Germany runs on registered addresses, appointments and letters by post: the Anmeldung at the Bürgeramt comes first, and the residence permit, tax ID and many bank accounts follow from it. Calendars differ by host: Constructor’s spring term starts in late January, Humboldt’s summer semester in April. Cash still matters in bakeries and small shops, and almost everything closes on Sunday.
Money
Euro (€)
Language
German
Time
UTC+1; UTC+2 from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October
Plugs
Type C and F; 230 V
Tipping
Round up or add about 5–10% in restaurants, said to the server as you pay
Written for students from Azerbaijan first: where a rule depends on nationality, the rule for Azerbaijani citizens is given and labelled.
ADA University · Spring 2027
Universities and places
Humboldt University of Berlin
Berlin
2 places
There is no on-campus housing: dorm places are few, allocated by lottery and applied for via MoveOn by 30 November for the summer term, and contracts run for six months.
Spring 2027 exchange students check in on 25 January; classes run 1 February – 14 May and exams 19–29 May, and every study abroad student is given a single room on campus.
Places, programmes and the minimum cGPA are from ADA’s list. Confirm them with the Office of Global Outreach and Partners before you apply: exchange@ada.edu.az
Payments & banking4
Cards work in most shops now, but cash still matters in bakeries and small cafés; a German or euro IBAN is needed for rent and the broadcast fee.
CA
Cash and girocardEssential
How Germans actually pay at the till
On arrival
Why you need it: Cash was still the most used way to pay in Germany in 2025, at 45% of payments, and some bakeries, kiosks and small cafés take nothing else; bring euros and a Visa or Mastercard from home.
Bring a Visa or Mastercard from home and some euros for the first days
Withdraw cash at a bank’s own machine rather than an independent cash machine
Ask “Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?” before ordering in small places
Before you rely on itThe girocard is the German debit card on most local bank accounts; some shops accept it but not foreign Visa or Mastercard, especially for small amounts. Paying by phone is growing fast but was still only about one payment in ten in 2025.
Source: bundesbank.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
GO
Girokonto or Basiskonto (current account)
A German IBAN for rent, insurance and blocked-account payouts
On arrival
Why you need it: Your blocked account pays out into a German current account, and landlords and insurers collect by SEPA direct debit, so most semester students open one.
Bring your passport, visa and, if you have it, the Meldebestätigung
Ask a branch bank or apply online at an app bank
If refused, ask in writing for a Basiskonto (basic payment account)
Before you rely on itEveryone legally resident in the EU has a right to a basic account, and a postal address is enough; banks may still ask for registration before an ordinary account. Branch banks often charge a monthly fee.
Source: bafin.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
N2
N26
App bank with a free account and a German IBAN
Optional
Why you need it: It opens on your phone in minutes once you live in Germany, with no fee for the standard account, which suits a five-month stay.
Free, paid extrasVaries by nationalityVaries by residence status
Sign up in the app with your passport and a video identity check
Upload your visa or registration certificate if asked
Before you rely on itFor citizens of Azerbaijan: N26’s list of accepted documents for residents of Germany (May 2026) lists the Azerbaijani passport with conditions on the verification method, and the list changes; check it before relying on N26, and keep a branch bank as a fallback. You must already live in Germany to sign up.
Source: docs.n26.com · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
PP
PayPal
Pay online shops and settle up with friends
Optional
Why you need it: Germans use PayPal to split bills and pay small online shops that do not take foreign cards; sending euros to friends in Germany is free.
Before you rely on itFees apply to currency conversion and payments outside the EEA, so link a euro account or card rather than a manat card.
Source: paypal.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
Essential apps5
A few apps do most of the work: DB Navigator for trains, your city’s transport app, and Doctolib for booking a doctor.
DN
DB NavigatorEssential
Train times, tickets and delays across Germany
Before departure
Why you need it: Every rail journey between Bremen, Berlin and Hamburg runs through it, and it shows the platform changes and delays that are routine on German trains.
Create a DB account so tickets are saved to your phone
Under Options, switch on “D-Ticket services only” to find trains your semester ticket covers
Before you rely on itLong-distance Sparpreis (saver) fares are cheapest booked early and tied to a specific train. Delays are common: check the app before you leave.
Source: int.bahn.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
BF
BVG Fahrinfo
Berlin routes, live departures and tickets
On arrival
Why you need it: The Berlin operator’s own planner shows live departures and disruptions, and holds your Deutschlandticket if you subscribe through BVG.
Before you rely on itBVG also has a separate Ticket app and the Jelbi app for shared bikes and scooters. The Deutschlandsemesterticket at Humboldt lives in the S-Bahn Berlin app instead.
Source: bvg.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
FV
FahrPlaner (VBN)
Bremen bus and tram times, with mobile tickets
On arrival
Why you need it: It shows BSAG trams and buses in real time and sells single and day tickets, which matters when the next RS1 to Vegesack is half an hour away.
Before you rely on itIt sells single and day tickets and the Deutschlandticket, not every pass in the tariff. Mostly in German. It covers Bremen and Lower Saxony only; in Berlin, use BVG’s apps.
Source: fahrplaner.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
Do
Doctolib
Book doctor and dentist appointments online
Optional
Why you need it: Many German practices take new patients only by booking, and phoning in German is hard; Doctolib lets you search by specialty and book in English.
Create an account with your name, date of birth and email
Search by specialty, such as Allgemeinmedizin (general practice), and your district
Bring your insurance card or policy to the appointment
Before you rely on itNot every practice is on it, and many list appointments for publicly insured patients separately from private ones. For urgent care out of hours, call 116117 instead.
Source: doctolib.de · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Kl
Kleinanzeigen
Germany’s classifieds for second-hand goods and rooms
Optional
Why you need it: Bikes, lamps, bedding and kitchenware for a five-month stay are cheapest second-hand here, and you can sell them back before you leave.
Message through the app and meet in person to collect
Pay on collection, in cash or by PayPal to a known buyer
Before you rely on itFormerly eBay Kleinanzeigen. Mostly in German. Room and flat ads include scams: never pay a deposit or send ID copies before seeing a place.
Source: kleinanzeigen.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
Transport4
Enrolment usually brings the Deutschlandsemesterticket, valid on all local and regional transport nationwide; long-distance trains cost extra.
Germany-wide local transport, paid with the semester fee
On arrival
Why you need it: At most universities the semester contribution includes this ticket, so once enrolled you ride every local bus, tram, U-Bahn, S-Bahn and regional train in Germany at no extra cost.
Paid · Set at 60% of the Deutschlandticket price: €37.80 a month in 2026 and €40.08 from January 2027, so about €240 for a six-month summer semester in 2027, paid inside the semester contribution. Constructor sets its price each term (€174 for Fall 2025)Varies by university
Pay the semester contribution (Humboldt) or the fees Constructor invoices, which include the ticket
Humboldt: order it through abo-antrag.de and load it in the S-Bahn Berlin app
Constructor: follow the university’s semester-ticket guide in CampusNet
Carry your passport or ID with it: the digital ticket is checked against photo ID
Before you rely on itConstructor’s spring ticket runs 1 February – 31 August and Humboldt’s summer ticket from 1 April, so the first days after you land need a paid ticket. It does not cover ICE, IC, EC or FlixBus. Constructor charges exchange students for the ticket with their fees; at Humboldt it comes with the semester contribution.
Why you need it: If your semester ticket starts late or your host does not issue one, this is the flat-rate way to get around your city and travel by regional train at weekends.
Paid · €63 a month in 2026; €66.80 a month from 1 January 2027, as agreed by the state transport ministers
Order it from your city operator (BVG, BSAG) or in DB Navigator
Online orders for the next month close around the 20th; a customer centre can start it mid-month
Cancel before the end of your stay: it is a subscription that renews monthly
Before you rely on itSold only as a subscription, billed monthly; a European IBAN or card is usually needed. Not valid on ICE, IC, EC or FlixBus, or in first class.
Source: bvg.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
BA
BVG and S-Bahn Berlin
Berlin’s U-Bahn, buses, trams, ferries and S-Bahn
On arrival
Why you need it: Humboldt’s campuses are spread across Mitte, Adlershof and Dahlem, all reached by U-Bahn, S-Bahn or tram on the same VBB tickets.
Paid · Single AB ticket €4.00; ABC ticket, needed from BER airport, €5.20 from January 2027Varies by city
From BER airport, buy an ABC ticket: the airport is in fare zone C
Validate a paper ticket in the machine before boarding the U-Bahn or S-Bahn, or on the bus or tram
Switch to your semester ticket or Deutschlandticket once you have it
Before you rely on itThere are no barriers, but inspectors check often and an unvalidated paper ticket counts as no ticket. Zone A is inside the S-Bahn ring, B runs to the city limits, C is the surrounding area including Potsdam.
Source: unternehmen.vbb.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
BA
BSAG and the RS1 (Bremen)
Bremen’s trams and buses, and the train out to Vegesack
On arrival
Why you need it: Constructor University sits in Bremen-Vegesack, at the northern edge of the city: the Regio-S-Bahn from the Hauptbahnhof to Bremen-Schönebeck, then a walk or a short bus ride, is the way in.
From Bremen airport, take tram 6 to the Hauptbahnhof
Take the Regio-S-Bahn (RS1) towards Vegesack and get off at Bremen-Schönebeck
Walk to Campus Ring 1, or take bus 87, 94 or 95 from Vegesack or Burg station, which stop at the campus
Before you rely on itTrains between Schönebeck and central Bremen run about every 30 minutes, so evenings in the city need planning. Single tickets and day tickets for the VBN area are sold in the FahrPlaner app.
Prepaid SIMs are cheap, but German law requires identity verification before a SIM works.
PS
Prepaid SIM (Prepaid-Karte)Essential
A German number without a contract
On arrival
Why you need it: You need a German number for the Bürgeramt, landlords, banks and delivery apps, and a prepaid plan cancels cleanly when the semester ends.
Paid · ALDI TALK, for example: from €9.99 every 4 weeks; starter kit €9.99, often discounted (2026)
Buy a starter kit at a supermarket, phone shop or online (Telekom, Vodafone, O2 and discount brands all sell prepaid)
Activate it with your passport through the provider’s video or in-store identity check
Pick a 4-week package and top up or set up automatic payment
Before you rely on itGerman law requires the provider to check your identity against an ID card or passport before the SIM works, so a SIM bought in a shop may only start after the online check. Packages often run for 4 weeks, not a calendar month. EU roaming is included for trips.
Ask ADA IT whether your account works on eduroam abroad
Install the eduroam CAT profile for your institution before leaving
Otherwise log in with your host university account once enrolled
Before you rely on itVisitors from another eduroam member connect with their home login; whether that includes ADA was not confirmed, so ask ADA IT. Public wi-fi in Germany is patchier than in Baku; do not count on cafés.
Source: cat.eduroam.org · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Visa, registration & legal5
Visa in Baku, Anmeldung within two weeks of moving in, then, if your visa ends before your stay does, a residence permit from the Ausländerbehörde before it expires.
ND
National (D) visa for studyEssential
Entry visa for a study stay of more than 90 days
Before departure
Why you need it: A spring semester runs longer than 90 days, so citizens of Azerbaijan need a national study visa, applied for online and finished in Baku before you fly.
Paid · Visa fee €75, paid at the visa centre in manat or by card (2026); scholarship holders such as Erasmus or DAAD are exemptVaries by nationality
Open an account on the Foreign Office’s Consular Services Portal (Auslandsportal) and a TLScontact account for Baku
Upload the full set of documents: admission letter, proof of funds, health insurance, passport
Wait for TLScontact to check them and give you an appointment at the Baku visa centre (Khojali Avenue 37)
Give fingerprints and pay the fee there; track the decision in the portal
Before you rely on itFor citizens of Azerbaijan and anyone normally resident in Azerbaijan (six months or more), the German Embassy in Baku decides; Azerbaijani citizens living elsewhere apply to the German mission there. Documents not in German need a certified German translation. National visas are issued for 90 days to a year: check the end date when you receive yours (see the residence permit entry). The embassy often consults the immigration office in your German city and cannot speed this up, so start as soon as you are nominated.
Source: baku.diplo.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
SB
Sperrkonto (blocked account)Essential
Proof of living costs for the visa, released monthly
Before departure
Why you need it: The visa and any residence permit need proof that you can live on €992 a month; a blocked account is the usual way unless a scholarship or a sponsor covers you.
Paid · €992 a month for students (2026); for six months, €5,952, plus the provider’s feesVaries by nationality
Ask the embassy or your host how many months they expect you to cover for one semester
Choose a provider and open the account online
Transfer the amount and download the confirmation for the visa application
In Germany, activate payouts to a current account in your name
Before you rely on itThe Foreign Office no longer keeps a list of providers and has no business relationship with any of them, so compare fees yourself. The amount follows the maximum student grant (BAföG) rate, and a BAföG reform before parliament in autumn 2026 would raise it from the 2027 summer semester, so the figure may be higher when you apply; check the current amount in the Consular Services Portal before you transfer. A scholarship certificate or a formal sponsor declaration on the official form (Verpflichtungserklärung) are also accepted as proof of funds; ask the embassy which it accepts for your case.
Source: service.berlin.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
HI
Health insurance (Krankenversicherung)Essential
Insurance the visa, enrolment and any permit all require
Before departure
Why you need it: The visa needs a policy of at least €30,000 valid in all Schengen states, and German universities will not enrol you without proof of insurance.
Paid · Statutory student rate at TK: about €141–146 a month (2026)Varies by universityVaries by residence status
Ask your host university which cover it accepts for exchange students
Either join a public insurer (Krankenkasse) online, or buy a private policy and get it checked for an exemption
Make sure the insurer notifies the university electronically before enrolment
Carry the policy number and the insurer’s card
Before you rely on itAzerbaijan has no social security agreement with Germany, so home insurance does not count. If you take the exemption from public insurance, it applies for the whole of your studies. Statutory student rates apply up to age 30; check the rules for exchange students with your host.
Source: tk.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
AA
Anmeldung (address registration)Essential
Register your address within 14 days of moving in
On arrival
Why you need it: The registration certificate (Meldebestätigung) is needed for the residence permit and many bank accounts, and the tax ID is posted to the address you register.
Get the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord’s confirmation) signed when you move in
Book an appointment at a Bürgeramt (Berlin) or BürgerServiceCenter (Bremen) online
Bring your passport with visa, the form and the landlord’s confirmation
Keep the Meldebestätigung you are handed: you will need it again
Before you rely on itBerlin: book through service.berlin.de; appointments go fast, so book the day you have an address. Bremen: if no slot is free within the two weeks, booking an appointment in time counts as meeting the deadline; the BürgerServiceCenters also see people without an appointment during open hours. Constructor: campus residents sign the pre-filled registration form, return it to the housing office, and are emailed to collect the Meldebestätigung two to three weeks later. Missing the deadline can be fined.
Source: service.bremen.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
AR
Aufenthaltserlaubnis (residence permit)
Permit to stay on if your visa ends before your semester
On arrival
Why you need it: If your visa does not cover the whole stay, you must apply at the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) of your city before it expires.
Paid · Up to €100 for a first permit (2026)Varies by cityVaries by university
Check the end date on your visa: if it covers the semester, you need nothing more
Otherwise register your address first, then apply online with enrolment, funds and insurance proof
Attend the appointment you are given, with your passport and originals
Before you rely on itBerlin: the Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) takes applications only online, the fee is paid before you submit, and an appointment follows once the application is checked; expect weeks. Bremen: Constructor students apply to the Migrationsamt through the online form Constructor links; Constructor says to apply within 90 days of entering Schengen and at the latest before the visa expires, and the card is ready about four weeks after the biometric appointment.
Constructor houses exchange students on campus; in Berlin rooms are scarce, so apply through Humboldt for a residence place before looking privately.
CU
Constructor University residential colleges
On-campus rooms with a meal plan in Bremen-Vegesack
Before departure
Why you need it: Exchange students at Constructor pay room and board to the university and live on its residential campus, so housing is arranged with your admission rather than on the open market.
Paid · No published semester rate: ask the study abroad office. For a sense of scale, the Type B single room study abroad students are given is €6,480 for a 9-month contract, plus a compulsory meal plan of €5,250 a year (2026)Varies by universityVaries by city
Confirm with Constructor’s study abroad office the room type and price for one semester
Accept the housing offer with your admission documents
Sign the pre-filled Anmeldung form the housing office gives you and return it to them
Before you rely on itAll study abroad students are given a Type B single room with a shared bathroom, in one of four colleges with a kitchen on each floor. The campus is self-contained but far from central Bremen. Published prices are for 9- or 12-month contracts; a semester rate differs.
Student residences in Berlin, via a reserved quota
Before departure
Why you need it: Berlin’s student residences are in high demand, but exchange students apply through Humboldt for places held for programme students; for the summer semester 2027 Humboldt’s housing deadline will be 30 November 2026.
Apply for a dormitory place through Humboldt’s MoveOn application, by 30 November for the summer semester
Pay the deposit Humboldt asks for with the housing application
If you get no place, apply on the studierendenWERK housing portal with your admission letter, proof of the semester fee and passport, and search privately in parallel
Before you rely on itHumboldt has no campus housing and cannot guarantee a room: places are limited and assigned by lottery, contracts run for six months with no shorter option, and residences are often about 50 minutes from the main campus. For a private room, Humboldt suggests budgeting at least €600 a month.
Source: oia.colmex.mx · the provider or a government body · Checked
WG
WG-Gesucht
Rooms in shared flats, including short-term sublets
Before departure
Why you need it: A Zwischenmiete (sublet) in a WG (shared flat) for one semester is how many exchange students without a residence place end up housed in Berlin.
Filter by city, dates and Zwischenmiete for a fixed-term room
Write a short personal message in German or English: flatmates choose who they like
Insist on a video or in-person viewing and a written contract before paying
Ask for the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung so you can register
Before you rely on itFake listings are common: a “landlord abroad” who wants a deposit before handing over keys is a scam. Make sure the landlord will let you register; without it there is no Anmeldung.
Source: wg-gesucht.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
RB
Rundfunkbeitrag (broadcast fee)
Compulsory monthly fee charged per home
On arrival
Why you need it: Once you register an address, a letter arrives asking who pays for your home; one person per flat pays, so flatmates usually split it.
Paid · €18.36 a month per home (2026)Varies by residence status
When the letter arrives, check whether a flatmate already pays and give their contribution number
Otherwise register online and pay
Deregister online when you move out at the end of the semester
Before you rely on itIt is owed whether or not you own a TV. Students receiving BAföG can apply for exemption, which exchange students do not receive. Whether a residence room counts as its own home depends on its layout; ask your residence.
Source: rundfunkbeitrag.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
Student life4
Each host has its own calendar and enrolment steps; the semester fee brings the transport ticket, and buddies and ESN help in the first week.
HI
Humboldt incoming exchange team
Application, enrolment date and semester fee at Humboldt
Before departure
Why you need it: Humboldt’s summer semester runs from 1 April to 30 September 2027, later than ADA’s spring term, and its nomination and application deadlines fall in November 2026; the incoming team handles your application, enrolment and dormitory place.
Paid · No tuition, and the matriculation fee is waived for exchange students. The semester contribution covers the transport ticket and student-services fees: Humboldt’s 2026/27 fact sheet says about €275, but the ticket alone will be about €240 in summer 2027, so expect moreVaries by university
Ask ADA to nominate you before Humboldt’s summer-semester deadline of 15 November 2026
Submit the online application between 15 October and 30 November 2026, with a language certificate, motivation letter, transcript, CV and study plan
Pay the semester contribution and send proof of health insurance before enrolment
Before you rely on itFor courses taught in English you will need TOEFL 80 or IELTS 6.0; German-taught courses need B2 or Humboldt’s placement test. Summer-semester exams fall in the last two weeks of July, so check them against ADA’s calendar before booking flights home. Contact: exchange-students@hu-berlin.de. Humboldt’s site sits behind a bot check and may ask your browser to wait a moment.
Source: oia.colmex.mx · the provider or a government body · Checked
CU
Constructor University study abroad office
Arrival, fees and course registration at Constructor
Before departure
Why you need it: Constructor runs on an American-style calendar: spring exchange students check in on 25 January 2027, classes run from 1 February to 14 May, exams end on 29 May and the colleges close for non-graduating students on 1 June.
Paid · No tuition for partner exchange students; room and board, the university fee and the semester ticket are charged (2026)Varies by university
Ask ADA to nominate you before Constructor’s spring nomination deadline of 15 October 2026, then apply by 15 November 2026
Book flights to arrive for the 25 January 2027 check-in
Register for courses between 25 January and 3 February 2027; changes close on 16 February
Ask the office for the exact semester charges before you transfer money
Before you rely on itTeaching is entirely in English and the campus is residential, which makes the first week easier than in a big city; the trade-off is distance from central Bremen.
A Humboldt student to help you through the first weeks
Before departure
Why you need it: Experienced Humboldt students help newly arrived exchange students settle in, from finding a room and the canteens to timetables, and a mentor who speaks German makes the Bürgeramt and the bank far less daunting.
Register through the studis4studis link on Humboldt’s Welcome Centre pages, or write to studis4studis@hu-berlin.de
Tell your mentor your arrival date before you fly
Before you rely on itRun by Orbis Humboldtianus, Humboldt’s international club. If you hear nothing, ask the incoming exchange team.
Source: international.hu-berlin.de · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
MA
Mensa and MensaCard
Cheap hot lunches in the university canteens
On arrival
Why you need it: The Mensa is the cheapest hot meal near campus, and Berlin’s student canteens are paid with the MensaCard, so get one in the first week.
Top it up at a machine, or set up automatic top-up in the MensaCard portal
Show student status to pay the student price
Before you rely on itHumboldt has canteens at Mitte (HU Nord, HU Süd) and Adlershof. Constructor students eat in their residential college under the compulsory meal plan instead.
Source: stw.berlin · the provider or a government body · Checked
Communication & language3
Offices and letters are in German; English is common among students but not always at the Bürgeramt.
DL
DeepL
Translate German letters, forms and leases accurately
Before departure
Why you need it: Official letters from the Bürgeramt, the broadcast fee service and your insurer arrive in formal German; DeepL handles that register well and translates whole PDF and Word files.
Translate German to Russian or English, whichever reads more naturally to you
Before you rely on itThe free version limits document translations and length; do not upload documents with your passport or bank details. For signing a lease, have a German speaker check it.
Source: deepl.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
GT
Google Translate
Camera and conversation translation, offline too
Before departure
Why you need it: Point the camera at a supermarket label, a ticket machine or a sign in the Bürgeramt, and it translates live conversation both ways.
Free German courses from Germany’s public broadcaster
Before departure
Why you need it: A few weeks of beginner German before you fly makes shops, ticket machines and the Bürgeramt much easier, even if your courses are in English.
Save +49 30 206 480 63 and consul_berlin@mission.mfa.gov.az
Note the hours: walk-in Monday, Wednesday and Friday 09:00–12:00; phone Monday, Wednesday and Friday 15:00–17:00, Tuesday and Thursday 09:00–12:00
Keep a scan of your passport and visa in your email
Before you rely on itNot from Azerbaijan? Your own embassy’s page is the one to save. The consular section is at Hubertusallee 43, 14193 Berlin, and takes fees by transfer or card, not cash. From Bremen, it is a train journey of about three hours.
Source: berlin.mfa.gov.az · the provider or a government body · Checked
1O
116117 (on-call doctor service)
A doctor when practices are closed, for non-emergencies
Before departure
Why you need it: Fall ill on a weekend and 116117 finds you an on-call practice or sends a doctor, without a trip to hospital emergency.
Use the website to find on-call practices and English-speaking doctors nearby
For anything life-threatening, call 112 instead
Before you rely on itThe phone line is only in German, so ask a flatmate to call or use the website search. Bring your insurance card or policy.
Source: 116117.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
IP
Internetwache (police online station)
Report a theft or scam to the police online
Optional
Why you need it: A stolen phone or a rental scam needs a police report for insurance and a new passport; in Berlin you can file it online in English instead of queueing at a station.
Before you rely on itNot for emergencies: if you are in danger, call 110. Bremen: thefts and property damage can be reported through the shared Online-Wache portal (portal.onlinewache.polizei.de), choosing Bremen as the state; anything else goes to a police station.
Quiet Sundays, bottle deposits and punctuality: the rules are unwritten but firmly kept.
01Sundays are closed
Supermarkets and most shops close on Sunday and public holidays. Shop on Saturday; on Sunday, station supermarkets and Berlin’s Spätis (late-night kiosks) are the fallback.
02Pfand: bottles are money
Most plastic bottles and cans carry a €0.25 deposit (Pfand). Return them to the machine in any supermarket for a voucher you spend at the till.
03Quiet hours are real
Rest periods (Ruhezeiten), usually from 22:00 at night and on Sundays, are written into many house rules. Neighbours will complain about noise, vacuuming or loud music.
04Everything comes by post
Your tax ID, broadcast fee, bank cards and permit letters arrive by post. Put your name on the letterbox and the doorbell as soon as you move in, or letters go back.
05Appointments run the country
Offices, doctors and many services work by Termin (appointment). Walking in rarely works; book online and arrive on time with every document printed.
06Bring your papers in print
German offices still want printed copies: passport, visa, lease, landlord form, insurance and enrolment. A folder of copies saves a second appointment.
07Separate the rubbish
Houses sort waste into paper, packaging (yellow bin or bag), organic and the rest; glass goes to street containers by colour. Flatmates notice if you do not.
08Bike lanes are not pavements
Red or marked lanes beside the pavement belong to cyclists, who ride fast and ring once. Look before stepping off, especially in Berlin and Bremen.
09Pay separately and tip as you pay
Asked “zusammen oder getrennt?”, friends usually pay their own share. Say the total you want to pay, tip included, as you hand over the money.
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