Area Code 208 – Oberhausen Rheinland
The phone area code for Oberhausen Rheinland is 208 (international format +49208). Browse local exchange codes (NXX) and carrier assignments below.
📞 Exchange Codes (NXX) for Area Code 208
Select a central office code to view local carrier data and detailed information
📍 Geographic Location of Oberhausen Rheinland
Geographic Coverage and Administrative Jurisdiction
The German national destination code (NDC) 0208 is a geographic area code assigned under the ITU-T E.164 numbering plan for the Federal Republic of Germany. It serves the city of Oberhausen, located in the western part of North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen), within the Ruhr metropolitan region. The code covers the entire urban area of Oberhausen, including its administrative districts: Alt-Oberhausen, Sterkrade, and Osterfeld. As a geographic code, it is tied to the PSTN exchange area of Oberhausen, and numbers using this prefix are allocated to fixed-line services, including residential, business, and public switched telephone network (PSTN) lines.
Primary Cities and Local Dialing Format
The primary city served is Oberhausen, a major industrial and cultural hub in the Ruhr area. The code also covers adjacent communities that are part of the Oberhausen urban district, but it does not extend to neighboring cities such as Duisburg or Essen, which have their own distinct area codes (0203 and 0201, respectively). For local calls within Oberhausen, subscribers can dial the subscriber number without the area code, using the national local format. However, for calls originating from outside the Oberhausen exchange area but within Germany, callers must use the national trunk prefix 0 followed by the area code and subscriber number: 0 208 [subscriber number].
International Dialing Format
For international callers, the German country code +49 is used, followed by the area code without the leading trunk prefix '0'. Thus, an international caller would dial +49 208 [subscriber number]. For example, a local Oberhausen number might be formatted as 0208 123456 for national calls, while international callers would dial +49 208 123456. The subscriber number length typically ranges from 6 to 8 digits, depending on the specific allocation, and the total length of the national significant number (NSN) is 10 or 11 digits.
Overlay Considerations and Numbering Plan
Currently, there is no overlay code for Oberhausen; the 0208 area code is the sole geographic code for the city. However, as part of the German numbering plan, number portability allows subscribers to retain their 0208 numbers when switching providers, even if they move outside the traditional exchange area, subject to regulatory conditions. This means that a number with the 0208 prefix may not always be physically located in Oberhausen, but it remains associated with the geographic area for routing and administrative purposes.
Caller Instructions
- Local callers (within Oberhausen): Dial the subscriber number directly, omitting the area code.
- National callers (from other German regions): Dial 0208 followed by the subscriber number.
- International callers: Dial +49 208 followed by the subscriber number (drop the leading '0' of the area code).
Always confirm the subscriber number length with the called party, as it may vary. For emergency services, use the national emergency numbers 112 (medical/fire) and 110 (police), which are valid throughout Germany.