Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [685]
MONEY
Euros come in seven notes (€5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200 and €500) and eight coins (€0.01, €0.02, €0.05, €0.10, €0.20, €0.50, €1 and €2). At press time, the euro was a strong and stable currency, although some minor fluctuations are common. A guide to exchange rates is given on the inside front cover of this book; for pointers on costs, Click here.
Cash is still king in Germany, so you can’t really avoid having at least some notes and coins, say €100 or so, on you at all times. Plan to pay in cash almost everywhere.
You can exchange money at airports, some banks and currency exchange offices, such as ReiseBank. In rural areas, such facilities are rare, so make sure you have plenty of cash.
For an overview of the costs you can expect in Germany, Click here.
ATMs
The easiest and quickest way to obtain cash is by using your debit (bank) card at an ATM (Geldautomat) linked to international networks such as Cirrus, Plus, Star and Maestro. ATMs are ubiquitous and accessible 24/7. Make sure you know your PIN and check with your bank for fees, daily withdrawal limits and contact information for reporting lost or stolen cards. Some shops, hotels, restaurants and other businesses also accept payment by debit card. Since 2006 nearly all cards use the ‘chip and pin’ system: instead of signing, you enter your PIN. If you’re from overseas and your card isn’t chip-and-pin enabled, you may be able to sign it in the usual way, although not all places will accept your card, so enquire first.
Credit Cards
Credit cards are becoming more widely accepted, but it’s best not to assume that you’ll be able to use one – enquire first. Even so, a piece of plastic is vital in emergencies and also useful for phone or internet bookings. Visa and MasterCard are more commonly accepted than American Express. Avoid getting cash advances on your credit card via ATMs since fees are steep and you’ll be charged interest immediately (in other words, there’s no grace period as with purchases). Report lost or stolen cards to the following:
American Express ( 01805-840 840)
MasterCard ( 0800-819 1040)
Visa ( 0800-811 8440)
Tipping
Restaurant bills always include a Bedienung (service charge) but most people add 5% or 10% unless the service was truly abhorrent. At hotels, bellboys get about €1 per bag and it’s also nice to leave some cash for the room cleaners. Tip bartenders about 5% and taxi drivers around 10%.
Travellers Cheques
Travellers cheques are becoming increasingly obsolete in the age of network-linked ATMs. It doesn’t help that German businesses generally don’t accept them, even if denominated in euros, and banks charge exorbitant fees for cashing them (currency exchange offices are usually better). American Express offices cash Amex cheques free of charge.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Germany is a photographer’s dream, with its gorgeous countryside, fabulous architecture, quaint villages, exciting cities, lordly cathedrals, lively cafes and picture-perfect castles, palaces and old towns. A good general reference guide is Lonely Planet’s Travel Photography by Richard I’Anson.
Germans tend to be deferential around photographers and will make a point of not walking in front of your camera, even if you want them to. No one seems to mind being photographed in the context of an overall scene, but if you want a close-up shot, you should ask first.
POST
Main post offices, which are often near train stations, are usually open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday and till noon or 1pm on Saturday. Suburban and rural branches often close at lunchtime and at 5pm or 5.30pm weekdays and noon on Saturday. Our destination chapters list only opening hours deviating from this standard.
Mailing standard-sized postcards to destinations within Europe costs €0.65, a 20g letter costs €0.70 and