Berlin cold relief starts: 1,000 places for homeless people in winter!

Berlin cold relief starts: 1,000 places for homeless people in winter!

The Berliner Kühlhilfe officially began operations on October 1, 2025 and offers homeless people protection from the cold until April 30, 2026. The aim of this initiative is to provide overnight accommodation, especially on cold nights. In Marzahn-Hellersdorf there are currently 18 sleeping places available for emergency overnight stays, which are operated by Neustart Berlin GmbH. The Otto-Rosenberg-Strasse locations are strategically placed near the Raoul-Wallenberg-Strasse S-Bahn station and are available daily from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., with last entry at 10:00 p.m.

From October 1st, a total of 735 emergency overnight places will be available throughout Berlin. This number will be increased from November to 1,010 places by the end of March. This is an increase compared to the previous year, as only 677 places were available in October 2023. In addition, there are already 460 year-round emergency overnight places, and the cold relief night cafés initially offer 20 places, which are to be expanded to 63 in winter. Five additional properties to create emergency overnight accommodation are currently being examined, which means there is the possibility of adding more than 300 additional places.

Support and offers of cold relief

Cold relief in Berlin includes a broad support network and is supported by numerous organizations, including Caritas, Diakonie and the German Red Cross. In addition to emergency overnight stays, homeless people can also take advantage of services such as soup kitchens and cold buses. These cold buses operate in the evenings and offer warm drinks, food and sleeping bags. The emergency shelters have a high occupancy rate of 92 to 96 percent, which increases the urgency of help.

The administration and coordination of cold relief is carried out by the coordination office on behalf of the Senate Department for Social Affairs. Financing mechanisms include both money from the state of Berlin and donations. It is important that the offers are anonymous and free. Those affected can also request help without their own consent by contacting the emergency services (112). In acute dangerous situations, such as life-threatening situations, action can be taken quickly.

Hotlines and mobile help offers

An extensive network of hotlines and mobile support services is available to provide even more support. The GEBEWO pro gGmbH refrigeration helpline can be reached daily from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. There is also a special help hotline for homeless people, which is available Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The phone numbers are as follows:

• Kältehilfetelefon: 030 34 39 71 40
• Hilfe-Hotline: 0157 80 59 78 70
• Kältebus der Berliner Stadtmission: 030 690 333 690
• Wärmebus des Berliner Roten Kreuzes: 030 600 300 1010
• KARUNA Sub – Buslinie zur Versorgung Obdachloser: 0157 86 60 50 80

The Berliner Kühlhilfe is an important contact point to offer support to homeless people during the cold season. The initiative, which has existed since 1989, has developed into a comprehensive network that brings together various organizations and volunteers. The offers are not only protection against the cold, but also a first step to help those affected and offer support where it is needed most. Social contacts, medical care and the opportunity to take part in various programs are also part of the approach offered to homeless people in Berlin.

For further information about cold relief in Berlin, please visit the website Berlin.de, rbb24 and my-berlin.net.