hTTi

I drive very little and cycle everywhere. I would love to simply stop driving when I move to Berlin, but am wondering about buying new furniture there. Presumably IKEA or equivalent will deliver it?

Thanks again all of you for your advice. I have at least a new job and a new (temporary) apartment, so somehow it will all work out.

-- Alison

alison wrote: ↑Sat Dec 27, 2025 8:04 pm I drive very little and cycle everywhere. I would love to simply stop driving when I move to Berlin, but am wondering about buying new furniture there. Presumably IKEA or equivalent will deliver it?

Thanks again all of you for your advice. I have at least a new job and a new (temporary) apartment, so somehow it will all work out.

-- Alison

I moved from the US to Konstanz in 2019, with two suitcases of belongings. We were sans car until 6 months ago, and the car is just for outings and trips mainly. We have had no trouble getting furniture delivered and assembled when necessary. We pay for that of course, but it's worth it. And yes, it will all work out. You may revise some decisions along the way, but it will all work out. It's clear you've got a good attitude, and IMO that's 9/10 of the game.

I pretty much gave up driving after moving here. OK, use car sharing sometimes which is super flexible and very cheap. 3 kids too. Shopping with bike trailer worked well. Obviously if you live out in the sticks it would be trickier Things are even easier now, I am talking 25 years ago. Deliveries are cheap now. Have fun.

Thanks folks, that's what I was hoping to hear! Today I went and got an International Drivers Permit because the office that issues them is literally a block from my current apartment in California, but I hope that I never use it.

-- Alisn

You are only allowed to drive on your US driving licence for the first 6 months.

Please read this: https://de.usembassy.gov/driving-in-germany/
and this: https://allaboutberlin.com/guides/conve ... ng-licence

On the Miles car sharing App, vans are available too. Kleinanzeigen.de is really helpful for all sorts….services, second hand items etc.

PandaMunich wrote: ↑Sun Dec 28, 2025 10:25 am You are only allowed to drive on your US driving licence for the first 6 months.

Please read this: https://de.usembassy.gov/driving-in-germany/
and this: https://allaboutberlin.com/guides/conve ... ng-licence

Your bigger problem is that CA has no reciprocity with DE, which means that you'll need to take courses and tests to get a DE license. So when your CA license expires, if you're living here and don't already have a DE license then you won't be able to rent a car or drive when you visit the US! You need to think all this through as the complexities vary by state. I moved from KS and had the most favorable option. My husband moved to West Berlin in 1986 and was in your situation. He bit the bullet and took the courses and tests to get the DE license. It seems unfair, but I exchanged my license 5 years after my move with no testing. I just wasn't allowed to drive here on my US license after 6 months.

> Your bigger problem is that CA has no reciprocity with DE, which means that you'll need to take courses and tests to get a DE license.

Note CA to me is California. Perhaps you think I mean Canada. Sorry for the confusion.

I have no interest in getting a German drivers license, as I hate driving and hardly drive at all right now, despite owning a car. I went and got the International Permit since the office which issues them is a block away from me, and who knows, maybe it will come in handy.

Thanks,
Alison

alison wrote: ↑Mon Dec 29, 2025 6:00 am > Your bigger problem is that CA has no reciprocity with DE, which means that you'll need to take courses and tests to get a DE license.

Note CA to me is California. Perhaps you think I mean Canada. Sorry for the confusion.

I have no interest in getting a German drivers license, as I hate driving and hardly drive at all right now, despite owning a car. I went and got the International Permit since the office which issues them is a block away from me, and who knows, maybe it will come in handy.

Thanks,
Alison

She means California too. With the US, each state has it's own deal (or no deal) with other countries about reciprocity. You can find info here https://www.adac.de/verkehr/rund-um-den ... auserhalb/ and a pdf list here https://assets.adac.de/image/upload/v15 ... ashnko.pdf You have to scroll down for US states. You will find that California is missing so that means no deal. If you want a German license, you would have to take both tests, theory and practical. A German moving to California would have to do the same.

However, if you don't want to drive, no problem. Even easier in Berlin than in many other places. Deutschland ticket is going up to 63€ a month as of next month but it's still a great deal. You can take all the trains except ICE and IC and any city bus, metro, street car etc.

alison wrote: ↑Mon Dec 29, 2025 6:00 am > Your bigger problem is that CA has no reciprocity with DE, which means that you'll need to take courses and tests to get a DE license.

Note CA to me is California. Perhaps you think I mean Canada. Sorry for the confusion.

I have no interest in getting a German drivers license, as I hate driving and hardly drive at all right now, despite owning a car. I went and got the International Permit since the office which issues them is a block away from me, and who knows, maybe it will come in handy.

I was referring to your California (CA) license. An International License is merely a translation of your US license and it's unnecessary in DE since the authorties can read your license in English. It will also not be valid for you in DE after 6 months of residing in Berlin, since it is based off of your valid US license. Just telling you for planning purposes.

BTW, I don't enjoy driving either and love the public trans here. My license is more for emergency use and to have if I need to drive in the US.

On the old Toytown, there was someone whose tag I forget, that insisted that the rule was 6 months after you first actually used it here. Every every time someone brought this up. It sounds extremely far-fetched. I mean, how could you prove it?

Alison, if you are still in USA, any chance whatsoever of nipping to a state and doing a test before you arrive here? It is a shame to lose the the ability to drive.

I mean to a state with test that is recognised in DE. States include: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington State, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming

That's not legal, and right now, during this particular time in the US, isn't the best time to be trying to play that game IMO. I know I sound like an Oma, but I‘ld be careful about lying in this environment. That lie is super easy to uncover since we file US tax returns while residing here.

Sorry I had no idea. But taking a more difficult test in a different state being illegal is kind of funny! The other way round I get. x

snowingagain wrote: ↑Mon Dec 29, 2025 7:02 pm Sorry I had no idea. But taking a more difficult test in a different state being illegal is kind of funny! The other way round I get. x

I also looked this up, but they wouldn't need to take a test in a different state to receive a driver's licence for that state; they would have to move to that state. And not just "pretend" move by registering at a family member or friend's house, but properly move their life there, unregister in Californy, register in e.g Nevada with proof etc. This also has tax and voting implications. It's an option but probably too late and too much effort just to be able to keep a driving licence they probably won't really need.

snowingagain wrote: ↑Mon Dec 29, 2025 7:02 pm Sorry I had no idea. But taking a more difficult test in a different state being illegal is kind of funny! The other way round I get. x

Many states require residency in order to get a license there so you need a rental agreement, utility bill or something. It's kind of the same in the EU. You are supposed to get your license where you live, not shop around.

Meh. Visited my son in Texas some years ago, went to the DMV and got a license for $15 using his address. My Virginia one was expiring. Now I have a German one so I can drive in the U.S. or if necessary in DE.

snowingagain wrote: ↑Mon Dec 29, 2025 4:04 pm On the old Toytown, there was someone whose tag I forget, that insisted that the rule was 6 months after you first actually used it here. Every every time someone brought this up. It sounds extremely far-fetched. I mean, how could you prove it?

When I arrived, it was one year. Of course, after 7 months, they changed it to 6 months.

Fraufruit wrote: ↑Mon Dec 29, 2025 7:22 pm Meh. Visited my son in Texas some years ago, went to the DMV and got a license for $15 using his address. My Virginia one was expiring. Now I have a German one so I can drive in the U.S. or if necessary in DE.

I've reported you to the Texas Rangers. Yes, the baseball team.