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Practical Information |
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Climate Berlin lies between oceanic and continental climate. In the second half of August the average daily-temperature is 22-23°C(72°F), but there are also days with temperatures up to 30°C(86°F). On these days the humidity may be high. The chance of rain is about 30%. You may also have a look at the present weather forecast.
Electric sockets in Germany carry 220V and conform to the standard continental type. Travel adaptors may be useful for electric appliances with other standards.
Berlin has a vibrant cultural scene: exhibitions, concerts, plays, and dance performances abound. Hekticket, next to the Zoologischer Garten, sells last-minute tickets for half-price. Usually pubs and bars are open until midnight, most of them even longer.
In Berlin pharmacies can be found all over the town. For overnight service there are always one or two pharmacies open in every district. All
pharmacies post signs directing you to the nearest open one. Berlin has a tight network of ‘U-Bahn’ (underground) and ‘S-Bahn’ (suburban trains). Main stations are (from west to east) Zoologischer Garten,
Friedrichstraße, Alexanderplatz, Ostbahnhof, which are connected by S-Bahn (one can take all lines), and Potsdamer Platz, which is connected
by U-Bahn Berlin is divided in three travel zones. Zone A and B include the urban area, zone C the environs of Berlin (e.g. Potsdam). There are no
tickets for a single zone, only for AB, BC or ABC. The ‘Liniennetz’-map of public transportation can be picked up for free at the BVG offices or
downloaded at http://www.bvg.de/e_index.html.
All tickets must be cancelled in the validation box marked ‘hier entwerten’ before boarding, except for tickets bought at a bus or
tram/streetcar.
Special hint: Enjoy a trip with one of the typical double decker buses (Bus-Line 100/200) and discover Berlin from a different point of view (no special ticket required). Besides, many of central Berlin’s major sights lie along the route of Bus-Line 100, which travels from Bahnhof Zoologischer Garten to Alexanderplatz, passing the Siegessäule, Brandenburger Gate, Unter den Linden, Humboldt University, and the Berliner Dom along the way. Shopping At the bigger shopping-centers and malls, shops are open until 8p.m., on Saturdays until 4p.m. Other shops close at 6.30p.m. Generally, shops are not closed for lunch breaks. The high temple of the consumerist religion is the KaDeWe department store on Wittenbergplatz (U-Bahn station), the largest department store in Europe. The newly opened complex on the Potsdamer Platz (S-Bahn station) offers more than 100 new shops and a multitude of restaurants, cafes, and pubs. Tax-Free If you buy non-edible goods in Berlin you are entitled to a VAT-Refund unless you are citizen of another EU-country. If you enter a shop with a Tax-Free sign outside, ask for a special form. This form must be stamped when you get through customs, but be prepared to show your goods, which must still be in their original packing. The tax is refunded either at the border or sent to the address on the envelop containing the cheque. Taxi There are situations where a taxi seems to be the easiest way to travel. Normally, you will not have to wait long to hail a taxi. Taxi ranks
are situated at all bigger traffic junctions. For short distances the ‘Winktarif’ is recommended. That's a special rate, if you flag down a taxi
and ask for a short lift, the ride will only cost 3
Telephone Public phone booths are abundant and easy to find given their bright pink lights. There are two types of public phone booths, coin-operated with a 10cent minimum, and card operated. Most public booths require a telephone card, which is sold at post-offices and most press-shops. |
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to Zoologischer Garten and
Alexanderplatz. Please notice that S-Bahn 
to Friedrichstraße do not run this summer.
for zone ‘AB’; 2.40