How You Dial German Phone Numbers - Complete Detailed Guide
If you need to make a phone call to someone in Germany, it's important to know the correct international dialing code. This guide will provide you with all the information you need to dial German phone numbers, whether you're calling from within Germany or from abroad.
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How to Write & Dial German Phone Numbers
While it may be intimidating, German phone numbers are formatted much the same as other countries. As shown in the graphic below, a German phone number has 3 parts: the country code (Ländervorwahl), the area code (Vorwahl), and the local number.
Let’s look at an example:
The Country Code (Ländervorwahl) and international dialing code for Germany is +49. Including this prefix is only necessary if you are calling from another country. Remember the “+” is very important. If you are unable to dial the “+” in the German Country code from your telephone, you can alternatively dial “0049”. Like all other country codes, “00” will replace the “+” sign.
The Area Code (Vorwahl) for our example is 761. If dialing within Germany, you should add a “0” in front of the number - but we’ll talk more about that in a minute.
Finally, the local number for our example is 123 4567. Sometimes this number is longer, sometimes this number is shorter. Unlike numbers in the United States there isn’t a one-size fits all situation here.
Format of German Landline Phone Numbers
For German landlines (Festnetz), the Area Code (Vorwahl) is defined by geography. For our previous example, ‘761’ is our home city, Freiburg im Breisgau. For a complete list of German area codes, we highly suggest going here to find the one you need. But, for the most common cities, here’s a limited list:
Munich: 089
Berlin: 030
Dusseldorf: 0211
Hamburg: 040
Freiburg: 0761
Frankfurt: 069
Stuttgart: 0711
If you’re calling from a local landline number in Germany to another number in the same area, you can drop the area code. This is one of the reasons you often see very short phone numbers on shops within your town… which can be confusing if you are not aware of the area code of the city you are in (and dialing from a mobile phone, see why below.)
From our example above, if you’re in Freiburg on a landline and calling another local landline, you only need to dial 123 4567.
To call a German landline phone number from abroad, you need to include the +49 (or 0049) and include the area code but drop the ‘0’ from the prefix.
From our example above, you would dial +49 761 123 4567.
Format of German Mobile Phone Numbers
The format logic of German mobile numbers is different than landline numbers. This is because the area code (Vorwahl) has nothing to do with the geography of the user (customer). This area code of this German mobile phone is based off of the provider. However it is important to point out that many phone numbers have been taken from one provider to the next, so this may no longer be accurate for many German mobile numbers.
Here are some common area codes for German mobile phone providers:
O2 - 0176
Telekom - 0171
T-Mobile - 0160
Vodafone - 0162
To make this slightly more confusing, the area codes of German cell phone numbers can have a 4 or 5 digit prefix. For example, a possible prefix for Vodafone can also be 01520.
If you are curious to know the source of the area code prefix, go here.
To call a German cell phone number from abroad, you can follow the same rules as calling a German landline phone number from abroad. You need to include the +49 (or 0049) and drop the ‘0’ of the area code prefix.
From our example above, you would dial +49 761 123 4567.
To call a German cell phone number within Germany, you will need to include the area code.
From our example above, you would dial 0761 123 4567.
Black Forest Family Tip
If you travel abroad frequently, save all of your phone numbers with the country code included. Without this, you will need to manually add this if you’re outside of the country you are calling.
How Many Digits are in a German Phone Number?
A new German phone number standard was introduced on May 3rd 2010. Since then, most landline numbers have 11 digits.
However, the number of digits in a German phone number can actually range from 9 - 13 and are split as described above. (Country Code) - (Area Code) - (Number).
How to Dial German Phone Numbers from Abroad
To call Germany from outside of the country, you will need to dial the complete number (minus the ‘0’ prefix of the area code). For the purposes of our example, this will either be:
+49 761 123 4567
Or
0049 761 123 4567
If you want to know how to dial a German phone number from the United States, simply follow the two examples above.
How to Dial German Phone Numbers within Germany
To call another German number from Germany, you will need to only dial the regional number. As explained above, this is when you include the “0”. So for our example, to call a number within Germany, you would dial:
0761 123 4567
How to Dial a Local Phone Number in Germany
To call another local landline phone number (Festnetz) within your town, city, or municipality, you only need to dial the final digits in the German telephone number. In our example, this would be:
123 4567
How to Call other Countries from Germany
Last but not least, it’s important to underscore how you can call abroad from Germany. Just like with calls to Germany, the country code is extremely important. For example, if you would like to call the United States from Germany, all phone numbers must have the prefix +1, +01 or 001. This will then be followed by a 3 digit area code and a 7 digit local phone number.
For a list of all country codes, go here.
What Are The Emergency Phone Numbers In Germany
Unlike some countries like the United States (Emergency 911), there are two emergency phone numbers in Germany.
Police only emergencies - 110
Medical assistance or firefighter emergencies - 112
Like all over Europe, 112 is the universal emergency number and also the activated emergency number from your cell phone. Operators speak both English and German, so no need to worry about being able to communicate clearly. It is important to note to never call these numbers unless it’s a real emergency.
Special Phone Numbers In Germany
Like other countries, in Germany there are reserved special phone number prefixes for different purposes. For reference in the United States, a 1-800 number is a phone number which charges the cost to the owner of the number, rather than the caller. In Germany, there are many special prefix phone numbers (Sonderrufnummer), which can be expensive to call.
0800: Toll free numbers, which charge the cost to the owner of the phone number and not the caller
0900 & 0190 to 0194: Be very cautious of any number starting with 0900 or 0190 to 0194. These are premium-rate services (often adult-only) and can be VERY expensive.
0180 to 01805: These are shared-cost services which charge by minute or per connection, starting at €0.039 per minute and €0.06 per connection.
01371 to 01379: These German phone numbers charge by the minute or by the call. They are often used for voting for TV shows. Costs are usually 50 cents but can be €1.00 per call.
How To Find A German Phone Number?
Massive printed phone books still exist in Germany, but if you’re reading this article you will probably want to search for a number online. So, we suggest you search for any business or person at dastelefonbuch.de. If you’re looking for a business, you may find the number faster utilizing Google.
How to Get a German Phone Number
To get a German cell phone number:
Get a month-to-month SIM card.
Get a full contract (usually a 2 year duration.)
To get a German landline number:
Sign up for a home internet plan, a landline (Festnetz) comes with it.
Best Apps for Dialing German Numbers for Free
Now that you have the hang of how to dial a German phone number, you’re likely wondering how you can make these calls for free. We get it, calling internationally can get expensive. Particularly if you don’t have international calling included in your carrier’s plan.
However, there are a few tips and tricks that can save you quite a bit of cash.
Call with WhatsApp
Like a stereotypical wide-eyed and clueless tourist, I was completely oblivious to WhatsApp when I first arrived in Europe. Yes, that’s right…. The largest messaging app in the world, and I had absolutely no idea.
However, now that I am a hardened and seasoned immigrant, I am equipped with a WhatsApp number and the inside scoop on how to dial a German phone number for free.
Simply make your calls to another WhatsApp User over wifi for absolutely free - even from all the way around the world! Also, the data used for a voice call is often fairly low, so consider this a replacement than a standard voice call (with international fees) when you don’t have a Wifi connection.
Call with Google Fi
Find yourself traveling internationally and hate buying expensive international “add-ons” to your cellphone carrier plan?
Check out Google Fi. Google had us at “no stores, no activation fees, and no contracts”. But add in extremely affordable international calling rates and worldwide connectivity - and we were completely sold. With Google Fi, you're automatically covered with data and texting abroad at no extra charge, plus affordable voice calling at only 20 cents per minute - just step off the plane and go!
