Practical Resources and References

Having quick access to important contacts, services, and resources makes life in Germany much easier. This section provides essential information you’ll reference throughout your time in Germany.

Emergency Contacts

Critical Numbers (Available 24/7)

Emergency Services

• 112 - Emergency (Fire, Medical Emergency, Accidents)
• 110 - Police Emergency
• 116117 - Medical Non-Emergency (on-call doctor)

Other Important Numbers

• 115 - General government hotline
• 0800 111 0 111 - Crisis hotline (Telefonseelsorge)
• 0800 111 0 222 - Crisis hotline (alternative)
• 08000 116 016 - Violence against women hotline

Poison Control

• Varies by region - save local number in phone

International

• Your country’s embassy/consulate number

When to Use Which Number

Call 112 if:

• Medical emergency (heart attack, severe injury, unconscious)
• Fire
• Serious accident
• Immediate danger to life

Call 110 if:

• Crime in progress
• Immediate police assistance needed
• Witnessing a crime
• Feeling threatened

Call 116117 if:

• Need a doctor outside office hours
• Illness but not emergency
• Medical advice needed
• Non-urgent care

Government Offices and Services

Local Authorities

Bürgeramt (Citizens’ Office)

• Address registration (Anmeldung)
• ID and passport services
• Certificates
• Usually requires appointment

Ausländerbehörde (Foreigners’ Office)

• Residence permits
• Visa extensions
• Work permits
• Citizenship applications

Finanzamt (Tax Office)

• Tax registration
• Tax returns
• Tax ID (Steuer-ID)
• Questions about taxes

Arbeitsagentur (Employment Agency)

• Unemployment benefits
• Job search assistance
• Vocational training
• Recognition of foreign qualifications

Sozialamt (Social Welfare Office)

• Social assistance
• Benefits for families
• Housing support
• Emergency aid

Online Government Services

Websites

• www.germany.info - Official Germany information
• www.make-it-in-germany.com - For skilled workers
• www.bund.de - Federal government portal
• www.115.de - Government services hotline

Digital Services

• Some cities offer online appointment booking
• Bürgeramt services increasingly digital
• Tax filing online (ELSTER)

Healthcare Resources

Finding Doctors

Search Tools

• Jameda.de - Doctor reviews and search
• Doctolib.de - Online appointment booking
• 116117.de - Find on-call doctors
• KBV Arztsuche - Official physician directory

Types of Doctors

• Hausarzt - General practitioner (your first contact)
• Facharzt - Specialist (usually needs referral)
• Notarzt - Emergency doctor

Pharmacies (Apotheke)

Finding Pharmacies

• Red “A” sign
• City center: Many options
• Notdienst - Emergency pharmacy (rotating schedule)
• www.aponet.de - Find emergency pharmacy

What They Offer

• Prescription medications
• Over-the-counter medicines
• Health consultations
• Some medical tests

Mental Health Support

Resources

• Telefonseelsorge - 0800 111 0 111 (24/7 crisis line)
• Psychotherapist search - www.therapie.de
• English-speaking therapists - www.theralingo.com
• University counseling - For students

Expat Organizations and Communities

Major Expat Networks

InterNations

• www.internations.org
• Largest expat network
• Events and groups
• City-specific communities

Meetup

• www.meetup.com
• Interest-based groups
• Language exchanges
• Social activities

Facebook Groups

• City-specific expat groups
• Nationality-based communities
• Interest groups (sports, hobbies)

Welcome Centers

Many cities have welcome centers (Willkommenszentren):

• Initial orientation
• Registration help
• Integration support
• Networking opportunities

Major Cities

• Berlin: www.berlin.de/willkommenszentrum
• Munich: www.muenchen.de/rathaus/welcome-center
• Frankfurt: www.frankfurt.de/welcome-center
• Hamburg: www.hamburg.com/welcome

Useful Websites and Apps

Essential Apps

Transportation

• DB Navigator - Train schedules and tickets
• Google Maps - Navigation and transit
• Citymapper - Urban navigation (major cities)
• Free Now - Taxis and ride-sharing

Food and Delivery

• Lieferando - Food delivery
• Gorillas/Flink - Grocery delivery
• Too Good To Go - Discount surplus food

Shopping

• Amazon.de - Online shopping
• eBay Kleinanzeigen - Used items marketplace
• Zalando - Fashion and clothes
• Check24 - Price comparisons

Banking and Finance

• N26 - Mobile banking
• Revolut - Multi-currency
• Wise - International transfers
• PayPal - Online payments

Language

• DeepL - Best translation
• Google Translate - Translation and camera
• Duolingo - Language learning
• dict.cc - Dictionary

Government

• Bürgeramt appointment apps - City-specific
• NINA - Emergency alerts
• ELSTER - Tax filing

Useful Websites

General Information

• www.make-it-in-germany.com - Official immigration info
• www.howtogermany.com - Expat guide
• www.toytowngermany.com - Expat forum
• www.settle-in-berlin.com - Comprehensive guides

Housing

• www.immobilienscout24.de - Apartment search
• www.wg-gesucht.de - Shared flats
• www.immowelt.de - Property listings

Jobs

• www.indeed.de - Job search
• www.linkedin.com - Professional networking
• www.xing.com - German LinkedIn
• www.stepstone.de - Professional jobs

Services

• www.check24.de - Compare insurance, energy, etc.
• www.verivox.de - Price comparisons
• www.verbraucherzentrale.de - Consumer protection

Language Learning Resources

Free Resources

Online Platforms

• Deutsche Welle (DW) - www.dw.com/learn-german
• Goethe-Institut - Free materials
• YouTube - Easy German, Learn German with Anja
• Duolingo - Gamified learning

Exchanges

• Tandem - Language exchange app
• HelloTalk - Language practice
• Meetup - Language exchange events
• University Stammtisch - Conversation groups

Paid Resources

Language Schools

• Goethe-Institut - Premium quality
• Berlitz - Intensive courses
• inlingua - Conversation focus
• Volkshochschule (VHS) - Affordable courses

Online Courses

• Babbel - Structured learning
• Lingoda - Live classes
• Rosetta Stone - Immersion method

Transportation Resources

Public Transit

Planning Tools

• DB Navigator - Nationwide train planning
• City-specific apps - BVG (Berlin), MVG (Munich), etc.
• Google Maps - Integrated transit
• Rome2Rio - International connections

Tickets

• Deutschland-Ticket - €49/month nationwide
• DB App - Long-distance tickets
• City apps - Local tickets

Car-Related

Ride Sharing

• BlaBlaCar - Long-distance carpooling
• Free Now - Taxi app
• Uber - Available in some cities

Car Sharing

• ShareNow - Car sharing (formerly Car2Go/DriveNow)
• SIXT share - Short-term car rental
• Miles - Pay-per-kilometer

Driving Resources

• ADAC - German auto club (roadside assistance)
• TÜV - Vehicle inspection

Shopping and Services

Online Shopping

General

• Amazon.de - Everything
• eBay.de - New and used
• Otto.de - Department store online

Specialty

• Zalando - Fashion
• MediaMarkt/Saturn - Electronics
• Douglas - Beauty products
• Thalia - Books

Marketplace

• eBay Kleinanzeigen - Local classifieds
• Facebook Marketplace - Used items
• Vinted - Used clothing

Price Comparison

Websites

• Idealo.de - Product price comparison
• Check24.de - Services and insurance
• Verivox.de - Utilities and contracts
• Geizhals.de - Tech products

Cultural and Leisure

Event Listings

What’s On

• Eventbrite - Events and tickets
• Facebook Events - Local happenings
• City magazines - Local event guides
• Meetup - Group activities

Tickets

• Eventim - Concerts and sports
• TripAdvisor - Attractions
• Get Your Guide - Tours and activities

Sports and Fitness

Finding Clubs

• Local Sportverein - Community sports clubs
• Urban Sports Club - Fitness subscription
• FitX/McFit - Budget gym chains
• ClassPass - Flexible fitness

Embassies and Consulates

Finding Your Embassy

Search

• www.auswaertiges-amt.de - List of embassies in Germany
• Google “[your country] embassy Germany”

Services They Provide

• Passport renewal
• Emergency assistance
• Notary services
• Voter registration
• Consular reports

Major Cities with Consulates

• Berlin (capital - most embassies)
• Munich
• Frankfurt
• Hamburg

Important Documents to Keep

Always Accessible

• Passport/ID
• Residence permit
• Health insurance card
• Anmeldung confirmation

Keep Safely Stored

• Birth certificate (certified translation)
• Marriage certificate (if applicable)
• Education certificates
• Employment contracts
• Rental contract
• Insurance documents
• Tax documents

Digital Copies

• Scan all important documents
• Store in cloud (encrypted)
• Email copies to yourself
• Keep USB backup

Quick Reference Numbers

Government

• 115 - General government hotline
• 116117 - Medical non-emergency
• 0800 4 5555 00 - Citizen hotline (federal government)

Utilities

• Check your provider’s number - Varies by region and company

Banking

• Save your bank’s hotline - For card blocking, etc.

Insurance

• Save your insurance company numbers - Health, liability, etc.

Next Steps

Bookmark this page and:

1. Save emergency numbers in your phone
2. Identify nearest Bürgeramt and book appointment
3. Find your local doctor and pharmacy
4. Join an expat community or two
5. Download essential apps
6. Explore the Conclusion for final thoughts

These resources will serve you throughout your time in Germany - save this page!