Cash
A direct ride to BER is not necessarily the best option for every trip. This article looks at “Private BER Transfer with a Child Seat” plainly and explains when a private transfer can make sense.
Plan the connection in advance
A booking only makes sense once the route, vehicle and displayed price fit the trip.
A holiday with the baby, an early flight at half past five. While you're packing the last few things, it hits you: how do you get your child safely to BER on the airport transfer? On your lap is a no-go - everyone knows that. But a taxi without a child seat isn't a good idea either, no matter what the exemption in the German Passenger Transport Act technically allows.
The safe solution is a taxi with a child seat. Booked in advance, fitted before you get in, included in the fixed price. Three seat types cover every age from birth to around twelve years.
Which seat suits which age?
The infant carrier takes children up to 13 kilos. That's usually the first 15 months, but it's better to go by weight than by age. Some babies already weigh 13 kilos at twelve months, others take until their second birthday. Important: the infant carrier is always fitted facing backwards. At this age it's by far the safest position, because the head isn't yet stable enough.
Next comes the toddler seat, Group I, for 9 to 18 kilos. Roughly 9 months to 4 years, depending on the child. Here the child sits facing forwards and is secured either by a 5-point harness or an impact shield.
Finally the booster seat for children from 15 to 36 kilos. That means roughly from three or four years up to the twelfth birthday, or until a height of 1.50 metres is reached. The booster lifts the child up so that the normal car seatbelt runs correctly across shoulder and hips.
So what does it cost?
Short answer: nothing extra. The child seat is included in the fixed price. You pay the Economy price of 67 euros from central Berlin, whether with or without a seat. For Potsdam addresses the starting price is 99 euros, for the surrounding Brandenburg area 138 euros.
For larger vehicles it depends on your needs. Comfort costs 68 euros, barely more. A Minivan with plenty of luggage space is 138 euros, and the Minibus 7pax is 88 euros. The minibus is sometimes the surprise solution: when two child seats have to fit side by side plus a pram, Economy quickly gets tight.
What you should state when booking
The number of seats, the seat type and the child's weight. The last of these matters more than age. A slight five-year-old might still need the toddler seat, while a sturdy three-year-old is already ready for the booster.
If you're unsure, write the age and approximate weight in the comment field. The driver will then bring the right seat. He often has several types on board, because this is needed quite often in the city.
What's the legal situation, actually?
Under the German road traffic regulations, children under twelve years and shorter than 1.50 metres must be secured in an age-appropriate restraint system. This applies in taxis too - with one caveat.
Taxis have a special provision in the Passenger Transport Act. If no suitable seat is available, the child may be transported on the back seat with the seatbelt fastened. This isn't a free pass, but an emergency solution for spontaneous trips. Anyone who can book ahead should do so. A child seat reduces the risk of injury in an accident by 70 to 80 percent - that's not a marketing figure, those are certification statistics.
The upshot: hopping spontaneously into a taxi with a child on your lap is legally borderline, morally difficult and, in the worst case, a catastrophe. Booking ten minutes ahead solves the problem.
Two parents, one child. Economy is enough. One child seat on the back seat, two adults up front or one in the back next to the child. Three suitcases fit.
Four people, two children. Now it gets interesting. In Economy, two child seats sit side by side on the back seat - leaving no room for adults in the back. That means both parents have to sit up front. It works, but relaxing it isn't. Comfort has a bit more room, the Minivan considerably more.
Five people or more. The Minibus 7pax is the choice. There you can fit three child seats side by side, plus adults, plus luggage, and nobody has to sit on anyone's lap. For family gatherings with grandma and grandpa in one vehicle, it's also cheaper than two separate taxis.
Practical tips for the trip
Allow more buffer than for a normal trip. Kids need the loo one more time. The dummy has vanished. The jacket suddenly no longer fits. Fifteen minutes of extra lead time are worth their weight in gold.
Keep snacks within reach, but not too lavish. A few biscuits, an apple, a small drinking bottle. Nothing sticky, nothing crumbly. The driver will be grateful, and so will the next passengers.
A small toy or an audio story on the phone helps get through the hour-long trip. Don't pack half the nursery - otherwise the unloading chaos at the terminal turns into an adventure of its own.
Keep documents separate. Children's passport, vaccination records and, where applicable, a letter of consent for separated parents. A clear pouch in your hand luggage saves five minutes of rummaging at check-in.
A few specific questions that come up often
Can I bring my own child seat? Yes. Some families fly on with the seat - many airlines carry child seats free of charge as luggage. Just state when booking that you're bringing your own seat, and the driver won't plan for one.
Is the seat really free? Yes, included on fixed-price trips. Only with very short-notice bookings (under two hours) can it happen that not every size is nearby. In that case you'll get a suitable alternative offer.
What if the infant carrier doesn't fit properly? Rare, but sometimes modern cars are ISOFIX-heavy and the carrier uses an older standard. The driver checks this before departure. If it really is a problem, another vehicle comes.
What does a seat cost with UBER or Bolt? It depends. Many app drivers don't have one. Some do, but reliability is low. For an early flight with a crying toddler the risk is too great. Booking ahead pays off.
Can the child ride on my lap? Technically prohibited, and honestly: in an impact at 50 kilometres per hour the child acts like a projectile of several hundred kilos. No one can hold on to that. Lap trips are firmly in the "must not be done, not even briefly" category.
A child-seat taxi booked in two minutes
Address, time, number of people, number of suitcases. Under the additional options select child seat. Write in the age and weight. The rest happens in the background. Confirmation by email with the vehicle registration and pick-up time.
Related topics: Large-capacity taxi for bigger families, Dog in the taxi, Cheap to BER. All transfer options at a glance.
Extensive data and facts on BER Airport.
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For departure or return travel: enter address and time, check vehicle needs and complete only if the total price fits.