Being far from home, it is important to have an opportunity to keep in touch. In Berlin you will find various facilities for this purpose.
Telephones
The country code for Germany is 49. When dialing a German number from abroad, drop the initial 0 from the local area code.
Directory & Operator Information
The German telephone system is fully automatic, and it's unlikely you'll have to employ the services of an operator unless you're seeking information. If you have difficulty reaching your number, call 0180/200-1033. You can book collect calls through this number to the United States but not to other countries. For information dial 11833 for numbers within Germany and 11834 for numbers elsewhere. International operators speak English.
International Calls
The country code for the United States and Canada is 1; for Australia, 61; for New Zealand, 64; and for the United Kingdom, 44.
International calls can be made from just about any telephone booth in Germany. Use a phone card or make international calls from post offices. You pay the clerk the cost of the call plus a EUR1 connection fee. At a hotel, rates will be at least double the regular charge, so never make international calls from your room.
Long-Distance Calls
AT&T, MCI, and Sprint access codes make calling long distance relatively convenient, but you may find the local access number blocked in many hotel rooms. First ask the hotel operator to connect you. If the hotel operator balks, ask for an international operator, or dial the international operator yourself. One way to improve your odds of getting connected to your long-distance carrier is to travel with more than one company's calling card (a hotel may block Sprint, for example, but not MCI). If all else fails, call from a pay phone.
Access Codes
In Germany:
AT&T Direct (Tel: 0130-0010).
MCI WorldCom (Tel: 0130-0012).
Sprint (Tel: 0130-0013).
Public Phones
Most telephone booths in Germany now are card-operated, and it's risky to assume you'll find a coin-operated booth when you need one, so buy a phone card. You can purchase one at any German post office (also available at many exchange places). Most phone booths have instructions in English as well as German. Another advantage of the card: it charges only what the call cost. Coin-operated phones don't make change.
Mail
While there is no main post office in Berlin, the branch at Budapester Strasse 42 has the longest operating hours which are Monday through Saturday from 8:00am to midnight and Sunday from 10:00am to midnight. Most other post offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 6:00pm and Saturday from 8:00am to 1:00pm In addition to post offices, stamps can be purchased at vending machines located near post boxes.
Cyber cafes
Surf-Inn
Standard equipment: 20 computers available, printer, video conference, multiplayer-games/video-conferencing, printing service
Address:
Alexanderplatz 9
tel: +49 (0)30 247 4340
Cybmind’s Virtuality Cafe Berlin
16 computers available, scanner, video conference, nearest cross street is Kurfurstendamn.. Opening hours: Mon. - Thu. 2 pm - 1am.
Address:
Lewishamstr 1
tel: +49 (0)30 327 5143
fax: +49 (0)30 327 51 44
Cyber Office
Only 3 minutes away from S-Bahn station Sonnenallee. 7 computers availbale, printer, scanner, fax-Service, 21" Monitor, download to ZIP, network
Address:
Brusendorfer Str. 24
Tel: +49 (0)30 680 8885
Netti – Das Spinnenwerk Cafe
Address:
Karl-Schrader-Straße 7/8
tel: +49 (0)30 217 30181
Alpha Internetcafe Internetgalerie
Address:
Dunckerstr. 72
tel: +49 (0)30 447 9067
Netzstatt
Address:
Veitstraße 40
tel: +49 (0)30 437 74 417
Dahm’s Cyber Office
Address:
Brusendorfer Str. 24
tel: +49 (0)30 - 680 888 55
Acc Chaos Cafe!
Address:
Wittenbergerstr. 76 - 80
tel: +49 (0)30 934 42011
Website
Address:
Joachimstaler Straße 41
tel: +49 (0)30 886 79630
Virtuality Cafe
Address:
Lewishamstr. 1
tel: +49 (0)30 327 5143
Cyberb@r Zoo
Address:
Joachimstalerstr. 5-6
tel: +49 (0)30 8802 4-0
Cafe Global
Address:
Haus der Kulturen der Welt, John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10
tel: +49 (0)30 39 78 70
Internet Cafe Hai-Traeck
Complete internet service, opening hours: 11:00am to 01:00am.
Address:
Bruennhildestr. 8
tel: +49 (0)30 859 6141
fax: +49 (0)30 859 61 415
Webtimes
Internet cafe with iMAC's, 15 computers, printer, scanner, aol 'friendly'. Open: 10 - 24 h.
Address:
Chausseestr.8, 10115 Berlin-Mitte
tel: +49 (0)30 280 4989
Cyberb@r KaDeWe
Address:
Tauentzienstr. 21-24
NETZ-Werk
Address:
Sonntagstr. 6
tel: +49 (0)30 29490654
