Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [703]
S-Bahn Local trains operating within a city and its suburban area.
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Reservations
Seat reservation for long-distance travel is highly recommended, especially if you’re travelling on a Friday or Sunday afternoon, during holiday periods or in summer. Choose from window or aisle seats, row or facing seats, or seats with a fixed table. Reservations cost €4 in 2nd class if bought from an agent and €2 if bought online or from a vending machine (€5/3 in 1st class). They can be made online and at ticket counters as late as 10 minutes before departure.
Train Passes
BAHNCARD
A Bahncard (www.bahn.de) may be worth considering if you plan a longer stay or return trips to Germany within one year. BahnCard 25 entitles you to 25% off regular fares and costs €57/114 in 2nd/1st class. Additional cards for your children between ages six and 18 are €10. BahnCard 50 gives you – you guessed it – a 50% discount and costs €225/450. The cost drops by half if you’re a student under 27 or a senior over 60. Cards are available at all major train stations and online. For further information, call 01805-340 035.
GERMAN RAIL PASSES
If your permanent residence is outside Europe, you qualify for the German Rail Pass. It entitles you to unlimited 1st- or 2nd-class travel for four to 10 days within a one-month period. The pass is valid on all trains within Germany and some Köln-Düsseldorfer river services on the Rhine and Moselle Rivers. The four-day pass costs €236 in 1st and €180 in 2nd class, with extra days being charged at €32/22. Children between six and 11 pay half-fare. Children under six travel free.
If you are between the ages of 12 and 25, you qualify for the German Rail Youth Pass, which costs €150 for four days and is only good for 2nd-class travel. Additional days are €10. Two adults travelling together should check out the four-day German Rail Twin Pass for €270 in 2nd class and €370 in 1st class. More days cost €30/42.
Tickets are sold online (www.bahn.de), at some ticket counters in Germany and through agents in your home country. In the US, try www.raileurope.com; in the UK, www.raileurope.co.uk.
Non-DB Trains
Several private operators provide train services on regional routes, such as the LausitzBahn in Saxony and the Bayerische Oberlandbahn in Bavaria.
In eastern Germany, Interconnex ( 01805-101 616; www.interconnex.com) runs one train daily between the Baltic seaside town of Warnemünde (near Rostock) and Leipzig via Berlin and another between Leipzig and Berlin. Online tickets cost just €12 for either the Berlin–Warnemünde route or the Berlin–Leipzig route and €21 for trips from Warnemünde to Leipzig. Fares are a bit higher (€17/17/29.50) if purchased through the hot line or at agents (see website for addresses), and are higher again on the train itself (€20/20/35). Seat reservations are €2.50.
Health
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CONTENTS
BEFORE YOU GO
INSURANCE
RECOMMENDED VACCINATIONS
IN TRANSIT
DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS (DVT)
JET LAG & MOTION SICKNESS
IN GERMANY
AVAILABILITY & COST OF HEALTH CARE
TRAVELLERS’ DIARRHOEA
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
Heat Illness
Cold Illness
SEXUAL HEALTH
TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN
WOMEN’S HEALTH
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BEFORE YOU GO
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While Germany has excellent health care, prevention is the key to staying healthy while abroad. A little planning before departure, particularly for pre-existing illnesses, will save trouble later. Bring medications in their original, clearly labelled containers. A signed and dated letter from your physician describing your medical conditions and medications, including generic names, is also a good idea. If carrying syringes or needles, be sure to have a physician’s letter documenting their medical necessity. Carry a spare pair of contact lenses and glasses, and take your optical prescription with you.
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INSURANCE
If you’re an EU citizen, an E111 form, available from health centres or, in the UK, post offices, covers you for most medical care. E111 will not cover you for non-emergencies, or emergency