A major overhaul at Nollendorfplatz has knocked out the U1, U3, and U4 until May 11th, affecting thousands of daily commuters across Schöneberg, Kreuzberg, and beyond. The U4 is fully suspended with no underground alternative on that line. Your best move: switch to the U2 as your backbone, and check the BVG app under "SEV" for the replacement bus routes covering each affected line.

A draft rental reform published by Germany's Federal Ministry of Justice on February 8th takes aim at two loopholes that have long allowed landlords to sidestep Berlin's rent brake. Under the proposed Mietrecht II, furniture surcharges must be listed as a separate line item capped at 5% of base rent and index-linked increases would be capped at 3.5% per year, compared to the 5%-plus jumps some tenants saw under the old rules. The bill still needs parliamentary approval later in 2026, but you can prepare now by checking your contract for the words Möblierungszuschlag and Indexmiete and noting exactly what they say.

Five days, four events, one city, from Greek cinema to a late-night funk takeover, here is what is happening in Berlin this week.

📽️ Greek Film Festival · Wed 25–Sun 29 March · Babylon Cinema, Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 30, Mitte · 31 films, spotlight on Angeliki Papoulia. Tickets from €7. Link

🏃 Berlin Half Marathon Expo · Fri 27 Mar 09:00–20:00 · Sat 28 Mar 09:00–19:00 · Flughafen Tempelhof, Platz der Luftbrücke 5 · Free entry. Race day Sun 29 Mar, Straße des 17. Juni, 10:05. Link

🚀 Thursday Gathering #48 · Thu 26 March · CIC Berlin, Lohmühlenstraße 65, Treptow · Free. Startup and innovation networking — talks, workshops, everyone welcome. Link

🎵 The Beatnuts + Berlin funk DJs · Fri 27 March · Doors 23:59 · Gretchen, Obentrautstr. 19–21, Kreuzberg · From €25. Link

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📅 Thu 26 · 3°C → 14°C · Breezy · Head to Admiralbrücke, Kreuzberg for canal-side coffee. Wrap up.

📅 Fri 27 · 3°C → 11°C · Drizzle · Kulturforum museums, Tiergarten — Gemäldegalerie or Neue Nationalgalerie.

📅 Sat 28 · 4°C → 11°C · Cloudy · Tempelhofer Feld for wide skies, rain or shine.

📅 Sun 29 · 4°C → 11°C · Rain likely · Grunewald if dry. Naturkundemuseum, Mitte if wet.

Source: dwd.de · timeanddate.com

File Ásto Taverna · Reichenberger Str. 125, Kreuzberg · The hottest new table in Berlin right now. Modern Greek meze and grilled meats in a high-energy taverna setting. Walk-ins only, no reservations. Around €20–30 per person. Link

Pastis · Rüdesheimer Str. 9, Wilmersdorf · A quiet French bistro that feels like a residential side street in Paris. Authentic, unfussy, and worth the trip. Under €30. Reservations essential. Link

Naschmarkt International · Markthalle Neun, Eisenbahnstraße 42–43, Kreuzberg · A one-day international pastry festival on Sunday 29 March, 11:00–18:00. Sweet and savoury specialities from around the world. €5 entry, €3 from 16:00, free for under 14s. Link

Explore the city, try something new — and as always, make Berlin yours. 🐻

Berlin Brief (BrB) Team

P.S.

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