European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 13, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Driving to Berlin Reg is must Reading stories by Joe Mapother staff writer Sis he  Ai Al  cd tulle before heeding a Lett Berlin. Increased alled travel to Berlin Tor the City s750th anniversary and a string of incidents involving us. Travellers have prompted renewed warnings Onishe hazards of navigating the divided City. The incidents six during the last week in May involve usual transit regulation violations such As failing to out or in process at an Allied checkpoint or Al tempting to return to wast Berlin from Easl Bertin with a different number of occupants in the car. Units Are not adequately briefing people said Amy a. Lawrence Bro Stan Deputy Provost marshal Lor the Bartin brigade. Compared to the 4.692 trips by . Personnel Over the transit route last april after the la Belle disco bombing travel was up More Man so percent Thia april some 7,260 trips were logged in according to records kept by the Berlin Provost marshal. Generally Lowa rensted rank soldiers tend of take travel to Serin More seriously than senior ranking civilians and military travellers Bronsteyn said. Consequent in they Don t get into As much i route Berlin travel is covered by Usa eur regulation 550 180 which is mandatory Reading for . Travellers on the Allied transit route. By ring with soviet soldiers is against regulations. Soviet soldiers at the Mart Enbom checkpoint and More recently Al the Drewitz checkpoint outside West Berlin regularly offer medallions and Belt buckles to Allied travellers. When you be traded with the soviets you be compromised yourself because he soviet kno you be broken a . Army regulation Bronstein said before they recruit anybody they the soviets have to establish a  although the Easl German people s police Are not permitted to control Allied Access on the transit route Between Helmstedt and West Berlin they have on occasion flagged Down Allied travellers Al roving Speed traps regularly set along the corridor. . Officials Al checkpoint Alpha on the autobahn near Helmstedt. Provide . Travellers with 9 Flash Caid that requests the East germans to Contact a soviet officer. The mileage on the car odometer is also fogged at checkpoint Alpha and a Call is placed to the West Berlin autobahn checkpoint Bravo to advise them of the traveler s approximate arrival Tirve. Falling to Clear e checkpoint Means that after the Lime elapses we Nave to go out and ask tie soviet authorities it the individual has out processed which is an Estiban assent to our government Bronstein said. Once in the City Bronstein cautioned against travelling to East Berlin and purchasing More goods than fall under the category of something for personal use a a gift let s say your neighbor knows you re going o Berlin and says Here s some Money buy me a set of binoculars thai s prohibited because it is for  nearly 75,000 Allied trips were togged through checkpoint Charlie in fiscal 1986 and that number is projected to reach nearly 100,000 this year. Orders governing an Active military person travelling to Berlin mus authorize travel to Easl Berlin if that person wants 10 Cross checkpoint Charlie. Military billeting limited tourists visiting Berlin this summer forthe City s 750th anniversary Celebration Willind almost no military billeting but hotel rooms Are available. The military s 63-room Yahlem guest House is closed for yearlong renovations and Normal transfers among the 13,000 americans in West Benin s . Military Community mean almost no billeting will be available for persons in the City on leave. Even with the 63 rooms there s no Way we could handle the number of people who want to come Here said a William Burke head of the army engineering and housing directorate. Most of the rooms at the Hamack House Clay he compound and troop billeting at Roosevelt Barracks Are booked. Burke said. The army Hopes to have 50 More rooms at a contract hotel some of which can be booked on a space available basis. Air Force billeting for persons not on temporary duty or making a permanent change of Stalion is also tight said it. Co. Fred Brown Deputy commander for support at Tempelhof Central Airport. Forty suites Are available at the Columbia House for officers and there Are 42 rooms for enlisted personnel at temp Eliof. Brown said. However the army has asked the air Force Loi help on pcs moves which will further limit the number of rooms available. The air Force has a waiting list which allows persons to Call billeting 46 hours before travelling to Berlin to lint out whether a room is available. There Are 25,000 hotel Beds available in West Berlin ranging irom 40 Marks $22 to 2.000 Marks s1,100 per night said Michael Brodersen press spokesman of the Berlin City iou Fisi office i am certain also in this year that no one will have to sleep under a Bridge or on a Park Bench " however Brodersen cautioned that groups travelling to bet Lin on weekends without reservations May have trouble finding rooms. To also Large led late August As a particularly booked Oul time Frame. Hole rooms in most Price ranges Are available but they May not to the trave lets first Choice because of their distance from the City Center. Brodersen said camping in Berlin is limited because Many residents rent permanent spots at the City s four Campag Judas hotel reservations can be made through any local grave Agency or by mail through the City tourist office also convenient Lor making reservations is the Branch of the City tourist office within sight of checkpoint Bravo on the Allied Transil route. . The stars and stripes Page is