Germany

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Quick Facts
Capital Berlin
Government Federal Republic
Currency Euro (EUR)
Area 357,021 sq km
Population 82,400,996 (July 2007 est.)
Language German
Calling Code +49
Internet TLD .de
Time Zone UTC +1

The Federal Republic of Germany [1] (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is the largest country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by Denmark, to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic, to the south by Austria and Switzerland, and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. The largest exporter nation in the world, outside of Russia, Germany is also home to the largest population in Europe. While the foreigner's conception of Germany is that it is a homogenous state like most of its neighbors, it is actually, similarly to the USA, a federation of 16 states, each with a distinct and unique culture.

[edit] Regions

Map of Germany
Map of Germany

Germany is a federal republic consisting of 16 states (called "Bundesländer" or, shortened to, "Länder" in German). Grouped roughly by geography, these are:

[edit] North

[edit] West

[edit] Central

[edit] East

[edit] South

[edit] Cities

Brandenburg gate in Berlin.
Brandenburg gate in Berlin.
Hofbräuhaus in Munich.
Hofbräuhaus in Munich.
Semperoper in Dresden.
Semperoper in Dresden.
Nuremberg old town, view from west
Nuremberg old town, view from west

Germany has numerous cities of interest to tourists; these are the top nine travel destinations.

  • Berlin — the reunified and reinvigorated capital of Germany; known for its division during the Cold War — and the Berlin Wall. Today its a metropolis of diversity with elegant clubs and galleries and traditional restaurants. It is also a haven for shoppers.
  • Bremen - One of the most important cities in northern Germany, its old town will be of interest to travellers who want a slice of history.
  • Cologne (Köln) — Germany's fourth-largest city. Cologne was founded by the Romans and is 2000 years old with its huge cathedral, Romanesque churches, and archaeological sites. Cologne also well known for its carnival and its Christopher-Street-Day parade. Don't forget to try the local cuisine and of course the beer—called "Kölsch".
  • Dresden - World-famous for its Frauenkirche and historic center, the city offers more than the average traveller knows. Great festivals, all kinds of cultural entertainment, vibrant night life, and surrounded by beautiful natural vistas. Dresden hosts the Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Dresden State Art Collections) which is one of the world's most important museums and collections. The art collections consist of eleven museums, of which the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister and the Grünes Gewölbe are the best known. There is a reason it was once called 'Florence-on-the-Elb'.
  • Dusseldorf (Düsseldorf, Duesseldorf) — the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia is famous as Germany's capital of fashion, offers a wide scale of fascinating new architecture. Right along the shores of river Rhine, the "Altstadt" and the "Medienhafen" are among the best places in Germany to enjoy a vibrant nightlife! Being one of the country's wealthiest cities, the atmosphere for the tourist is very pleasant. Germans call it "the only metropolis ending with -dorf (German for village)".
  • Frankfurt — Germany's leading financial center, transportation hub, seat of the European Central Bank (ECB), international trade fair center (Book Fair, Motor Show), hub of multicultural activity (30% Immigrants), and site of numerous world-class museums and theaters. It is also Germany's only city with enough skyscrapers to have a skyline.
  • Hamburg — Germany's second-largest city, famous for its harbour as well as its liberal and tolerant culture. Don't miss the Reeperbahn with its night clubs and casinos. Hamburg is also popular for its many musicals.
  • Hannover - One of Germany's newer "tourist cities", having hosted various international events in recent times.
  • Munich (München) — Bavaria's beautiful capital city and Southern Germany's leading city. Third largest city in Germany, Munich is the site of the famous Oktoberfest and the gateway to the Alps.
  • Nuremberg (Nürnberg) — Second largest city in Bavaria, after WW2 over 90% of the old-town was destroyed. Today the old town is reconstructed, including the Gothic Kaiserburg Castle (Emperor's Castle of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation). You can also visit the Nazi party rally grounds, the Documentation Centre and Courtroom 600 - venue of the Nuremberg Trails.

[edit] Other destinations

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[edit] Other popular tourist destinations

in Germany from north to south:

Castle of Münster (today used by the University)
Castle of Münster (today used by the University)
Königsee nearby Berchtesgaden, Bavaria St. Bartolomä
Königsee nearby Berchtesgaden, Bavaria St. Bartolomä

[edit] Die Romantische Straße (The Romantic Road)

The Romantic Road is the most famous scenic route in Germany. It starts in Würzburg and ends in Füssen. Most important points to visit on the Romantic Street are the cities: Würzburg, Harburg, Donauwörth, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Landsberg am Lech and Augsburg. Most notable wider areas are: Taubertal, Nördlinger Ries and Lechrain.

For cyclists there's a special route available called "Radwanderweg Romantische Straße".

See also: Romantic Road.

[edit] Nature

Due to its size and location in central Europe, Germany boasts a large variety of different landscapes. In general, the country's climate is mild and humid, a large part of the rural areas is covered by forests.

[edit] Seacoast

Germany's north has coasts to the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. The landscape, especially along the North Sea shore is very flat, the climate is rough with strong winds, lots of rain and mild, chilly temperatures. Due to the south-easterly winds that press water into the German Bight, tidal variations are exceptionally high, creating the "Wattenmeer": Vast areas of the seabed are uncovered twice a day, allowing one to walk from one of the numerous islands to another. The North Sea islands just off the coast are very picturesque, although mostly visited by the Germans themselves. Most of the north sea islands are free of car traffic and guarantee a silent holiday. Out in the German Bight lies the country's only off-shore island, Helgoland. Thanks to the strong winds, Wind-Surfing is possible all year round. Do not expect Hawaiian temperatures, though.

[edit] Forests

Germans are fanatic about their forests. While they are much smaller now than they used to be in medieval times, they are still huge compared to forests in other, especially western and southern European countries and only thinly populated. Among others, the Black Forest and the Bayrischer Wald have been declared national heritage and will, over the course of the next centuries, slowly return into a wild state. Although Germans love to go for long walks and hikes in these dark and humid woods, there's space enough for everyone to get lost. If you take one of the smaller paths you may not meet another person for the rest of the day (this in a country of 230 people per square kilometer). Especially the more remote areas are of an almost mythical beauty. It is no wonder the brothers Grimm could collect all those fairytales among the dark canopies, and a large part of the German poetry circles around trees, fog and those lonely mountain tops. Even Goethe sent his Faust to the Brocken [2]for his most fantastic scene. Today, wild animals, although abound, are mostly very shy, so you might not get to see many. While a few wolves in Saxony and a bear in Bavaria have been sighted, their immigration from Eastern Europe caused quite a stir. In the course of events "Bruno" (the bear) was shot, and while the wolves are under heavy protection local hunters have been suspected of killing them illegally. The most dangerous animal in Germany's forests is by far the wild boar, especially sows leading young are nothing to joke about. Wild boar are used to humans, since they often plunder trash cans in villages and suburbs and their teeth can rip big wounds. If you see one, run.

[edit] Mountains

The centre half of Germany is a patchwork of the so-called "Mittelgebirge": Hilly rural areas where fields and forests intermix with larger cities. Many of these hillranges are tourist destinations. Most noteably are the Bayrischer Wald (Bavarian Forest), the Black Forest, the Harz, the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge) and Elbsandstone Mountains. In the extreme south, bordering Austria, Germany contains a small portion of the Alps, Central Europe's highest elevation, rising as high as 4000m (12,000 ft) above sea level, with the highest summit in Germany being the Zugspitze, at 2962m (9717 ft). While only a small part of the Alps lie in Germany, they are famous for their beauty and the unique Bavarian culture. A lot of people go there or further south into neighboring Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein for skiing in the winter and hiking and climbing in the summer.

[edit] Lake Constance

Lying along the country's south-western border with Switzerland and Austria, Lake Constance is Germany's largest fresh-water lake. The area around the Lake and up the lower Rhine valley has a very mild, amenable climate and fertile grounds, making it the country's most important area for wine and fruit growing.

[edit] Understand

Germany is the biggest country in Central Europe, it runs Europe’s biggest economy and has the largest population on the continent (excluding Russia). Even so it is much smaller in size compared with most of the other leading nations in the world. Germany is a federalist country with a highly decentralised structure and has several large urban cities. Therefore, the capital Berlin is not as dominant to the rest of the nation as say London is in the United Kingdom or Paris in France. Nevertheless, it has been touted as one of the world's most fashionable big cities since the early 90s.

The undisputed financial capital of Germany is Frankfurt am Main (not to be confused with Frankfurt an der Oder). It features an unusual skyline for Central Europe with its many high-rise buildings and an ever growing airport, sometimes being referred to as "Mainhattan".

The historically decentralised structure lead to a regional stronghold of traditions. Germany's famous beer culture is centered around Southern Germany's biggest city (Munich), where beer is traditionally served in 1 liter mugs (not in Kneipen (pubs) and Restaurants); Munich is also the site of the annual Oktoberfest, Europe's most visited festival and the world's largest fair.

Germany's south-western regions are known for their wine growing areas (e.g. Rheinhessen and Palatinate). The biggest wine festival worldwide with over 600 000 visitors each year is held in Bad Duerkheim on the German Wine Route.

Cars are a symbol of national pride. Companies such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche and Volkswagen (VW) are famous internationally for their quality, safety and style. This quality is matched by Germany's excellent network of roadways including the world famous Autobahn network, which has many sections without speed limits and lots of speed hungry drivers on it. Germany also features an extensive network of high speed trains - the InterCityExpress (ICE).

Germany was the host of the FIFA World Cup 2006

[edit] History

Eisenhardt Castle in Belzig (Brandenburg)
Eisenhardt Castle in Belzig (Brandenburg)

The roots of German history and culture date back to the Germanic tribes and after that to the Holy Roman Empire. Indeed, Germany as a single state had existed only untill 1806 and then again since 1871, when a large number of previously independent German kingdoms (created by Napoleon) united under Prussian leadership to form the German Empire (Deutsches Kaiserreich). This incarnation of Germany reached eastward all the way to modern day Klaipeda (Memel) in Lithuania and also encompassed today´s regions of Alsace-Lorraine (France), a small portion of eastern Belgium (Eupen-Malmédy), a small border region in southern Denmark and over 30% of contemporary Poland. The empire ended in 1918 when Emperor (Kaiser) Wilhelm II was forced to abdicate the throne after Germany's defeat in World War I (1914-1918). It was followed by the short-lived ill fated Weimar Republic, which tried in vain to completely establish a liberal, democratic regime. Because the young republic was plagued with massive economic problems and disgrace for a humiliating defeat in the First World War, strong anti-democratic forces took advantage of the inherent organizational problems of the Weimar Constitution and the Nazis were able to seize power.

The year 1933 witnessed the rise to power of the nationalistic and racist National Socialist German Workers' (Nazi) Party and its leader (Führer), Adolf Hitler. Under the Nazi dictatorship, democratic institutions were dismantled and a police state was installed. Jews, Slavs, Gypsies, homosexuals, handicapped people, socialists, communists and other groups not fitting into the Nazi ideology faced persecution, and ultimately murder in concentration camps. Hitler's militaristic ambitions to create a new German Empire in central and eastern Europe led to war, successively, with Poland, France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States - despite initial dazzling successes, Germany was unable to withstand the attacks of the Allies and Soviets on two fronts in addition to a third front to the south in Italy.

By 1945 Germany was in ruins with most major cities bombed to the ground. Furthermore, losing 25% of its territory, east of the newly imposed Oder-Neisse frontier with Poland and the Soviet Union caused a major refugee crisis with well over 10 million Germans flooding westward into what remained of Germany following the end of the war and the Potsdam conference on the future of Germany. German provinces east of the rivers Oder and Neisse like Silesia and Pomerania were entirely cleared of its original population by the Soviets and Polish - most of it an area where there had not been any sizable Polish or even Russian minorities at all. Even more refugees came with the massive numbers of ethnic Germans expelled from their ancient eastern European homelands in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia.

After the devastating defeat in World War II (1939-1945), Berlin was divided into four sectors, controlled by the French, British, US and Soviet forces. The eastern half of Germany was governed by the Soviet Union which decided to hand over one part of its prey to Poland (Silesia, Pomerania and the southern part of East Prussia) and annex the northern part of East Prussia itself. With the beginning of the Cold War, the remaining central and western parts of the country were divided into an eastern part under Soviet control, and a western part which was controlled by the Western Allies. The western part was transformed into the Federal Republic of Germany, with Bonn as the capital. The Soviet-controlled zone became the communist German Democratic Republic (GDR). Berlin had a special status, with the eastern part featuring as the capital of the GDR. The western sectors of Berlin were de facto an exclave of the Federal Republic but formally governed by the Western Allies. On August 13, 1961 the Berlin Wall was erected as part of a heavily guarded frontier system and hundreds of Germans trying to escape from the communist regime were killed here in the following years.

In the late 1960s a desire to confront the Nazi past came into being. Students' protests beginning in 1968 successfully clamoured for a new Germany. The society became much more liberal, and the totalitarian past was dealt with more unconcealed than ever before since the foundation of the Federal Republic in 1949. Post-war education had helped put Germany among countries in Europe with the least number of people subscribing to Nazi ideas. Willy Brandt became chancellor in 1969. He made an important contribution towards reconciliation between Germany and the communist states.

Germany was reunited in 1990, a year after the fall of the GDR's communist regime. The re-established eastern states joined the Federal Republic on the 3rd October 1990, a day which is since celebrated as the German National Holiday (Tag der Deutschen Einheit). Together with the reunification, the last post-war limitations to Germany's sovereignty were removed. The German parliament, the Bundestag, after controversial debate, finally agreed to comply with the eastern border of the former GDR, the so-called "Oder-Neisse-Line" thus shaping Germany the way it can be found on Europe´s map today.

[edit] Culture

Throughout the world, especially in the English-speaking countries, Germany and the Germans have earned themselves a reputation for being stiff, brusque and strict with rules but also hard working and efficient. As with all such clichés, there is some truth to it. The German language is not as smooth as English, so even a friendly word can sound harsh to the English-speaker (not to mention the French, for that matter). More importantly, the German sense of "politeness" differs significantly from the Anglo-American concept of courteous remarks, small talk and political correctness. Germans highly value honesty, straight talking, being able to cope with criticism and generally not wasting other people's time. Consequently, business meetings (though not necessarily shorter than American ones) tend to lack the introductory chit-chat. On the other hand, there is also a strong desire to achieve mutual agreement and compromise which is unknown for Anglo-American people. As for the infamous efficiency: Germans are the world's leading recreationists (at an average of 30 days of paid leave per year, not counting public holidays), while maintaining one of the highest productivities on earth. A late-running train is considered a sign of the degradation of society.

Punctiality is seen not as a courtesy but as precondition for future relations. Most Germans arrive 5-10 minutes early and take this for granted from everyone. Arriving more than 5 minutes late to a meeting is seen as rude and will be tolerated only with unknowing strangers, unless you can give good reason in your defense. It is seen as a courtesy to call the other participants if you seem to run late. Regular delays are seen as defiance of the other participants.

[edit] Politics

Germany is a federal republic, consisting of 16 states ('Bundesländer'). The federal parliament ('Bundestag') is elected every four years in a fairly complicated system, involving direct and proportional representation. A party will be represented in Parliament if it can gather at least 5% of all votes or at least 3 directly won seats. The parliament elects the Chancellor ('Bundeskanzler', currently Angela Merkel) on its first session, who will serve as the head of government.

The formal head of state is the President ('Bundespräsident', currently Horst Köhler), who gets barely involved into day to day politics and has mainly ceremonial and representative duties. Nevertheless every law passed by the parliament has to be signed by the president. He can also suspend the parliament, but all executive power lies with the chancellor. The President of Germany is elected every 5 years by a specially convened national assembly, and is restricted to serving a maximum of two five year terms.

The 'Bundesländer' are represented at the federal level through the Federal Council ('Bundesrat'). Many federal laws have to be approved by the council. This can lead to a situation where Council and Parliament are blocking each other if they are dominated by different parties.

The two most powerful parties are the Christian Democratic Party ('Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU)') and the Social Democratic Party ('Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD)'). Due to the proportional voting system, smaller parties can also be represented in parliament.

Medium-sized parties of relative importance are the Christian Social Party ('Christlich Soziale Union (CSU)', most important party within Bavaria, a kind of CDU subsidiary), Liberals ('Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP)'), the Green party ('Bündnis 90/Die Grünen') and since summer 2005, the new Left Party ('Die Linke', most important party in the East), founded from the "PDS" and the Alternative for Work and Social justice (WASG). There have been some attempts by extreme right-wing parties (NPD - National Democratic Party / REP - Republicans) to get into parliament, but so far they have failed the 5% requirement (except in some State parliaments, currently Saxony and in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania).

[edit] Get in

Generally, all non-EU nationals will need a passport for entry. The notable exception regards authorized members of the U.S. military, who need to possess only a copy of their duty orders and their ID card to be authorized entry. The passport requirement, though, applies to spouses and dependents of military personnel.

Germany is a member of the European Union and the Schengen Agreement. European visa policy will be covered in the article about the EU. In brief, a visa to any other signatory state of the Schengen Agreement is valid in Germany too. No visa is required for citizens of other EU member states, and those of some selected nations with whom the European Union or Germany have special treaties. Inquire at your travel agent, call the local consulate or embassy of Germany or see the Entry Requirements of Germany's Federal Foreign Office [3].

As of May 2004 only the citizens of the following countries do not need a visa for entry into Germany. Note that citizens of these countries (except EU nationals and authorized military personnel and their families) must not stay longer than three months in half a year and must not work in Germany: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Norway, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela.

Some persons eligible for visa-free entry, namely those from Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and the United States of America are also eligible to obtain a residence permit (authorizing a stay of more than 90 days) upon arrival in Germany, but it may be best if the permit is obtained prior to entry. This process of obtaining the residence permit in the country is not practiced by any other EU country.

Keep in mind that the counter begins once you enter any country in the Schengen Area and is not reset by leaving Germany for another Schengen country, or vice-versa.

Also, there are no border controls between Germany and other Schengen Agreement nations making travel less complicated.

There are a number of ways to get into Germany. From neighboring European countries, a drive with the car or a train ride are feasible; visitors from further away will probably be using air travel.

[edit] By plane

The most important airports are Frankfurt (IATA: FRA), Munich (IATA: MUC) and Düsseldorf (IATA: DUS). Berlin (IATA: SXF and IATA: TXL), Cologne (IATA: CGN) and Hamburg (IATA: HAM) have some relevance to international travellers as well.

Frankfurt is Germany's main hub and one of Europe's four major hubs, and the destination of most intercontinental flights. Munich is a secondary hub. Travellers can easily fly in from most places of the world and then connect with Germany's biggest and most respected airline Lufthansa [4] which is a member of the Star Alliance.

Some German airports are connected to the InterCityExpress and other rail lines. The others all feature some sort of connection to the nearest rail station as well as public transport to the central station of the respective cities. Passengers travelling from Frankfurt Airport have the option to check in their luggage in Cologne or Stuttgart train stations and connect to the airport by ICE.

Germany is one of Europe's budget airline capitals. There are budget flights to almost every city in Europe from Germany. Thus, a person seeking a budget flight, should first check with the nearest airport. Examples of budget airline hubs are Berlin Schönefeld and Dortmund for easyJet. Germanwings [5] and tuifly (formerly Hapag-Lloyd-Express and HapagFly), Air Berlin and WizzAir offer budget flights from many assorted airports across Germany and Europe Ryanair flights from London to Berlin Schoenefeld, Altenburg (Leipzig), Lübeck (near to Hamburg), Weeze (near Duesseldorf) and from some other European destinations to Frankfurt/Hahn (Attention: Hahn is about 120km from Frankfurt without a railway station nearby!). Flying can be the cheapest way to get to Germany, especially if the flights are booked well in advance. A sample airfare on AirBerlin from Münster/Osnabrück to Vienna, Austria is €29 one-way including an onboard meal and all taxes, only if booked far in advance.

[edit] By train

Regular train services connect Germany with all neighbouring countries. Almost all neighbouring countries (especially Switzerland, Poland, Denmark, Czech Republic and Austria) and even some non-neighbouring countries (e. g. Italy) are quite well connected with "EuroCity" trains. They are a little bit slower than the European high speed trains but reach nevertheless up to 200 km/h. They are a worthwhile way to travel--not only for budget travellers (although budget airlines might be cheaper) or landscape viewers (especially the Rhine valley lines).

There are also several European high speed trains to cross into or get out of Germany:

  • The Thalys [6] brings you from Cologne (Köln) to Paris in approximately four hours and to Brussels in about two hours.
  • The ICE brings you at 330 km/h top speed from Frankfurt (3h 15), Cologne (2h 30) or Düsseldorf (2h 15) to Amsterdam. The train journey from Frankfurt to Paris using the ICE will take about four hours; going from Hamburg to Paris can take eight and a half hours. There is also an ICE line from Frankfurt to Brussels via Cologne.
  • Between Stuttgart and Milan (via Zurich) the Cisalpino [7] offers several connections and is at the moment the only direct trans alpine train connection.

Standard rail fares are quite high and in 2005 Deutsche Bahn introduced discount return tickets. You must buy them three or seven days in advance (e. g. online and print your ticket at home). Further reductions are available for groups of two or more persons. These tickets are valid on only specific trains and times. From time to time there are further discount offers for single rides. The Bahncard (see Train Fares) is a discount card for the standard fare. If your travel starts or ends in Germany, you are still eligible for a reduction on the whole journey.

Another option for cheap rail travel are the so-called Ländertickets and the Schöne-Wochenende-Ticket. The most well-known of these Ländertickets is the Bayern-Ticket. Ländertickets and the Schöne-Wochenende-Ticket allow unlimited travel on regional trains for the day and region of validity. Most Ländertickets are available in two versions: Single or Normal. Normal tickets are designed for a group of up to 5 people. Single tickets are cheaper, but they allow only one person to travel. The Schöne-Wochenende-Ticket is valid for all of Germany, the Ländertickets are usually valid only in the Land that they are sold in. (Bayern-Ticket is valid only in Bavaria, but Sachsen-Ticket is valid in Saxony, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt.) Schöne-Wochenende-Ticket can be used on only Saturday or Sunday from midnight to 2 am the next day, Ländertickets are valid during the week from 9 am on and on Saturdays and Sundays from midnight on. With Schöne-Wochenende-Ticket it is possible to travel in a group of 5 people from Amsterdam to Berlin for less than 14 EUR one-way per person when the normal train fare is 100 EUR. If you arrive at a train station early on a Saturday or Sunday, you might be invited to join a group travelling on Schöne-Wochenende-Ticket or look for fellow travellers yourself.

  • Deutsche Bahn [8] is the major German railway corporation. Click on "Int. Guests" to see the site in several languages. If you plan to travel a lot by train, you should consider buying a "German rail pass", which might be cheaper to buy via travel-agencies outside of the country. It allows unlimited travels on the validity dates.

[edit] By Boat

International ferry services exist, notably to Scandinavia. An incomplete list of connections follows:

[edit] Scandinavia

[edit] Poland

  • From Szczecin (passenger ferries only)

[edit] Russia

[edit] Baltic States

[edit] Switzerland

  • From Basel by Rhein-Schifffahrt down the Rhein river.

[edit] Overview

[edit] Get around

German transportation runs with German efficiency, and getting around the country is a snap — although you'll need to pay top price for top speed. The most popular options by far are to either rent a car (see #By car), or to take the train (see #By train).

[edit] By plane

The German flag carrier Deutsche Lufthansa [9] connects all major cities in Germany to each other and foreign destinations. Due to the comparatively short distances and relatively high hassle of air travel - especially when you travel with luggage - domestic air travel is used mostly for business purposes. Due to the boom of budget airlines very low price offers are seen in the internet and high competition in the industry will keep them low. Please compare prices for plane tickets to those of the railway tickets if you want to go to some major cities. Make sure though, that you get where you want to! Low-cost airlines are known for naming small airports in the middle of nowhere by cities 200 km away (e.g. "Frankfurt-Hahn" is actually in Hahn, over two hours away by bus from Frankfurt city).

The following carriers offer domestic flights within Germany:

  1. Air Berlin [10] incl. dba [11] (Berlin (Schoenefeld Airport), Berlin (Tegel Airport), Bremen Airport, Cologne (Koeln/Bonn Airport), Dresden Airport, Dusseldorf Airport, Erfurt Airport, Frankfurt International Airport, Hamburg Airport, Hanover Airport, Karlsruhe/Baden Baden (Soellingen Airport), Leipzig/Halle Airport, Muenster Airport, Munich (Franz Josef Strauss Airport), Nuremberg (Metropolitan Area Airport), Rostock-Laage (Laage Airport), Stuttgart (Echterdingen Airport), Westerland - Sylt Airport)
  2. Lufthansa [12] (Berlin (Tegel Airport), Bremen Airport, Cologne (Koeln/Bonn Airport), Dortmund Airport, Dresden Airport, Dusseldorf Airport, Frankfurt International Airport, Friedrichshafen Airport, Hamburg Airport, Hanover Airport, Hof Airport, Leipzig/Halle Airport, Muenster Airport, Munich (Franz Josef Strauss Airport), Nuremberg (Metropolitan Area Airport), Paderborn Airport, Stuttgart (Echterdingen Airport), Westerland - Sylt Airport)
  3. Cirrus Airlines [13] (Berlin (Tempelhof Airport), Dresden Airport, Dusseldorf (Moenchen-Gl. DUS Exp Airport), Erfurt Airport, Hamburg Airport, Heringsdorf Airport, Kiel (Holtenau Airport), Mannheim Airport, Munich (Franz Josef Strauss Airport), Saarbruecken (Ensheim Airport))
  4. LGW [14] (Berlin (Tempelhof Airport), Cologne (Koeln/Bonn Airport), Dortmund Airport, Dusseldorf Airport, Erfurt Airport, Hamburg Airport, Leipzig/Halle Airport, Nuremberg (Metropolitan Area Airport), Stuttgart (Echterdingen Airport), Westerland - Sylt Airport)
  5. OLT [15] (Borkum Airport, Bremen Airport, Bremerhaven Airport, Cuxhaven/Nordholz Airport, Emden Airport, Heide-Buesum Airport, Helgoland Airport, Munich (Franz Josef Strauss Airport), Nuremberg (Metropolitan Area Airport), Rostock-Laage (Laage Airport))
  6. TUIfly.com [16] (formerly HapagFly and HLX) (Berlin (Tegel Airport), Cologne (Koeln/Bonn Airport), Dusseldorf Airport, Hamburg Airport, Hanover Airport, Leipzig/Halle Airport, Memmingen (Allgaeu Airport), Munich (Franz Josef Strauss Airport), Stuttgart (Echterdingen Airport), Westerland - Sylt Airport)
  7. Germanwings [17] (Berlin (Schoenefeld Airport), Cologne (Koeln/Bonn Airport), Dresden Airport, Dusseldorf Airport, Hamburg Airport, Leipzig/Halle Airport, Munich (Franz Josef Strauss Airport), Saarbruecken (Zweibruecken Off-Line Point), Stuttgart (Echterdingen Airport))
  8. European Air Express [18] (Berlin (Tempelhof Airport), Cologne (Koeln/Bonn Airport), Muenster Airport, Nuremberg (Metropolitan Area Airport), Stuttgart (Echterdingen Airport))
  9. InterSky [19] (Berlin (Tempelhof Airport), Cologne (Koeln/Bonn Airport), Dresden Airport, Bodensee-Airport Friedrichshafen [20], Hamburg Airport)
  10. International Airways LTU [21] (Dusseldorf Airport, Munich (Franz Josef Strauss Airport))
  11. Sylt Air [22] (Hamburg Airport, Westerland - Sylt Airport)

[edit] By train

Germany has an excellent, reliable and affordable railway system, which reaches almost every part of the country. Unless you travel by car, the train will be your major mode of transportation. Crossing Germany from Munich in the south to Hamburg in the north will take only 6 hours at best, while Driving by car would take around 8 hours.

Almost all long-distance and regional trains are operated by Deutsche Bahn ("German Rail") , the national railway company. DB's bahn.de website [23] , also available in English, is an excellent resource for working out transportation options not only in Germany but also pretty much anywhere in Europe. It will even suggest local buses, subways, etc. for getting you door to door.

[edit] Long distance

Inter City Express (ICE).
Inter City Express (ICE).

All major cities are linked by DB's ICE (InterCity Express) and regular InterCity trains. The ICE are high speed trains, reaching top speeds of 330km/h; and even though they rarely cruise at such high speeds travel is faster than by car and quite comfortable. They are also fairly expensive, with a one-hour jaunt (eg. Frankfurt to Cologne, around 150 km) costing around €60. Reservations are not mandatory but are recommended, at least when you travel on weekends or holidays.

The next tier are the regular InterCity (IC) and EuroCity (EC) trains. The latter connect the larger European cities; travelling inside Germany these are virtually identical to the regular ICs. These trains are also fairly comfortable, even if they lack the "high tech" feeling of the ICE.

On the major lines, an ICE or IC train will run each hour or so during the day. Before you shell out the money for the ICE ticket, you may want to check if it actually make much of a difference: The ICE will travel faster only on specially equipped "high speed" routes - but on those routes the difference can be significant.

There are also long distance trains operated by other companies than Deutsche Bahn, usually running over secondary routes. These are usually quite comfortable (although not as comfortable as ICE) and sometimes cheaper, but most of them stop at almost every station en-route.

[edit] Regional travel

Regional and local trains in Germany come in several flavors:

  • IRE (InterRegioExpress). As fast as an IC, but with no surcharges.
  • RE (Regional-Express). Semi-express trains, skips some stations,
  • RB (Regional-Bahn). Stops everywhere.
  • S-Bahn. Commuter network for a city, but can travel fairly long distances. Stops everywhere.

Urban transportation systems are usually ran by local companies that are publicly held; these may include subways, city buses, light rail and even regional trains. In larger urban areas the local companies will often form a Verkehrsverbund (integrated public transport system). This means that you will be able to travel in and between all participating cities using the same tickets and fares. These urban transport networks are often (but not always) integrated with the DB network and "local" tickets will also be valid on DB trains inside the Verkehrsverbund.

[edit] Regular tickets

Old (keypad) and new (touchscreen) DB ticket machines
Old (keypad) and new (touchscreen) DB ticket machines

If you're traveling long-distance, the easiest thing is to book your tickets online at bahn.de [24]. The engine will automatically look up the cheapest possible fares according your requirements, including any applicable early-booking discounts. Pay online, print out your ticket, bring it along and you're set.

If you're already at the station, find a new (touchscreen) ticket machine, tap the English flag, and then navigate through the menus. Like the online engine, they will automatically suggest the best routes, and credit cards are accepted.

If you need to buy a ticket now and want to get help from a human, head to any major train station (Hauptbahnhof) and find the Reisezentrum. You will need to queue and pay a small surcharge.

If you're really in a hurry, just run onto the train and grab any non-reserved seat, then buy a ticket from the conductor. This will cost you about 10% extra. Almost all conductors — and at least every main conductor, called the Zugchef ("Train Boss") — speak English.

Now, if you're traveling on local trains, things can get hideously confusing very fast. The basic unit of confusion is the Verkehrsverbund (VB), or "tariff union", which is basically a region around a large city that has a single tariff system. Examples include VBB [25] around Berlin and RMV [26] around Frankfurt. Any travel within a single Verkehrsverbund is "local", and usually quite cheap; any travel between Verkehrsverbunds requires the full DB fare, and will usually be considerably more expensive. The catch is that DB trains often merrily cross between Verkehrsverbunds with no warning at all, and your "local" ticket stops being valid the instant you cross the invisible line.

Ticket machines for the local Verkehrsverbund are yellow, white or gray. They can be used on all local transport in the area, including DB trains, but are not valid outside it. DB's ticket machines, which are red or blue, can sell you both local (VB) and regional (DB) tickets.

Local tickets have to be paid for by cash, credit cards are not accepted, even on DB machines that do usually accept credit cards. Change in coins is given, but no more than €10. With many local machines and old DB machines, you'll need to figure out the four-digit code for your destination, found on a panel of densely packed print nearby. Poke the flag button to switch to English, punch in the code for your destination station on the keypad, then hit the appropriate button in the left ("adult") row below to pick your ticket — the first button is always one-way single (Einzelfahrausweis). A price will be displayed: feed in your money (quickly, since the timeout is quite fast!), and the machine will spit out your tickets and change. For new blue DB machines, select the local tariff union in the top menu, and the rest is easy.

If you buy a local VB ticket, you will usually have to validate it by timestamping it at the bright yellow punch machines located on platforms. If you have no valid ticket, or an unpunched ticket, you will be fined as a fare dodger. Ticket validity varies randomly from one VB to another: usually there is either a zone system (the further you travel, the more you pay), a time system (the longer you travel, the more you pay), or most commonly a combination of these two. Unlimited transfers between trains, buses etc are usually allowed as long as your ticket remains valid. Discounts may be given for return trips, and one-day tickets (Tageskarte) are usually cheaper and much less hassle that single tickets, although zone limits apply to them as well. You can often pick up brochures attempting to explain all this, usually with helpful maps and occasionally even in English, at a local Reisezentrum.

Local tickets are usually not sold on local trains, you need to buy them at the station. If in doubt, signs on the platform or on the train itself saying Einstieg nur mit gültigem Fahrausweis mean that you have to have a ticket before you board. Drivers on buses and trams, though, usually do sell tickets.

For regional train travel between VBs, you'll have to use a DB ticket machine or buy your ticket at a Reisezentrum. If you're using an old red machine that doesn't have the code for your destination, punch in 9999 to buy a Fahrkarte Anfangsstrecke (preliminary ticket), which can be upgraded to the correct fare on board without penalty. The new touchscreen machines accept credit cards, but the old ones do not.

Regional train tickets are point-to-point, with the destinations written on the ticket. They are not valid on non-DB local transport, although for long-distance tickets, you may have the option to add on a local transport ticket at your destination for a few euros extra.

[edit] Special fares

There are some special promotions and prices the rail company offers at various times. Your best course of action is to check their website, or to ask at a train station or their telephone hotline for current details. However, some general points to keep in mind are:

  • If you buy a return ticket at least three days in advance you can get discounts of 25% and even 50% if your trip includes the night from Saturday to Sunday. Unlike standard fare tickets you must use the trains you booked the ticket for and cannot choose an earlier or later ones.
  • Children up to fourteen years travel free when accompanied by at least one of their parents or grandparents.
  • If you plan to travel by train a lot, you may consider getting a BahnCard, valid for 12 months (from the date of purchase), which gives you discounts on all ticket purchases.
  • The BahnCard 25 costs €53 (€106 for first class) and gives you a 25% discount on all further ticket purchases. Spouses and kids of BahnCard 25-owners can get additional cards for €5.
  • The BahnCard 50 is €212 (€424 for first class) and gives you a 50% discount on all tickets. You can get this card for half the price if you're a pupil or student (up to 26 years of age), a pensioner of more than 60 years or disabled.
  • The BahnCard 100 is €3400 (€5700 for first class) and gives you a 100% discount on almost all tickets. An example for the exceptions is the AutoZug, which is a train that allows you to take your car along. You will have to pay some additional fare to use the night trains and the ICE Sprinter.

But there is another great offer, if you are a student in Germany and under the age of 26, you can get the BahnCard50 with half-cut-off price, which is 103€. Also another important tip if you don't want to buy the BahnCard, book the train ticket one week in advance, you also can get half price ticket, the restriction is you have to arrange your itinerary carefully, the destination of your return is the departure of you start, which means this kind of offer works only if you will return back to where you leave, and the duration should cover the weekends, finally, in which train you can take is fixed in advance(the train code will be given to you).

  • The Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket (English: Lovely Weekend Ticket) lets you travel anywhere in Germany on a Saturday or Sunday until 3 am the following day. It is, however, valid only on regional trains (IRE, RE, RB, S), many private railways and on most of the other means of public transport, but not express or night trains (ICE, IC, etc.). If you have time on your hands, it is a very inexpensive option at just €35 for up to 5 people. It is not uncommon to be asked by fellow travellers at a major train station if you have such a ticket in order to travel as a group and share the costs. The Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket is potentially an ultra-cheap form of long distance travel: You can get from Munich to Hamburg for €7, taking 12+ hours, however it's still faster and more comfortable than taking the bus.
  • If your travel is contained within a single Bundesland (state), then you can buy a Länder-Ticket, which is much like a Schönes-Wochenend-Ticket, except that they're valid on weekdays (after 9 AM) and limited to that state (plus, usually, a few short links across the border). Tickets cost around €17 for 1 person and €27 for up to five people, see DB [27] for details.
  • The German Rail Pass and the Eurail Pass allow for unlimited travel throughout Germany and Europe on a selectable number of days. These tickets are available only from travel agencies outside Germany. See special offers for travelers from outside Europe [28] for more information.

[edit] Information for railway fans

There are several railways of special interests in Germany. These include among others:

  • the Rasender Roland on Rügen
  • the Mecklenburgische Bäderbahn Molli in Bad Doberan [29]
  • the Harzquerbahn
  • the Harzer Schmalspurbahn [30]
  • Lössnitz Valley Railroad [[31]]
  • the Wuppertaler Schwebebahn in Wuppertal, the world's oldest monorail
  • the H-Bahn in Dortmund
  • the Schwebebahn Dresden
  • the Transrapid maglev test track in Emsland

Cog railways are in Stuttgart, up Drachenfels, up the Zugspitze Mountain and up the Wendelstein Mountain.

For an almost complete list, see de:Sehenswerte Eisenbahnen in Deutschland.

[edit] DB subsidiaries

  • Burgenlandbahn [32] (Artern - Nebra - Naumburg, Zeitz - Teuchern - Weißenfels / Naumburg, Querfurt - Merseburg, Merseburg - Schafstädt)

[edit] Other railway corporations

  • ABELLIO Rail [33] (Gelsenkirchen - Herne - Bochum (Nokia-Bahn), Essen - Bochum - Witten - Hagen (Ruhr-Lenne-Bahn))
  • Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft [34] (around Karlsruhe)
  • Allgäu Express [35] (München - Oberstdorf)
  • Altona-Kaltenkirchen-Neumünster Eisenbahn [36] (Hamburg-Eidelstedt - Ulzburg - Neumünster, Elmshorn - Ulzburg, Ulzburg - Norderstedt Mitte)
  • Bahnbetriebsgesellschaft Stauden [37] (Gessertshausen - Fischach - Markt Wald, Günzburg - Krumbach)
  • Bayerische Oberlandbahn [38] (München - Lenggries / Tegernsee / Bayrischzell)
  • Bayerische Zugspitzbahn [39] (Garmisch-Partenkirchen - Grainau - Schneefernerhaus/Zugspitzplatt)
  • Bodensee-Oberschwaben-Bahn [40] (Friedrichshafen Hafen - Aulendorf)
  • Borkumer Kleinbahn und Dampfschiffahrt [41] (on the North Sea island Borkum)
  • Breisgau-S-Bahn-Gesellschaft [42] (Freiburg - Breisach, Riegel - Endingen - Breisach, Riegel - Gottenheim, Freiburg - Elzach)
  • Brohltal Schmalspur-Eisenbahn [43] (Brohl - Engeln)
  • Busverkehr Ober- und Westerzgebirge Bahn [44] (Cranzahl - Oberwiesenthal, Radebeul Ost - Radeburg)
  • Chiemseebahn [45] (Prien(DB) - Hafen Stock)
  • City Bahn Chemnitz [46] (Chemnitz - Stollberg, Stollberg - St. Egidien - Glauchau, Chemnitz - Burgstädt, Chemnitz - Hainichen)
  • Connex Sachsen [47] (Cottbus - Görlitz - Zittau, Leipzig - Bad Lausick - Geithain, Görlitz - Bischofswerda - Dresden)
  • Dessau-Wörlitzer Eisenbahn [48] (Dessau - Wörlitz)
  • Döllnitzbahn [49] (Oschatz - Mügeln - Kemmlitz, Nebitzschen - Glossen)
  • Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe [50] (around Karlsruhe)

[edit] By bus

A few long distance bus lines exist within Germany, most of them orientated to/from Berlin. Besides, there is a very useful long distance bus line, the "Neun-Euro Bus". If booked in advance, you can end up paying just nine euro for any trip on the bus line connecting Hamburg (+airport), Hanover (+airport), Kassel, Frankfurt (+airport), Mannheim and Heidelberg. The bus runs during the night. For more information, check [51]

Apart from these, there is a very dense network of regional and local bus lines. In rural areas though, many lines run only once per day. Regional and local express bus line designators usually contain the letter(s) CE (local), E (regional around Hamburg; in other areas, E is used for special runnings), S (regional), SB (regional and local) or X (local within Berlin), city bus line designators may contain the letter(s) BB ("Bürgerbus", not integrated within tariff unions), C or O. Always check the departure boards carefully: sometimes - especially at night or in rural areas - you have to order your bus by phone.

[edit] By car

Germany has a world-famous network of excellent roads and Autobahn (motorway) with no toll or fees for cars (trucks have to pay), but gasoline prices are kept high by taxation. In November 2008 prices float around 1,20 € per litre. At petrol stations you'll have the choice between Diesel, Benzin (91 octane), Super (95 octane) and SuperPlus (98 octane) or Ultimate (100 octane). Also LPG (Liquid petroleum gas) is available with not so much problems on Highways. Here and there you might find "Erdgas", too; this is compressed natural gas not gasoline. In Germany, you may first fill up your tank and pay afterwards (only if the petrol station is staffed, of course). Some stations will not release the fuel to pump unless you pay first or at least hand over a credit card in advance.

Car rentals are available in most cities, and one-way rentals (within Germany) are generally permitted with the larger chains without an additional fee. When renting a car, be aware that most cars in Germany have manual gearbox (stick-shift), so you might want to ask for a car with an automatic gearbox if that's what you're used to. Mind that in Germany you´re not allowed to drive a manual transmission car if you got your license on a automatic gearbox car.

Another great way to get around without your own car is using one of the popular car pool services. You can arrange many connections over their respecive websites if you speak some German or have a friend that can help you out. Making contact is free of charge and getting a lift is often the cheapest way to get around. The two most popular hosts are Mitfahrgelegenheit [52] and Mitfahrzentrale [53], for second one you have to pay an extra charge. If you have your own car, taking other people is also a great way of saving money and protecting the environment.

You may not turn right on red traffic lights except if there is a small green arrow sign affixed to the traffic light. In that case you may carefully turn right, however you must still stop and make sure that there is no traffic or pedestrians approaching. Sometimes instead of a sign there´s a light with the same symbol on it, you´re allowed to turn right as long as the light is on.

In many areas traffic lights are not hung over the intersection, but instead placed at the corners. You shouldn't creep into the intersection or else you won't be able to see the lights change. Some intersections (especially in bigger cities) use "self regulating" traffic lights. The inductive sensor device used to determine if there´s a car waiting is under the thick white stripe in front of the traffic light. Be sure to stop right in front of (or very slightly on) that stripe or the sensor might not recognise you, the light will still turn green but you might have to wait quite a while longer. Yellow lights are considerably shorter in duration than in those in the US and Canada, and are also used as a warning that the light is about to turn green. If the yellow light is flashing this means the traffic light either is defective or switched off (for example late at night or during weekends), proceed as if the intersection had no traffic lights (observe "right before left" or stop signs).

Normal road markings are white. Yellow road markings invalidate any existing white markings, observe the yellow markings.

Watch out for cyclists on sidewalk lanes, sometimes they are allowed to use the "wrong direction" lane. If a road crosses a bicycle lane (Radweg) it might have a red color where it interjects with the bicycle lane or other special markings, if that´s the case cyclists have right of way. If in doubt or there are no markings, its still a good idea to give right of way.

The police will show blinking signs reading "Polizei Halt" (police, stop) if they want to stop you. An audible "yelp-signal" is currently beeing introduced. Stay calm and friendly, hand over the driving license and car papers (if you rent a car, you will have a copy of the rental contract) when you are asked to. In most cases that is all that happens and if you respect traffic signs and speed limits it is very unlikely that you get stopped at all.

The police may routine check vehicle drivers for alcohol; controls will be especially heavy at national holidays or close to mass events where people may consume alcohol. It's illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content of more than 0.05% (0.5‰ (permille)). Even below that limit you may face severe fines if you seem unfit to drive. The limit is zero for people under 21 and those who have held their license for less than two years. If your license was recently renewed, it might be a good idea, if possible, to have a copy of your previous license.

Most foreign licenses are accepted for up to a year if you are at least 18 years old. After a year, you must obtain a German license.

Speed limits are the following in Germany (unless otherwise shown):

  • max. 5 km/h on "Spielstraßen" (marked by a blue/white sign showing playing kids)
  • max. 30 km/h in most residential areas within cities (marked with a sign "30-Zone Wohngebiet", 20-Zone and 10-Zone also exist)
  • max. 50 km/h inside towns and cities (including "Kraftfahrtstraßen" (marked by a sign showing a white car on a blue background))
  • max. 100 km/h outside towns and cities
  • There is no constant general speed limit on the "Autobahn" or on "Kraftfahrstraßen" if there is any kind of barrier between two or more lanes of different direction. However , it is not an entirely unrestricted roadway as there are sections that are periodically or permanently assigned lower rates of speed. The recommended maximum speed on the Autobahn is 130 km/h and if you drive on the Autobahn for your first time and are not yet used to the usual heavy traffic you should not exceed that speed. In addition, if you are legally travelling in excess of 130 km/h and are involved in an accident you can still be held liable for part or all of the damages, regardless of fault on your part.

Vehicles with a maximum speed of less than 60 km/h are not allowed on the "Autobahn" or "Kraftfahrstraßen".

Since may 2007 new rules about particulate matter (dust pollution) have been introduce. All cars driving into an Umweltzone (pollution-free zone) need a special vignette (Feinstaubplakette) according to their pollution category. Signs at the start of pollution-free zones will show which vignette is needed to be allowed to enter (green, yellow, or red), and which cars are not allowed to enter. If a car does not have a vignette at all, its not allowed to enter a polution-free zone. If you rent a car make sure to ask if it has a Feinstaubplakette.

For an overview of traffic signs and regulations in Germany, see this site: [54].

[edit] Using the Autobahn

German drivers tend to drive faster and more aggressively than you might be used to, especially on the parts of the highway system without a speed limit, which is taken literally. Always have a look over your shoulder when changing lanes. Vehicles, especially motorbikes, may seem to appear out of nowhere with the speed of light within a second.

You must use the right lane if it's free, even if everybody seems to prefer the left and middle lanes (where they exist). You may stay in the left/middle lane if there are occasional slow vehicles on the right.

Road signs on the Autobahn show possible destinations (mostly city names). They do not show the direction of the road (e.g. east/west), like in some other countries. Signs at exits rather show the name of the next exit than destinations.

Overtaking the right lane is not allowed and can be dangerous as other drivers may not expect it. You must always pass vehicles on the left side, except in a traffic jam (note that passing on the right is allowed on other streets within city limits).

Never reverse on an Autobahn when you miss an exit. Go to the next exit, there is one every few kilometers, leave the Autobahn and re-enter for the opposite lane, go back and you'll be fine.

Autobahns have an emergency lane where you can stop only in case of a breakdown or when otherwise unavoidable. For everything else, always use the frequent service areas; it is illegal and dangerous to stop there for other reasons. Running out of fuel on the Autobahn may also incur a small fine if the police happens to notice you, as this is considered to be avoidable. If you have to stop you must set up your warning triangle. The emergency lane is a dangerous place - you should leave your vehicle and stay off the road until help arrives!

Arrows on the small posts along the Autobahn will guide you to the next orange emergency phone. These will automatically connect you free of charge with an emergency call center which will help you get the police, an ambulance or just a mechanic. These phones should be the preferred choice over using your mobile since they transmit your exact location.

In some areas emergency tracks are used as extra lanes in times of heavy traffic. But this is always announced by electronic light signs.

In case of a breakdown you may also call the ADAC, by members the world's largest automobile club. The number is +49 180 2222222 from fixed lines and 22 22 22 from mobile phones regardless of network. On the Autobahn, the ADAC must always come to you free of charge. In other situations, there may be costs involved if you're not a member. If you're a member of a foreign AA or automobile club, you may want to check if the ADAC honours your membership.

[edit] By recreational vehicle and campervans

Recreational Vehicle (RV) is a broad term used to describe a large enclosed piece of equipment with wheels designed to be moved from place to place for people to temporarily live in and be protected from the elements while away from their permanent domicile. Campervans are vans that have been fitted out for use as accommodation. They are considered as an alternative to the purpose-built recreational vehicle or motorhome because they are smaller and handle like most vans.

German campgrounds (like most in Western Europe) usually offer a full range of amenities. You'll always have your own electricity hookup, water and sewer hookups for each are common, too. Every campground has restrooms and showers as well as kitchens, washing-machines and a spin dryer.

The yellow pages of camping, or, if you like, the German camping bible, is the ADAC Campingführer, a campground guide by Germany's largest automobile club ADAC. It lists almost all campgrounds along with prices, type of location, size, opening hours, amenities, you-name-it. Since the guide uses lots of symbols which are explained in a number of languages, it's suitable for travellers from abroad, too. The ISBN number for the 2006 edition covering Germany and Northern Europe is 3899052765, price is 16.90 €. If you don't get it at home you can buy at any bookstore in Germany. If they don't have it on hand they'll order it for pickup the next day.

[edit] By thumb

It is possible to hitchhike in Germany and most Germans speak (at least broken) English, so you will be understood if you speak slowly. Drivers rarely expect you to give them any money for the ride. The first letters of the German number plate (before the hyphen) indicate the city in which the car is registered. If you know the code for your destination [55] it will increase your chances.

It is illegal to stop on the Autobahn itself, but hitchhiking from service areas or petrol stations is a good way of getting long rides (100-200 km). The hard part is getting onto the Autobahn, so it pays off to sleep near the gas stations if you are going far. At the gas stations you can get a free booklet called Tanken und Rasten with a map of the Autobahn and its gas stations. When getting a lift, agree with the driver where to get off, and make sure there is a gas station. Try to avoid the Auto Hofs.

It is also quite common to arrange a ride in a private vehicle in advance through on offline agency or the Internet. Offline agencies like Citynetz [56] or ADM [57] do have offices in major cities, mostly near the city center or the main railway station. These offline agencies do charge a commission additionally to the cost for fuel you need to pay for the driver.

In the recent years online services to arrange rides in private vehicles became very popular. The main reason is that you do not have to pay the commission traditional agencies do charge. You need to contribute only towards fuel costs. (example fare: Frankfurt to Berlin €25). You can contact the driver directly by email, phone or sms. As the drivers need to be registered, it is safer than hitchhiking. Hitchhikers [58] is a comparable service, multilingual and free. Mitfahrgelegenheit [59] and Mitfahrzentrale [60] are other well known players with plenty of rides in their databases. Mitfahrzentrale even operates all over Europe. Raumobil [61] is a new player in the market but a more private-run affair. Mitflugzentrale [62] arranges rides in private planes.

Another form of hitchhiking available in Germany is on the trains. People purchase a Wochenende-ticket (weekend ticket) which allows them to take up to four other people with them on the regional transports for the entire weekend. To hitch a ride with these travelers, first figure out which regional transportation you will need to take in order to reach your destination. You may figure that out online at the German train website, making sure to check "regional transportation only", or train stations in major cities have computer terminals in which you can do the same. Then just hop on the train that is going your way. Always, within one car you will find someone willing to let you tag along. "Haben Sie eine Wochenende ticket?" Do you have a weekend ticket? "Kann ich mit Ihnen gehen?" Can I go with you?. Just make sure it is the right train and the weekend.

[edit] Talk

The official language of Germany is German. The standard form of German is called "Hochdeutsch" (High German). This is accent-free or better dialect-free German, the "official" form of the language. It is understood by all and spoken by many Germans. However, every region has its dialect, which might pose sometimes a challenge to those who speak even good German - and sometimes to native speakers as well.

All Germans learn English at school, so you should be able to get by with English in most places. Many people--especially in the tourism industry and higher educated persons--also speak French, Russian or Spanish, but if you can't speak German, English remains your best bet. Even if one member of the staff doesn't speak English, you are likely to find someone who does and is more than willing to help you. Russian is also very useful in the area popularly known as East Germany, as virtually everyone was taught that language at school, albeit not as extensively as in its Slavic neighbours. In the southeastern part of that area, a small Slavic community of 50,000 also speak the Sorbian language, the least spoken modern Slavic language today, but widely protected from near-extinction since 1945. Sorbian is divided into two dialects just like German: Upper and Low Sorbian, with the former being the most commonly used.

If you address a German with English, always ask "Do you speak English?" or its German translation "Sprechen Sie Englisch?" It is considered a sign of politeness.

Germans less fluent in the English language often answer questions very briefly (one or two words) because they feel uncertain how to create a complete English sentence. This might sometimes appear impolite but it is not at all meant this way. Germans less fluent in the English also often say "become" instead of "get" because the German word "bekommen" ("get") is phonetically so close to "become". Since it's polite to reply "Bitte" if someone thanks you, Germans may literally translate this with "please" instead of "here yo