Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [684]
Also consider coverage for luggage theft or loss. If you already have a homeowners or renters policy, check what it will cover and only get supplemental insurance to protect against the rest. If you have prepaid a large portion of your vacation, trip cancellation insurance is a worthwhile expense.
Worldwide travel insurance is available at www.lonelyplanet.com/travel_services. You can buy, extend and claim online anytime – even if you’re already on the road.
For information about what kind of insurance coverage you need while driving in Germany, Click here.
INTERNET ACCESS
Internet cafes are listed throughout the destination chapters, but most have about the lifespan of a fruit fly, so please forgive us if our listings are outdated and ask staff at your hotel for a recommendation. Public libraries offer free terminals and sometimes wi-fi access, but downsides may include time limits, reservation requirements and queues. Internet access is also available at slightly seedy ‘telephone call shops’, which cluster near train stations.
In hotels and hostels, broadband and wi-fi (W-LAN in German) have become quite commonplace. Some hotels, especially in eastern Germany, have ISDN data service which was state-of-the-art in the ’90s but has since been supplanted by DSL. Unless you have an ISDN-compatible modem, access may be difficult, if not impossible. Laptop users may also need adapters for German electrical outlets and telephone sockets, which are widely available in such electronics stores as Saturn and Media Markt.
Wi-fi is available on select ICE train routes, including Frankfurt to Hamburg and Frankfurt to Munich. More than 20 stations, including those in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and Frankfurt, also offer wi-fi in their DB Lounges.
Throughout this book, we use to indicate that a place has PCs with internet access for public use and for places with wi-fi. Access fees range from free to exorbitant, with some top-end business chain hotels charging as much as €25 per day.
To locate wi-fi hot spots, check the directories at www.jiwire.com or www.hotspot-locations.com. For a full rundown on connectivity issues, see www.kropla.com or www.teleadapt.com. Useful trip-planning websites are listed on Click here.
LEGAL MATTERS
By law you must carry some form of photographic identification, such as your passport, national identity card or driving licence. Reporting theft to the police is usually a simple, if occasionally time-consuming, matter. Remember that the first thing to do is show some form of identification.
If driving in Germany, you should carry your driving licence and obey road rules carefully (Click here). The permissible blood-alcohol limit is 0.05%; drivers caught exceeding this amount are subject to stiff fines, a confiscated licence and even jail time. Drinking in public is not illegal, but please be discreet about it.
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THE LEGAL AGE FOR…
Drinking beer or wine: 14
Being served beer or wine in a pub: 16
Buying cigarettes: 18
Driving a car: 18
Military service: 17
Sexual consent: 14 (with restrictions)
Voting in an election: 18
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Illegal drugs are widely available, especially in clubs. Cannabis possession is a criminal offence and punishment may range from a warning to a court appearance. Dealers face far stiffer penalties, as do people caught with any other ‘recreational’ drugs.
If you are arrested, you have the right to make a phone call and are presumed innocent until proven guilty. If you don’t know a lawyer, contact your embassy Click here.
MAPS
Most tourist offices distribute free (but often very basic) maps. For driving around Germany, however, you’ll