Germany Travel 2026: Country Facts, Currency, Language

Country basics

• Official name: Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Federal Republic of Germany)
• Capital: Berlin (3.7 million population, population update end of 2025)
• Total population: 83.3 million (Destatis estimate end-2025)
• Area: 357,600 km² (Destatis Flächenerhebung 31 Dec 2024), 7th in Europe
• Federal structure: 16 Bundeslander (states), each with own parliament and laws
• Government: federal parliamentary republic, headed by Chancellor (Bundeskanzler) and Federal President (Bundesprasident)
• Currency: Euro (EUR), adopted 2002 from Deutsche Mark
• Language: German (Deutsch), with significant regional dialects
• Calling code: +49
• Time zone: CET (UTC+1) winter, CEST (UTC+2) summer
• EU member: yes (founding 1957)
• Schengen: yes
• Right-hand drive: yes (vehicles drive on the right, steering wheel on the left)

The 16 states

Geographically clustered:

Each Bundesland has significant autonomy on school holidays, road maintenance, low-emission zones and many regulations. As a driver, this means traffic rules are mostly federal but enforcement details (e.g. parking fines) and roadworks can vary by state.

Language and communication

German is the official language. Major dialects: Bayerisch (Bavarian), Schwabisch (Swabian), Hessisch, Sachsisch, Berlinerisch, Plattdeutsch (north). Standard High German (Hochdeutsch) is universally understood.

English is widely spoken in:

• All major cities (Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Cologne, Stuttgart, Dusseldorf)
• Tourist destinations (Romantic Road, Alps, Rhine castles, Berlin)
• Younger generations (under 40)
• Hotels, restaurants, autobahn service stations, fuel stations, car rental
• Federal authorities (immigration, customs, traffic police)

Less common in:

• Rural East Germany
• Older generations (over 70)
• Small-town shops and Imbiss stalls
• Some Bavarian villages

Useful phrases:

• Guten Tag (Hello / Good day)
• Bitte (Please)
• Danke (Thank you)
• Auf Wiedersehen (Goodbye)
• Entschuldigung (Excuse me)
• Sprechen Sie Englisch? (Do you speak English?)
• Wo ist…? (Where is…?)
• Hilfe! (Help!)

Money and payments

Germany still uses substantial cash. Trends in 2026:

• Cash: in 30-40% of small transactions. Especially supermarkets, bakeries (Backerei), Imbiss, market stalls, taxi.
• Girocard (formerly EC card): bank debit card, accepted everywhere. PIN required above €50.
• Visa, Mastercard, AMEX: widely accepted in cities. Smaller shops sometimes refuse cards under €10. Restaurants almost always accept.
• Contactless: 90%+ of card payments. Apple Pay, Google Pay supported by most card terminals.
• SEPA bank transfer: standard for paying bills.

ATMs are everywhere. Withdraw from your bank’s network (Cash Group: Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, etc.; Sparkassen; Volksbanken; Postbank). Foreign cards usually pay a €5-10 fee at non-network ATMs.

Tip: tip 5-10% in restaurants. Round up taxi fares. Don’t tip in fast food.

Public holidays in 2026

Federal (all 16 states):

State-specific holidays:

• 6 January (Epiphany): BW, BY, ST
• 8 March (Women’s Day): BE, MV (introduced 2019, 2023)
• 4 June (Fronleichnam, Corpus Christi): catholic states (BW, BY, HE, NRW, RP, SL)
• 15 August (Mariae Himmelfahrt): BY (catholic municipalities), Saarland
• 3 October (Tag der Deutschen Einheit): federal
• 31 October (Reformationstag): BB, HB, HH, MV, NI, SH, SN, ST, TH
• 1 November (Allerheiligen): BW, BY, NRW, RP, SL
• 20 November (Buss- und Bettag): SN only

Sundays are also a state-protected “day of rest”: most shops are closed on Sundays. Exceptions: pharmacies (rotating Notdienst), gas stations, bakeries (sometimes 7-12), airport and train station shops, tourist destinations.

Etiquette and customs

Useful for visitors:

• Punctuality: highly valued. Arrive 5 min before any appointment.
• Greeting: handshake on first meeting. Maintain eye contact.
• Sie vs. Du: use formal “Sie” with strangers, “Du” with friends. Most younger Germans skip directly to “Du” after the first meeting.
• Quiet time (Ruhezeit): 22:00-07:00 in residential areas. Noise complaints are common. Sundays are quiet days; many noisy activities (vacuuming, lawn mowing) are restricted by neighbourhood agreement.
• Recycling: separate household waste into Restmull (general), Gelbe Tonne (packaging), Papier (paper), Biomull (compost), Glas (glass). Hotels do this for you.
• Pedestrian crossings: wait for the green man even when no traffic. Crossing on red is socially unacceptable.
• Tipping: 5-10% in restaurants. Round up taxis. Round up barista. No tip in fast food.
• Cash for hairdressers, beauty, small services: still common.

German driving culture for foreign visitors

A few observations that will save you trouble:

• Lane discipline is sacred: in Germany you drive on the right and pass on the left, period. Hanging in the left lane below the surrounding speed flow is a serious cultural offence. Drivers will flash high beams and tailgate to make the point. The rule is also legal: “Rechtsfahrgebot” violations carry €80 fine + 1 point.
• Tailgating signs you are too slow: do not panic, indicate right, and let them pass when safe. They are not necessarily angry, just expecting normal lane discipline.
• Speed flows are real: on a limit-free section, traffic tends to settle at 150-180 km/h cruise in the left lane. If you are uncomfortable, stay right.
• Variable message signs are enforced: when the LED panel shows 100 km/h, that is the speed limit even if conditions seem fine. Speed cameras follow the displayed values.
• Headlights on in tunnels: required. Daytime running lights do not count as headlights for tunnel rules.
• No undertaking (overtaking on the right): €100 + 1 point. Even when the left lane is moving slowly because of stau, you may not pass on the right. The exception is when traffic is fully stopped and crawling at <60 km/h, where lane-by-lane progress is allowed.

Practical for visitors: mobile phones and SIM cards

• EU roaming is free for EU/EEA visitors under the Roam Like At Home rules: voice, SMS and data work at home tariffs for short trips.
• UK visitors after Brexit: some UK operators (Vodafone, EE, O2/VMO2) charge daily roaming fees in Germany. Three UK includes free roaming on most plans.
• eSIM via Airalo, Holafly, Saily: convenient single-trip data plans, no physical SIM required.
• Local prepaid SIM: available at any electronics store, Aldi/Lidl supermarket, or kiosk for €10-20 with 5-30 GB. Photo ID required by law.
• Network coverage: T-Mobile and Vodafone have the best coverage outside cities; O2 is cheap but patchy in eastern rural areas. 5G is widely available in cities and major autobahn corridors.

Border procedures with neighbours

Germany shares Schengen-internal borders with 9 countries (no passport check inside the EU normally) but has reintroduced temporary checks at certain crossings:

• Poland border (A12, A4, A18, A6): active checks since October 2023, typically 5-45 minutes
• Czech border (A6, A17, A93): occasional checks
• Switzerland border: not in Schengen for customs, always passport + customs declaration over €300
• Austria border (A8, A93): random spot checks for migration control
• Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, France: typically open with occasional spot checks

Carry: passport (EU citizens can use national ID card); driving licence; vehicle registration; insurance Green Card. For Switzerland: customs declaration for cash over CHF 10,000 or goods over CHF 300.

Healthcare and insurance for visitors

EU/EEA visitors: bring your EHIC or GHIC card. UK visitors: GHIC accepted under post-Brexit reciprocity. Treatment at public hospitals (Krankenhauser) is largely covered by your home insurance.

Non-EU visitors: travel insurance is essential. Without it, an A&E visit can cost €500-2,000 and surgery much more.

The German healthcare system is split into Gesetzliche Krankenkasse (statutory, 90% of population) and Private Krankenversicherung (private, 10%). Visitors interact mostly with the public system.

Driving in Germany: visitor checklist

• Valid driving licence (or IDP for non-EU/EEA)
• Vehicle registration (V5C/Carte Grise/etc.)
• Insurance green card (Internationale Versicherungskarte)
• Warning triangle + first-aid kit + reflective vest per occupant
• Winter tyres in winter conditions
• Green Umweltplakette for low-emission zones
• Cash and credit card for tolls (private tunnels)
• See our driving rules guide for detail

For specific emergencies and breakdown contact, see emergency numbers. For real-time autobahn status and weather conditions, see live traffic and weather.