Berlin – Primark, a shopping frenzy!

The main destination of our first day in Berlin was, of course, Primark! :) However, before we started the shopping frenzy we had to get there. The trip from central Poland takes about 4-6 hours by highway….

Journey to Berlin

Travel to Berlin is very easy, so you can easily plant yourself a weekend in Berlin. Our journey begins at hrs. 9:00 am from Lodz. After half an hour, we enter the A2 highway, which we take directly all the way to the German border. Most of the highway is tolled (cost: 73.3 one way). Nevertheless, at least 2.5 hours are gained this way. In Berlin itself, we checked in after hrs. 14 so the trip took us approx. 5 hrs (average speed about 120km/h). It is still worth refueling on the Polish side, bearing in mind, of course, that the closer to the border the more expensive it is (difference of about 20gr/l). We recommend you a station at MOP Sędzinko (134 km from Świecko – PKN Orlen station) or at MOP Chociszewo (85 km from Świecko – BP station).

Our first point was the shopping center – Schloss-Straßen-Center, where the nearest Primark to the Polish border is located. If someone is not interested in shopping in Berlin, they can immediately skip a few paragraphs below – for me it was a must-see point of this trip :)

There are paid parking lots on the streets in the area – we recommend parking in a nearby shopping center (1 Eur/h).

Prices at this chain store have gone up sharply over the years, but when comparing with other stores, prices are still competitive. There are different opinions about the quality of these clothes, but in my opinion the quality is not inferior to other chain stores like H&M or Reserved and the prices are lower. In Primark you can get almost everything: clothes (women’s, men’s, children’s), jewelry, watches, bags, suitcases, accessories, shoes, home furnishings, cosmetics, etc. etc. Almost everyone will find something for themselves :) if anyone has unpleasant memories of shopping in Primark in England I immediately reassure – here is order :) Employees of the store are constantly folding and hanging up clothes, there is no mess, new things are constantly being added. Classic clothes (t-shirts, jeans, T-shirts) are cheap (2.5-3 eur for a women’s t-shirt, 8 eur for a tube top), seasonal clothes slightly more expensive (10-15 eur for blouses, 10-20 for dresses).

Primark in Berlin – some practical information

Highlights of Primark currently closest to Poland:

• You can pay by card (which is not very common in Berlin),
• There are very long lines to the fitting room, you can take max 8 things at one time,
• The store accepts returns, so if you are coming to Berlin for a few days, it is suggested to buy things, take them to the hotel, try them on and what does not fit return the next day or exchange – there is not the slightest problem with this,
• It is worth noting the sales that are non-stop in this store. These are hangers marked with red prices (you can hunt down shirts for 1 eur each :) )

If one were to get hungry in the mall itself and in the surrounding area, there are plenty of places to eat (fast food, Chinese food, pancakes, etc.). In the center next door is Lidl, where you can buy cheap groceries (prices like in Polish Lidl, and some things even cheaper!). Unfortunately, you need to bring cash or a Maestro card (others are not accepted). In the square in front of the center are located booths where you can buy doughnuts or German sausages.

We arrived at the hotel in the evening – ALECSA Hotel am Olympiastadion, Charlottenburg. The hotel was OK (that’s probably the best word), in 4 and 3 bed rooms we had 6 and 4 beds respectively :) Rooms sizable, neighborhood quiet, close to the station (S-Bahn). The downside of the hotel was the lack of parking (but you can park on the street for free) and the lack of free Wi-Fi, but for addicts there is a computer with network access downstairs. In general, if someone is not demanding can calmly use this place.

You can also find another Primark near Poland in Vienna, among other places.

Regarding Berlin, we also recommend you our post on what to see in Berlin.