Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [687]
Mobile (cell) phones are called ‘Handys’ and work on GSM 900/1800. If your home country uses a different standard, you’ll need a multi-band GSM phone in Germany. If you’re staying for a while and have an unlocked multi-band phone, buying a prepaid, rechargeable SIM card with a local number might work out cheaper than using your own network. Cards are available at any telecommunications store (eg T-Online, Vodafone, E-Plus or O₂). These places also sell prepaid GSM900/1800 phones, including some credit, starting at €30. Recharge credit by buying scratch-off cards sold at newsagents, supermarkets, petrol stations and general stores.
Calls made to a mobile phone are more expensive than those to a landline, but incoming calls are free.
Phone Codes
German phone numbers consist of an area code, which starts with 0, and the local number. Area codes can be up to six digits long; local numbers, up to nine digits. If dialling from a landline within the same city, you don’t need to dial the area code. If using a mobile, you must dial it.
If calling Germany from abroad, first dial your country’s international access code, then 49 (Germany’s country code), then the area code (dropping the initial 0) and the local number. Germany’s international access code is 00.
Deutsche Telekom directory assistance charges a ridiculous €1.39 per minute for numbers within Germany ( 118 37 for an English-speaking operator; 118 33 for German-speaking) and €1.99 for numbers outside Germany ( 118 34). Get the same information for free at www.telefonbuch.de. A much cheaper provider is the fully automated Telix ( 118 10), which charges €0.39 per minute.
Numbers starting with 0800 are toll free, 01801 numbers are charged at €0.046 per minute, 01803 at €0.09 and 01805 at €0.14. Calls to numbers starting with 01802 cost a flat €0.06, while those to 01804 numbers cost a flat €0.20. Avoid numbers starting with 0190 or 900, which are charged at exorbitant rates. Direct-dialled calls made from hotel rooms are also usually charged at a premium.
If you have access to a private phone, you can benefit from cheaper rates by using a ‘Call-by-Call’ access code (eg 01016 or 010090). Rates change daily and are published in the newspapers or online at www.billigertelefonieren.de (in German).
Telephone call shops, which tend to cluster around train stations, may also offer competitive calling rates but often charge steep connection fees. Always make sure you understand the charges involved.
With a high-speed internet connection, you can talk for free via Skype (www.skype.com), or use their SkypeOut service, which allows you to call landlines from your computer.
Phonecards
Most public pay phones only work with Deutsche Telekom (DT) phonecards, available in denominations of €5, €10 and €20 from DT stores, as well as post offices, newsagents and tourist offices. Occasionally you’ll see non-DT pay phones, but these may not necessarily offer better rates.
For long-distance or international calls, prepaid calling cards issued by other companies tend to offer better rates than DT’s phonecards. Look for them at newsagents and telephone call shops. Most of these cards also work with payphones but usually at a surcharge – read the fine print on the card itself. Those sold at ReiseBank outlets have some of the most competitive rates.
TIME
Clocks in Germany are set to central European time (GMT/UTC plus one hour). Daylight-saving time kicks in at 2am on the last Sunday in March and ends on the last Sunday in October. Without taking daylight-saving times into account, when it’s noon in Berlin, it’s 11am in London, 6am in New York, 3am in San Francisco, 8pm in Tokyo, 9pm in Sydney and 11pm in Auckland. The use of the 24-hour clock (eg 6.30pm is 18.30) is the norm.
TOURIST INFORMATION
The best pre-trip planning source is the German National Tourist Office (GNTO; www.deutschland-tourismus.de), whose comprehensive website is available in almost 30 languages and has links to sub-sites catering specifically for visitors from various countries. Regional websites and tourist