation machines which can be found on every platform or inside buses/trams.
If your accommodation is not within walking distance of Hackescher Markt, then we recommend buying a BVG 7-Day-Ticket (7-Tage-Karte "VBB-Umweltkarte") Berlin AB, which will give you unlimited access to all trains/buses/trams within zones A and B for seven calendar days starting on the day you validate it. This ticket costs 30€ and can be bought from the automated ticket machines in any U- or S-Bahn station (you may have to press a button marked "other tickets" in order to find the option). We will reimburse the 30€ if you are receiving travel support from us and staying in a hotel beyond walking distance from Hackescher Markt.
Note that almost all important places in Berlin are in zones A or B of the BVG network, including the workshop location, all the hotels on our accommodation list below, all major long-distance train stations and Tegel Airport. The only major exception is Schönefeld Airport, which is in zone C and thus not covered by tickets for zones A and B.
The workshop will take place in Lecture Hall 201 at the HU Berlin's Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät (School of Business and Economics), which is located in the central Mitte district, at Spandauer Strasse 1, 10178 Berlin (see map below). The nearest public transportation is at S-Bahn station Hackescher Markt, less than 5 minutes away on foot.
Achtung: Do not go to the HU Berlin mathematics department! That is in Adlershof, which is nowhere near Hackescher Markt.
A variety of hotels have been reserved for participants who are receiving accommodation support. Other participants are requested to arrange their own accommodation (e.g. by searching booking.com or a similar portal for hotels convenient to Hackescher Markt). For your information, here is the list of hotels that we have booked for varying numbers of workshop participants (though some of them are likely to have no availability left for the desired dates):
Scheduling note: The main portion of the workshop will begin Monday morning around 9:00 and end on Friday afternoon by 5:30pm, so it's best to plan on arriving by Sunday night and leaving Saturday. If you are attending the precourse, it's best to arrive Friday evening.