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Germany Practical information Germany

 
 
Area : 137838  sq.mi - Population 82000000 hab.
Germany

Our expert Germany

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Practical information Germany

superficie

Area

137838  sq.mi
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Flights

Berlin is 577 mi from London (1 hr 50 mins) Munich is 572 mi from London (2 hrs 15 mins); Frankfurt is 394 mi from London (1 hr 45 mins). There are direct flights from London to all three destinations.
decallage horaire

Jet Lag

population

Population

82000000 hab.
aeroports proche

Airports

All the airports are accessible by public transport. Shuttles (autocar or train) drive you from the airports to the town centre.
The Frankfurt Airport is 6 miles from the town centre, that is 20 minutes drive by taxi or 10 minutes by train. The Lufthansa shuttle is also available for roughly £1.50.
Munich Airport is 17 miles from the town centre. The fare is about £40 and the taxi journey takes 30 to 45 min. The no. 8 train line travels to the centre of town in 40 to 45 minutees for roughly £4-5. A Lufthansa shuttle leaves every 20 min (£5).
5 miles separate the Berlin International Airport (Tegel) from the town centre. It is advisable to take yellow-coloured taxis, which reach the centre of town in 30 min, for about £12. You can equally take the express bus to get to town in 30 min (£1.80), or take the no. 109 or 129 which serve the town in 30 to 40 min (about £1.40).
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Security

Security conditions are good. However, be wary of thieves in tourist areas and big cities.
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Languages

German is the official language, but there is also a great variety of local languages. French and notably English are relatively widely spoken.
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Requirements

For a stay that does not exceed three months, a valid identity card is enough. A passport, even expired for less than 5 years, is also sufficient. For a stay of more than three months, you have to register yourself to get authorisation for your stay.
religion

Religion

Germans are Protestant (34 %) and Catholic (33 %). With a large Turkish community, Muslims represent 3% of the population. The remaining 30 % belong to minority religions or are atheists.
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Currency

The national currency is the euro, which consists of 100 cents. There are ATM machines just about everywhere, so you'll have no trouble withdrawing cash, though it is worth remembering that you will need an international credit card (Visa, MasterCard, etc.) to make withdrawals. Hotels, restaurants and department stores also accept international credit cards as payment, or if you'd like to pay by cheque, you'll need to bring euro travellers cheques with you.
Bank opening hours: from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm. Branches located in railway stations and airports are commonly open until 8:00 pm or 11:00 pm.
transports

Local transportation

There are several regular internal flights between the different regional airports. Flying is a better means of travelling for long distances, as the difference between that and the train is not huge.
The German railway network is excellent. There are several ways of travelling at low costs (contact the Deutsche Bahn, the local railway company for more information). To go faster, it is preferable to take the ICE (German high speed train).
Coach companies supplement the railway network. Europabus provides tourists with special lines for specific itineraries (the Romantic Road, the Castles Road and so on).
To travel by boat, various companies provide regular services on the rivers, lakes and along the coasts.
You can easily rent a car on the spot. If you are travelling with your own car, take along the registration certificate and the insurance certificate. The whole of the German road network is free, including motorways. Organised hitching, with participation, is highly developed. There is at least one agency in each town which has lists of information showing vehicles which offer lifts.
As in the UK, taxi fares include handling and the price per mile (in this case km); this can vary from one town to the other. Bus and tramway fares vary depending on the locality. In all the big towns, it is possible to buy long term tickets for public transport.
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Health

Vaccinations against tetanus, poliomyelitis, and hepatitis B are recommended. In case of a prolonged stay in the forest (especially in Bavaria), in summer and autumn, get vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis (check with a doctor).
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Electricity

Voltage is 220 V. Electrical outlets correspond to the European norms.
frequentation

Flood of tourists

42,619,953 tourists visited Germany in 2004.
Berlin received 6.46 million visitors in 2005.
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Taxes and tips

Since January 2007, the German value added tax went from 16% to 19% on consumer goods other than primary goods (taxed at 7%).
In restaurants, service is always included in the bill. However, you can leave a tip. In taxis, 5 to 10% tips are welcomed.
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Telephone

To call Germany from the UK: 00 + 49 (country code) + town code (Berlin 30, Cologne 221, Dresden 351, Frankfurt 69 (west) and 335 (east), Hamburg 40, Leipzig 341, Munich 89) + number.

To call the UK from Germany dial 00 +44 + number without the initial 0.