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Practical Information
Germany's currency is the Euro (currency symbol: €). Usually, the
Euro is the only accepted currency in Germany. Who needs a Visa?
Citizens from the following countries
do not require a Visa and may enter Germany with a valid
passport: citizens from the EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein,
Norway, Switzerland, Australia, Japan, Canada, Korea, Israel, New
Zealand and the USA. Berlin has
a continental climate, with cold winters and frequently quite hot
summers. The coldest months are December, January and February. That
means that the average temperature in the winter is −0.4 to 1.2°C
(31.3 to 34.2°F) and freezing temperatures can continue for many
weeks. Generally in March, the average low temperature is 0ºC (32ºF)
and the high temperature is 8ºC (46ºF). The bus, tram, U-Bahn, S-Bahn and ferry services work on an integrated three-zone system. There are three Zones: Zone A covers central Berlin, zone B extends out to the edge of the suburbs and zone C stretches into Brandenburg. The basic single ticket is the €2.10 Normaltarif (zones A and B). Apart from the Zeitkarten, tickets for Berlin's public transport system can be bought from the yellow or orange machines at U- or S-Bahn stations and also by some bus stops. Once you've obtained your ticket, validate it in the small red or yellow box next to the machine, which stamps it with the time and date. (Please notice that tickets purchased on trams or buses are usually already validated.) There are no ticket turnstiles at the stations but if an inspector catches you without a valid ticket, you will be fined with €40. Ticket inspections are recurrent and are performed while vehicles are moving by pairs of plain-clothes personnel. Single ticket (Normaltarif) Single tickets cost €2.10 (€1.40 for children between the ages of six and 14) for travel within zones A and B, €2.30 (€1.60) for zones B and C, and €2.80 (€2) for all three zones. A ticket allows use of the BVG network for two hours, with as many changes between bus, tram, U-Bahn and S-Bahn as necessary travelling in one direction. Short-distance ticket (Kurzstreckentarif)The Kurzstreckentarif (ask for a Kurzstrecke) costs €1.30 (€1 concessions) and is valid for three U- or S-Bahn stops or six stops on the tram or bus. Please be aware that no transfers are allowed. Day ticket (Tageskarte)A Tageskarte for zones A and B costs €6.10 (€4.40 reductions) or €6.50 (€4.80) for all three zones. A day ticket lasts until 3am after validating. Longer-term tickets (Zeitkarten)
If you are in Berlin for a week, it is better
to buy a Sieben-Tage-Karte ('seven-day ticket') at €26.20 for zones
A and B or €32.30 for all three zones (no concessions). Taxis
Berlin taxis are pricey, efficient and
numerous. The starting fee is €3 and after that the fare is €1.50
per kilometre (about €3 per mile) for the first seven kilometres and
€1 per kilometre after the first seven kilometres. The rate remains
the same at night. For short journeys ask for a Kurzstrecke – up to
two kilometres for €3.50 (this option is only available when you've
hailed a cab and not from taxi ranks). Cabs accept all credit cards
except Diners Club and the payment with credit cards is subject to a
€0.50 extra charge). Parking is free in Berlin side streets, but spaces are hard to find. On busier streets you may have to buy a ticket (€1 per hour) from a nearby machine. Without a ticket, or if you park illegally, you risk getting your car clamped or towed. Electricity in Germany runs on 220v. To use British appliances (240v), change the plug or use an adaptor (available at most UK electric shops and probably at the airport). US appliances (110v) require a converter. For more details check here. Emergency Contacts Police: 110 Ambulance/Fire Brigade: 112 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. Please be aware that usually you will be charged a fee for withdrawing cash.
Although 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 and you are unlikely to get into trouble. Many Berliners smoke, however 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 'Raucher-Kneipe' (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. 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.
Berlin Tourismus Marketing (BTM)
EurAide
With the Berlin WelcomeCard, visitors can enjoy many attractions and save even more in the German capital. The WelcomeCard starts as low as 16.90 Euros in the four info stores of Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH (Hauptbahnhof main railway station-North Entrance, Neues Kranzler Eck- Kurfürstendamm Passage, Brandenburg Gate-South Wing, Alexa Shopping Center-Alexanderplatz). Who buy a WelcomeCard will receive a discount of at least 25% off of cultural events, tourist activities and restaurants. In addition to classics like the Television Tower at the Alexanderplatz, the Friedrichstadtpalast or the Zoological Garden, there are new highlights this year: discounts to the newly opened “Picasso Story” exhibition, the Schönhausen Palace (now converted into a museum), and the Staatsballett Berlin.
This card also comes with a convenient pocket-sized
city guide. This guide in both German and English introduces new
highlights in the city, now with an even clearer, more user-friendly
layout. As an added feature, it contains a calendar with the year’s
most important events. Places of Interest quite close to hotel Ramada Alexanderplatz AlexanderplatzOnce and until today one of the most popular places to meet under the "Weltzeituhr" ("Worldtime clock") or at the fountain in front of the department store of Galeria Kaufhof. Nikolaiviertel The quarter of St. Nicholas is said to be the "cradle" of Berlin, here you find the oldest chruch housing nowadays a part of the Town Museum of Berlin and a lot of nice shops and restaurants. Scheunenviertel/Jewish quarter/Hackesche Höfe The area of Oranienburger Straße with the representative Jewish synagoge and the little side streets are impressive witnesses of Jewish life once and today in Berlin. Especially in the numerous patios you find a lot of traces, but they invite not only to discover history but are also a very popular place for nice little shops that are a bit different from the usual ones, designers, art galleríes, bars and cafés. Berliner Dom Walking down the Karl-Liebknecht street, you will not miss the impressive buidling of the Protestant Berlin Cathedral, situated on the banks of Spree river. In its vault the visitor can see the sepulture of a number of kings of the Hohenzollern dynasty. Unter den Linden This avenue, famous also from a lot of popular Berlin songs, is worth having a walk, starting from the Museum of German History till the Brandenburg gate, probably Berlin's most symbolic place. Here you find a lot of interesting building of historical, architectural and cultural interest. Gendarmenmarkt
This square is said to be the nices of Berlin, with the classicist
Concert House built by K.F. Schinkel and flanked by the French and
German Catehdrals. Alexanderplatz- Galeria Kaufhof - Shopping arcades "Alexa" Friedrichstrasse Galerie Lafayette, "department store of culture" Dussmann, a lot of other shopping malls housing well-known boutiques, bus also cafés and bars. Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz Arkaden with a big number of clothing stores, shoes,
toys, souvenirs, electronics; but also with a big variety of
gastronomy.
Useful
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