Driving a trabant in Berlin was on my husband's "cool shit I want to do" list* so we made it happen during our recent trip. I think this combines some of the best parts of traveling for me--a super fun activity-based experience, learning a bit more about history and local people, places, and things, and great photo/video opps. A few tips: - Sunday morning was a great time to do this because the city was just starting to wake up, which meant we got to squeeze in more mileage than if we were dealing with more commute and tourist traffic. - Book ahead and arrive a bit early to allow time to use the restroom, practice the shifting, take some photos, etc. Checking-in was quick. - Don't plan to drive if you can't drive stick or if you are unsure about using a column shift (they do have a practice station and also walk you through it in the car) - If you are a tall human, don't expect to be comfortable in the car. The staff/tour guides here are fun. Even with lighter traffic and a small group, because we were the last of the three cars, we still got stuck behind at a couple lights. Our tour guide told us up front to not worry when this happened and he was very communicative (via a one-way radio) and would clearly tell us where he and the other car in our group were waiting. He also provided great commentary and information regarding what we were seeing during our journey. We also learned more about the cars, including personal/family experiences, from our tour guide later in our trip. About mid-way through we had a 5ish minute break, parked by the East Side Gallery (Berlin Wall). This allowed us to stretch our legs, switch drivers (if desired), and take some photos of the wall and the cars. Related to that, if you choose this adventure, be ready to be featured in a lot of people's photos/videos, as it is certainly a sight to see. I'm so glad we did this in Berlin! It is one of the memories that will definitely stick with us. *It isn't a bucket list because if he hasn't finished everything by the time he dies he expects family and friends to help him finish the list Weekend at Bernie's style. read more

On my leg of my trip to Europe while staying in Berlin I ran across this fun funky place and decided to check it out. This place is hard to miss, they have a chain link fence you can see what they have going on. Plus there was a giant ballon right next to this place screaming "come look at me". They do have some cars on the side walk for people to take pictures should they like. Unfortunately it was closed when I arrived and I was not able to visit the next day due to time restrains. read more

Driving a Trabi is just plain fun. This business is providing exactly what they promise: you drive a Trabi though the streets of Berlin in an exhaust producing parade of old Trabant cars. The cars are well maintained & have seat belts. There is a practice area where you can ensure you understand the column shifting pattern, which is pretty quick to master. The lead car/tour guide has a 1-way radio into your car & remains in direct communication with you the entire trip. Was it the best cultural tour of Berlin? No, but that's not why you came: you came to experience what millions of East German's did - driving this funny little, historically important car. I expected the steering and breaking to be difficult: they weren't. You can trade drivers half-way through your ride, but for the same price you can drive your own darn car: this is one time where sharing is not caring - drive your own car & make double the fun. The reviewer who downgraded the business because she showed up without a reservation & didn't get to drive is doing this business a disservice. They're doing exactly what they say they will, their website is clear & up to date, and booking your experience is easy. read more

Best thing i booked in berlin was the 1.15hrs trabi safari. A trabi is like my old student car..finding gears can be a bit challenging at first. If you are used to automatics, this will definitely be though. But, it was thoroughly fun as we cruised through berlin, seeing some of the sights ans trying to not hit any cyclist. Loved it and well worth 5stars. Ps:given the focus in most european on low emmission zonesin city centre, i expect that it will not be possible in near future to drive the trabi through berlin. So, best to try now, or risk regretting it for the rest od your live. read more

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When in East Germany do as the East Germans did! This is a rare and unique opportunity not to be missed. As another reviewer remarked, I too am a gear-head of all things wheeled and in the process of the tour, came to really appreciate some of the aspects and culture of Berlin and its history that I wasn't aware of. The little cars are totally bitchen! I was giddy with anticipation because I had only read of the East German Trabant motor vehicles and here was not only a chance to see one, but to drive one for a couple hours. These vehicles, despite what is otherwise claimed, boogie. If you know anything about 2-stroke dirtbikes or scooters (or weed whackers), you know that these vehicles need to be run at high RPM to get any power and to keep them from bogging down and smoking. So if you shift often to keep that little motor humming, it flies without smoke. The gearshift protrudes from the dashboard looking like what should be the parking brake. To shift, you have to push/pull/twist to move through all 4 gears, so it's not like a floor shift and not like a column shift. It took a little getting used to but after a few miles in traffic - no sweat. The tour is a caravan of 5 or 6 vehicles in procession. The lead vehicle is the tour guide and his driver. The tour guide is announcing the sites, history and a dry sense of humor on social topics via a radio transmitter in his lead vehicle and a radio receiver in each car. Cool! The single file procession zips through town. I was near the end of the group and sometimes getting caught by a traffic light. When that happened the tour guide could see and the procession just pulled over ahead until I got a green signal again to catch up. That was actually a lot of fun. The cars are well maintained and have seat belts. Each car has a unique color scheme and some are convertibles, nice on a warm sunny day. My car was a hardtop and had leopard print motif. So cool. Each car can seat up to four. The tour pulls over half way through so that cars with multiple people in their party can switch drivers, giving multiple people a chance to experience driving the little beasts. I went on a beautiful sunny Sunday and the traffic was light. I took the 'cold war tour' and it passed all the key spots as well as the beautiful parks and gardens surrounding the new Reichstag. We really covered quite a bit of Berlin. Everywhere people waved at us and took our pictures. I felt like a celebrity, but it was the car, not me. I waved anyway. What a great afternoon. read more

Being a big fan of two stroke engines and Cold War history, this tour was understandably a great experience. This is a tour where you drive around town in a DDR Trabant. The most primitive car to ever come out of Europe since WWII. In fact, the car body is made out of a wood pulp composite. Maybe a green car before its day? Except for the clouds of two stroke oil smoke belching from the exhaust ... Yes, you get to do the driving! The caravan of two smokers bumps around town while the tour guide in the lead car gives the run down of what you are passing by VIA the radio in your car. The drive is around to old East Berlin where you see the old cool stuff. Some decent history about the spots. Lady giving our tour was pretty funny too with sarcastic comments about people trying to escape to the west, and some sad stories as well. read more

Haha, well the Trabant is an experience. For good reason they call it "safari." The car is temperamental, have to keep foot on gas all the time. We loved the tour but we had to make a left turn and missed the short light. Our guide, in the front car, with no way to communicate, didn't notice for 10 minutes and we got lost in the seedy side of town which was funny, not scary :-) there was a number to call in case of trouble and we were fine in fact guides and other cars came to find us. It was a bit too expensive, or I'd have given it more stars. Overall the hour and a half was fun, but enough with the car. We were ready to leave that piece of junk and kiss our own cars when we got home! read more

So fun. The car was loud, awkward to shift gears, and fumey. Exactly what I expected. It's not a sim. It's a real Trabant. Tour guide was informative and interesting. Well worth it. read more

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THIS IS A MUST DO WHILE IN BERLIN! If you have any interest in history of the old GDR you will love this. Even if you don't, this is a great way to see the city. Others have mentioned that it is a little expensive, but it is worth it just for the kitsch factor. I disagree with the previous reviewer about the staff being rude I found them all completely delightful and knowledgeable. They also do mention in an email confirming your reservation that you do need to know how to drive a manual (if you have any idea what a Trabi is you wouldn't expect it to be automatic). As for this being called a tourist trap... Well you are in Berlin near checkpoint Charlie what would you expect. If you're on the fence about doing this, just do it. It was an absolute blast! read more

Trabi-Safari - Behind the wheel! - Tours Near Me - Berlin, BE

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Very amusing, very smelly, but a great way to see Berlin. The trip takes an hour and this is plenty of time - and your lungs can't take anymore of the exhaustion from the 26 horsepowered Trabi in front of you. read more

Trabi-Safari - Trabi convoy - Tours Near Me - Berlin, BE

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Their Trabants are old, well lived in models. It was hot cloudless day, around 90 degrees. Its located close to many other sites and easy to find. Check in is casual and they brief you, and I do as well, to practice shifting before you drive off. The folks there are pretty outgoing and helpful and Deb and I picked a nice grey one to drive, someone nabbed the one with stripes before us but we ended up as the number two car. If you can get the first one that is preferable, because these cars emit a lot of exhaust smoke having a 2 stroke engine. Was it good time YES. Despite the very hot weather it was a blast to drive, plan on spending about an hour and a half, and you drive in a convoy through the heart of Berlin listening to the guide as you go. Also be prepared to have a lot of photos taken of you, just about everyone we passed took a photo. They stop once for a photo op. Once back there's a bathroom and a souvenir store you stop by on the way out. read more

Incredibly disappointing during and afterward for these reasons: 1) Extremely difficult to drive even though we regularly drive manual transmission vehicles and tractors. This was like driving a tractor through a major international city's traffic. 2) You must constantly rev the engine so it does not stall. 3) It will stall anyway. 4) Constant carbon monoxide pouring into the cabin of the vehicle at all times. 5) It is impossible for the driver to even follow along with the tour guide's information on the tour's sights, since the driver must be focused on traffic and trying to drive the Trabi. 6) If you get separate from the group due to traffic, you are in trouble since the radio transmission is only one way. We quit the tour after 10-15 minutes as it was not an enjoyable way to spend our vacation. When we requested a partial refund, we were firmly denied a refund, even though we used a fraction of the anticipated fuel and wear/tear on the vehicle. This rates just barely above a scam. read more

This is a very cool and interesting idea. I remembered seeing these cars for years when the cold war as still afoot. I never knew how horrible they really were until now. Seeing the former east Berlin out of the window of a trabi was a moving experience. read more

Only 3 stars for I find this place a tourist trap and quite ran down. Too expensive! Around 35 euro a person, whether you are 1-4 in the car, each one must pay. I think you should pay based on the car and not people, like when you actually rent a car. The tour is less than an hour in the car. That is misleading when you sign up. You must drive the car yourself, which is great if you can drive stick (pretty easy w the levers by the steering wheel). It does take practice, but scary if the guy in front keeps stalling. The leader in his little power operated mobile, speaks to you through a one way radio, so any problems, you are unable to tell him! Their car lot is like a junk yard, ran down and have to pay to use the toilet. The souvenirs are expensive of course. I must admit though, it was an entertaining tour, just not worth the price or service rendered. read more

These scammers have built a business off of ripping off foreigners. They have a very deceptive website that simply touts private tours, when, in fact, you are not on a private tour, and they make no mention that you're required to know how to drive a manual car. I need to repeat that last part. You are required to know how to drive a manual transmission...and nowhere in their literature or website does it warn you of this! I scanned the entire website and all of the fine print. That is insanely deceptive. They take your money, let you show up, then when you do the right thing and say you don't want to break the car, they do nothing. They simply tell you you're welcome to go sit in a stranger's back seat and have total strangers cart you around. Not only did you pay for your own "private" tour, but you also didn't pay to ruin someone else's "private" tour. Well, try to plead with them and they'll say "you're welcome to drive the car, but you'll destroy it and have to pay for it." Absolutely horrific men running this sham. They were rude and unforgiving, pretending that they can't possibly accept a cancellation at the last minute. I have never been spoken to so rudely and treated with such disrespect. They should be shut down for deceptive business practices. Beware foreign tourists! They feed off of you! #ScumbagScamArtists read more