Germany Travel FAQ

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Got questions? We’ve got answers! Below are the questions about planning, transportation, accommodations, and preparing for departure we’re asked pretty much every day. We hope you find it helpful to have these answers all in one place.

TIP: If you have our Germany Travel Planner, be sure you read the tips & cautions in each section, digital planning map, and the planning guides (especially the videos) for answers to many more important travel planning and preparation questions! Don’t yet have our popular Germany Travel Planner? Get it here.

Q. Where should I go in Germany? What are the top destinations?
A. We recommend starting with our destinations guide on our website here. If you have our Germany Travel Planner, watch the “Where to go in Germany” video screencast for a tour of popular and off the beaten path cities, castles, and sights. You’ll also find the regional planning guides and digital planning map helpful with both seeing your options and narrowing down what you most want to see and do.

Q. What castles should I visit?
A. Neuschwanstein castle is a popular option (it’s an easy day trip from Munich) but there are SO many amazing castles and castle ruins alllll over Germany! You can check out the castle guides on our website here, and if you have our Germany Travel Planner, take a look at the castles we recommend on our digital planning map so you can see photos, tips, info, and where they are located in relation to the towns you want to visit.

Q. Which Christmas markets are the best?
A. There are so many! This guide on our website shows you some of the best ones around.

Q. Can you take a look at my itinerary?
A. Yes, absolutely! You can book an itinerary review or a one-on-one consult here.

Q. If I’d like to do a consult or have you create a custom itinerary, how far in advance should I book?
A. Our calendar fills up pretty quickly, and while we can sometimes squeeze people in last minute, it’s better to book a few weeks to a couple months advance if at all possible. The earlier you book, the more flexibility you’ll have! Click here to reserve your spot for a one-on-one trip planning consult or custom itinerary.

Q. Where should I buy train tickets and seat reservations?
A. We buy ours from Deutsche Bahn (website of DB Navigator app). But some of our clients prefer Omio or Trainline.

Q. Do I need to book train tickets in advance? What about seat reservations?
A. If you’re taking high speed trains (ICE/IC/EC) – yes, book ahead for the best prices! If you’re using the Deutschland-Ticket, you need to get your subscription set up in advance. If you’re using regional day tickets like the Bavaria Ticket, you can buy those as you go. We strongly recommend adding a seat reservation when buying tickets on high speed trains.

Q. How can I subscribe to the Deutschland-Ticket? What if I don’t have a German bank account?
A. You can subscribe via the Rhinebahn app and pay with a credit card. Or subscribe via the DB Navigator app and use Wise to send payment. Read our guide here for more info. 

Tip: check out our Train Travel Made Easy section in the Germany Travel Planner for everything you need to know to enjoy smooth train travel in Germany.

Q. Do I need an international driver’s license to rent a car and drive in Germany?
A. While not required in Germany, it’s a good idea to get one anyway. It can be helpful to have it if you’re in an accident or get pulled over. And some car rental companies and countries (like Austria) do require you to have one. If you’re in the US, you can get an international driver’s license at AAA for about $30. We always get one just for peace of mind.

Q. Can I rent a car in Germany and drive it into a neighboring country? 
 A. In most cases, yes, but do check with your rental company ahead of time. Be sure to tell them which countries you plan to drive in so you can pay the cross-border fee when you pick up your car. If driving in Austria or Switzerland you need to get a Vignette online or at a gas station in order to drive on the freeways. We don’t recommend picking up your car in one country and returning it in another – unless you like paying huge fees!

Q. Which car rental company is the best? 
A. We’ve used all of the major car companies and have had good experiences with all them. Most recently we’ve been getting great rates with Europcar, Enterprise, and Sixt. We start our car rental searches here.  

Q. Is it hard to drive in Germany?
A. Driving in Germany is different but not necessarily hard. We highly recommend this video driving tutorial so you feel confident and prepared from day 1!

Q. Can I take Uber/Lyft in Germany? Or is a taxi better? 
A. You’ll find Uber in some parts of Germany but you won’t find Lyft at all (as of now). Locals use FreeNow instead. We haven’t used it ourselves but we’ve had clients tell use it worked great for them. You can also find regular taxis throughout Germany, especially outside of airports, train stations, etc.

Q. I’ve heard German hotels don’t have A/C. Is that correct?
A. Air conditioning (A/C) isn’t a given in Germany, so not all hotels have it. Especially smaller, older or budget options. And even if a hotel has A/C, it might not be as strong or cold as you’re used to. If having A/C is important to you, we recommend looking for a hotel with A/C in guest rooms and then read hotel reviews. If you’re looking for hotels with A/C, check the guides on our website here or our digital map in our Germany Travel Planner.

Q. How do I find a great hotel?
You can use our hotel guides here as a jumping off point. If you have our Germany Travel Planner, you can also look at our digital planning map to see where recommended hotels are in relation to top sights, castles, and more. It makes planning your trip so much easier! If you’d rather not spend hours searching for the perfect place to stay, let us do it for you by booking a custom itinerary.

Q. Can I book hotels as I go? Or should I book everything in advance?
A. We highly recommend booking accommodations in advance (we do). Especially if you’re traveling during the busy season (summer, Oktoberfest, Christmas market season, etc), if you want to stay in the old town, need a room for more than 2 people or want specific amenities (like A/C ).

We’ve had clients wait and then find that a local event (or a concert, game, etc) they didn’t know about made rooms scarce and expensive! And, do you really want to spend your sight-seeing or relaxation time in Germany stressing about finding a room for the night – and potentially not having the amenities you’re looking for or paying more than you’d like?

I say all of this as someone who never booked anything in advance until a few years ago…but I absolutely do now! Use the accommodation guides on our website here or the digital planning map in our Germany Travel Planner to make finding the perfect accommodation easier.

Q. How can I use my cell phone in Germany? Is getting an eSIM the best option?
A. Getting an eSIM is a popular option. You can also check with your provider to see if they offer a short-term international plan. Our guide here will help you decide what will work best for you.

Q. Do Germans speak English? How much German should I know before I go?
A. It’s always a good idea to be able to use some basic German phrases to put your best foot forward (even just hallo, bitte, danke) but in the areas most travelers visit you’ll find people who speak – or at least understand – enough English. The more off the beaten path you get the harder it could be to find people who are comfortable speaking English, so having a translation app on your phone is helpful.

Q. Can you recommend a good restaurant?
A. Check out these recommendations from our travel community! You can also find our recommendations on the digital planning map in our Germany Travel Planner.

Q. How much should I tip in restaurants in Germany?   
A. Tipping culture in Germany is different from the US. Servers in Germany appreciate tips but don’t rely on them for income like in the US. All you need to do is round up, usually about 10%. Give the server the tip when you pay for the meal (don’t leave it on the table). So if your coffee costs €4.50, you could give the server €5. If your meal costs €45.00 you could give the server €50. We’ve been seeing more automated options for adding a tip and suggested percentages when paying with a credit card but they’re not yet as ubiquitous as they are in the US (yet).

Q. Can I use credit cards in Germany? Or is cash better? 
A. These days you can use credit cards in many places – much more than even a few years ago. Visa is widely accepted. But it’s a good idea to still have cash on you, especially when traveling in smaller towns. Some stores, restaurants, sights, and parking lots only accept cash.  And sometimes you’ll find that your specific credit card isn’t accepted…or that the machine just won’t process your card for some reason.

Q. Should I get Euros before or after arriving in Germany? 
A. You can order Euros from your bank before leaving for Germany. Or you can wait until arriving in Germany to withdraw cash using your debit card from a bank ATM. If you can get a Wise card, that’s another easy way to get cash.

We’re here for you! If you found this FAQ helpful, you’ll LOVE our Germany Travel Planner and other services. Click below to check them out. We’d love to help you enjoy the very best of Germany!