Germany: Essential Travel Tips
Fact file
Capital: Berlin
Population: 82 million
Languages: German, plus small minorities speaking Frisian, Danish and Sorbian. There is also a wide range of regional dialects.
Highest mountain: Zugspitze 2,962 metres (9,718ft)
Religion: About one-third Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic, one-third other religions or agnostic/atheist.
Time zone: EET/EEST
Currency: the euro (€)
International dialling code: 49
Transport
Getting to Germany
By air
Germany’s busiest airports are not in the capital Berlin but in Frankfurt and, after that, Munich and Düsseldorf. Frankfurt Airport (tel: 01805-372 4636; www.frankfurt-airport.com) has long-haul flights from every part of the world and ongoing connections to the rest of Germany and Europe. Munich has slightly fewer long-haul flights but almost as many European and German routes. The principal other German airports with international services are Düsseldorf, Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne-Bonn, Stuttgart, Hanover-Langenhagen and Nuremberg, but there are other regional airports around the country.
The relative shortage of flights to Berlin is due to the small size of its two old airports, Tegel in the former West Berlin, up to now used by most main carriers such as Lufthansa and British Airways, and Schönefeld in the former East, used by most low-cost airlines. An entirely new expanded airport, Berlin-Brandenburg, is being built next to Schönefeld, due to open in October 2013. Once this is open all flights will be concentrated there, and Berlin can be expected to have more long-haul flights.
Germany’s traditional national carrier Lufthansa (www.lufthansa.com) has flights serving every part of the world and many domestic destinations, with Frankfurt as its main hub. Air Berlin (www.airberlin.com) is Germany’s second-largest airline, based at Berlin-Tegel and with partly low-cost services to every part of Germany and European and long-haul destinations. German Wings (www.germanwings.com) is a true low-cost airline, operating especially within Germany and to the UK, Eastern Europe, Spain, Italy and Greece. Non-German low-cost airlines such as Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) and easyJet (www.easyjet.com) also fly to German airports from many parts of Europe and operate some domestic German routes.
From the airports
Reliable local rail lines and/or shuttle buses link all German airports with the nearest city centres. In most cities, taxis from airports to city centres will cost around €16–30.
Berlin Schönefeld: There are S-Bahn and mainline train services to the centre of Berlin, and express bus services to the U-Bahn station closest to the airport.
Berlin Tegel: Express buses connect the airport with the city centre.
Frankfurt Airport: Frequent trains travel to the main transport interchange in the city centre (the Hauptwache) in about 15 minutes, from about 4.30am–1.30am daily, depending on the route. There are also direct trains from the airport station to many other cities around Germany, so you do not have to go into Frankfurt itself.
Munich: S-Bahn trains and express bus services run from the airport to the city centre.
By rail
International Thalys and ICE high-speed trains from Paris, Amsterdam or Brussels (where they connect with Eurostar from London) converge on Cologne, the main hub of German railways. Journey time between London and Cologne can be as low as 5 hours. From Cologne there are connections to every part of Germany, and trains go on via Berlin to Poland and Russia. In southern Germany, there are very frequent services to Austria and Switzerland, and from Munich via Innsbruck to Italy. For full information and bookings see www.raileurope.com.
By road
Germany’s famously fast motorway (autobahn) network extends throughout the country and makes driving times very fast. To drive from Paris to Cologne (without stops) can take around 5–6 hours, depending on the traffic, and then from Cologne to Berlin another 5 hours or less. Driving from Munich to Rome can take about 9–10 hours. However, it is important to make sure that you factor in enough stops to drive safely.
Eurolines buses (www.eurolines.com) provide the cheapest public transport to some 25 main destinations in Germany, from many different European countries.
By sea
In the Baltic Sea several regular ferry lines run between the German ports of Kiel, Lübeck and Rostock and Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia and Lithuania, operated particularly by Scandlines (www.scandlines.com), DFDS Seaways (www.dfdsseaways.com) and Finn Lines (www.finnlines.com).
Getting around Germany
By air
Because of Germany’s size people make considerable use of domestic flights, and there are regional airports throughout the country. Low-cost operators such as German Wings, Ryanair and easyJet have led the way in opening up regional airports to internal services.
By bicycle
In general, Germany is a very bicycle-friendly country, but still not perfect. Many country areas have separate bicycle paths and special routes marked out for scenic bicycle tours. Cycling along the banks of lakes, rivers and canals is a good way to travel, as it allows you to enjoy pleasant scenery without any overly strenuous contours.
In towns, travelling by bike is naturally much more attractive in small, university cities than in the major centres. However, local authorities encourage bike use and German Railways operates its equivalent of Paris-style public-access bike schemes in Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich and several other cities, Call-a-Bike (tel: 07000-522 5522; www.callabike-interaktiv.de). The website is in German but under “Infos+Details” there is a flyer in English. With this you first have to register, with a credit card, and then when you want to use a bike you call a special number from a mobile phone. You will then be sent a code number with which to unlock a bike from one of the stands in each city, and can then leave it wherever you wish and send a message when you have finished with it.
By bus
Buses are a primary means of transport in cities and connect the smaller villages in the countryside that have no rail service. Information on regional buses is provided at railway stations and tourist information centres. Bahnbusse (owned by German Railways) link towns with smaller villages in the country, generally departing from railway stations. In remote parts of the country this is usually the only form of public transport, and the Europabusse are a cheap way of travelling between cities.
By rail
Germany railways (Deutsche Bahn or DB; tel: 01805-996 633; www.bahn.com) operates thousands of passenger trains daily over a huge domestic network, as well as many international services. The star services are the ICE (InterCity Express) and ICE Sprinter high-speed trains, which now reach most large cities, and lines are still being extended. Intercity (IC) and international Eurocity (EC) trains are slightly slower, but still modern and comfortable. ICE and IC trains do not operate at night, when City Night Line trains operate on long-distance routes, with sleeper cabins, couchettes and ordinary seating cars. All these trains should be booked in advance, through Rail Europe (www.raileurope.com) or directly through Deutsche Bahn.
The DB also runs regional trains throughout Germany, which make frequent stops and details of which are on its website. It is possible to take your own bicycle on many trains for a small extra charge.
By road
Germany is renowned for its 13,000km (8,100 miles) of motorways, the autobahnen, which are marked with an “A” on blue signs; regional roads are marked with a “B” on yellow signs. They are toll-free and, in most cases, have no upper speed limit, so drivers are expected to drive in a very disciplined manner. Commercial vehicles are required to stay in the inside lane, and other vehicles should only enter the outside lane to overtake, and turn in again immediately afterwards. It is not obligatory for drivers to carry a warning triangle and yellow waistcoat in their cars, but it is recommended. In areas with severe winter weather it is obligatory to exchange tyres for special winter tyres during the winter months.
The ADAC motoring organisation (www.adac.de) provides roadside assistance.
City transport
Every city has an extensive network of public transport. Cities with a population of over 100,000 have efficient and frequent bus systems. You can buy bus tickets from the driver or at machines on the bus or at the bus stop. In large cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Frankfurt and Stuttgart, bus lines are integrated with the underground (U-Bahn), trams and overground trains (S-Bahn), and the same tickets are used for all four means of transport.
Trams (Strassenbahn) run on rails through most cities, at speeds that make them good for sightseeing. Look out for yellow signs with a green “H” at bus and tram stops: they list the schedules.
Urban Rail: There are also underground railway networks (U-Bahn) in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Nuremberg, their stations usually identified by a sign with a white “U” on a blue background. Every station has route maps on the wall. Many more cities have overground light rail or S-Bahn lines, which are often as fast as the U-Bahn. Among them are Berlin, Dresden, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart, and in Cologne and Frankfurt the S-Bahn is shared with several other surrounding cities.
Cruising Germany’s Waterways
Germany has a huge system of inland waterways linking Europe’s largest rivers – the Rhine, the Elbe, the Danube and others – and they are still major economic highways. For cruising, the most popular routes are on the central Rhine around Koblenz and on the Danube from Nuremberg into Austria, but there are also cruises on the Elbe from Berlin to Dresden and Prague. Viking River Cruises (www.vikingrivercruises.co.uk) offers a good range of trips.
Getting around Berlin
By public transport
Berlin’s public transport system (BVG; tel: 030-19 119; www.bvg.de) operates underground lines (U-Bahn), fast local and suburban trains (S-Bahn), day and night buses, tramlines in the eastern part of the city, and boat connections crossing the River Havel between Wannsee and Kladow. Tickets are bought at counters or ticket machines at all stations or (some tickets only) on board trams and buses, and are the same for all systems as Berlin is divided into three simple fare zones, A (the centre), B and C. You can buy single tickets (€2.40), one-day tickets or a range of other combinations, or a Berlin Welcome Card is available that gives unlimited travel for 2, 3 or 5 days together with discounts on museum admissions, a range of tours, trips and other attractions, for around €18–36.
By road
Driving in Berlin is generally better avoided, as parking space is very limited. Park-and-ride car parks can be found at suburban U-Bahn and S-Bahn stations.
The cheap Call-a-Bike system operates in Berlin, and holders of the Berlin Welcome Card can transport a bike on the U-Bahn or S-Bahn for free.
Germany A–Z
Accommodation
Travellers should have no problem finding accommodation in most places. In the peak season (June–Aug) it is advisable to book in advance in popular places such as the Bavarian Mountains or the Black Forest. Some listings for major hotel groups can be found on the national tourism website www.germany.travel.
A range of modern business hotels, often part of German or international chains, can be found in all cities and towns, but there are many more options. Many castles and historic buildings have been turned into spectacular luxury hotels, several of which are represented by Relais & Chateaux (www.relaischateaux.com). A choice of both castle hotels and sleek modern design hotels in Bavaria can be seen on www.bavaria.by. At a different point on the scale, the traditional family-run gasthaus or guesthouse is a German institution, found in many small towns and country areas, and staying in them is a great way to discover the countryside and sample hearty local breakfasts. Local tourist offices are the best way to find them, as they still do not have central booking agencies.
Farm stays and bed-and-breakfasts are also increasingly popular throughout Germany; listings can be found on www.germanplaces.com (which also has information on apartment rentals), or www.bed-and-breakfast.de. Well-equipped campsites are also plentiful; for listings and information see www.eurocampings.eu.
Arts and activities
Because of Germany’s diversity, with several major cities, the arts too are less focused in the capital than in a country like France. Classical music is naturally a highlight of the cultural scene: Berlin has the most august of the German orchestras in the Berlin Philharmonic (www.berlinerphilharmoniker.de), which performs regular seasons at the Kulturforum, but others such as the Munich-based Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (www.br.de) or the Leipzig Gewandhaus orchestra (www.gewandhaus.de) all play to a similar standard, and there are over 50 symphony and chamber orchestras around Germany and a huge number of choirs, standing out among which is the Thomanerchor or “Bach Choir” of Leipzig (www.leipzigonline.de/thomanerchor). Opera and other performance arts are similarly flourishing, and regular seasons are complemented by festivals throughout the country.
Information on cultural programmes is available from all tourist offices, and most cities and larger towns publish a “What’s On” type booklet that is also distributed in hotels. Berlin and Munich have English-language magazines with detailed listings of what’s on when and where. In Berlin, the best way to get a feel for what is going on is to take a look in either of the city’s German-language listings magazines, Tip (www.tip-berlin.de) or Zitty (www.zitty.de), but a lot of information is also on the city website www.visitberlin.de.
Music festivals
These are held in nearly every city – from small chamber music events to the internationally acclaimed Bayreuther Festspiele.
Bayreuth: The Bayreuth opera festival (July/August) was founded by Richard Wagner and has been devoted to his operas ever since. Bayreuth’s theatre is famous for its acoustics and unpadded wooden seats, which grow harder in the course of a five-hour work like Parsifal (www.bayreuther-festspiele.de).
Berlin/Dresden: Berlin’s Staatsoper (www.staatsoper-berlin.de) and Dresden’s Semper Oper (www.semperoper.de) both hold festivals in spring,
Brandenburg: Brandenburgische Sommerkonzerte take place every weekend in a village church or castle within the state of Brandenburg, round Berlin (www.brandenburgische-sommerkonzerte.de).
Munich: Some of the world’s top soloists perform at the Münchner Opernfestspiele in July (www.muenchner-opern-festspiele.de).
Rheinsberg: The Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg (in July and August) is well known as a springboard for young talent (www.kammeroper-schloss-rheinsberg.de).
Schleswig-Holstein: The sprawling festival of Schleswig-Holstein, scattered through several towns in Germany’s northernmost state, presents a wide range of orchestras, soloists and chamber groups (www.shmf.de).
Schwetzingen: Another beautiful festival is held every spring in the Rococo palace of Schwetzingen, summer residence of the Electors of Mannheim, where audiences stroll in the Baroque formal gardens during the intermission (www.mozartgesellschaft-schwetzingen.de).
Würzburg: The Mozart Festival with its torchlit concerts in the formal gardens of the Residenz is a magnificent occasion (www.mozartfest-wuerzburg.de).
Other festivals
Berlin stages the International Film Festival in February; the biennial MaerzMusic festival in March; the German Theatertreffen in May (the latest productions from the German-speaking world); the Berliner Festwochen (Sept–Oct), with a wide range of concerts and performing arts; and the JazzFest in November, to which famous international artists are invited (www.visitberlin.de).
Hamburg: The Reeperbahn Festival showcases edgy new bands (Sept).
Munich: The Munich Biennale is devoted to new music theatre, but the most famous festival of all is the Oktoberfest, which attracts over 7 million visitors every year. A massive jamboree, it actually takes place mainly in September, ending early October, and is a thronging fête with processions, folk music, rides, circus, bands and much (beer) drinking. The opening ceremony, with horse-drawn carriages leading a gigantic procession to the beat of brass bands, takes place on the first Saturday. A week later the brass bands hold a concert. Book rooms well in advance. For information see www.oktoberfest.de.
Budgeting for your trip
Accommodation: A double room in hotels can cost from €100 or less to €500, depending on the standard, but in a gasthof (pension) or fremdenzimmer (B&B) will cost about €50–75. Hotel rates may double during trade fairs.
Meals: A decent two-course meal ordered from the set menu could cost as little as €12, while a gourmet meal with wine at a sophisticated restaurant will cost upwards of €60.
Sightseeing: Entry to museums and similar establishments averages around €8. Most museums grant free admission or reduced prices on certain days, and there are reductions for children and students.
Children
You only need to observe the generous provision in cities of playgrounds and other facilities to realise that children are well catered for in Germany. Children under 15 travel free on German railways provided their names are registered on an adult’s ticket (if aged under 6, not even this is required), and on most city and local transport there are reduced fares for children under 14 and free travel for under-6s. Children from countries where trams are a novelty may enjoy riding round town aboard a Strassenbahn. With an abundance of lakes and rivers, and mountains with chairlifts, cable cars and, at the Brocken (the highest peak in the Harz Mountains), a steam railway, there’s usually plenty to do in the German countryside, to say nothing of the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts and islands.
Admission is free to most museums and many other attractions in Germany for all under-18s, and there are reduced charges at other venues. Among the museums most successful with younger children are the ones with plenty of interactive exhibits like Munich’s Deutsches Museum or those with huge model railways like Nuremberg’s Transport Museum. The Chocolate Museum in Cologne is also a sure winner. Many museums have special programmes for children, though some German is usually required. The single most popular visitor attraction in Hamburg is Miniatur Wunderland, a vast model-railway exhibit.
There are also several world-class zoos in Germany, among them Hellabrunn in Munich, Hagenbeck in Hamberg and Berlin’s Zoo Berlin, along with “safari parks” in many country areas. The Zoo am Meer in Bremerhaven focuses on sea creatures and animals from the Arctic.
Climate
Germany has a continental climate tempered by Atlantic influences. This gives warm rather than extremely hot summers, and cool rather than icy winters. The northwest tends to have cooler summers and milder winters than the rest of the country. Rainfall occurs throughout the year, increasing somewhat in the summer months, particularly in the south.
The Alps are the wettest region and also experience the most snowfall, with ski slopes generally functioning between mid-December and March. Snowfall in other upland areas is less predictable. Winds are strongest on the North Sea coast, while the warm, dry wind known as the Föhn blowing north from the Alps can create exceptionally clear conditions.
The best time to come to Germany is from May to September, though city visits can be made at any time. Popular tourist areas like the Rhine Gorge can get very crowded at the height of summer.
Disabled travellers
Access facilities and other services for disabled people and anyone with mobility problems are generally of a high standard. Accessible venues in Germany are called Barrierefrei (barrier-free), and a dedicated association lists them across the country, although their website (www.barrierfreie-reiseziele.de) is currently in German only. German railways provides extensive facilities for disabled travellers (listed under “Services-Barrier-Free Travel” on www.bahn.com) including a 24-hour phone hotline on tel: 0180-599 6633. In cities most buses and an increasing number of U-Bahn and S-Bahn stations are accessible to wheelchairs, and taxis are required to take chairs for no extra charge.
Many hotels now have accessible rooms, although older hotels and small gasthausen cannot always be redesigned to admit wheelchairs. For more information and links look under “Themes-Barrier-Free Travel” on www.germany.travel.
Eating out
Traditional German cuisine is unfussy, prepared from a limited range of good ingredients, with an emphasis on nourishing soups and quantities of meat, potatoes, dumplings and various kinds of cabbage. It is satisfying, if unsubtle. More recently, Neue deutsche Küche – new German cooking – has extended the range, lightened the preparation and reduced quantities. In addition, foreign cuisines have been enthusiastically adopted, making eating out in Germany an enjoyable, varied and often inexpensive experience.
To accompany the meal, there is, of course, beer, Germany being one of the world’s great brewing nations. The country’s numerous breweries turn out distinctive products, often with a strongly regional character. But this is also a wine country, producing mainly white wines, but with a number of palatable reds, as well as Sekt, the local equivalent of champagne.
By and large, Germany follows the North European pattern of mealtimes, except that, as many Germans start work early, breakfast may be available in hotels, restaurants and bakers from about 7am onwards. Otherwise, lunch is taken in the middle of the day (around 12–1pm) and dinner from about 6–7pm. Vegetarian food is increasingly available, but still takes a distant second place to meat dishes. Ethnic restaurants are often a good source of vegetarian food. A tip is always welcome, but since service is included in the bill, a modest amount is acceptable.
Embassies
Australia: Wallstrasse 76–79, 10179 Berlin, tel: 030-880 0880; www.germany.embassy.gov.au.
Canada: Leipziger Platz 17, 10117 Berlin, tel: 030-2031 2470; www.canadainternational.gc.ca/germany.
Ireland: Jagerstrasse 51, 10117 Berlin, tel: 030-220 720; www.embassyofireland.de.
South Africa: Tiergartenstrasse 18, 10785 Berlin; tel: 030-220 730; www.suedafrika.org.
UK: Wilhemstrasse 70, 10117 Berlin, tel: 030-204 570; http://ukingermany.fco.gov.uk.
US: Pariser Platz 2 (Consular Service Clayallee 170), 10117 Berlin, tel: 030-83050; http://germany.usembassy.gov.
Gay and lesbian travellers
Germany is one of the more gay-friendly countries, though there are striking contrasts between acceptable behaviour in big cities and rural areas, which can be very conservative. At the other end of the spectrum, Berlin has a claim to rival Amsterdam as the gay capital of Europe, with a visible history going back to the Weimar era as depicted in the novels of Christopher Isherwood. The “scene” is vibrant, with numerous welcoming cafés, bars and clubs, and high-profile events like the Gay-Lesbian City-Festival in late June. For information in English see www.gay-berlin.net and www.maneo.de.
Emergency Numbers
Ambulance, fire service and all emergencies: 112
Police: 110
Health and medical care
Germany has excellent medical services. Citizens of non-EU countries should ensure they have a travel and health insurance policy. EU citizens can use German health services with an EHIC card. The German for hospital is krankenhaus, and for an emergency room/casualty department will be unfallstation or notaufnahme. In case of a serious emergency, call an ambulance on tel: 112. There are free emergency telephones outside larger post offices and many other locations.
Pharmacies (apotheken) are open 8am–6.30pm, and in their windows have list of the pharmacies in the area open during the night and at weekends on a duty-rota basis.
Nightlife
The larger the city, the more choices you have for entertainment at night. Although in many areas early-closing laws hamper night owls, anyone who wants an evening on the town should not have any problem in cities like Munich, Hamburg, Cologne or Frankfurt. There are numerous concert halls and theatres, and also variety shows, cabaret and late-night revues.
Many cities have English-language magazines/information sheets highlighting what’s on and where, such as Munich’s, Munich Found (www.munichfound.com).
In Berlin closing restrictions are minimal and the city is pretty much open 24 hours a day, so going from a drink at a bar or two to plunging into the thick of city nightlife is relatively effortless.
Hotspots are in Charlottenburg around Savigny-Platz, Wilmersdorf (south of Ku’damm), Schöneberg (near Winterfeldtplatz) and Goltzstrasse. Kreuzberg has two main meeting points: around Bergmannstrasse and Marheinekeplatz or in Oranienstrasse near Mariannenplatz. The social scene in Prenzlauer Berg around Kollwitzplatz is more relaxed and diverse – you’ll find students, artists, tourists and locals all having fun. As well as the main German listings magazines (see above, Arts and Activities) a good guide to Berlin life in English is Exberliner magazine (www.exberliner.com).
Opening hours
Traditionally, shop opening hours have been strictly regulated across Germany, and virtually no shops except bakeries, petrol stations, railway station and airport shops and some tourist souvenir shops were allowed to open on Sundays. From Monday to Saturday, most shops open from about 9.30am–6pm, and some small local shops open earlier, and close for lunch. No shops were traditionally allowed to stay open after 8pm. However, since 2006 the different German states (Lander) have been allowed to introduce their own rules on shopping hours. The near-complete ban on Sunday opening still applies in Bavaria, but most other states have brought in rather looser regulations, so that more shops now open on Sundays and in the evenings. Even so, outside the cities you will still find very few shops open on Sundays except for the traditional exceptions, and even bakeries will only be open in the morning.
Banks are usually open Monday to Friday 8.30am–12.30am and 1.30–4pm, with longer hours on Thursday evenings, and some branches at major rail stations and airports are open until 11pm and on Saturdays. Business hours are usually Monday to Friday 8am–5.30pm, and government offices open to the public 8am–noon.
Postal services
Post offices are generally open Mon–Fri 8am–6pm and Sat 8am–noon. Station and airport post offices in larger cities open until late on weekday evenings, and some are open 24 hours a day. Post boxes are yellow.
Public holidays
January: 1 New Year’s Day; March/April: variable Good Friday, Easter Mon; May: 1 Labour Day; May/June: variable Ascension Day, Whit Mon; June: 17 National Holiday; August: 15 Assumption Day; October: 3 Unification Day; November: 1 All Saints’ Day, 11 Armistice Day; December: 25 Christmas Day, 26 St Stephen’s Day.
In some Catholic regions (southern Germany), the following are also public holidays: January: 6 Epiphany; June: variable Corpus Christi. In Protestant regions (mostly northern, eastern and middle Germany), Repentance Day, which usually falls on the last Wednesday in November, is also celebrated.
Shopping
Germany, being a popular tourist destination, offers lots of souvenirs. The shop to look out for is the Andenkenladen, which has anything from valuable souvenirs to all sorts of knick-knacks. Antiques enthusiasts will find many elegant, well-stocked shops, and numerous flea markets. If you can’t afford to take home a Porsche or a Mercedes, or some other example of Germany’s engineering skills, look for locally made products like beer (and beer steins) and wine; porcelain from Meissen; handmade Christmas decorations from the Erzgebirge; and cuckoo clocks from the Black Forest.
Among the country’s top shopping streets are Kurfürstendamm (“Ku’damm”) and Friedrichstrasse in Berlin, Maximilianstrasse in Munich, Königsallee (“Kö”) in Düsseldorf, and the shopping arcades near Jungfernstieg and Neuer Wall in Hamburg. In practically every town you will find a Fussgängerzone (pedestrian zone) with all kinds of shops – including big department stores and small specialised shops. Cigarettes and tobacco may be bought in newspaper shops, which also stock postcards.
Telecommunications
Area codes for some of the main German cities are: Berlin, 030; Bremen, 0421; Cologne, 0221; Dresden, 0351; Frankfurt, 069; Hamburg, 040; Leipzig, 0341; Munich, 089; Nurmberg, 0911. The international code for Germany is 49. Numbers beginning with 0800 are free of charge. For national telephone information, tel: 11833; international telephone information, tel: 11834; national directory enquiries (in English), tel: 11837.
Most public telephones require phone cards, which are sold at post offices, newspaper stands and some other shops. If you wish to buy a phone to use in Germany, the major UK networks like T-Mobile or Vodafone all have low-cost pay-as-you-go deals.
Tipping
Generally, service charges and taxes are included in hotel and restaurant bills. However, satisfied customers usually leave an additional tip or at least the small change. It is also customary to tip taxi drivers and hairdressers 10 percent, and cloakroom attendants a few coins.
Tourist information
Tourist information offices, marked with an “i”, can be found in most towns. The national tourist office website, in multiple languages, is www.germany.travel, and the private www.germanplaces.com is also very useful. Many cities and the 16 German states also have their own tourism services, links to which are on the main national site.
Germany no longer maintains separate tourist offices abroad, so all enquiries should be made via the main website.
Berlin
The Berlin tourist service Visit Berlin provides all kinds of information in English (tel: 030-2500 2333; www.visitberlin.de). Its main information centre is at the Hauptbahnhof (main railway station) in Europaplatz, but there are other offices at the Brandenburg Gate; at Neues Kranzler Eck Passage, Kurfürstendamm 21; and at the airports.