Staying in Germany
Here, you find some helpful information for your stay in Germany.
Medicinal Help
Doctor– with a European health insurance card you can go to any doctor or the hospital.
Pharmacy – for less serious illnesses you can buy medication directly from the pharmacy.
In case of emergency
110 police
112 emergency medical service
Water
You can drink tap water.
Traffic
You can get around easily with public transportation in Germany. But don’t forget to buy a ticket.
Travelling without a ticket can cost you up to 60 Euros.
In general, there is no speed limit on German highways. Exceptions are indicated by a sign.
Driving under the influence of alcohol is prohibited and it becomes a misdemeanour if the blood alcohol content is more than 0,5. (max one beer)
Shopping
In Germany all grocery stores and shopping centres are closed on Sundays.
Most of the bottles in Germany are labelled as “bottles with a deposit”-that means you have to pay an extra deposit of 15 to 25 cent per bottle. If you return the bottles you will get the deposit back. So, don’t throw your bottles away.
Rubbish separation
Typical in Germany: Waste separation. Please use different containers for glass, plastic, paper and biodegradable waste. '
Phone and internet
In June 2017 additional roaming charges in EU were abolished. Now, you pay the same price for using services when travelling in the EU as you would, if you were at home. This includes your mobile internet.
However, WLAN in public places is quite uncommon. But in Germany you can easily buy a prepaid SIM-card for your smartphone or surfstick, ex. in supermarkets or electronic stores. Prepaid SIM cards are a good option, if you are staying in Germany only for a couple of weeks or months.
Cultural life
On Sundays many churches have a mass in your respective language -look up the mass schedule for the church you want to go to and meet other people from your country.
Social insurance system - for a longer stay
Remember! If you want to work here for more than 70 days, your employer must register you in the national social insurance system. That means, social insurance contributions including: health, pension, nursing care & unemployment will be deducted from your salary. Then, you might be entitled to certain social payments such as pensions.
Inform yourself: