BVG U- and S- bahn tickets

Sometimes it really pays to read the directions. For example, I just found out this past weekend that the BVG allows unlimited transfers within two hours on their single tickets for €2,10. Since August, I had assumed that they worked like New York's subway tickets in which one ticket = one ride. Of course, in New York, they allow bus-to-subway transfers and vice versa, but I hardly ever took the bus.

But if you plan carefully in Berlin, this is a good way to run a few errands on one ticket, especially since the ticket is valid on all the systems: trams, S-bahn, U-bahn, bus. Within the two-hour window, the only thing once can't do is go back the way one came.

So, for example, I wanted to go to St. George's bookstore and get a haircut, both in Prinzlauerberg. Since St. George's was closer to my house, I stopped at St. George's first for an hour to sell some used books and to browse. Then I hopped on the tram again to continue to the hairdresser, always going in the same direction.

To make good use of the single ticket, just be sure to make your final destination the farthest-away from you and make a stop or two in between, depending on how long you need to stop. For example, I would like to go to the S-bahn stop Westend to finally shop at Centro Italia, but it is too far away for me to bike and spending 4 euros just to shop just seems wasteful. So I could combine a visit to Centro Italia with some errands in Mitte or anywhere else I only need to spend an hour or less.

But the real lesson here is to read everything so that you optimize its use. All those wasted train tickets...

Rejected by comdirect for a checking account

I finally received word from comdirect. On a letter dated January 12, they told me that they examined many criteria for my application, such as my job situation and credit information, and chose to reject my application. Comdirect assured me that rejection is not based on a single criterion but the result of an overall approach.

I have never been rejected by a bank for a checking account application before. In the US, they are so easy to open. Since I only moved here in mid-August, I assume my credit information is non-existent. But could that be the only reason for rejection? I have over 4000 euros in my Deutsche Bank checking account right now!

According to Toytown Germany's boards, comdirect only offers this account to employees with net salaries over 2000 or 2500 euros per month, for which I do not qualify. Isn't this discriminatory? Nowhere does it stipulate this on their site about the account.

I wasted time completing their online application and going to the post office to identify myself. Also, I volunteered lots of personal information to them for my application.

In any case, Toytown recommends that I apply for only a savings account with them and then try again after I live in Germany for a year. Off to open a new checking account...