Monday, 31 March
Berlin swimming pools to get more expensive from May 5
The operators of the city’s swimming pools, the Berliner Bäder-Betriebe (BBB), have recently announced a price increase. Starting on May 5, a new pricing system will be introduced, which will calculate ticket prices variably depending on the category of pool, the length of stay, and when the ticket is booked. At peak times, a day ticket for an indoor pool will cost up to €11.50.
The system is surprisingly complicated. Each pool is graded into one of three categories. Small pools, such as the public pool at Tempelhof, which do not have any special features like a whirlpool or slide, fall into category three. A day ticket for one of these will cost €6. More expansive pools, like the public pool at Tiergarten, fall into category two, where a day ticket will cost €6.50. The most popular and well-equipped pools—such as the indoor pool at Lankwitz—are in category one, and visitors here will be charged the maximum fee of €11.50. Outdoor pools are cheaper: the Insulaner summer pool is also category one, but visitors on a day ticket here will pay €7.
There are further complexities to the pricing system. Visitors can get discounts if they book early or for a specific time slot, and full details can be found on the BBB website. However, the main takeaway is that prices are rising. If there is one positive to all this, it is that any pool news is also a sign that temperatures should soon be climbing as we put the long winter behind us.
