Berlin Travel Guide

Berlin Travel Information

Electricity

220 volts, 50Hz. European-style two-pin plugs are standard.

Language

German is the official language. English is also widely spoken and understood.

Tipping

German laws stipulates that all prices, menus and bills include both tax and a service charge, so tipping is not necessary in restaurants. Cleaning staff, hairdressers, taxi drivers etc. appreciate small tips.

Safety Information

A visit to Germany should be trouble free, but take normal precautions to avoid mugging, bag-snatching and pick-pocketing, especially at airports and railway stations in the large cities.

Local Customs

Visitors should carry passports with them at all times. Smoking in public places such as bars and restaurants is illegal.

Business

In Germany, business is conducted in a very formal manner. A conservative, formal sense of dress is to be adhered to. Punctuality is vital at all meetings and it is considered rude to be late. Germans love titles; men are referred to as 'Herr' and women as 'Frau', followed by their last names until otherwise specified. Meetings are often purely business and may not occur over lunches, which are generally more social. Shaking hands at the beginning and end of the meeting is common. The exchange of business cards is common but there is no accompanying ritual. Decisions are often made behind closed doors. Business hours are generally 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday with an hour taken over lunch.

Communications

The international access code for Germany is +49. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). The city code for Berlin is (0)30. Note that telephone numbers in Germany can range from four to nine digits. There are surcharges on international calls made from hotels; it is often cheaper to use public telephone boxes in post offices, which use phone cards. The local mobile phone operators use GSM networks and have roaming agreements with most internationa