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Getting Around by Air
Internal services are operated by Lufthansa (website: www.lufthansa.com), Air Berlin (website: www.airberlin.com), Germanwings (website: www.germanwings.com) and several other regional airlines. Frankfurt/M is Germany's major air travel hub, and all airports in the Federal Republic of Germany can be reached in an hour or less from here. There are numerous airports in the country apart from those listed in the Getting There section which offer internal air services.
Helgoland (HGL), Sylt (GWT) and some other Friesian Islands are served by seasonal services operated by regional airlines or air taxi services. Connections by air operate daily between Berlin, Bremen, Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt/M, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart and Westerland/Sylt (summer only). The majority of western airports offer daily flights to Leipzig and several flights a week to Dresden.
Helgoland (HGL), Sylt (GWT) and some other Friesian Islands are served by seasonal services operated by regional airlines or air taxi services. Connections by air operate daily between Berlin, Bremen, Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt/M, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart and Westerland/Sylt (summer only). The majority of western airports offer daily flights to Leipzig and several flights a week to Dresden.
Getting Around by Water
Regular scheduled boat services operate on most rivers, lakes and coastal waters, including the Danube, Main, Moselle, Neckar, Rhine and the Weser, and also on Ammer See, Chiemsee, Königssee and Lake Constance. Ferry services are operated on Kiel Fjord and from Cuxhaven to Helgoland and to the East and North Friesian Islands as well as to Scandinavian destinations. Besides these scheduled services, special excursions are available on all navigable waters.
The KD German Rhine Line (tel: (0221) 208 8318; website: www.k-d.de) covers the Rhine and Moselle rivers, and has comfortable ships that operate daily from April to late October. In conjunction with the ‘White Fleet' Dresden, the KD also organises cabin cruises on the Elbe between Dresden and Hamburg. Further routes include the rivers Saale and Elbe, several lakes and the Mecklenburger Lake District.
Lake Constance is served by regular steamers, pleasure boats and car ferries between the German, Swiss and Austrian shores. The Lake Constance Adventure Passes (Bodensee-Erlebniskarte) (website: www.bodensee-erlebniskarte.info, German only) give free travel on many rides listed in the Bodensee Adventure Planner, throughout the Lake Constance area, as well as discounted admission to attractions. This includes scheduled ferry services offered by the German, Swiss and Austrian railways as well as some bus, local train and mountain railway routes. The pass is valid for seven or 14 days. Children up to six years of age travel free. In addition to the pass, there is a Family Ticket which is available free of charge and allows children between six and 16 years of age free travel; unmarried young persons between 16 and 26 years of age pay half price.
The KD German Rhine Line (tel: (0221) 208 8318; website: www.k-d.de) covers the Rhine and Moselle rivers, and has comfortable ships that operate daily from April to late October. In conjunction with the ‘White Fleet' Dresden, the KD also organises cabin cruises on the Elbe between Dresden and Hamburg. Further routes include the rivers Saale and Elbe, several lakes and the Mecklenburger Lake District.
Lake Constance is served by regular steamers, pleasure boats and car ferries between the German, Swiss and Austrian shores. The Lake Constance Adventure Passes (Bodensee-Erlebniskarte) (website: www.bodensee-erlebniskarte.info, German only) give free travel on many rides listed in the Bodensee Adventure Planner, throughout the Lake Constance area, as well as discounted admission to attractions. This includes scheduled ferry services offered by the German, Swiss and Austrian railways as well as some bus, local train and mountain railway routes. The pass is valid for seven or 14 days. Children up to six years of age travel free. In addition to the pass, there is a Family Ticket which is available free of charge and allows children between six and 16 years of age free travel; unmarried young persons between 16 and 26 years of age pay half price.
Getting Around by Rail
InterCity and high-speed ICE connections (website: www.bahn.de) run every one or two hours to around 30 destinations (mainly in Germany but trains also run to Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands, France and Switzerland). Within Germany, ICE trains also operate on the following routes: Berlin-Frankfurt/M-Karlsruhe, Berlin-Cologne-Basel, Munich-Frankfurt/M-Berlin and Hamburg-Berlin-Dresden with direct links to Prague. The ICE Sprinter runs non-stop on the following routes: Frankfurt/M-Berlin, Hamburg-Cologne, Frankfurt/M-Hamburg, Cologne-Stuttgart and Frankfurt/M-Munich. Seats on these services have to be booked in advance. Generally, reservations are advised on all services. Children aged 14 and under travel free of charge when accompanied by their parents or grandparents; those aged six to 14 travelling on their own pay half fare. For latest information leaflets, contact Deutsche Bahn in the UK (see below).
German National Railways (Deutsche Bahn) operates tens of thousands of passenger trains each day. Work on the 3,200km (2,000-mile) fast-train network has already started and should be completed by 2010. The network does not radiate around the capital as the federal structure provides an integrated system to serve the many regional centres. More than 50 cities, including Berlin, Erfurt, Dresden and Leipzig, are served hourly by InterCity trains - and increasingly by high-speed ICE InterCity Express trains; regional centres are connected by local trains such as the RegionalExpress, RegionalBahn and S-Bahn. Details of up-to-date prices, and where tickets can be bought, are available from Deutsche Bahn (tel: 0871 880 8066, in the UK; website: www.bahn.co.uk) or the German National Tourist Office.
Rail Passes
German National Railways (Deutsche Bahn) operates tens of thousands of passenger trains each day. Work on the 3,200km (2,000-mile) fast-train network has already started and should be completed by 2010. The network does not radiate around the capital as the federal structure provides an integrated system to serve the many regional centres. More than 50 cities, including Berlin, Erfurt, Dresden and Leipzig, are served hourly by InterCity trains - and increasingly by high-speed ICE InterCity Express trains; regional centres are connected by local trains such as the RegionalExpress, RegionalBahn and S-Bahn. Details of up-to-date prices, and where tickets can be bought, are available from Deutsche Bahn (tel: 0871 880 8066, in the UK; website: www.bahn.co.uk) or the German National Tourist Office.
A range of Bahncards is available from Deutsche Bahn, offering a number of different discount schemes for travel within Germany, and varying advance purchase discount options are also offered.
InterRail's One-Country Pass: offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month within Germany. Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence. Travellers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children's tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Rail Europe (website: www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
InterRail's One-Country Pass: offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month within Germany. Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence. Travellers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children's tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Rail Europe (website: www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
Getting Around by Road
Traffic drives on the right. Germany is covered by a busy modern network of motorways (Autobahnen). Use of the network is free at present, but the introduction of a road toll is being discussed and charges have been levied on some sightseeing roads in Bavaria. Although motorways in eastern Germany are of a reasonable standard, many secondary roads are still being improved to match western Germany's standards.
Bus: Buses serve villages and small towns without railway stations. There are few long-distance services. Europabus (tel: (069) 790 3261; website: www.romantischestrasse.de) runs services on special scenic routes such as the Romantic Road (Wiesbaden/Frankfurt to Munich/Füssen) and the Castle Road (between Mannheim/Heidelberg to Rothenburg and Nuremberg).
Car hire: Self-drive cars are available at most towns, airports, and at over 40 railway stations - all major international car hire companies are present in Germany.
Regulations: Traffic signs are international. Speed limits in Germany are 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas and 100kph (62mph) on all roads outside built-up areas. Unless otherwise indicated, there is theoretically no maximum speed limit on Autobahns, but 130kph (81mph) is recommended. Some motorways and dual carriageways carry varying speed limits and are signposted. Seat belts must be worn in the front and back, and child seats used for small children. In winter, snow chains must be carried or winter tyres fitted. The minimum driving age is 18.
Emergency breakdown service: The Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil Club (ADAC) (emergency tel: 0180 222 2222, in Germany; website: www.adac.de) is the principal national assistance network. In almost all cases, the number to dial for emergency services is 110.
Documentation: Insurance is mandatory. EU nationals driving their own vehicles are advised to obtain a Green Card. Members of the EU, the USA and Australia do not need an international driving licence to drive in Germany.
Bus: Buses serve villages and small towns without railway stations. There are few long-distance services. Europabus (tel: (069) 790 3261; website: www.romantischestrasse.de) runs services on special scenic routes such as the Romantic Road (Wiesbaden/Frankfurt to Munich/Füssen) and the Castle Road (between Mannheim/Heidelberg to Rothenburg and Nuremberg).
Car hire: Self-drive cars are available at most towns, airports, and at over 40 railway stations - all major international car hire companies are present in Germany.
Regulations: Traffic signs are international. Speed limits in Germany are 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas and 100kph (62mph) on all roads outside built-up areas. Unless otherwise indicated, there is theoretically no maximum speed limit on Autobahns, but 130kph (81mph) is recommended. Some motorways and dual carriageways carry varying speed limits and are signposted. Seat belts must be worn in the front and back, and child seats used for small children. In winter, snow chains must be carried or winter tyres fitted. The minimum driving age is 18.
Emergency breakdown service: The Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil Club (ADAC) (emergency tel: 0180 222 2222, in Germany; website: www.adac.de) is the principal national assistance network. In almost all cases, the number to dial for emergency services is 110.
Documentation: Insurance is mandatory. EU nationals driving their own vehicles are advised to obtain a Green Card. Members of the EU, the USA and Australia do not need an international driving licence to drive in Germany.
Getting Around Towns and Cities
All urban areas have efficient bus services, complemented in a number of larger cities by trams, and underground or suburban trains. In most larger cities, tickets for a local transport journey have to be purchased from ticket machines before boarding the suburban train (S-Bahn), underground (U-Bahn), bus or tram. Ticket inspections are frequent, with on-the-spot fines for miscreants. Taxis are widely available in the main cities, and operate from designated ranks. They can be advance booked by telephone.
Berlin: The city's excellent public transport includes an extensive network of buses, underground and S-Bahn in three travel zones. In the eastern part of the city, tram services and the ferries of the Berliner Verkehrs-Betriebe, BVG (Berlin Public Transport) (tel: (030) 19449; website: www.bvg.de), in conjunction with east Berlin's ‘White Fleet', provide further services. Day and longer period passes are available covering all services. Taxis are generally available throughout the city (tel: 0800 263 0000, in Germany; website www.taxi263000.de).
Frankfurt: An extensive tram network, S-Bahn and bus services serve the Rhine-Main region, operated under the auspices of the Rhein-Main Verkehrsverbund (tel: (01805) 768 4636; website: www.rmv.de). As in Berlin, 24-hour passes for all types of public transport (Tageskarten) are available, as is a large fleet of cream-coloured taxis. The central taxi booking number is (069) 230 001.
Munich: The Bavarian capital has some trams, plus comprehensive bus, underground and suburban rail services. Services are operated under the aegis of the Münchner Verkehrs-und Tarifverbund (tel: (089) 2103 3282; website: www.mvv-muenchen.de). Again, taxis are widely available. Taxis can be booked on (089) 21610 or 19410.
Note: Pedestrians should be aware that it is an offence to cross a road when the pedestrian crossing lights are red, even if there is no traffic on the road. Offenders can risk on-the-spot fines.
Berlin: The city's excellent public transport includes an extensive network of buses, underground and S-Bahn in three travel zones. In the eastern part of the city, tram services and the ferries of the Berliner Verkehrs-Betriebe, BVG (Berlin Public Transport) (tel: (030) 19449; website: www.bvg.de), in conjunction with east Berlin's ‘White Fleet', provide further services. Day and longer period passes are available covering all services. Taxis are generally available throughout the city (tel: 0800 263 0000, in Germany; website www.taxi263000.de).
Frankfurt: An extensive tram network, S-Bahn and bus services serve the Rhine-Main region, operated under the auspices of the Rhein-Main Verkehrsverbund (tel: (01805) 768 4636; website: www.rmv.de). As in Berlin, 24-hour passes for all types of public transport (Tageskarten) are available, as is a large fleet of cream-coloured taxis. The central taxi booking number is (069) 230 001.
Munich: The Bavarian capital has some trams, plus comprehensive bus, underground and suburban rail services. Services are operated under the aegis of the Münchner Verkehrs-und Tarifverbund (tel: (089) 2103 3282; website: www.mvv-muenchen.de). Again, taxis are widely available. Taxis can be booked on (089) 21610 or 19410.
Note: Pedestrians should be aware that it is an offence to cross a road when the pedestrian crossing lights are red, even if there is no traffic on the road. Offenders can risk on-the-spot fines.
Journey Times
The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Berlin to other major cities and towns in the Federal Republic of Germany.
| Air | Road | Rail | |
| Cologne | 1.05 | 6.00 | 4.25 |
| Frankfurt | 1.05 | 5.30 | 4.10 |
| Hamburg | - | 3.00 | 1.30 |
| Munich | 1.10 | 6.00 | 6.15 |