Germany - Essential Information

Lost Credit Cards/Travelers’ Cheques

• American Express (069) 97 97 10 00
• Diner’s Club (05921) 86 12 34
• EC and Bank Cards (069) 74 09 87
• Euro/Mastercard (069) 79 33 19 10
• VISA (0800) 89 49 1000

Airlines & Airports

• Air Canada (0180) 5 02 47 226
• Air France (0180) 5 830 830
• British Airways (0180) 5 26 65 22
• Delta Airlines (0180) 333 78 80
• Deutsche BA (0180) 5 35 93 22 22
• Germanwings (0180) 5 955 855
• KLM (0180) 5 254 750
• Lufthansa (0180) 380 38 03
• Qantas (0180) 5 25 06 20
• Singapore Airlines (069) 719 5200
• United Airlines (069) 50 07 03 87)

Airports

• Berlin Tegel Airport (0180) 5 00 01 86
• Berlin Tempelhof Airport (0180) 5 00 01 86
• Berlin Schonefeld Airport (0180) 5 00 01 86
• Bremen-Neuenland Airport (0421) 559 50
• Cologne/ Bonn Airport (02203) 400
• Dresden Airport (0351) 8810
• Düsseldorf Airport (0211) 42 10
• Frankfurt Airport (0180) 5 37 24 636
• Hamburg Airport (040) 507 50
• Hannover Airport (0511) 97 90
• Leipzig Airport (0341) 22 41 155
• Munich Airport (089) 97 52 13 13
• Nuremberg Airport (0911) 937 12 00
• Stuttgart Airport (0711) 94 80

Government & National Organizations

• German National Tourist Board (069) 75 19 03
• Federal Foreign Office (030) 5000 0
• German Post Office (01802) 33 33 [individuals]
• German Post Office (01802) 55 55 [businesses]
• German Rail – train connections and fares 11861
• German Rail – schedules (0800) 1507090 [for mobile phones (01805) 221100 * charged]
• German Rail – questions/problems (01805) 194195
• BahnCard – (01805) 340035

Banks

Opening hours are determined by the individual banks, and can vary greatly although no branches stay open later than 6pm and on Saturdays and Sundays all banks are closed. Many banks have a foyer with ATMs which can be accessed 24 hours a day.

List of banks in Germany:

• State Bank of India – Frankfurt
• Citibank – Düsseldorf
• Deutsche Bundesbank – Frankfurt
• European Central Bank – Frankfurt
• Creditanstalt – Munich
• HypoVereinsbank – Munich

Tips on opening a bank account:

It is quite easy to open a bank account in Germany, although it is essential to be registered in the country and have the correct documentation. The following documents are required:

• Proof of registration in Germany (polizeiliche Anmeldebestätigung): This can only be obtained by EU member state residents or holders of a German residence permit
• Address in Germany: This is written on the registration form and is required to obtain an account in the country
• Passport: As proof of identification
• Student Identification: In order to open a student account

Using a German Bank Account
When writing or reading German numbers, it is important to know the placement of points and commas:

€1000.00 (one thousand Euro) is written: €1.000,00
52.6% (Fifty-two point six percent) is written: 52,6% (zweiundfünfzig Komma sechs Prozent)

Cheques are rarely used in Germany although travellers’ cheques (Reisescheck) can be issued by all national banks.

Some common German Banking Terms

Post Offices
Post offices in larger towns and cities are generally open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, and on Saturdays until midday. At larger railway stations and airports they often stay open for longer and also open on Sundays.

Postage for a standard letter (up to 20g) is €0.55, for postcards €0.45.