Are you relocating to Berlin and wanting to ensure that the move goes smoothly? This expatriate guide on Berlin from the Expat Info Desk Details a wealth of essential practical information on living in Berlin which will help every step of the way.
Our guide was written by Phoebe Jamieson and last published on Thursday 16th December 2010, it's the 3rd edition.
Berlin is the capital of Germany. It lies 44 miles west of the Polish border, and 112 miles south of the Baltic Sea. East and West Berlin were integrated in October of 1990 and renamed simply Berlin, after decades of spearation by the 103-mile-long Berlin Wall (which included the border between West Berlin and East Germany as well). Berlin was made the capital of Germany on April 19, 1999, moving it from Bonn in the western part of Germany.
The Spree River crosses through Berlin, and there are many canals and several lakes, complete with beaches, within Berlin’s city limits as well as parks, the major one being the Tiergarten, and forests, the largest among them being the Grunewald, the Kopenick, the Spandau and the Tegel. In 2001, Berlin was rezoned to be comprised of 12 boroughs (Bezirke).
Berlin’s greatly varied architectural heritage is evidenced in the blending of the new and the old, as with the St. Nicholas Church (Nikolaikirche), the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche) and the Reichstag, the former house of Parliament. Other sights are monuments to its notorious history, as with the Brandenburg Gate and the memorial erected at Checkpoint Charlie on Friedrichstrasse.
Berlin is accessed by three airports. Tegel airport is 8km from the city, and services international carriers. Schönefeld, 20 km from the city, is for low cost carriers. Tempelhof, just a few km outside the city limits, services flights from with Germany as well as flights coming from the east. The full guide contains over 25 chapters of information covering all practical aspects of moving overseas; from fulfilling legal obligations through to choosing a home for your family. Written by expats, for expats, we do not give you the “official version”, we give you the “real version” and that’s exactly what you will need to have the best possible start to your new life in Berlin. You can purchase our Berlin guide by clicking on the links on the right-hand side of this page. If you have a discount code you'll be able to enter it before you make your payment.Basic information
Population
3,405,469 (as of 04/2007)
Size
341 square miles (883 km2)
Currency
Euro
Language
German, although there is a dialect specific to Berlin, and there are some differences between dialects spoken in West and East Berlin
Time zone
CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) During the summer solstice there is 16.51 hours of daylight; during the winter solstice, 7.39 hours of daylight. Daylight saving time starts March 30 and ends October 26. Time is told on a 24-hour clock (e.g., 1:00 PM is 13:00)
Dialing code
Country code is +49; Berlin’s area code is 30. To dial to another country from Germany, 00 + country code + telephone number.
Police Tel: 110
Ambulance/Fire Tel: 112
Directory Enquiries (operator service) Tel: 118 33
Directory Enquiries (automated service) Tel: 118 64
Temperature
In the winter, the temperatures range from 28 to 39F, -2 to -4C; spring, 30 to 66F, -1 to 19C; summer, 54 to 75 F, 12 to 24C; Fall: 36 to 66F, 2 to 19C. Winters are cold and damp; summers do have their share of sunny days, but the weather can be unpredictable. About one-fourth of Berlin’s annual precipitation is snow.
Electrics
Current: 230 V, 50 Hz. Plug: European two-pin, round; "Schuko" plug with side grounding contacts
Previous
Next
This is a free preview of the Expat Info Desk Guide to living in Berlin
