GENERAL INFORMATION

Climate and time zone
Berlin is located in the Central European Time zone MEZ. Germany belongs to a temperate zone, which requires a wardrobe as flexible as possible. In summer, the temperature rises above 27°C/80F, but deviations are quite common.

Currency
The Euro “€” is the official currency in Germany. You can change money at banks, post offices and currency exchanges in airports or train stations. Common credit cards are American Express, MasterCard and Visa. Diners Club is rarely used, but is accepted by major hotels, petrol stations or large shops. Otherwise cash will be accepted.

Electricity
The voltage in Germany is 220V. The electrical sockets may be different and you might need to take an adaptor plug with you to use your electronic devices. Adapters are widely available in electronics stores.

Sales tax
In Germany the Value added tax (VAT) rate of 19% is added to the net price. On certain products and services, such as books, staple foods (except soft drinks and spirits), newspapers, flowers and public transport tickets the reduced VAT rate of 7% is applied.

Shopping hours
Berlin has the most liberal opening times in Germany. Almost all shops in the large shopping streets are usually open from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Apart from a few exceptions (airports and railway stations), all shops are closed on Sundays. Banks are usually open between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

Visa requirements
It is your sole responsibility to take care of meeting visa requirements. If you require an entry visa, you should plan ahead and give the application procedure plenty of time. Please contact the nearest embassy or consulate to find out about guidelines and processing times for visa applications. Please note that the organizers will not contact embassies or consulates on behalf of visa applicants.