Yep, you read that right — it’s totally possible to make an international call from the US to Germany using the tech and tools you already own.
Whether you’re catching up with an old friend or reaching out to a business prospect, you’ll want to make sure you’re doing everything right (and as cheaply as possible).
Let’s explore everything you need to know about making phone calls to Germany from the US, including area codes, average costs, and how to save even more.
Calling Germany from the USA in 4 easy steps
Dialing a local number in Germany is easy as pie. However, keep in mind that there are different steps required for the types of phone numbers you’re calling. Here’s what you do to reach a German landline number or a mobile number from the US.
Calling landlines in Germany from the US
The dialing format for reaching landline phone numbers in Germany is:
- Exit code
- Country code
- Area code
- Telephone number
Let’s break this down in greater detail.
1. Put in your exit code
An international access code (aka exit code) is a three-digit number that tells phone carriers where to send your call if you dial from a landline.
If you’re on a cell phone or using a virtual phone solution like OpenPhone, you won’t need to dial the exit code. Just press the plus (+) symbol instead. How’s that for convenient? If you’re using a landline phone,the US exit code is 011, which you can use every time you make an international call (including ones to Germany).
2. Dial the country code
Tell your phone service what country you want your call to reach with a two or three-digit country code. This informs your carrier about what type of device you’re trying to reach — in this case, a landline.
Germany’s country code is 49 and applies to both landline and mobile phone numbers.
3. Enter your area code
Just like America, Germany relies on three-digit area codes to route calls to specific cities and districts.
There’s not necessarily a pattern to track; every city has a wildly different number. Just note that area codes starting with zero don’t need to be dialed with the first digit. For example, Berlin’s prefix of ‘030’ can just be dialed as ‘30.’
There are lots of area codes to be found in Germany, including the ones we’ve listed below
| Location | Area Code |
|---|---|
| Berlin | 30 |
| Frankfurt | 069 (West) 335 (East) |
| Düsseldorf | 211 |
| Hamburg | 40 |
| Cologne / Koln | 221 |
| Munchen / Munich | 89 |
| Munster | 251 |
| Nurernberg | 911 |
If you need to see more Germany area codes, feel free to use tools like CountryCode.org.
4. Add the landline phone number
You’re almost done — you just have to punch in the specific phone number first. 
Now you have all the components necessary to reach callers and clients in Germany.
Let’s put it all together with an example:
+ (exit code) 49 (country code) 251 (Munster area code) 123-4567 (fictional phone number)
And just like that, you’re set!
Calling mobile phones in Germany from the US
The good news is, calling a German cell phone number is almost exactly the same as dialing a landline number. 
Let’s hop to it, shall we?
1. The exit code
This step is the same as before: just punch in the plus symbol (+) if you’re using a cellphone or VoIP phone system. Or if you’re on a landline the US exit code 011.
2. The country code
No difference here. Just enter Germany’s country calling code (49) to start reaching contacts in seconds. 
3. The area code
You remember this step, right? Just find the area code of the city you want to reach, and have at it.
But there is a little catch. You’ll want to enter the mobile phone code for Germany (1) before punching in the rest of your area code.
For example: if you’re calling a city like Düsseldorf, your string of numbers will show ‘1211’ rather than ‘211.”‘
4. The phone number
Add the rest of your contact’s German phone number to complete the process.
Sticking with our earlier example of Düsseldorf, here’s what these steps might look like on your screen:
+ (exit code) 49 (country code) 1211 (mobile phone code + Düsseldorf area code) 123-4567 (fictional phone number)
You’re all set! 
How to factor in the time difference when calling Germany from the US
With your newfound knowledge of international calls to Germany, you’re about ready to dial up a storm.
Well, almost.
Before you start ringing your friends in Germany, you’ll want to be aware of the time differences between countries and how they might impact your scheduled meetings.
Thankfully, there’s just one time zone followed in Germany: Central European Time (CET) during the winter, and Central European Summer Time (CEST) when daylight savings is in effect.
When compared to the six different time zones in the US, you’ll find there’s a significant difference. 
- Eastern Time: The East Coast is six hours behind Germany (12 PM vs 6 PM)
- Central Time: States like Alabama are seven hours behind Germany (12 PM vs 7 PM)
- Mountain Time: Any calls made in Mountain Time will be eight hours behind Germany (12 PM vs 8 PM)
- Pacific Time: All states in Pacific Time are a whopping nine hours behind Germany (12 PM vs 9 PM)
- Alaska Time: Capital city Juneau is ten hours behind Germany (12 PM vs 10 PM)
- Hawaii Time: Last but not least, Hawaii is a full twelve hours behind Germany (12 PM vs 12 AM)
Of course, these numbers get even more complicated with factors like Daylight Savings Time (and other ‘fun’ considerations). To stay on top of time zone differences as they arise, use tools like Time and Date for calculations at a glance. 
How much does it cost to call Germany from the US?
Depending on your current carrier, expect to pay some hefty fees in order to make calls from the US to Germany.
There are no fees set in stone by the FCC, but the price range for international calls to Germany is increasingly vast. Some carriers charge a couple of dimes per minute, while others go as high as $3.00 per minute (that’s $180 per hour-long call!). Other businesses charge a flat rate per month or expect users to buy prepaid calling cards to reach their contacts. 
But prepaid lines aren’t a golden ticket. If you happen to run out of cash, expect your service to be terminated — even if you’re halfway through a call. This won’t reflect well on your business and might cost you hundreds of dollars per month in the meantime.
How to lower your costs calling Germany from the US
While there’s no way to make free calls from the US to Germany, there are some ways to trim the fat off your monthly fees. The best way to cut costs with your international phone bill is to use OpenPhone — the #1 business phone platform on G2. 
Calls to Germany start at just $0.03 per minute through OpenPhone. Here are a few other key reasons why thousands of users have fallen in love with OpenPhone:
- Calling rates are available right on our website
- Easily send SMS and MMS messages internationally or free to anyone in the US or Canada
- Sign up for as many US, Canadian, or North American toll-free numbers as your team needs
- Call and text domestically for free; enjoy unlimited calling and texting to anyone in the US or Canada
- Tools like call recording to help you have a clear communication trail
- Set business hours that work with your team and personal schedule
- Shared phone numbers to work together and share responsibility for phone communication
- Integrates with tools already in your tech stack, like HubSpot, Slack, and Zapier.
Call Germany for less with OpenPhone
Whether you make dozens of calls per week or just one or two a month, lean on OpenPhone for calls to Germany that don’t break the bank. 
Just add credits to your account to start calling and texting today — no prepaid calling cards or expensive contracts are necessary. Try out OpenPhone for yourself by signing up for our seven-day free trial.
Check out more guides to dialing internationally:
How to call Turkey from the US
How to call Spain from the US
How to call Ireland from the US
The post How to call Germany from the US: Step-by-step guide appeared first on OpenPhone Blog.