Everyday tips for making telephone calls

Telephone codes

The country code for Germany is +49, the city code for Bochum is 0234 when dialing from within Germany. If you are calling from another country leave the "0" out (thus +49/234/xxxx).

• country codes for Germany (depending from your home country):
  http://www.schweiz.ch/vorwahl/
• country codes for calls from Germany:
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_country_calling_codes

Toll free and pay per call services have special codes in Germany. Toll free numbers start with 0800 and pay per call services (so called value-added services) start with 0900 or 0180. The number following the code tells you what kind of services you are calling or how much they charge.

Many imposters send emails or text messages trying to trick you into dialing expensive 0900 numbers. Be careful, one phone call can cost several Euros.

Emergency numbers

General:

• General emergencies, Fire department: 112
• Police: 110
• Red Cross (Rescue services and Patient Transport Ambulance): 19222

General emergency calls are free of charge on all mobile telephones and phone booths.

In Bochum:

• Medical emergency service (evenings and on weekends): 0234/19292
• Dental emergency service (evenings and on weekends): 0234/770055
• Pharmacy service: http://www.citylive.de/aponodie/

For further important numbers in Bochum see:
http://stud.rub.de/infos/?zeiger=Notdiensttafel%20Bochum%20und%20Wattenscheid

Information

Telephone numbers can be found in the telephone book, from directory assistance or in the internet. Once a year you can get a local telephone book and the classified directory the "yellow pages" for free at the post office. You can also search for telephone numbers using the directory assistance (subject to fees) or in the internet (free of charge).

• directory assistance: http://www.teleauskunft.de
• yellow pages: http://www.gelbeseiten.de
• international white pages: http://www.auslandsauskunft.com/, http://peoplesearch.lycos.com/ or http://www.1a-telefonauskunft.de/