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Moving to Berlin: What newcomers to the city should know

Berlin is a unique cosmos. The clocks tick differently here and sometimes you might think that Berlin is not even in Germany. If you move to Berlin from a big city like Hamburg, you won’t notice these subtle differences. But if you’ve never lived in a city with over a million inhabitants, you’ll have to get used to it. We’ll give you a few tips on how to get to know Berlin better.

Finding an apartment in Berlin – Which neighborhood is recommended?

Where is the crucial question before any move to Berlin. West or east? In the Ring or rather outside? Berlin is a sprawling city spread over 892 km², making it one of the largest municipalities in Germany. You should therefore choose your neighborhood carefully.

Trendy districts such as Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, Prenzlauer Berg and of course Mitte and Charlottenburg are not cheap, but offer various advantages that new Berliners come to appreciate. Whether it’s nightlife, culinary delights or the atmosphere in a café on a beautiful summer Sunday – the colorful, diverse life pulsates here and that’s exactly what many people love about Berlin.

But there are also great areas and apartments far away from the popular neighborhoods that have not yet fallen victim to the real estate market – and are also vibrant or just starting to: Wedding, Moabit, Schöneberg, Tempelhof or Neukölln, for example.

However, you can find peace and quiet and sometimes still moderate rents in Plänterwald, Schöneweide, Rummelsburg or Köpenick. These neighborhoods are located somewhat outside or in the countryside.

With or without furniture?

Rather unusual for expats and international students, but nothing new for German newcomers to the city: on the Berlin housing market, there are furnished rooms and apartments as well as those without furniture. Your own living situation and the associated requirements provide clarity here: if you are only staying in Berlin for a few months, you do not need new furnishings and can move into a furnished room. If you are interested in Berlin and would like to stay permanently, you should look for unfurnished apartments and indicate this in your search.

PS: The Berlin micro-apartments from SMARTments are also furnished and fully equipped.

Registration at the Citizens’ Registration Office: The test of patience

There is no way around it: registration at the Citizens’ Registration Office is mandatory under the Federal Registration Act.

The problem: Berlin registers 40,000 new citizens every year and the offices are heavily overloaded. It is therefore best to apply for an appointment three months in advance and book your appointment online. You can find out which documents you need and must bring with you on the Bürgeramt website. There you can go directly to your district and request an appointment at the relevant citizens’ office

• Tip: You do not necessarily have to go to the Bürgeramt in your district, but can often register in the neighboring district due to the high workload. It is best to ask directly at your local Bürgeramt. For the same reasons, you will also receive some leniency from the office, as people who want to make an appointment usually cannot meet the legal deadlines due to the overload.

Tegel, Schönefeld, Central Station – but no BER

Many Berliners have long forgotten or suppressed the topic: BER. However, the fact that the project has failed several times in a wide arc leaves tourists just as cold. They just have to switch to other transport routes. Depending on which area of the city – i.e. Kiez – you want to visit, different means of transport are recommended. Tegel is at the top left, Schönefeld at the bottom right. The main station is good if you don’t want to go to Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg or Schöneweide. And if you want to get in or out by car, you should pay close attention to the timing. Arriving in Berlin during rush hour is not so much fun.

Berlin dialect: Icke and me

Berlin dialect: Icke und mir
Yes, Berliners are Berliners and say “Icke” and “Mir”. Perhaps you were lucky enough to notice this at the airport. Many words in this dialect are self-explanatory or their meaning can at least be deduced. However, newcomers should learn a few basic rules so as not to fall flat on their faces.

For example: Nobody orders bread rolls from the bakery, the small white ones are always called Schrippen. Nobody orders Berliners, but pancakes. And mixed beer drinks are either called Diesel (with cola) or Radler (with lemonade). It’s better to order a Berliner Weisse straight away.

Typical Berlin words

Special Berlin dos and don’ts: escalators, sidewalks

Berliners are easily annoyed when newcomers are not yet familiar with the unwritten rules of hectic coexistence. As in every big city except London, you should stand on the right-hand side of escalators so that people in a hurry don’t lose any time and you don’t get in the way. The latter often happens on sidewalks too: Tourists and non-Berliners stop abruptly.

Fellow citizens are then forced to take evasive action or run straight into the traffic jam.

Berliners have little patience at traffic lights: if you look at your smartphone for five or even two seconds too long, you will be mercilessly honked at. So keep your eyes open and react as quickly as possible in Berlin traffic.

Plus: Please watch out for cyclists when turning off and don’t park in the second row – otherwise you’ll incur the ringing wrath of even bigger road users, the streetcars!

Soft sidewalks, noise pollution and street games

Berlin’s neighborhoods are great for exploring on foot. However, there are so many minefields in parks and on sidewalks that it is advisable to look down.

Noise pollution is also a problem for many newcomers – especially in trendy neighborhoods such as Prenzlberg, Fhain or X-Berg. In some areas, you should simply stay away if the need for peace and quiet is more important than long-established clubs and cultural events.

The last tip is not about noise, but about money: please avoid street gamblers with boxes and hats. You won’t be able to guess where the coin is anyway, because it’s a set-up and the accomplices stand between the spectators to lure in new victims.