Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [688]
Local Tourist Offices
Just about every community in Germany has a walk-in tourist office where you can get advice and pick up maps and pamphlets, sometimes in English. Many also offer a room and ticket reservation service, usually free but sometime for a small fee. With few exceptions, there’s at least one staff member more or less fluent in English and willing to make the effort to help you. Contact details are listed throughout this book in the Information section of each town.
TRAVELLERS WITH DISABILITIES
If you happen to be in a wheelchair, use crutches or can’t see or hear so well, Germany is a mixed bag. The mobility impaired will find access ramps and/or lifts in many public buildings, including train stations, museums, theatres and cinemas, especially in the cities. In historic towns, though, cobblestone streets make getting around quite cumbersome.
Newer hotels have lifts and rooms with extra-wide doors and spacious bathrooms. Trains, trams, underground trains and buses are becoming increasingly accessible. Some stations also have grooved platform borders to assist blind passengers. Seeing-eye dogs are allowed on all forms of public transport. For the hearing impaired, upcoming station names are often displayed electronically on all forms of public transport.
Some car-rental agencies offer hand-controlled vehicles and vans with wheelchair lifts at no charge, but you must reserve them well in advance. In parking lots and garages, look for designated disabled spots marked with a wheelchair symbol.
Many local and regional tourist offices have special brochures for people with disabilities, although usually in German. Good general resources include:
Deutsche Bahn Mobility Service Centre ( 01805-512 512, 01805-996 633, ext 9 for English operator; www.bahn.de; 8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm Sat) Train access information and help with route planning. The website has useful information in English.
German National Tourism Office (www.deutschland-tourismus.de) Has an entire section (under Travel Tips) about barrier-free travel in Germany.
Natko ( 0211-336 8001; www.natko.de, in German) Central clearing house for inquiries about ‘tourism without barriers’ in Germany.
VISAS
Most EU nationals only need their national identity card or passport to enter, stay and work in Germany. Citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, Switzerland and the US are among those countries that need only a valid passport but no visa if entering Germany as tourists for up to three months within a six-month period. Passports should be valid for at least another four months from the planned date of departure from Germany.
Nationals from most other countries need a so-called Schengen Visa, named for the 1995 Schengen Agreement that abolished passport controls between Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. In late 2007, the following nine countries joined the agreement: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Switzerland joined in 2008.
Applications for a Schengen Visa must be filed with the embassy or consulate of the country that is your primary destination. It is valid for stays up to 90 days. Legal residency in any Schengen country makes a visa unnecessary, regardless of your nationality.
Visa applications are usually processed within two to 10 days, but it’s always best to start the process as early as possible. For details, see www.auswaertiges-amt.de and check with a German consulate in your country.
WOMEN TRAVELLERS
Germany is a safe place for women to explore, even solo. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can let your guard down and trust your life to every stranger. Simply use the same common sense you would at home. Getting hassled in the streets happens infrequently and is usually limited to wolf whistles and unwanted stares. In crowded situations, like public transport