Germany: Current Residents

From Foreignliving

This article aims to provide helpful information to Pakistanis currently living in Germany. Also see information for prospective visitors, and city-specific information on various cities.

The information below is divided into sections for easy navigation. When these sections become too large, they should be moved to their own pages. In the meantime, feel free to make inline changes.

Contents 1 Travel Related Information 1.1 Travel Agencies 1.2 Travelling within Germany 1.3 Travelling within Europe 2 Economical Means for Calling Pakistan 2.1 Calling Cards 2.2 Using Telephone Codes (without card) 2.3 Internet-based PC-to-Phone 3 Online Communities & Mailing Lists 4 Visa Related FAQ 5 Job searching in Germany / Europe 6 Miscellaneous Information 6.1 Pakistani Embassy 6.2 Consulate General of Pakistan 6.3 Halaal Food Information 6.4 German Transport Companies

Travel Related Information

Almost all airlines operate a program called "Frequent Flyer Program" or similar. Membership is free and available from their website. Benefits include extra luggage, improved cutomer service, seat choice. As much you travel on that airline, increased are the benefits, and many folds. Free upgradation to first class seating, free food during transit, hotels, visas; and more travelling can even lead to free flights. Just remember to send your boarding passes to the airline after your flight. Tell your membership number to the travel agent when buying the ticket. It will be useful to enroll in these programs for airlines expected to be used. e.g.

• Emirates Program
• Etihad Program
• Gulf Air Program inc. 10 kg extra luggage
• Qatar Air Program

Travel Agencies

It is recommended to personally confirm the credentials of the travel agent before transferring any money.

• Akss Travels
  E-mail: aksstraveling@yahoo.com

• Almir Travels (Frankfurt)
  A Arshad Mir
  Email: almir_travels@hotmail.de

• East Continental Travels GmbH Head Office Aachen (ectaachen@arcor.de)
  Tel: 0241-9006444 ( Syed wasi Haider )

• East Continental Travels GmbH Branch Office Liege (Liege)
  Tel: 0032497774386 ( Khan Mubashar )

• Eastern Union (DUSS)
  Tel: 0211-1688963

• Eurotouristik, Al Abbas Travel (Frankfurt /AM)
  Tel:069235503

• Impex Travel Ltd (Duesseldorf)
  • Contact person: Tariq Syed
    
  • Opening Hours: Mon. - Fri. : 09:00 - 23:00, Sam.: 10:00 - 23:00, Son.: 11:00 - 23:00
    
  • Address: Impex Travel Ltd., Grupellostr. 33, 40210 Düsseldorf
    
  • Tel: 0049 (0)211 5504786-785, Fax: 0049 (0)211 5504783, Email: impextravel@hotmail.com
    
  • Bankverbindung: Impex Travel Ltd.
    
    • Commerzbank AG (Hannover)
      
    • BLZ: 250 400 66, Konto: 0202378600, IBAN: DE10 2504 0066 0202 3786 00, BIC: COBADEFFXXX

• Lucky Travel (Frankfurt)
  Tel: 069-24248831-32

• Paras Travels (Frankfurt)
  Mr. Ali Asim
  Handy: 0172-6743393

• PIA (Frankfurt)
  Tel:069-27390124, 069-27390125, 069-27390126

• Reisebuero Amanat (Hamburg)
  Email: info@amanat-reisen.com
  Website: http://www.amanat-reisen.com/
  

• Streamline (Frankfurt)
  Tel: 069 69022741

• Student Travel Agency
  Website: http://www.statravel.de/

• Taj Mahal Travels
  Tel: 069-27134660, 069-24248852

• Turkish Airlines (tickets can be booked online)
  Info missing

Travelling within Germany

• A cheap ticket called "Schönes Wochenende Ticket" (weekend ticket) is available from German train service. This ticket is valid on all trains and some buses in Germany. It can be used by five people to travel all-day-long from either Friday night till Saturday night, or from Saturday night till Sunday night. It costs 30 euros if you get it from machine, or 32 euros if you get it from the counter. This ticket is also valid in local buses and trams in some cities but not in others. Always ask from the local transport office whether it is valid inside the city. [1]

• Every state issues a state-ticket (Land-ticket) costing 20-25 euros. This ticket is valid inside that state for the whole day (weekdays: after 9 am, weekend: from 00:00). Five persons can travel on this ticket. Some states also have a smaller version of this ticket valid for one person which is cheaper in cost. [2]

• Another cheaper but less flexible way is travelling with other car-owners. Lots of people travel in such a way and is thus considered a safe method of travelling. The procedure is that people going from one city to another on their car advertise empty seats of their car on a website. These empty seats can be taken up by anyone. This method is usually cheaper than train and travel time is lesser. There are two popular websites for this purpose:
  • Mitfahrgelegenheit
  • Mitfahrzentrale (no longer free-of-charge)

• If you are tavelling with a high-speed train and one of the trains gets late, you can claim a portion of your ticket money back. Ask the DB counter in such an event. (Please enter more info).

Travelling within Europe

There are many airlines that offer very cheap tickets (even a few cents, excluding airport taxes) to fly within Europe (and sometimes outside as well). Some of them are:

• Ryanair: Starting from 0.01 euros, flies to numerous destinations in Europe. This airline operates from private airports some distance away from popular cities.

• German Wings: Flies to many cities in Europe starting from 19 euros. Even flies to popular cities.

• HLX: Costs starting from 20 euros, cheap airline flying to destinations in Europe.

• Easy Jet: Another cheap airline flying to fewer destinations in Europe.

• Air Belin: Yet another cheap airline.

• Deutsche Bahn (German Railways) also offers cheap packages to Europe from time to time.

• Remember that these costs are quoted without airport taxes. These taxes are always applied to tickets and may cost 10-50 or more euros.

• The mitfahrer service mentioned above can also be used to travel within the whole Europe. Here again are the two websites:
  • Mitfahrgelegenheit
  • Mitfahrzentrale (no longer free-of-charge)

Economical Means for Calling Pakistan

Of the various possible ways of calling Pakistan, the cheapest known method costs 4.6 cents per minute, inclusive of tax (Pakistan Tel calling card).

Calling Cards

Best Asia

• Price 3.5 EUR (Duration 54 minutes).
• Order:0176-23182528 or 069-26952638

Pakistan Tel

• Price: EUR 3.5 to 4.0
• Duration: 75 minutes
• Can be bought online at http://www.eurocallingcards.net/EuroCC_Customer/euro_cardstoshopc.asp

Asia Chat

• Price: EUR 3.5 (from shop) or 5.0 (stated on the card)
• Duration: 45 minutes (on Festnetz), 16 minutes (on Handy)
• Possible to use via local call: no, 0800 number only
• Validy: 30 days after first use
• Known problems: None reported so far.

Pakistan One

• (widely used calling card, someone should be able to enter some info here)

Using Telephone Codes (without card)

Easytelekom (dial/connect from any phone)

• A call to Pakistan can be billed from 9 cent to 66 (or more) cents per minute (including the bill for the 0180 number, but excluding 16% tax) depending on whether you use a mobile or a landline(Festnet) to call these numbers. Easytelekom provides probably the cheapest way to call to Pakistan. Details can be found on the webpage (http://www.easytelecom.de/rates.php#P). The rates given on the webpage are charged when you are using a landline (Festnetz) number to call.

• For calling landline numbers: First dial 0180 3220120, then your desired landline number (following the welcoming message)

• For calling mobile numbers: First dial 0180 5151051, then your desired mobile number (following the welcoming message)

Internet-based PC-to-Phone

Note: PC-to-Phone mechanisms require access to a computer and appropriate software.

Skype

• As of March 06, 2007, the calling rates to Pakistan landline and mobile numbers are 13.3 cents a minute including tax (http://www.skype.com/products/skypeout/rates/all_rates.html?currency=EUR).

LowRateVoip:

• It costs 3 cents/minute to Pakistan including tax. Furthermore, you can call on land lines in most of the european countries free (mobile calls are expensive 14 cents/minute). http://www.lowratevoip.com/en/index.html

Online Communities & Mailing Lists

Pakistanische Gemeinde (Yahoo! Groups)
URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PakistanischeGemeinde/
A very active mailing list created for the exchange of ideas and opportunities among Pakistanis. A must join for any Pakistani living in Germany.

German Pakistani Students (msn Groups)
URL: http://groups.msn.com/GermanPakistanistudents/
Created with the purpose of addressing the problems of Pakistani students studying in Germany through exchange of information. Claims to be the largest Pakistani community online.

Visa Related FAQ

• • Q: I have completed my MSc. from Germany, and want to apply to another MSc. programme. Am I expected to face any problems?
  • A: Yes. At least one student is known to have been denied visa extension (in late 2005) citing a second Masters degree as an invalid reason.

• • Q:
  • A:

Job searching in Germany / Europe

Following is a list of web sites using which Job searching in Germany (in particular) or in the entire Europe (in general) can be made possible.

• URL: http://www.monster.de
• URL: http://www.stepstone.de
• URL: http://www.access.de
• URL: http://www.jobware.de
• URL: http://www.karrieredirekt.de
• URL: http://www.CWJobs.co.uk
• URL: http://www.reed.co.uk
• URL: http://www.theitjobboard.com [IT only, (EU wide)]
• URL: http://www.jobserve.com [IT only, (EU wide)]
• URL: http://www.totaljobs.com (EU wide)

Miscellaneous Information

Pakistani Embassy

Email: pakemb@t-online.de
Phone #: (49-30) 21244299, 21244203, 21244499
Fax #: (49-30) 21244210
Address: Schaperstr-29, Wilmersdorf 10719, Berlin (Germany)

Consulate General of Pakistan

Email: parepfrankfurt@t-online.de
Website: http://www.pakmissionfrankfurt.de
Telephone:069-68601147, 069-42 10 12 to 15
Fax: 069-42 10 17
Address: Generalkonsulat Pakistan, Waldschmidstr. 39, 60316 Frankfurt am Main

Halaal Food Information

• List of companies with vegetarian products in Germany
• www.halal.de
• www.islamicfinder.org Germany
• www.zabihah.com Germany

German Transport Companies

• List of companies