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7 Essential Travel Tips for Germany

Germany has a unique and distinctive set of cultural quirks and traditions. Even if the country is one of the political and economic leaders, a lot of Germany’s cultural oddities really set it apart from the rest of the world.

Below are some uniquely German things to know and understand before visiting Germany—especially useful for first-time visitors who might not expect German culture to be so different from back abroad.

Travel to Germany? Use these Essential Travel Tips

1. Cash is essential

Plastic has little power in Germany. Locals prefer using cash for just about everything, and if that doesn’t work, then you’ll need a an EC card (it’s a debit card, but your one from the USA isn’t likely going to work).

Even the surprisingly easy-to-use digital formats such as Apple Pay aren’t going to work in Germany. They just aren’t very popular and most businesses won’t accept them.

7 Essential Travel Tips for Germany - https://travelsofadam.com/2017/02/germany-travel-tips/

2. Everything is recycled…and carefully!

The Germans are famously green—and that’s a good thing. Recycling is so ingrained into the culture here, even if you’re just visiting for a few days, it’s easy to pick up the habit. You’ll find large recycling bins on the street for glass containers sorted by color (green, brown, white) which are used collectively by the local community.

This is where you’ll recycle wine bottles. Beer and plastic bottles get returned for pfand—a deposit paid when you initially purchase the drink. Pfand can range from 6 to 25 cents. Just look for the pfand returns inside grocery stores, usually near the cash register. Also: don’t forget to sort your biodegradable products, too – there’s a separate bin for that!

3. Square pillows

Sleep with a German and you’ll quickly learn that there is a unique style to the German bed. Large mattresses are increasingly common, but more often than not you’ll find two smaller mattresses pushed up against one another with separate duvets.

For just that extra bit of quirkiness, German pillows are obnoxiously large square shapes – about three times the size of a normal head and far too wide for normal comfort. It’s a unique German trait and if you’re staying in an Airbnb, you’re sure to have square-sized pillows.

4. Sundays are for relaxation  

In many countries, Sundays are for shopping—but not so in Germany! Here, it’s all about the Sunday stroll. Almost all shops are closed, including grocery stores, which essentially forces you to simply enjoy the day.

Go for brunch, read a book, take a walk or go out to explore the nature. There are some exceptions with occasional Shopping Sundays when stores are legally allowed to open – it’s every few months.

You can also always find at least one grocery store open in a city – it’ll be the one located in the large train stations.

7 Essential Travel Tips for Germany - https://travelsofadam.com/2017/02/germany-travel-tips/

5. Bag your own groceries

Speaking of groceries…In Germany, grocery stores operate a little more frugally (or efficiently – depending upon your viewpoint). You’re expected to bag your own groceries and to do so quickly!

There’s surprisingly little space at the end of the register so if you’re buying more than you can quickly bag up, be prepared to just load it all back in your cart and bag it at a small table or shelf you’ll find against the wall.

Oh, and bring your own grocery bags, too. Gotta be green, remember?!

And in Germany, you’ll also find vegetables and produce to be very fresh. You won’t find all food items easily available. I’ve definitely shown up at the grocery store and found them sold out of chicken before!

Read more: Germany Travel Guide – Travels of Adam

6. Water is not cheap

A few things about water in Germany. First, if you’re ordering water in a restaurant—it’s going to come carbonated (mit kohlensäure). Many Germans just don’t seem to have the taste for still water. Second, water is never free.

You won’t receive still water for the table at a restaurant. And even if you ask for it, you’ll likely be charged or they might simply refuse to offer it. Water fountains in public places are also extremely rare. Rather, you’re expected to buy your own water in shops or restaurants.

While I find this cultural quirk particularly annoying (water is a right, shouldn’t it be?!), perhaps it’s a smart move.

Water is not necessarily an infinite resource, so perhaps it’s just forward-thinking of the Germans to prepare for a time when water is less readily available and more expensive.

7 Essential Travel Tips for Germany - https://travelsofadam.com/2017/02/germany-travel-tips/

7. Speaking a little German will go a long way

The German language is notoriously challenging for foreigners. But remember: English is a Germanic language! So while you might not think you’ll know many German words, it’s surprisingly easy to pick up what you might need to know.

A quick and easy way to pick up some Germany before traveling is to sign up for a course through a language app just as a quick refresher. You’ll find that speaking some common (or uncommon) German words or phrases will go a long way.

German people aren’t known for their small talk, but throw in some words like na? or geil and you’re sure to spark a conversation!

Germany Travel Tips
  1. I’ll be visiting Berlin for the first time later this year, so thanks for the useful notes! ​??

  2. OliverTwist says:

    Perhaps this video will enlightened you…this video was posted in January 2015.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jv6tDbNUBw

    Apple Pay DOES WORK here in Germany since its inception in October 2014! I get a huge kick every time the cashiers react in surprise or in confusion when seeing the Apple Pay in action for the first time.

    One day, I came across a supermarket cashier who seemingly was familiar with Apple Pay. She vehemently said,”Nein! Nicht Apple Pay!” I was so insistent and refused to budge until she tapped the command to initiate the card reader. It worked, and she was all hissy-pissy afterwards.

    Here’s the unofficial list of stores and restaurants that I have tried Apple Pay (not complete list):

    ALDI Süd
    Aral
    Kaiser/Tengelmann
    Saturn Elektro (my most expensive Apple Pay transaction ever at €490)
    Denn’s
    Rossmann
    MyMuesli
    Conrad
    Kaufland
    Toom Baumarkt
    OBI Baumarkt
    Lidl
    MVG (Munich’s public transportation system—some buses have that contactless payment pad on the vending machines)
    Rischart Bakery (only in Marienplatz subway station)
    Starbucks (since October 2014—my first ever Apple Pay transaction in Germany)
    Karstadt
    Yum2Take Restaurant
    Indigo Restaurant
    Edeka
    REWE
    Real,—
    Alnatura
    K+S Presse
    McDonalds
    Sonnentor
    Penny
    BioVolet
    Galerie Kaufhof (stopped due to the change in software)
    Several apothecaries

    and so on…

    Do the research first before writing the blog about Apple Pay and “low” credit card usage in Germany. Due to the recent EU regulations, the transaction fees are capped at 0.02% for EC cards and 0.03% for credit cards. That started the intense expansion of accepting credit cards and installing the new NFC-enabled readers that are integrated with the point-of-sale tills.

    I hardly use the cash nowadays here since Apple Pay—and credit cards—transactions are more widespread and much faster than cash or EC cards. The speed of transactions had come down from 15-20 seconds in 2014 to less than five seconds today. It peeves me the most when some Germans take sweet time digging in the wallets for those elusive coins to make exact change at the cashiers.

    • In my experience cash is used far more often than in the US. I have heard people ask if cards are accepted on many occasions, often being told no. That is not a question you hear in the US. In the US you can assume everyone take cards, thats not the case here.

      • Richard Florence says:

        I spent a month in Germany last Spring Mar-April 2017) and traveled around the entire country.
        I too found that a lot of smaller stores and most places in smaller towns do not take plastic. Even a few bakeries in Bahnhofs didn’t take them and would send me to the ATM to get cash.

  3. OliverTwist says:

    Why did you delete my comment about Apple Pay and credit cards?

  4. Square pillows are the worst!

  5. karina says:

    I have a lots of travelling plans for this year. Your tips would really be helpful for me. I never visited Germany yet but picture gallery is very nice. You inspire me to visit there.

  6. Great list you shared in your post. so stunning pics. Amazing article and information….. Thank you so much for sharing it.

  7. Yp, vlog help me a lot.

  8. Christoph says:

    :)
    And it’s true, that water is not for free!
    But you can drink directly from the water tap. It’s allways clean drinking water without, unchlorinated.

  9. Currencykart says:

    Great article with good insights. It will help people who are planning to go to Germany.

  10. Sebe says:

    Thanks!!! Great read!

    Visiting Germany in March/April over Easter weekend – I will certainly put in place some of the tips shared here.

    Cheers!
    Sebe

  11. Hey vielen Dank für Ihre Bemühungen und es ist wirklich bemerkenswert … !!!

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