In an article written by CNN, Berlin has been chosen as the second best place to party in the world. Only Ibiza was rated higher in their list. It’s the mix of extreme opening hours, reasonable prices and great music which explains the high ranking. Obviously all if that would not be possible without the awesome techno clubs in Berlin.
Techno clubs in Berlin
People from all over the world visit Berlin for the unique party experience. If you visit Berlin for a short period of time, it is useful to get some insider-tips on the best techno clubs to visit. We list the best parties in Berlin every month and spend quite some time in the clubs. This experience was used to compare the range of clubs and come up with the best techno clubs in Berlin.
1. Sisyphos
Our favourite techno club in Berlin is called Sisyphos. The club is located in the east of Berlin, not that far from station Ostkreuz. You can either walk there from Ostkreuz or take the tram. The Sisyphos is known for its famous after-parties with many surprising acts and very versatile music styles. Techno is usually played in at least one of the floors. Expect a healthy mix of famous DJs and local talent in this Berliner techno club.
Large garden for open airs
The Sisyphos is one of these clubs which is especially great to visit during the summer. The large garden gives you the opportunity to see the sun rise after a lovely night of partying. The club has a capacity for about 1500 people and there are several floors. If you want to read more about the Sisyphos you can have a look at our full article here.
Long line and strict door policy
The Sisyphos has a strict door policy. The club is just so popular that people have to be rejected to make sure the place does not get overcrowded. This can be hard to accept for people who are new to the nightlife of Berlin, but as soon as you get in you will understand that there is a purpose for it. I have been visiting techno clubs since 2010 and I have never seen a fight.
Club: Sisyphos
Address: Hauptstraße 15
Entrance: 15-20 Euro
Capacity: 1500 People
Door-Policy: Strict
Music: Techno, House
Link to club: Sisyphos Website
2. Berghain/Panorama Bar
If you are looking for a club which combines all the positive aspects of techno clubs in Berlin, you cannot get around the Berghain. It’s not without a reason that this club has been voted best club in the world more than once. People from all over the world visit Berlin just to visit this techno club. In the end it’s the combination of a great venue with a spectacular line-up and extreme opening-hours which makes this techno club so popular.
Main Floor and Panorama Bar
The Berghain offers too larger floors: The main floor usually offers techno and then there is the Panorama Bar with a bit more funky tunes. On Fridays usually only the Panorama Bar is open and on that day the parties are usually a bit more decent compared to Saturdays. As some of you might know, the Berghain is a gay-club from origin and some of the events can get pretty wild.
Club: Berghain
Address: Am Wriezener Bahnhof 70
Entrance: 15-25 Euro
Capacity: 1500 People
Door-Policy: Very Strict
Music: Mainly Techno
Link to club: Berghain Website
How to get into the Berghain
It is good to have a Plan B if you visit the Berghain. Especially during prime-hours (01.00 – 04.00) it’s quite likely that you will get refused. It’s a good thing that the other clubs in this list can be reached by cab and public transport within 30 minutes. Here are some tips on how to get into the Berghain:
- Arrive outside of the prime times (01.00 – 04.00)
- Do not try to get in with a large group of people
- Try to blend in: A lot of people in the Berghain wear black or at least fit into the Berliner dresscode
- Know who is playing: Sometimes the bouncers try to filter out people who do not know where they are going
3. About:Blank
A club which is located on the west-side of station Ostkreuz is called About:Blank. This club has been around for quite some years and has a large garden (approx. 800 people capacity) and a smaller inside-area (300 people). The techno club offers several floors with a versatile mix of house and techno music. In the summer you can visit some great open air parties here.
Fair door policy
The door-policy in the About:Blank is more leisure than the Sisyphos and the Berghain. A larger percentage of people get in. Still it is advisable to visit this techno club in Berlin outside of the prime-hours (01.30 – 03.30). The line sometimes can get pretty long during these hours.
Tolerant club
One of the most famous parties in the About:Blank is called Homopatik and is a popular gay-party. In general this club is very tolerant and respects everyone. Want to read more about the About:Blank? Check out the full article about this club in Berlin which we have written a while ago.
Club: About Blank
Address: Markgrafendamm 24c
Entrance: 12-18 Euro
Capacity: 1100 People (inside + outside)
Door-Policy: Medium strict
Music: Techno and other electronic music
Link to Website: Website
4. Wilde Renate
Another famous techno club in Berlin is called the Wilde Renate. This club was founded in 2007 and has been an irreplaceable player of the Berliner nightlife ever since. The club has a unique feeling with a lot of smaller rooms and the famous “living-room-feeling” which we all love so much about Berlin. Besides that it has a garden on which the parties continue during the day when it is warm enough.
Local talent and a great vibe
The Wilde Renate is not often offering famous DJs with millions of followers. The club focuses on local talent and personally I love this. These DJs want to prove themselves and often deliver the best livesets. Because there are several floors, you normally should be able to find a music style you like for you and your friends. The door-policy of this Berliner techno club is quite strict but it all depends with who and when you arrive.
Open Air location located nearby
Not far from the Wilde Renate, on the other side of the Elsenbrücke, you can find the Open-Air location of the same organisation, called Else.
Club: Wilde Renate
Address: Alt Stralau 70
Entrance: 15 Euro
Door-Policy: Strict
Music: House & Techno
Link to this Club: Wilde Renate Website
5. Kater Blau
For many years, one of the most famous clubs in Berlin has been the Kater Holzig. Unfortunately that club had to close a few years ago and many people feared the end of the emporium of this extraordinary club. Lucky enough the organisation of this techno club found another location and opened a new club with the name Kater Blau. It comes as no surprise that also this club has been a great success since its opening.
Awesome techno line-up and rich history
Just like all the other Berliner techno clubs in this list, the Kater Blau has a nice outdoor-area where you can party during the day. The line-up of the club is very attractive if you like popular DJs: On a regular basis you can see DJs like Dave Dinger, Dirty Doering and Schleppgeist perform here. The atmosphere in this club in Berlin is very nice and can be compared to the vibe on German festivals.
Club: Kater Blau
Address: Holzmarktstraße 25
Entrance: 15-20 Euro
Capacity: 800 People
Door-Policy: Strict
Music: Techno, House
Link to club: Kater Blau
6. Tresor
One of the most unique techno clubs in Berlin is most definitely the Tresor. This club is located under the ground and feels like a war bunker. This Berliner club goes way back and was opened in 1991. Unfortunately the first location (in the Leipziger Straße) was closed down in 2005. Lucky enough a new location was found in 2007: It can be found not far from station Heinrich-Heine Straße between Berlin-Mitte and Kreuzberg.
Raw techno club for a special experience
Visiting the Tresor is a special experience. The combination of an underground-bunker, an overload of blacklight and plenty of proper techno sounds will definitely leave an impression. The door-policy is not as strict as many other Berliner techno clubs. The entrance for a party night in this club costs about 15 Euro and the parties normally go on till lunch-time next day.
Club: Tresor
Address: Köpenicker Straße 70
Entrance: 15€
Capacity: 600 People
Door-Policy: Medium Strict
Music: Techno
Link to club: Tresor Website
Why are clubs in Berlin so popular?
Below we have listed some of the reasons why clubs in Berlin are popular all over the world:
Extreme opening-hours
The various techno clubs in Berlin are known all over the world for their extreme opening-hours. Some of them open on Friday and close about 3 days later on Monday. Obviously this is great value for your money because you only have to pay entrance once.
Unique Locations
Besides the extreme opening-hours, it’s also the unique locations of the clubs in Berlin which make the nightlife so special. Clubs in an underground bunker, a closed down swimming pool or on the water of the Spree are just a few examples of what the city has/had to offer.
Solid line-ups
Another very important reason for the popular nightlife are the very solid line-ups of the techno clubs in Berlin. Famous DJs like Sven Väth, Dixon, Pan-Pot, Len Faki, Anja Schneider and Ben Klock are playing in Berlin on a regular basis.
Reasonable Prices
A great thing about all of this is, that the entrance prices of the clubs will not change depending on the line-up or opening-hours. You normally pay between 10 and 15 Euro to get into a techno club in Berlin and that’s very reasonable if you evaluate what you get back for it. Besides that also the prices of beverages are cheaper than most other capital cities: A beer normally costs between 2,50€ and 3,50€.
Summary: Techno Clubs in Berlin
Berlin has plenty to offer when you are looking or a nice techno party. In the end it depends on your preferences which club fits best to you. If you want to minimise the chances of being rejected, the Tresor and About:Blank are probably the best choices. If you want to visit one of the most famous clubs in the world, go to the Berghain. When it’s all about partying outside and a nice vibe, you can visit Wilde Renate or Kater Blau.
If you have any recommendations with regards to techno clubs in Berlin, please let us know.
3 Comments
The cover photo for this page is a Kater Blau party that took place in a warehouse in Brooklyn, New York. Dope af party. But not Berlin.
Hey Bruh,
thanks a lot for the tip. I will replace the image.
Happy partying in Brooklyn or Berlin 🙂
Job
These are all very helpful tips hun! I’m sure all your readers will benefit.