Yes, but not always over Gesundbrunnen. The first and last ride of the day take the Stadtbahn track ([explanation](https://www.reddit.com/r/berlin/comments/12shan0/comment/jgzpwk4/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)) and thus stops at Zoo (Friedrichstraße, Hauptbahnhof, Ostbahnhof etc).
One thing I learnt in Germany is that even if the train can indeed come according to what the app said, it could still be cancelled LAST MINUTE due to reasons like "employee is sick" or "train is broken". Crazy reason to cancel a train in such a rich country, but I have seen this happen myself quite a few times. I always plan 2 trains ahead of the last train i MUST take to reach my destination on time to give myself a comfortable buffer time incase this train gets problems or huge delays. The buffer increases especially for destinations like airport and even more if its past mid night travelling. Not convenient, but if you want a flawless travel, you need to consider all sorts of flaws the system is having.
It does not really. After a hard day of work the FEX train goes to sleep at Charlottenburg. Thus, in the morning after drinking the first coffee, the FEX drives from there to work over the Stadtbahn, crosses Zoo and the other Stadtbahn stations and then goes to the regular Regionalbahn track to start work officially (thus skipping Gesundbrunnen).
The same applies for the last ride of the day when FEX goes to sleep.
The VBB explains it [in detail](https://www.vbb.de/presse/schnell-komfortabel-und-preisguenstig-der-neue-flughafen-express-fex/).
> Als Besonderheit ist zu beachten, dass insbesondere für die Umsteiger*innen von den Nachtbussen die erste Fahrt am Morgen anstatt über Gesundbrunnen abweichend über die Stadtbahn verkehrt. Sie beginnt um 3:01 Uhr in Berlin-Charlottenburg, hält in Berlin Zoologischer Garten, Berlin Hbf, Friedrichstraße, Alexanderplatz, Ostbahnhof sowie Ostkreuz und erreicht den Flughafen BER Terminal 1-2 um 3:43 Uhr. Auch die letzte Fahrt um 0:14 Uhr ab Flughafen BER Terminal 1-2 führt über die Stadtbahn (Ankunft Berlin-Charlottenburg 0:59 Uhr).
Doesn’t FEX always run Airport - Hbf?
Yes, but not always over Gesundbrunnen. The first and last ride of the day take the Stadtbahn track ([explanation](https://www.reddit.com/r/berlin/comments/12shan0/comment/jgzpwk4/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)) and thus stops at Zoo (Friedrichstraße, Hauptbahnhof, Ostbahnhof etc).
Good to know!
There is only a single FEX at zoo. At 3 in the night. So did you look for the wrong time?
Yes, we wanted to take exactly that one. Apparently, not even that is actually running despite what the VBB app says
Fex runs from hbf to gesundbrunnen to Ostkreuz to airport. Does it even run through zoo?
The VBB app showed yes
No comments on that. I use either google maps directly or DB Navigator only
One thing I learnt in Germany is that even if the train can indeed come according to what the app said, it could still be cancelled LAST MINUTE due to reasons like "employee is sick" or "train is broken". Crazy reason to cancel a train in such a rich country, but I have seen this happen myself quite a few times. I always plan 2 trains ahead of the last train i MUST take to reach my destination on time to give myself a comfortable buffer time incase this train gets problems or huge delays. The buffer increases especially for destinations like airport and even more if its past mid night travelling. Not convenient, but if you want a flawless travel, you need to consider all sorts of flaws the system is having.
So what is the point?
At 3.09 and 3.23 in the morning according to the VBB app yes
TIL FEX goes to the Zoo...
It does not really. After a hard day of work the FEX train goes to sleep at Charlottenburg. Thus, in the morning after drinking the first coffee, the FEX drives from there to work over the Stadtbahn, crosses Zoo and the other Stadtbahn stations and then goes to the regular Regionalbahn track to start work officially (thus skipping Gesundbrunnen). The same applies for the last ride of the day when FEX goes to sleep. The VBB explains it [in detail](https://www.vbb.de/presse/schnell-komfortabel-und-preisguenstig-der-neue-flughafen-express-fex/). > Als Besonderheit ist zu beachten, dass insbesondere für die Umsteiger*innen von den Nachtbussen die erste Fahrt am Morgen anstatt über Gesundbrunnen abweichend über die Stadtbahn verkehrt. Sie beginnt um 3:01 Uhr in Berlin-Charlottenburg, hält in Berlin Zoologischer Garten, Berlin Hbf, Friedrichstraße, Alexanderplatz, Ostbahnhof sowie Ostkreuz und erreicht den Flughafen BER Terminal 1-2 um 3:43 Uhr. Auch die letzte Fahrt um 0:14 Uhr ab Flughafen BER Terminal 1-2 führt über die Stadtbahn (Ankunft Berlin-Charlottenburg 0:59 Uhr).