Area Code 234 – Bochum
The phone area code for Bochum is 234 (international format +49234). Browse local exchange codes (NXX) and carrier assignments below.
📞 Exchange Codes (NXX) for Area Code 234
Select a central office code to view local carrier data and detailed information
📍 Geographic Location of Bochum
Geographic Overview
The +49 234 area code is the National Destination Code (NDC) for the city of Bochum, located in the eastern part of the Ruhr metropolitan region in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Bochum is a major urban center within the Ruhr, historically known for coal mining and steel production, and now home to the Ruhr University Bochum and a vibrant cultural scene. The geographic area served by this code includes the city of Bochum itself, as well as several surrounding municipalities and districts that are part of the Bochum urban area. These include Wattenscheid, which was incorporated into Bochum in 1975, and parts of neighboring towns such as Hattingen, Witten, and Herne, depending on the specific street or locality. The code is administered by the German Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) and is allocated for fixed-line telephone services within this defined geographic region.
Dialing Formats
When calling a Bochum landline number from within Germany, you must use the national trunk prefix 0 followed by the area code and the subscriber's local number. For example, a typical Bochum number might be formatted as 0234 1234567. The local subscriber numbers in Bochum can vary in length, typically between 5 and 8 digits, and together with the area code they always form a total of 11 digits (including the leading 0). For international callers, the German country code +49 replaces the leading 0, so the same number would be dialed as +49 234 1234567.
Overlay and Numbering Changes
Currently, there is no overlay code for the Bochum area; the 0234 code is the sole geographic code for the city. However, callers should be aware that due to number portability, a number with the 0234 prefix may have been ported to a mobile network or to a VoIP provider, and may not necessarily be a fixed-line service. Conversely, a Bochum resident may have a number with a different area code if they ported their number from another region. For local calls within Bochum, it is still necessary to dial the full area code, as German dialing plans do not allow local calls without the area code.
Caller Instructions
For callers within Germany, simply dial 0234 followed by the local number. For callers from outside Germany, you must dial your country's international access code (e.g., 011 from the US, 00 from most European countries), then 49, then 234, and finally the local subscriber number, omitting the leading 0. For example, a caller from the UK would dial 00 49 234 1234567. It is important to note that charges for calls to Bochum landlines are typically lower than mobile rates, and many German fixed-line plans include free calls to national landlines.