Berlin's not exactly a hotbed of crime, but it's easy to forget that when you're walking alone at night through the streets of upper Wedding or lower Neukölln. Feel at ease with Heimwegtelefon, a free hotline run by Berliners Anabell Schuchhardt and Frances Berger with the tagline, “Take me home (safe)!”.
Frances, a 31-year-old with an exceptionally friendly, calming voice both in German and English, asked us where we were and where we were going, plotted our route on Google Maps and assured us that if anything happened she'd be able to call the police. Then she chatted with us as if we were an old friend – “Oh, you were at a concert? What kind of music was it?” – until we reached our door.
There’s a catch: since it’s just the two women answering phones right now, you can only call on Fridays and Saturdays between 10pm and 2am – hardly “coming home” hours for Berlin. But they’re looking for volunteers to expand the programme, so if you’re the caring type and feel like sacrificing a weekend night every so often to soothe anxious strangers, consider signing up. RG
Tel 030 1207 4182, www.heimwegtelefon.de
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