https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Now that we’re (finally) crawling out of Berlin’s eight-month winter, it’s time to get reacquainted with one of the city’s greatest assets: its parks. https://www.thelocal.de/20260430/are-these-the-best-seven-parks-in-berlin Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:14:04 +0200 are-these-the-best-seven-parks-in-berlin Deutsche Bahn hopes that prohibiting the consumption of alcohol at Berlin’s Zoologischer Garten and Ostbahnhof stations will make the transport hubs cleaner and safer. https://www.thelocal.de/20260429/alcohol-ban-at-two-berlin-train-stations-begins-on-may-1st Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:40:45 +0200 alcohol-ban-at-two-berlin-train-stations-begins-on-may-1st After years of landlords skirting German rent controls, Berlin's state government coalition is pushing a proposal to create a housing and rental registry that could help authorities crack down on illegal prices. But will the law be passed? https://www.thelocal.de/20260423/could-berlin-housing-registry-lead-to-clamp-down-on-illegal-rents-in-germany Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:49:06 +0200 could-berlin-housing-registry-lead-to-clamp-down-on-illegal-rents-in-germany Bike thefts are not uncommon in Germany, especially in the bigger cities. Here's a look at where in Berlin most bikes were stolen in 2025, as well as a few tips on how to make sure yours doesn't join them this year. https://www.thelocal.de/20260422/where-in-berlin-are-the-most-bikes-are-stolen-each-year Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:43:15 +0200 where-in-berlin-are-the-most-bikes-are-stolen-each-year Transport ticket machines around Berlin have stopped accepting cash payments due to a 'technical malfunction', but city officials suggest it's time to retire the machines altogether. https://www.thelocal.de/20260420/will-berlin-get-rid-of-its-public-transport-ticket-machines Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:43:17 +0200 will-berlin-get-rid-of-its-public-transport-ticket-machines To help clean up Berlin's waterways, the city has taken a tip from Copenhagen and plans to reward visitors for collecting litter. Here's what residents and visitors should know about 'BerlinPay'. https://www.thelocal.de/20260415/berlinpay-how-a-new-tourism-initiative-aims-to-clean-up-germanys-capital-city Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:08:40 +0200 berlinpay-how-a-new-tourism-initiative-aims-to-clean-up-germanys-capital-city A Berlin-built satellite named after a legendary art squat launched into space last week as part of NASA’s Artemis II mission – connecting the city’s countercultural past with its high-tech future. https://www.thelocal.de/20260407/how-a-piece-of-berlins-cultural-history-just-went-into-space Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:15:45 +0200 how-a-piece-of-berlins-cultural-history-just-went-into-space Rising rents and an extremely scarce housing supply in Berlin can make moving to the German capital for work a daunting task. Here are seven more relaxed and affordable towns just a short commute away. https://www.thelocal.de/20260323/compare-the-best-commuter-towns-if-you-work-in-berlin Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:54:15 +0100 compare-the-best-commuter-towns-if-you-work-in-berlin As an Indian living in Canada, Ashwyn Singh explores the immigration experience in his comedy. Ahead of his next show in Berlin, he shares his perception of Germans, what he still wants to do in the capital city and more. https://www.thelocal.de/20260316/germans-speak-less-but-they-laugh-the-same-a-touring-comedian-shares-his-hopes-for-berlin Mon, 16 Mar 2026 17:08:02 +0100 germans-speak-less-but-they-laugh-the-same-a-touring-comedian-shares-his-hopes-for-berlin A wild boar wandered into a Berlin shopping mall's home decor shop on Friday, sparking a police response that drew in officers and veterinarians equipped with an anaesthetic gun, wooden shields and even a blowgun but ended peacefully. https://www.thelocal.de/20260314/police-chase-boar-living-high-on-the-hog-in-berlin-mall Sat, 14 Mar 2026 11:30:25 +0100 police-chase-boar-living-high-on-the-hog-in-berlin-mall Berlin is expected to need more than 500,000 workers in the next nine years. But while some sectors will see a boom in demand for workers, others will see jobs phased out. https://www.thelocal.de/20260311/which-jobs-are-desperately-needed-in-berlin-and-which-are-being-cut Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:43:15 +0100 which-jobs-are-desperately-needed-in-berlin-and-which-are-being-cut A Berlin court on Thursday jailed a Syrian man for 13 years for a jihadist-inspired knife attack on a Spanish tourist at the German capital's Holocaust memorial. https://www.thelocal.de/20260305/attacker-jailed-over-stabbing-at-berlin-holocaust-memorial Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:09:40 +0100 attacker-jailed-over-stabbing-at-berlin-holocaust-memorial Berlin is getting a new S‑Bahn line, the S15, which will initially run between Gesundbrunnen and Hauptbahnhof. The short link is scheduled to open at the end of March, and is planned to be part of a longer north-south connection to come. https://www.thelocal.de/20260304/s15-what-to-know-about-berlins-newest-and-shortest-s-bahn-line Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:11:24 +0100 s15-what-to-know-about-berlins-newest-and-shortest-s-bahn-line A two-day 'warning strike' by workers at Berlin's transport operator, BVG, began on Friday morning. Here's how it will affect commuters and transportation riders, and the options you have to get around. https://www.thelocal.de/20250123/how-to-get-around-berlin-during-mondays-public-transport-strike Thu, 23 Jan 2025 11:42:12 +0100 how-to-get-around-berlin-during-mondays-public-transport-strike Berlin reported a new record of naturalisations in 2025, with more than 39,000 people gaining German citizenship in the capital. However, nearly five percent of applications were rejected. https://www.thelocal.de/20260224/how-many-of-berlins-nearly-40000-naturalisations-last-year-were-rejected Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:15:33 +0100 how-many-of-berlins-nearly-40000-naturalisations-last-year-were-rejected Getting rid of bulky waste in Germany, without violating local rules and regulations, can sometimes be a challenge. But for Berliners there is a simple solution, and it could provide the opportunity to swap your trash for treasures. https://www.thelocal.de/20260223/the-free-and-legal-way-to-get-rid-of-bulky-waste-in-berlin Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:10:33 +0100 the-free-and-legal-way-to-get-rid-of-bulky-waste-in-berlin The artificial intelligence revolution sweeping through the entertainment sector was at first glance not evident at this year's Berlin Film Festival, but the potential for widespread changes was still on people's minds. https://www.thelocal.de/20260222/ai-revolution-looms-over-berlin-film-fest Sun, 22 Feb 2026 13:16:26 +0100 ai-revolution-looms-over-berlin-film-fest Securing an apartment in Berlin is a notoriously difficult task. Here's a tool that can help you check if your flat search is realistic, or if you might want to consider lowering your expectations. https://www.thelocal.de/20260219/is-your-flat-search-in-berlin-realistic Thu, 19 Feb 2026 17:05:40 +0100 is-your-flat-search-in-berlin-realistic In Berlin, around 30,000 Year Six pupils are preparing to move on to secondary school. For some, the stress is heightened by a new requirement to sit an entrance assessment for Germany’s academically focused grammar schools. https://www.thelocal.de/20260218/why-1200-berlin-students-have-to-take-a-high-school-entrance-exam Wed, 18 Feb 2026 16:49:58 +0100 why-1200-berlin-students-have-to-take-a-high-school-entrance-exam Train passengers between Berlin and Hamburg face added weeks of travel disruptions after Deutsche Bahn confirmed that major renovation work on the route will take longer than planned. https://www.thelocal.de/20260217/work-on-berlin-hamburg-railway-delayed-for-weeks-due-to-winter-weather Tue, 17 Feb 2026 14:39:00 +0100 work-on-berlin-hamburg-railway-delayed-for-weeks-due-to-winter-weather