Practical Information

Newspapers

North American and British newspapers are available at kiosks in the centre of Berlin, at the airports, in the Europa Center and from specialist bookshops such as, for example, the British Bookshop near Checkpoint Charlie. EXBERLINER is the monthly English-language paper for Berlin, which offers intelligent journalism and up to date listings of events in the city. More information and sales points can be found at www.exberliner.com

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Swinging Berlin

There is a blog providing useful information for foreign visitors.
http://swingingberlin.blogspot.com

type:	Tourist information
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url:	swingingberlin.blogspot.com
email:	zapbook@gmx.de

Electricity

The voltage is 220 volts AC 50 cycles. US appliances won’t work in Germany and UK plugs won’t fit the sockets! EU standard sockets and voltage.

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Telephones

The local area code for Berlin is 030 and the international code for Germany is 49. If calling from abroad, the combined code is +49 30. Some public telephones are coin operated (min. charge is 20 pfennigs), but for most you need a telephone card (min. cost DM12) which you can buy from post offices or newspaper kiosks.

For collect calls to the US, dial: 01300010; or for the UK, dial: 0130800044.

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How to find a post office...

Berlin has several post offices in every quarter. Some small post offices are part of a stationery shop.

You can look up the post office addresses for Berlin and Germany at the site of the "Deutsche Post" (German Postal Service):
www.deutschepost.de/dpag?tab=1&skin=hi&check=yes&lang=de_DE&xmlFile=1465

(Click at "Filialsuche" and enter the town, street or the zipcode of the area, near which you are looking for a post office. You will get the addresses of the nearest post offices.)

type:	Post office
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accessibility:	gunukim@hotmail.com
tel:	0049-18 02-33 33 (Info Center)
url:	www.deutschepost.de
address:	kothener str 6
email:	gunukim@hotmail.com

Tourist Information

The main tourist information office is in the Europa Center in West Center on the Budapester Str. side of the building (tel 25 00 25), open Mon-Sat 8am-10pm, Sun 9am-9pm. There is also an office at the Brandenburg Gate, open daily 9.30am-6pm.

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Tipping

Tipping is not obligatory but it’s the custom in Berlin and the rest of Germany to tip waiters and taxi drivers with a small amount, between 5 and 10%.

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Post offices

Most are open between 8am and 6pm. A normal weight letter sent within Europe costs DM1.10 and to North America DM 3.

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BVG Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe

The BVG runs the public transport in Berlin (bus and tube, headq. U Kleistpark)

type:	Tourist information
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address:	Potsdamer Str. 188, Schöneberg
url:	www.bvg.de
tel:	+49 (0)30 - 25627039

Drugstores

Look for the big red ‘A’ signs (for Apotheke). It’s worth remembering that prescriptions and over the counter drugs can only be purchased at Apothekes; you can’t, for example, buy aspirin at the supermarket. When the shops are closed, Apothekes display the address of the nearest open drugstore in their window. Note: a "Drogerie" does not sell medicines, but cosmetics, baby food etc.

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Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH

Your first port of call for tourist inquiries of any kind. Information centres: Europa-Center (Budapester Straße entrance): Mo-Sa 8:30am -8:30pm, Su 10am -6:30pm, Brandenburger Gate (south wing): daily 9:30am -6pm, Lufthansa Tegel Airport (main hall): daily 5am -10:30pm, Infopoint KaDeWe (Travel Centre, ground floor) Mo-Fr 9.30am -8pm, Sa 9am -4pm, Call Centre (0190-754040): Mo-Fr 8am -7pm, Sa+Su 9am -6pm (2,42 DM perminute)

type:	Institutions
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url:	www.btm.de
tel:	0190-754040

Banks

Bank opening times in Berlin vary but most banks are open from 9am to 12.00 and from 2-4 in the afternoon, Mon-Fri. The bank at Tegel Airport is open daily from 6am to 10pm (9pm on Sun). The Reisebanks at Zoo Station and Ostbahnhof are open seven days a week from 7.30 in the morning.

Emergencies

You can call an emergency doctor ("Notarzt") on 31 00 31. You will often find that doctors can talk to you in English. The emergency contact number for police is 110, and for ambulance and fire, 112. If you lose your passport, contact your embassy as well as the police. Pharmacy: 01141

Wasserstadt GmbH

Wasserstadt (Water City) GmbH has attracted attention all over Europe with its major project in Rummelsburg Bay. Here an industrial site is being turned into an attractive housing and leisure centre. They’re really taking off for EXPO 2000, with a solar boat shuttle, Germany’s first leisure boat for young people, excursions, a film programme and much more...

Europäisches Informationszentrum

The borders are opening up more and more. That’s why the centre offers information on topics like: European Union politics, official specialist EU literature, and training and studying abroad. Groups and school classes are very welcome here and can attend lectures on topical themes of European politics and monetary union.

Connections: U Güntzelstraße

Openinge: Mo-Fr 9am -6pm

Goethe-Institut Berlin

The Goethe Institute represents German culture not only all over the world but also in Berlin. Here you can learn German or study it more intensively and ask any questions you may have about the past,

Connections: U Weinmeisterstr.

Partner für Berlin. Gesellschaft für Haupstadt-Marketing mbH

This is the main organisation responsible for Berlin’s public image. Partner für Berlin is legally constituted by more than 100 shareholders from the national and international business world. The organisational form is unique in the area of location marketing: a "private-public-partnership" in which firms and associations cooperate with the Berlin Senate.

Jugendkulturservice e.V.

In the summer months you can get a "super holiday pass" here which gives you acces to lots of great events. You can also get tickets for concerts and young people’s theatre here. U Möckernbrücke Mo-Fr 9am - 4pm.

Komitee Rettet die Ampelmännchen e.V.

The East german little traffic light man with his characteristic snub nose has always been much wittier than his sober counterpart from the west, who’s almost managed to wipe out his eastern colleagues. The little traffic light man from the east has become a cult figure. You can also get him to take away: on shirts, cups, lamps etc. You can get the various cult objects at

InfoCenter Berlin-Adlershof

Adlershof was once the cradle of air and space travel. Since 1993 one of Europe’s most important locations for science and industry has been developed here.

Connections: S Adlershof