Skip to content
← back to thoughts

Berlin Guide

// 2 min read
Berlin Guide

This started as a simple list for colleagues visiting Berlin for work. Over time it grew into something I kept sharing with friends moving to the city. I wish I had this when I first moved here. Berlin is a weird city, but one I’ve grown to like.

Crowd-sourced guides

These two cover the widest range of topics for living in Berlin:

In case of emergency

All emergency numbers are listed here. The two you need to know:

  • 👮‍♂️ 110 for Police
  • 🚨 112 for Emergency Services (Ambulance, Fire Brigade)

There’s an app for everything

  • Food delivery - Wolt, Uber Eats
  • Quick commerce - Gorillas, Flink, Getir
  • Ride hailing - FreeNow, Uber, Bolt. More on getting around Berlin.
  • Medicine delivery - MAYD
  • Apartments - ImmoScout24 is the default. Competition is fierce, especially inside the ring. Chasing leads on new builds via Neubau Compass and reaching out directly often works better. Best bet is usually a recommendation from colleagues or friends.
  • Banking - Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, C24 for traditional. Revolut and Wise for neobanks. Wise is also the best for remittances.
  • Insurance - Very common in Germany. Health insurance (TK) comes with your job. Beyond that, consider legal, home contents, and liability insurance. Getsafe is a good option.
  • Tax returns - Find a tax advisor or use Taxfix.

Sundays are weird

Everything is closed. Grocery stores, malls, all of it. Only restaurants stay open. This guide lists what’s actually open on Sundays.

Neighbourhoods

Berlin neighbourhood map for the official overview and Hoodmaps for the crowd-sourced version.

Events

Visit Berlin event calendar

Desi grocery stores

View all on Google Maps

Halal meat shops

View all on Google Maps

Movies in English

Most cinemas show German dubbed versions. OV Berlin aggregates showtimes for original versions. Look for:

  • OV - Original Version
  • OmeU - Original with English Subtitles
  • OmU - Original with German Subtitles

Also useful: English cinemas in Berlin.

Moving apartments

DIY - Buy boxes and supplies from Amazon or Bauhaus. Get friends to help (🍕 mandatory). Rent a van via Sixt or Miles, or get one with a driver (Gurvinder is reliable).

Hands-off - Umzug365, Moovick, or Movinga.

Recycling

Germans take this seriously. Here’s how to sort your trash.

Expat newsletters

Exploring the city

Curated places on Google Maps