New Bees in Germany

Here are some information for the newcomers in Germany. I live close to Stuttgart and all these info are also written for the location in and around Stuttgart. 

City registration (Anmeldung)

As soon as you arrive in Germany and if you are staying here for more than 90 days, please register yourself (Anmeldung) within first week of your arrival in the city municipal office (Rathaus) where you are staying.

You should go to the citizens' office (Bürgerbüro) inside the Rathaus.

Documents needed:

  1. Original Passport
  2. Registration form (Anmeldung Formular) 
  3. Fill the flat confirmation from your landlord (Wohnugsgeberbestätigung) and ask your landlord to sign it.
  4. You can print these forms online or the easiest way is to go to Rathaus and ask them, they will give you.
  5. Once you are registered, they will give you the registration copy (Kopie der Anmeldung). You should keep this copy safely.
  6. Once you have registered, you will get through post your tax identification number (Steuer-Identifikatiosnummer). You should keep this safely.

Transport:
  1. Germany has a good public transport system.
  2. You can buy tickets at the ticket vending machine or online apps, see www.vvs.de or VVS app (app where you can buy local tickets within Stuttgart region).
  3. For other long distance tickets use Deutsche Bahn (DB) app or www.bahn.de 
    1. Regional trains are cheaper compared to ICE, IC but take longer to travel.
  4. Children until age of 5 can travel free of cost. From 6th year, children have to buy a ticket half of the regular price.
Travelling without ticket will cause you 60 Euros fine.


Banks:
Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, Comdirect provide zero charge savings account, if your salary is credited to this savings account.
Almost all other banks charge you a monthly service fee.
The debit card (EC Karte) is used for withdrawal of money. Commerzbank customers can use all cashgroup ATM machines (Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, Postbank, Hypovereinsbank) without any extra service fee.
Commerzbank customers can also withdraw money at Lidl cash counter (you should tell the cashier) and also at some gas stations like Shell.

Health Insurance:
It is mandatory in Germany!!! There are 2 kinds of insurance, public and private.
Most of the people go for public insurance, and it is really good.
Just call them, they will help you with.

Recommendations for public insurance:
  1. TK (Techniker Krankenkasse)
  2. AOK

Internet :
Setting up an internet connection takes minimum of 3 weeks.
1 & 1, Telekom, Vodafone, Congstar are few examples.

Please be aware here the contracts are normally fixed for 24 months. Even if you quit the contract, you have to pay, unless you relocate to a place where the internet provider service is not available.

For Hotspot pass without any contracts:
You can buy daily hotspot, weekly, monthly hotspot for a small money.
1. Check if there is an hotspot available in your area.

Medical Stores:
In German they are called "Apotheke".
Every village will have an Apotheke. Check for the opening timings - they close early, usually around 18:30.
On weekends some are closed.

But for emergency there will be always an emergency pharmacy (Notapotheke) in your village open on weekends.
You can find a closest one using this link:

Emergency contact numbers:

Police: 110
Ambulance: 112
Fire Brigade: 112 

Groceries/Vegetables:

  1. In Germany, groceries including milk products, meat, fish and vegetables are available in supermarkets.
  2. All supermarkets are almost closed on Sunday, except gas stations. Some Bakeries are open on Sundays.
  3. Supermarkets are open on weekdays usually from 07:00 to 20:00 , some shops until 22:00.
  4. In villages or small towns, small shops close even on Wednesday afternoon.

Supermarkets are Lidl, Aldi, Kaufland, Rewe, Edeka, Norma, Netto etc.

Edeka is little bit expensive. Aldi, Lidl are discounters, hence little bit cheaper.

Drug stores (Drogerie):
These are the shops where you can buy toiletries, childrens' diapers, cosmetics, cleaning products, greeting cards, decorations. 
Some examples: DM, Rossmann

Fresh vegetables and fruits:
There will be local markets weekly twice, on Saturday and Tuesday in our village. Here you get fresh vegetables, eggs and fruits from local farmers,.
These markets are only in the mornings 08:00 -12:30 or 07:30-12:00

Bakeries:

1. Germans bake the best bread and bread products and pastries ;)

2. Some vegetarians options are : 

  1. Bretzel
  2. Kartoffelbrot (potato bread), normal bread 
  3. Tafelbrötchen (plain bun)
  4. Belegte vegetarische Brötchen (bun sandwich)
  5. Laugenstange (also a kind of bun)
  6. Käsestange (baguette with cheese)
  7. Croissants
  8. Apfeltasche (apple bags) etc.
  9. Zwiebelkuchen ohne Speck (onion cake without bacon)
  10. Pizza
Some of the Bakeries: Veit, Zoller, Sehne, Cafe Meyer etc.

Furniture, Beddings, Cookware and Serveware:
Ikea 
Möbel Rieger
Möbel König
Speedy

Hardware / Plants / gardening materials / lights / toolbox:
OBI
Toom
Hornbach
Bauhaus

Electronics:
Medical facilities:

You always need an appointment before you visit a doctor. If you enroll your children to Kinderarzt and yourself to Hausarzt it will make your life easier to get appointments.

Kinderarzt (pediatrician): If you have children, please find a Kinderarzt in your village and call them and enroll your child.

Hausarzt (family doctor): For yourself, you can also find a nearby family doctor and enroll yourself, so that it makes it easier to get appointments.

Post / Courier:

  1. Deutsche Post
  2. DHL
  3. Hermes
Stationery / craft materials:
Tedi

Most important - Indian stores:

Online Food Delivery:

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