Essential information for Berlin visitors

The legal age for drinking in Germany is 16 for beer and wine, 18 for hard liquor; for smoking it’s 18; for driving it’s 18. The age of consent for both heterosexual and homosexual sex is 16. 

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EU nationals over 17 years of age can import limitless goods for personal use, if bought with tax paid on them at source. For non-EU citizens and for duty-free goods, the following limits apply:

Tobacco products 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco.
Alcohol 1 litre of spirits (over 22 per cent alcohol), or 2 litres of fortified wine (under 22 per cent alcohol), or 4 litres of non-sparkling wine. 16 litres of beer.
Other goods to the value of €300 for non-commercial use, up to €430 for air/sea travellers. Travellers should note that the import of meat, meat products, fruit, plants, flowers and protected animals is restricted and/or forbidden.

Beschäftigungswerk des BBV
Weydemeyerstrasse 2A, Mitte (5001 9100, www.bbv-tours-berlin.de). U5 Schillingstrasse. Open 9am-8pm Mon-Fri; 10am-6pm Sat.
The Berlin Centre for the Disabled provides legal and social advice, together with a transport service and travel information.

Touristik Union International (TUI)
0511 5675 0105/www.tui.com). 
The Touristik Union International provides information on accommodation and travel in Germany for the disabled.

Berlin is relatively liberal in its attitude towards drugs. In recent years, possession of hash or grass has been effectively decriminalised. Anyone caught with an amount under ten grams is liable to have the stuff confiscated, but can otherwise expect no further retribution. Joint smoking is tolerated in some of Berlin's younger bars and cafés – a quick sniff will tell whether you're in one. Anyone caught with small amounts of hard drugs will net a fine, but is unlikely to be incarcerated.

Electricity in Germany runs on 230v, the same as British appliances. You will require an adaptor (G to F) to change the shape of the plug. US appliances (120V) require a voltage converter. 

Police 110.
Ambulance/Fire Brigade 112.

Lesbenberatung e.V.
Kulmer Strasse 20A, Schöneberg (215 2000/www.lesbenberatung-berlin.de). U7, S2, S25 Yorckstrasse. Open 2-5pm Mon, Wed, Fri; 10am-7pm Tue; 2-7pm Thur.
The Lesbian Advice Centre offers counselling in all areas of lesbian life as well as self-help groups, courses, cultural events and an 'info-café'.

Mann-O-Meter
Bülowstrasse 106, Schöneberg (216 8008/www.mann-o-meter.de). U2, U3, U4 Nollendorfplatz. Open 5pm-10pm Mon-Fri; 4pm-8pm Sat, Sun.
Drop-in centre and helpline. Advice about AIDS prevention, jobs, accommodation, gay contacts, plus cheap stocks of safer sex materials. English spoken.

Schwulenberatung
Niebuhrstrasse 59-60, Charlottenburg (office 2336 9070/counselling 194 46/www.schwulenberatungberlin.de). U7 Wilmersdorfer Strasse. Open 9am-8pm Mon-Fri.
The Gay Advice Centre provides information and counselling about HIV and AIDS, crisis intervention and advice on all aspects of gay life.

EU countries have reciprocal medical treatment arrangements with Germany. EU citizens will need the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). From the UK, this is available by phoning 0845 606 2030 or online from www.ehic.org.uk. You'll need to provide your name, date of birth and national insurance number.

It does not cover all medical costs (for example dental treatment), so private insurance is not a bad idea, too. Citizens from non-EU countries should take out private medical insurance. The British Embassy publishes a list of English-speaking doctors and dentists, as well as lawyers and interpreters.

Should you fall ill in Berlin, you can take your EHIC to any doctor or hospital emergency department and get treatment.

All hospitals have a 24-hour emergency ward. Otherwise, patients are admitted to hospital via a physician. Hospitals are listed in the Gelbe Seiten (Yellow Pages) under Krankenhäuser/Kliniken.

Accident and emergency

The following are the most central hospitals. All have 24-hour emergency wards.

Charité
Schumann Strasse 20-21, Mitte (45050/www.charite.de). U6 Oranienburger Tor.

Klinikum Am Urban
Dieffenbachstrasse 1, Kreuzberg (130 210/www.vivantes.de/kau). U7 Südstern/bus M41.

St Hedwig Krankenhaus
Grosse Hamburger Strasse 5, Mitte (23110). S5, S7, S75 Hackescher Markt or S1, S2 Oranienburger Strasse.

Complementary medicine

There is a long tradition of alternative medicine (Heilpraxis) in Germany, and your medical insurance will usually cover treatment costs. For a full list of practitioners, look up Heilpraktiker in the Gelbe Seiten (Yellow Pages). There you'll find a complete list of chiropractors, osteopaths, acupuncturists, homoeopaths and healers of various kinds. However, note that homeopathic medicines are harder to get hold of and much more expensive than in the UK, and it's generally more difficult to find an osteopath or a chiropractor.

Contraception, abortion and childbirth

Family-planning clinics are thin on the ground in Germany, and generally you have to go to a gynaecologist (Frauenarzt). The abortion law was amended in 1995 to take into account the differing systems that had existed in East and West. East Germany had abortion on demand; in the West, abortion was only allowed in extenuating circumstances, such as when the health of the foetus or mother was at risk.

In a complicated compromise, abortion is still technically illegal, but is not punishable. Women wishing to terminate a pregnancy can do so only after receiving certification from a counsellor. Counselling is offered by state, lay and church bodies.

Feministisches Frauen Gesundheits Zentrum (FFGZ)
Bamberger Strasse 51, Schöneberg (213 9597/www.ffgz.de). U4, U7 Bayerischer Platz. Open 10am-noon Mon, Tue, Fri; 10am-noon, 4-6pm Thur.
Courses and lectures are offered on natural contraception, pregnancy, cancer, abortion, AIDS, migraines and sexuality. Self-help and preventative medicine are stressed. Information on gynaecologists, health institutions and organisations can also be obtained.

ProFamilia
Kalkreuthstrasse 4, Schöneberg (3984 9898/www.profamilia-berlin.de). U1, U2, U3 Wittenbergplatz. Open 3-6pm Mon, Tue, Thur; 9am-noon Sat.
Free advice about sex, contraception and abortion is offered here. Call for an appointment.

Dentists

Dr Andreas Bothe
Kurfürstendamm 193D, Charlottenburg (882 6767). U1 Uhlandstrasse. Open 8am-2pm Mon, Wed, Fri; 2-8pm Tue, Thur.

Doctors

If you don't know of any doctors in Berlin, or are too ill to leave your bed, phone the Emergency Doctor's Service (Ärztlicher Bereitschaftdienst 310 031). This service specialises in dispatching doctors for house calls. The charges vary according to the treatment required by the patient.

The British Embassy can provide a list of English-speaking doctors, although you'll find that most doctors speak some English. All will be expensive, however, so be sure to have either your EHIC or your private insurance documents at hand if seeking treatment.

The doctors listed below speak excellent English.

Dr Joseph Francis Aman
Franzisksus Krankenhaus, Budapester Strasse 15-19, Tiergarten (2638 3503). U2, U9, S5, S7, S75 Zoologischer Garten. Open 8am-6pm, Mon, Tue, Thur; 8am-1pm Fri.
Dr Aman is an American GP with a practice in the Roman Catholic hospital opposite the Intercontinental Hotel.

Dr Christine Rommelspacher
Oldenburger Strasse 37, Tiergarten (391 1701) U9 Turmstrasse. Open 9am-noon, 4-7pm Mon, Thur; 9am-noon Tue, Wed.

HIV & Aids

Berliner Aids-Hilfe (BAH)

Pharmacies

Prescription and non-prescription drugs (including aspirin) are sold only at pharmacies (Apotheken). You can recognise these by a red 'A' outside the front door. A list of the nearest pharmacies open on Sundays and in the evening should be displayed in the window of every pharmacy. You can get a list of Notdienst-Apotheken (emergency pharmacies) online at www.akberlin.de/notdienst.

Berliner Krisendienst
www.berlinerkrisendienst.de

Mitte, Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, Tiergarten & Wedding (390 6310).
Charlottenburg & Wilmersdorf (390 6320).
Prenzlauer Berg, Weissensee & Pankow (390 6340).
Schöneberg, Tempelhof, Steglitz (390 6360).
All Open 24hrs daily.

For most problems, this is the best service to call. It offers help and/or counselling on a range of subjects, and if they can't provide exactly what you're looking for, they'll put you in touch with someone who can. The phone lines, organised by district, are staffed 24 hours daily. Counsellors will also come and visit you in your house if necessary.

Drogen Notdienst
Genthiner Strasse 48, Schöneberg (19237/www.drogennotdienst.de). U1 Kufurstenstrasse. Open 8am-9.30pm Mon-Fri; 2-9.30 Sat, Sun. Phone line 24hrs daily.
At the 'drug emergency service', no appointment is necessary if you're coming in for advice.

Frauenkrisentelefon
615 4243, www.frauenkrisentelefon.de. Open 10am-noon Mon, Thur; 3-5pm Tue; 7-9pm Wed, Fri; 2-9.30pm Sat, Sun.
Offers advice and information for women on anything and everything.

By law you are required to carry some form of ID, which, for UK and US citizens, means a passport. If police catch you without one, they may accompany you to wherever you've left it.

Airports
There is a left luggage office at Tegel (4101 2315; open 5am-10.30pm daily) and lockers at Schönefeld (in the Multi Parking Garage P4).

Rail and bus stations
There are left luggage lockers at Bahnhof Zoo, Friedrichstrasse, Alexanderplatz, Potsdamer Platz, Ostbahnhof and Hauptbahnhof. In addition, Zentraler Omnibus Bahnhof (ZOB) also provides left-luggage facilities.

If you get into legal difficulties, contact your embassy: it can provide you with a list of English-speaking lawyers in Berlin.

Berlin has hundreds of Bibliotheken/Büchereien (public libraries). To borrow books, you will be required to bring two things: an Anmeldungsformular ('Certificate of Registration') and a passport.

Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek
Blücherplatz 1, Kreuzberg (9022 6401/www.zlb.de). U1, U6 Hallesches Tor. Open 10am-9pm Mon-Fri; 10am-7pm Sat. Membership per year €10; students €5.
This library only contains a small collection of English and American literature, but it has an excellent collection of English-language videos and many DVDs.

Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – Haus Potsdamer Strasse
Potsdamer Strasse 33, Tiergarten (266 433 888/www.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de). U2, S1, S2, S25 Potsdamer Platz. Open 9am-9pm Mon-Fri; 9am-7pm Sat.
Books in English on every subject are available at this branch of the state library – as seen in Wim Wenders' film Wings of Desire.

Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – Haus Unter den Linden
Dorotheenstrasse 27, Mitte (266 433 888/www.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de). U6, S1, S2, S5, S7, S9 Friedrichstrasse. Open 9am-9pm Mon-Fri; 10am-7pm Sat.
A smaller range of English books than the branch above, but it's still worth a visit, not least for its café.

If any of your belongings are stolen while in Germany, you should go immediately to the police station nearest to where the incident occurred (listed in the Gelbe Seiten/Yellow Pages under Polizei) and report the theft. There you will be required to fill in report forms for insurance purposes. If you can't speak German, don't worry: the police will call in one of their interpreters, a service that is provided free of charge.

If you leave something in a taxi, call the number that's on your receipt (if you remembered to ask for one), and tell them the time of your journey, the four-digit Konzessions-Nummer that will be stamped on the receipt, a number where you can be reached, and what you've lost. They'll pass this information to the driver, and he or she will call you if they have your property.

BVG Fundbüro
Potsdamer Strasse 180, Schöneberg (194 49). U7 Kleistpark.Open Office 9am-6pm Mon-Thur; 9am-2pm Fri.
Contact this office if you have any queries about property lost on Berlin's public transport system. If you are robbed on one of their vehicles, you can ask about the surveillance video.

Zentrales Fundbüro
Platz der Luftbrücke 6, Tempelhof (902 773 101). U6 Platz der Luftbrücke. Open 9am-2pm Mon, Tue, Fri; 1-6pm Thur.
This is the central police lost property office.

One euro (€) is made up of 100 cents. There are seven banknotes and eight coins. The notes are of differing colours and sizes (€5 is the smallest, €500 the largest) and each of their designs represent a different period of European architecture.

They are: €5 (grey-green), €10 (red), €20 (blue), €50 (orange), €100 (green), €200 (yellow-brown), €500 (purple).

The eight denominations of coins vary in colour, size and thickness - but not enough to make them easy to tell apart. They share one common side; the other features a country-specific design (all can be used in any participating state). They are: €2, €1, 50 cents, 20 cents, 10 cents, 5 cents, 2 cents, 1 cent.

ATMs

ATMs are found throughout the centre of Berlin, and are the most convenient way of obtaining cash. Most major credit cards are accepted, as well as debit cards that are part of the Cirrus, Plus, Star or Maestro systems. You will normally be charged a fee for withdrawing cash.

Banks and bureaux de change

Foreign currency and travellers' cheques can be exchanged in most banks. Wechselstuben (bureaux de change) are open outside normal banking hours and give better rates than banks, where changing money often involves long queues.

Reisebank AG
Zoo Station, Hardenbergplatz, Charlottenburg (881 7117/www.reisebank.de). U2, U9, S5, S7, S75 Zoologischer Garten. Open 8am-9pm daily.
The Wechselstuben of the Reisebank offer good exchange rates, and can be found at the bigger stations.
Other locations: Bahnhof Friedrichstrasse, Mitte (2045 5096); Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Tiergarten (2045 3761); Ostbahnhof, Friedrichshain (296 4393).

Credit cards

Lost/stolen cards

If you've lost a credit card, or had one stolen, phone one of the 24-hour emergency numbers listed below.

American Express 069 9797 2000.
Diners Club 0180 5070 704.
MasterCard 0800 819 1040.
Visa 0800 811 8440.

Tax

Non-EU citizens can claim back German value-added tax (Mehrwertsteuer or MwSt) on goods purchased in the country (it's only worth the hassle on sizeable purchases). Ask the shop to provide a Tax-Free Shopping Cheque for the amount of the refund and present this, with the receipt, at the airport's refund office before checking in bags.

You are unlikely to come in contact with the Polizei, unless you commit a crime or are the victim of one. There are few patrols or traffic checks.
The central police HQ can be found at Platz der Luftbrücke 6, Tempelhof (46640), and there are local stations at: Kruppstrasse 2, Mitte; Charlottenburger Chausee 67, Charlottenburg; Friesenstrasse 16, Kreuzberg; Eiswaldtstrasse 18, Schöneberg. But police will be dispatched from the appropriate office if you just dial 46640. For emergencies, dial 110.

Most post offices (simply Post in German) are open from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 1pm Saturday. For non-local mail, use the Andere Richtungen ('other destinations') slot in post-boxes. Letters of up to 20g to anywhere in Germany cost €0.60 in postage. For postcards it's €0.45. For anywhere outside Germany, a 20g airmail letter or postcard costs €0.75.

Postamt Friedrichstrasse
Georgenstrasse 14-18, Mitte (0228 4333 111). U6, S1, S2, S5, S7, S25, S75 Friedrichstrasse. Open 6am-10pm Mon-Fri; 8am-10pm Sat, Sun.
Berlin has no main post office. However, this branch, which is inside Friedrichstrasse station, keeps the longest opening hours of the Berlin offices.

Poste restante

Poste restante facilities are available at the main post offices of each district. Address them to the recipient 'Postlagernd,' followed by the address of the post office, or collect them from the counter marked Postlagernde Sendungen. Take your passport with you.

Though crime is increasing, Berlin remains a safe city by Western standards. Even for a woman, it's pretty safe to walk around alone at night in most central areas of the city. However, avoid the Eastern working-class suburbs if you look gay or non-German. Pickpockets are not unknown around tourist areas. Use some common sense.

Many Berliners smoke, though the habit is in decline. Smoking is banned on public transport, in theatres and many public institutions. Many bars and restaurants have closed-off smoking rooms. Smaller, one-room establishments (under 75 square metres) may allow smoking if they want to, but must post a sign outside denoting a 'Raucherkneipe' (smoker pub). There's no problem with smoking at outside tables - which means that even in winter there are now lots of places with outside tables.

All phone numbers on this site are local Berlin numbers. Numbers beginning 0180 have higher tariffs, and numbers beginning 015, 016 or 017 are mobiles.

Dialling and codes

To phone Berlin from abroad, dial the international access code (00 from the UK, 011 from the US, 0011 from Australia), then 49 (for Germany) and 30 (for Berlin), followed by the local number.

Numbers prefixed 0180 are service numbers charged at €0.04-€0.14 per minute when calling from a landline, and up to €0.42 per minute when calling from a mobile, depending on the network’s policies. 

Public phones

Most public phones give you the option of cards or coins, and from Telekom phones (the ones with the magenta 'T') you also can send SMSs. Phonecards can be bought at post offices and in newsagents for various sums from €5 to €50.

Operator services

For online directory enquiries, go to www.teleauskunft.de.

International directory enquiries 11834.
Operator assistance/German directory enquiries 11833 (11837 in English).
Phone repairs 080 0330 2000.
Time (Zeitansage) 0180 4100 100 (automated, in German).

Mobile phones

Check with your service provider before leaving about service while you’re in Germany. US mobile phone users should call their phone provider before departure to check their mobile’s compatibility with GSM bands. 

Germany is on Central European Time - one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. When summer time is in effect, London is one hour behind Berlin, New York is six hours behind, San Francisco is nine hours behind, and Sydney is nine hours ahead.

Germany uses a 24-hour system. 8am is '8 Uhr' (usually written 8h), noon is '12 Uhr Mittags' or just '12 Uhr', 5pm is '17 Uhr' and midnight is '12 Uhr Mitternachts' or just 'Mitternacht'. 8.15 is '8 Uhr 15' or 'Viertel nach 8'; 8.30 is '8 Uhr 30' or 'halb 9'; and 8.45 is '8 Uhr 45' or 'Viertel vor 9'.

A 10 per cent service charge will already be part of your restaurant bill, but it's common to leave a small tip too. In a taxi round up the bill to the nearest euro.

Coin-operated, self-cleaning 'City Toilets' are becoming the norm. The toilets in main stations are looked after by an attendant and are pretty clean. Restaurants and cafés have to let you use their toilets by law and legally they can't refuse you a glass of water either.

EurAide
DB Reisezentrum, Hauptbahnhof, Tiergarten (www.euraide.de). S5, S7, S9, S75 Hauptbahnhof. Open Mar, Apr 11am-7pm Mon-Fri. May-July 10am-8pm Mon-Fri. Aug-Oct 10am-7pm Mon-Fri. Nov 11am-6.30pm Mon-Fri. Dec 10am-7.30pm Mon-Fri.
Staff advise on sights, hostels, tours and transport, and sell rail tickets.

A passport valid for three months beyond the length of stay is all that is required for UK, EU, US, Canadian and Australian citizens for a stay in Germany of up to three months. Citizens of EU countries with valid national ID cards need only show their ID cards. Citizens of other countries should check with their local German embassy or consulate whether a visa is required. As with any trip, confirm visa requirements well before you plan to travel.

Residence permits

Landesamt für Bürger und Ordnungsangelegenheiten Ausländerbehörde
Friedrich-Krause-Ufer 24, Tiergarten (info 902 690, www.berlin.de/labo/auslaender/dienstleistungen). U9, S41, S42 Westhafen. Open 7am-2pm Mon, Tue; 10am-6pm Thur (or by appointment via email).