If you're moving to Germany, you’ll need to make sure your devices and appliances will work while you're there. The world still has a surprisingly large variety of different types of plug sockets and voltages, most of which are incompatible with each other, so here is what you need to know about all things plugs, sockets and voltage in Germany.
Germany uses a Type F plug socket, which is also compatible with Type C plugs.
The Type F plug socket is the same as those used across most of Europe and many parts of Asia. It has two round pins and a round head. It is also known as a Schuko socket, or CEE 7/3 socket. Catchy, no?
Type C plugs are also compatible with the Type F power outlets used in Germany. Type C plugs (also known as Euro plugs) have the same two round pins as a Schuko plug, but the head itself is flat. This means they fit neatly inside the larger space the Type F socket has.
If you have plugs with flat pins, such as those used in the US, or three-pin plugs as used in the UK and Ireland, they will not work in German plug sockets, and you will need an adapter.
When buying a German plug adapter, make sure you consider your needs. If you are moving to Germany long-term and want to bring your own household appliances with you, you’ll need a lot of individual plug adapters.
However, if you are travelling light, you might have devices that mostly work on USB charging, in which case you can get single German plug adapters with multiple USB slots, reducing your costs and your luggage.
If you don’t want to invest in a plug adapter for each of your appliances, consider packing an extension lead instead. That way, you can use a single plug adapter to plug the extension lead in and plug in as many of your incompatible devices as the lead has space for.
Be wary of purchasing cheap adapters online. Poorly made plug adapters are a common cause of fires, and even the well-made ones do not need to be expensive. If buying them in Germany, simply check they have the EU conformity CE mark. This means it has passed all EU safety tests, and you can rest assured your items are safe.
While plug adapters are widely available in Germany, outside of airports and train stations, you are unlikely to find them in regular supermarkets and shops, although it’s not impossible.
Head to a specialist electronics store to be sure of being able to stock up. The biggest chains that you are likely to find near you include Saturn and MediaMarkt.
The voltage used in Germany is 230 volts and 50 Hz.
This is the same as across Europe and the UK, as well as Australia, New Zealand and much of South East Asia and the Middle East. However, if you're from the US, your devices will run on a significantly lower voltage. You can check your country's power specifications and plus type on Wikipedia.
If your country operates on a different voltage, you will need a voltage converter. Thankfully, a convertor is nowadays usually built into plug adaptors where the plug types suggest a likely voltage difference, such as US to Europe plug adapters. Make sure this is the case with your adaptor, otherwise you may need to buy a separate power converter.
Some modern devices, such as mobile phones and laptops, now have dual-voltage capabilities and will work with different voltages. Check your device directly to see if this is the case.
If you try to charge a device or plug in an appliance with a voltage it isn’t built for, without using a voltage converter, you can seriously damage your device and risk starting a fire. The charger you use should clearly state the voltages it will work at, often labelled as “input”.
If you find yourself needing to stock up on plug adapters or voltage converters in Germany, here are some German language keywords that will help you get what you need:
It’s recommended to stock up on adapters before you travel, as it’s easier to find adapters for your local plug type in your home country. While they will be available in Germany, the shops there are mostly catering to Germans travelling abroad, so the majority of plug adapters will assume that you already have a German Type F plug and want to convert it to something else.
Now you know everything you need to about plugs, sockets and voltage in Germany! Make sure you prepare, and you shouldn’t have any plug-related stress when you arrive.