Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [72]
East of Eden (Map; 423 9362; Schreinerstrasse 10, Prenzlauer Berg) Living-room-type store perfect for browsing.
Marga Schoeller Bücherstube (Map; 8862 9320; Knesebeckstrasse 33, Charlottenburg) Literary lair with plenty of English titles.
Schropp (Map; 2355 7320; Potsdamer Strasse 129, Schöneberg) Guidebooks and maps galore.
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Discount Cards
Berlin WelcomeCard (www.berlin-welcomecard.com; per 2/3/5 days for zones AB €16.50/22/29.50, for zones ABC €18.50/25/34.50) Entitles you to unlimited public transport within the fare zone and up to 50% discount for 140 sights, attractions and tours. Available at the Berlin Infostores (see Tourist Information, Click here), U-Bahn and S-Bahn ticket vending machines, BVG offices and many hotels.
CityTourCard (www.citytourcard.de; per 2/3/5 days for zones AB €15.90/20.90/28.90, for zones ABC €17.90/22.90/33.90) Works in same way as Berlin Welcome Card and is a bit cheaper but offers fewer discounts. Available at some hotels and from U-Bahn and S-Bahn vending machines.
SchauLust Museen Berlin (adult/child €19/9.50) Unbeatable deal for culture vultures. Buys admission to permanent exhibits of about 70 museums on three consecutive opening days; available at Berlin Infostores and participating museums.
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Emergency
American Hotline ( 0177-814 1510) Crisis hotline and referral service for all English speakers, not just Americans.
BVG Public Transport Lost & Found (Map; 194 49; Potsdamer Strasse 180/182, Schöneberg; 9am-6pm Mon-Thu, to 2pm Fri; Kleistpark)
Call-a-Doc ( 01804-2255 2362) Non-emergency medical assistance and treatment referral.
Fire brigade & ambulance ( 112)
International Helpline ( in English 4401 0607; 6pm-midnight) Volunteer-run, anonymous help for people in any crisis situation.
Municipal Lost & Found (Map; 7560 3101; Platz der Luftbrücke 6, Kreuzberg; 8am-3pm Mon & Tue, 10am-1pm Wed, 1-5pm Thu, 8am-noon Fri)
Police ( 110)
Rape Crisis Hotline ( 251 2828, 615 4243, 216 8888)
Wheelchair Breakdown Service ( 0180-111 4747)
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Internet Access
Many hostels, hotels and cafes offer wireless surfing (called W-LAN in German) and the entire Sony Center at Potsdamer Platz (Map) is a free public hot spot. The website www.hotspot-locations.com can help you pin down others.
Internet cafes in Berlin have about the lifespan of a fruit fly, so it’s best to ask at the tourist office or your hotel for the nearest one. Also look for coin-operated laptops by Sidewalk Express (www.sidewalkexpress.com; per hr €2) usually found in malls (eg Potsdamer Platz Arkaden, Alexa) and train stations (eg Friedrichstrasse, Alexanderplatz). Fat Tire Bike Tours (Map; 2404 7991; Panoramastrasse 1a; 9.30am-7.30pm) below the TV Tower has an all-you-can-surf rate for €1.99.
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Internet Resources
3D Stadtmodell (www.3d-stadtmodell-berlin.de) Virtual Google Earth–powered journey through Berlin. Berlin Hidden Places (www.berlin-hidden-places.de) Ideas for getting off the tourist track.
Berlin Tourism (www.visitberlin.de, www.visitBerlin.tv) Official tourist-office website.
Berlin Unlike (http://berlin-unlike.net) Hip guide with up-to-the-minute reviews and happenings; sign up for a free weekly newsletter.
Gridskipper (www.gridskipper.com/travel/berlin) Urban travel guide to the useful, offbeat, naughty and nice.
I Heart Berlin (www.iheartberlin.de) Lifestyle blog with posts about parties, fashion, art and scene insiders.
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Left Luggage
Most central railway stations, including Hauptbahnhof, Friedrichstrasse, Zoo and Ostbahnhof, have coin lockers that cost €2 to €4 for 24 hours. The Hauptbahnhof also has a left-luggage office (€4 per piece per 24 hours) behind the ReiseBank currency exchange on the first upper level, opposite the Reisezentrum. There are also left-luggage stations at the central