Door, presale or guest list: how to pay for entry in Berlin
Updated 5 October 2026·4 min read
Three ways into a Berlin club: pay at the door, buy a ticket in advance, or be on a guest list. Which one is right depends on the party – and on how sure you want to be of getting in. Here is what sets the three apart, what to watch out for, and what friendslist.de does and does not do.
Door sales: paying at the entrance
The door is the classic route: you queue, pay at the entrance and you are in – if the door lets you. The price is on friendslist.de under entry on every party. It is usually the highest of the three, because early presale tiers are often cheaper and many parties tier by time: less before midnight, full price after.
The catch: no guarantee. If the club is full or the night sold out in presale, you can be turned away at the door, money in hand. And whether cash or card is accepted differs from club to club – many take only cash, some only cards. Check beforehand and bring cash to be safe.
Presale: tickets via platforms
Presale runs through ticket platforms – in Berlin, Resident Advisor, DICE and Eventbrite are common, plus clubs' and promoters' own shops. You buy online, get a QR code on your phone or by e-mail, and join the ticket queue at the door. Big parties usually have several price tiers; the first is cheapest, the last often close to the door price.
What a ticket gets you: a secure spot when the night sells out, often a better price. What it does not get you: a right to enter – ID, age and door policy apply with a ticket too. Most platforms add fees you only see at checkout. friendslist.de does not sell tickets: the ticket link on an event leads to the promoter or their platform.
The guest list: the third way
The guest list is neither ticket nor door, but a perk the promoter sets: free entry, a reduced price or a separate queue – often only until a certain time. On friendslist.de it is called Friendslist. Signing up is free, needs no account, just name and e-mail, plus up to three friends. The QR code arrives by e-mail.
Every list has a sign-up deadline shown on the event, and a cap – when full there is a waiting list. At the door you show the QR code or give your name, plus ID. Entry remains the door's decision, even with a list spot. Which parties have a list now is under parties with a guest list, the details in the guest list guide.
Parties this weekend – entry is shown on every listing
Common questions about this
Is the door more expensive than presale?
Usually yes. Early presale tiers are often cheaper; the door is full price. There are exceptions – and in Berlin the guest list is often the cheapest way.
Can I buy tickets on friendslist.de?
No. friendslist.de lists parties and offers the free Friendslist guest list. Ticket links lead to the promoter or their platform.
What if the party is sold out?
Some parties still sell remaining tickets at the door, some have a guest list – both are on the event. Otherwise the calendar has something else on.
Can I return a ticket?
Generally not, unless the party is cancelled. Some platforms offer official resale. The terms are the platform's, not ours.
Related pages
All guides
- Guest lists in Berlin: how to get on the list
- Berlin nightlife guide: how going out in Berlin works
- Berlin clubs tonight: how to find a party and get in
- How much does entry to Berlin clubs cost?
- Free entry: clubs and parties in Berlin that cost nothing
- Clubs in Berlin 18+: what applies at 16, 17 and 18?
- Partying at 16 in Berlin: where you can go out at 16 and 17
- Hip-hop parties in Berlin: where, when and how to get in
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