We'll be in Germany a couple weeks, and would like to purchase two cellphones that work for calling within germany, and possibly giving and recieving calls to/from the US. We would like to buy cheap, prepaid phones similar to the US 'tracfone'. However, we are going directly from Frankfurt Airport to Bacharach, and the only place to get phones seems like it would be in the Frankfurt Airport. Is there a place to purchase phones in the arrival levels of the airport? Other ideas?
Posted by
Lawrenceville, Georgia
693 posts
The website Frankfurt Airport Shops lists a shop called Base/E-Plus located at Airport City Mall, Terminal One, Area C, Level 0. They sell Handys and accessories and have other electronic services like FAX. They're open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm. It looks like Base and E-Plus are brand names.
Posted by
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
2779 posts
Anna's advice is correct and all fine. However, the E-Plus network is limited in reach and you may not get any in rural areas (but even in downtown Frankfurt they've got white spots). So pick the o2 store in terminal 1, concourse B, level 1. They'll sell you a prepaid package including a phone (even smartphones at low prices) and either just a prepaid calling plan or even a call and surf kind of plan. You can do some research on their German prepaid plans at http://www.o2online.de/tarife/o2-prepaid (in German only but you may be able to use Chrome's auto translate)...
Posted by
Myrtle Beach, USA
12313 posts
It looks like you will have at least a couple of choices in the airport. In Germany, as I recall, they call them "handies". If someone doesn't understand "cell phone" (as in, "Where can I purchase a cell phone?"), they're likely to understand handy.
Posted by
Lawrenceville, Georgia
693 posts
Andreas' advice is good, I'm making note of it for myself, since I swore I'd never again be without a handy in Germany. I didn't see the second store listed on the website. Also Jo from Frankfurt had something about a really cheap handy on another thread yesterday or the day before that you can purchase in downtown Frankfurt. I hope I can find it again.
Posted by
OP
portland
12 posts
Thanks! Has anyone had experience with phones from the 'Tchibo' store, supposedly in Frankfurt airport too?
Posted by
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
2779 posts
Generally speaking buying the package from Tchibo is just fine. They use the o2 network as well. But unlike mentioned in other places there is no Tchibo store at Frankfurt airport. A grocery store in a remote corner of terminal 1 has a Tchibo shelf selling Tchibo coffee and some of their t-shirts, sauce pans and what not. But there now is a REWE store in the new building above the airport's long distance rail station (called The SquAire). There you can get a GSM 900 SIM card starter kit from REWE-Mobile (which in fact is T-Mobile).
Posted by
Beverly Hills, MI
810 posts
I don't know what cellular system you are using. We use AT&T and for $5 per month we get international service for the trip. The time charges are not cheap but we are not hopeless cell phone talkers and it works just fine for calling home or anywhere in Europe,