Daily Life

To receive mail in Germany, there are two important factors to consider: 

1. Your surname must be on the letter or package sent and 

2. The surnames of everyone living with you must be on the mailbox - this is especially true if you live in an apartment building where everyone has the same address.

Deutsche Post offers a full service bank as well as mail delivery. Be aware, however, that Deutsche Post is not the only mail carrier and that your post may arrive by different carriers at different times of day.

Mail from the Deutsche Post is delivered once a day Monday through Saturday. If it won't fit in your mailbox, the mail carrier will ring your doorbell and may leave the object with a neighbor. Packages are delivered separately and if you are not home, you may need to pick up the package at the nearest post office on the following day — the mail carrier will leave a postcard in your mailbox. You must bring an official form of identification and the postcard to the post office to pick up the package — and this name must be the same as on the package. If you are picking up the package for someone else (e.g. spouse with a different surname), be sure that person signs the postcard giving their permission for you to do so.

Karlsruhe's main post office is at Post Gallerie (Europaplatz) in the center of town —  full service including packaging materials — and open until 7:30 pm M-F and 4:30 pm on Saturday!

Few things are free, including a stop at the WC.

In department stores, malls and even some restaurants, there is normally a small bowl at the entrance for a voluntary contribution. Sometimes there are signs stating how much this contribution should be. The workers in these areas are often underpaid and rely on these contributions. However, if some level of cleanliness is not present, do not feel obligated to pay.

At some rest stops on the Autobahn, there are fixed amounts to pay (€1) and you go through a turnstile and get a ticket. This ticket can then be used to purchase goods at the rest stop. The tickets have an expiration date, so you don't need to redeem them right away.

Fully automated toilet houses are available in the inner city. Pay the fare and then can go in and use the facility. Once you exit, it is automatically fully cleaned ready for the next user.

There are usually separate toilets for men and women.  You can see which is which by the appropriate pictograms or letters on the doors (H for "Herren" (men), D for "Damen" (women)). If there are joint facilities for men and women – for example, on trains or airplanes – these are normally marked WC.

Shopping hours may come as a bit of a surprise to newcomers.

• Forget Sunday — nothing is open. If you haven't been organized you'll need to go to a gas station or train station (only the main station!) to get milk and staples!
• As of March 2010, no alcohol may be sold in kiosks, supermarkets or gas stations in Baden-Württemberg after 10 pm. This does not apply to restaurants and bars.
• The only exception for Sunday shopping are bakeries and flower shops — many of which are open on Sunday mornings.
• Most larger shops and chain stores in Karlsruhe are open 10 am - 8 pm Monday through Saturday in the center of town.
• Smaller shops will close at 1 pm on Saturday.
• Hair salons are traditionally closed on Monday.
• In the suburbs and villages shops are likely to be closed on Wednesday afternoon and close around 1 pm on Saturday. Many of the larger supermarkets found on the edge of suburbs and villages are open until 9 or 10 pm Monday through Saturday.
• On the bright side, reasonably priced restaurants are plentiful.
• There are occasional "Late Night Shopping" evenings and "Sunday Shopping" (Verkaufsoffene Sonntag) days during the year which can vary from town to town, suburb to suburb and even shop to shop.

Taxes (Mehrwertsteuer)

Depending on what you purchase, the tax on the object will be either 7 or 19%. This is already calculated into the final price, so what you see on the price tag is what you pay. The breakdown of the price + taxes can be seen on your receipt.

Shopping Carts

In grocery stores, if you would like to use a shopping cart you need to have either a plastic chip or a one euro coin to release the cart. When you return the cart, you will get your chip/coin back. Most grocery stores have smaller baskets to use while shopping - these stay in the store.

Shopping Bags

In grocery stores, you need to pack the groceries in bags yourself. The bags can be purchased in the store (usually at the check-out counter) or you can bring your own. If you have larger purchases, place all the groceries back in the shopping cart. After you have paid, move out of the way and pack the groceries in bags or other containers.

There is a general movement in Europe to eliminate plastic bag usage. Reuse your bags when possible or remember to carry a bag with you when you go shopping.

All stores charge a fee for a plastic bag.

Shopping Areas

The main shopping street in Karlsruhe is the Kaiserstraße. There are many smaller stores just off this street, so take the time to explore. Two indoor malls are the Post Gallerie at Europaplatz and ECE Center at Ettlinger Tor.

Each Karlsruhe neighborhood also has a selection of independent and chain stores.

Food and Markets

Besides the daily outdoor food markets, food from specific countries can be found in specialty stores — in Karlsruhe, there are specialty stores for Asian, Spanish, Italian, Turkish and more. Karlsruhe is also home to a number of full-service organic (Bio) supermarkets.

Germans are great sports enthusiasts, either as individuals, in sport clubs, at fitness studios (gyms) or as "couch potatoes."

Sports are a great way to meet people, especially if your favorite sport is a team sport. There is something for everyone in the Karlsruhe area.

Some things you might like to know:

Vereine — are German clubs. 

• There is a club for just about everything from hikers to birdwatchers to football to stamp collecting. It is the easiest way to be a part of a group. In many types of sports, the clubs provide the foundation for professional sports, for example the KSC (Karlsruhe Sport Club) is the professional football club in Karlsruhe, but they also have boxing and track and field etc.
• There are over 91,000 (!!!) sport clubs in Germany.
• To find a sport club in your neighborhood serving the type of sport you like most, try here. The site will find the clubs in your neighborhood which have your sport as part of their program.
• It is best to get in touch with the head of the group you are interested in joining. He/She will then let you know when training sessions and/or games take place.
• It is often possible to go to 2 or 3 free training sessions with the sport group of interest at the sports club to decide if it is a good match. After that you need to become a member.
• To join a sports club, you must apply. In most cases, this should be straightforward — fill out a form, pay the yearly dues, and you're in! The yearly dues are most often automatically deducted from your bank account once or twice a year, If you no longer wish to be in the club, you must let them know in writing. Usually the contracts run in calendar years.
• You may need to pay an additional fee to take part in certain sports, such as pilates, tennis or golf —  each Verein is different.
• The organizers and trainers of the clubs are often volunteers, which helps keep the costs down. You may be asked to bake a cake or help out at a fundraiser, but this is not obligatory.

Gyms (Fitness Studio) 

Karlsruhe has many gyms to choose from. Be aware that many will try to sell you a contract for a minimum of one or two years. If you won't be here that long, shop around and you may find a place where you can pay per month or per visit. If you have a contract, the fee will be automatically deducted from your bank account, usually once a month.  Make sure you are aware of the renewal policies — sometimes if you do not cancel your contract before it expires, it will automatically be renewed for one year, and you will be liable for payment.

Yoga Centers, Dance Studios etc.

Yoga has become extremely popular in Germany in the last few years. Similarly, dancing from ballroom to samba can be learned. Sometimes courses are offered in Vereine, or in private studios. For the best tips, ask a work mate, neighbor or friend.

The weather in this area tends to be hot and humid. Here are some ideas to cool off:

• close your shutters — during the hottest time of the day it is best to have the rolling shutters and windows closed and even the curtains drawn to avoid your house/apartment from overheating. In the mornings or late evenings when it is cool, open up the windows to let the cool air in.
• drink plenty of non-alcoholic beverages — even though cold drinks seem to refresh, room temperature beverages won't stress your body as much
• keep your feet cool — stick your feet in cool water and feel refreshed.
• wear loose clothing

Swimming

• The many indoor (Hallenbad) and outdoor (Freibad) pools are a welcome relief in the summer. Here is a list. An admission fee is charged.
• In addtion, swimming is allowed in many quarry lakes (Baggerseen) in the region.  Here is a list of all the lakes in the region — many do not allow swimming so be warned — it can be dangerous. Some lakes charge a parking fee, especially on weekends and during the summer holidays. Family friendly lakes have a WC and Kiosk; very few have changing rooms (Umkleide) — most people just change on the beach.
• Warning! Some sections of lakefronts are FKK (Freikörperkultur) which means lots of naked bodies. There is nothing sexual in this — it is a just a feeling of being one with nature. Please do not gawk. If you feel uncomfortable, just go to another section of the lake.

Ice Cream

Germans are world champions as far as ice cream consumption. Most of the ice cream sold is Italian-style — settle for one scoop in a cone or try one of the lovely ice cream sundae creations complete with fresh fruit and a sparkler.

Picnic

• Pack a picnic, hop on a bicycle and head to an outdoor space — try the Schlossgarten or the Günther-Klotz-Anlage. Plan ahead, stores are not open on Sundays!
• If you do picnic, please take your trash with you!
• If you want to have a barbeque, bring a portable grill or use one of the "Grillplätze" - a listing in German is available here.

The general rule when tipping has evolved to "You should, but you don't have to." VAT and service charges are already included in your bill, but if you are pleased with the service, please tip and round up!

… in restaurants — there are no strict rules, but 5-10 % of the bill "rounded up" to some more-or-less whole number is common. For example, if the bill comes to €56,30, you could give the server  €60,00 and say  "stimmt so" to indicate you do not want any change. This is a tip of 6.5%. Or you could give the server €60,00 and say €58,00, in which case they will give you €2 back after saying thank you ("Danke"). This would be a 3% tip. Do not leave the tip on the table — it is given directly to the server when you pay the bill. 

If you are paying by credit card or with your smartphone, inform the server of the total amount in advance of the card processing — you can also pay the tip as cash. Some devices do not allow this, so you can either provide the tip in cash or not give a tip.

New devices provide suggestions for the amount of the tip. Remember that you are not obliged to tip because the service is included in the bill. Then just tap on "Kein Trinkgeld".

... taxi drivers — if you find the service satisfactory, round up to the nearest euro or for longer trips 5-10% of the fare.

… workmen and service people do not normally get a tip, however if you have workmen or movers in your apartment/house for a longer period of time, it is common to offer them beverages such as water or coffee, or even sandwiches or Brezel (soft pretzels commonly found in bakeries in this region).

... hairdresser — there is often a tip box at the reception desk — if you are pleased with the service,  leave €1 - €5.

... tour guides or museum guides get a tip — usually €1 or €2 given directly to the guide at the end of the tour.

EU Citizens 

EU citizens can vote in both local communal and European Parliamentary elections in Germany if they are at least 18 years of age, have been living in the municipality at least 3 months and have not been refused voting rights within the EU.

Municipal Elections

You can find out more about your communal voting arrangements at the voting office (Wahlamt) in your local city hall (Rathaus).

You should receive your voting card (Wahlschein) by post no later than three weeks prior to any election in which you are entitled to vote. You will be automatically placed on the list of eligible voters based on the information you provided when registering with the town hall. If you have not received this card and want to vote, then you should approach the Wahlamt and check your registration.

European Parliamentary Elections

As an EU citizen living in Germany, you can decide if you would like to vote in Germany or your home country. You may not vote in both.

You must register when voting for the European Parliament in Germany for the first time. After this time, you will automatically be registered to vote in Germany unless you move to another country. The registration form must be received by the Wahlamt no later than 21 days before the elections!

If you would like to vote in your home country, the requirements may be different than in Germany.

Information for EU Citizens is available here.

Non-EU residents 

Non-EU residents cannot vote in any German elections.

US Citizens 

You are allowed to vote per mail in US elections, but you must be registered and request a ballot. This registration process must be repeated every election year. For more information from the US Embassy, click here. The Overseas Voter Foundation may also be able to help. In addition Democrats Abroad and Republicans Overseas provide information about voting and act as a lobby for U.S. citizens living abroad.