Area Code 2323 – Herne
The phone area code for Herne is 2323 (international format +492323). Browse local exchange codes (NXX) and carrier assignments below.
📞 Exchange Codes (NXX) for Area Code 2323
Select a central office code to view local carrier data and detailed information
📍 Geographic Location of Herne
Geographic Overview
The German area code 02323 (international format +49 2323) is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the city of Herne, located in the eastern part of the Ruhr metropolitan region in North Rhine-Westphalia. Herne is bordered by Bochum, Gelsenkirchen, Castrop-Rauxel, and Recklinghausen, and is part of the densely populated Rhine-Ruhr area. The code covers the entire city of Herne, including its two main districts: Herne-Mitte and Wanne-Eickel (which was an independent city until 1975).
Dialing Formats and Usage
When calling a landline in Herne from within Germany, subscribers use the national trunk prefix 0 followed by the area code and the local subscriber number. The local numbers typically have a length of 7 to 8 digits, resulting in a total national significant number (NSN) of 10 to 11 digits (excluding the leading 0). For example, a typical Herne landline number might be 02323 1234567.
For international callers, the leading 0 is omitted, and the country code +49 is used. Thus, the same number would be dialed as +49 2323 1234567 from outside Germany. It is important to note that the area code is mandatory when calling from any other German region, even from mobile phones, unless the number is stored with the international format.
Overlay and Numbering Considerations
As of the latest ITU-T E.164 national numbering plan, no overlay area code has been introduced for Herne. The 02323 code is exclusively used for geographic numbers in this area. However, due to number portability, a subscriber may have moved to a different city but retained a 02323 number, or a Herne resident might have a number from another area code. Therefore, the prefix does not guarantee the physical location of the line, but it does indicate the original geographic allocation.
Caller Instructions
- Local callers (within Herne): In Germany, local calls are no longer distinguished by tariff; all calls are charged as national calls. Therefore, you must always dial the full area code, even if you are calling from a number within the same area code. For example, to call a neighbor, you still dial 02323 1234567.
- National callers (from other German cities): Dial 02323 followed by the subscriber number. For instance, from Berlin, you would dial 02323 1234567.
- International callers: Dial your country's international access code (e.g., 011 from the US, 00 from most European countries), then 49, then 2323, and finally the subscriber number. Example: 011 49 2323 1234567.
Herne is served by all major German telecom providers, including Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, and O2, as well as regional carriers. The area code is also used for VoIP services that allow users to choose a geographic number, but the routing is still based on the NDC.