Germany Travel Tips: 12 Things to Know Before You Go

Germany is one of the easiest countries in Europe to travel, with fast trains, clean cities and good English in tourist areas. The friction comes from small local rules that nobody warns you about until you trip over one, like a closed supermarket on a Sunday afternoon.

Here are twelve things that genuinely matter on a first trip, the practical ones, not the clichés.

1. Entry rules and ETIAS

Germany is in the Schengen Area, so EU citizens come and go freely. Many non-EU travellers, including those from the UK, US, Canada and Australia, can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. From 2026, those same visitors will need the ETIAS travel authorisation, a quick online form with a small fee, before they fly. Check your own nationality’s requirement well before booking, and make sure your passport is valid for the length of your stay.

The 90-day limit applies across the whole Schengen zone, not Germany alone, so a longer European trip taking in France, Italy or others counts as one allowance. There are no internal border checks within Schengen, though spot checks do happen, so carry your passport rather than leaving it in the hotel safe when you cross into Austria or the Czech Republic on a day trip.

2. Carry cash, always

This surprises almost every first-timer. Germany is a wealthy, modern country that still runs heavily on cash. Cards are fine in hotels, supermarkets and big chains, but bakeries, small restaurants, market stalls, some bars and many taxis are cash only, and the sign at the till is your only warning. Keep 50 to 100 € in notes plus a handful of coins, and you will never be caught out.

Contactless via Apple Pay or Google Pay is increasingly accepted and worth setting up, but treat it as a complement to cash, not a replacement. Withdraw euros from a bank-branded ATM (Sparkasse, Volksbank, Deutsche Bank) rather than the standalone machines in tourist areas, which often add poor exchange rates and fees. Coins matter too, not just for tips: public toilets frequently charge 0.50 to 1 €, and supermarket trolleys need a 1 or 2 € coin as a deposit.

3. Sundays are closed

By law, most shops and supermarkets shut on Sundays and public holidays, a tradition called Ladenschluss. Restaurants, museums, pharmacies on duty and bakeries inside train stations stay open, and station supermarkets are your fallback. The simple fix: do your food and souvenir shopping by Saturday evening. A Sunday is for walking, brunch and sights, not for stocking up.

The same rhythm catches people out on public holidays, which fall throughout the year and close shops just like a Sunday, sometimes regionally rather than nationally. Bakeries often open for a few morning hours even on a Sunday, so you can still get fresh bread and coffee, and petrol-station shops keep limited supplies at a premium. Plan around it rather than fighting it: locals treat Sunday as a genuine day of rest, and slotting into that pace is part of travelling well here.

4. Tipping the German way

Tipping is welcome but modest, and the method differs from many countries. Round up the bill or add roughly 5 to 10 percent, then say the total out loud when the server takes your cash or card. If a coffee is 3.50 €, hand over and say “four”. Leaving coins on the table is less common than telling the server the rounded figure.

5. Tap water and the Pfand deposit

Tap water is safe and excellent, but restaurants rarely serve it free, so expect to order still or sparkling. More usefully, learn the Pfand: most bottles and cans carry a deposit of around 0.25 €, refunded when you feed them into a reverse-vending machine in any supermarket. Do not bin a plastic bottle, that is throwing away money, and locals often leave returnable bottles beside bins for others to collect.

6. Validate your ticket or pay 60 €

City transport works on trust, with no barriers on most trams, buses and S-Bahn lines. That is exactly why ticket inspectors board in plain clothes. Riding without a valid ticket, called Schwarzfahren, brings an on-the-spot fine of around 60 €, and “I’m a tourist” will not get you out of it. Buy and, where required, stamp your ticket before you board.

7. Quiet hours and Sundays at home

Germany takes peace seriously. Ruhezeit, or quiet time, applies at night (typically 10 pm to 6 am) and often midday and all Sunday. That means no drilling, loud music or noisy chores. As a visitor in an apartment rental, keep the volume down late and on Sundays, and you will avoid an awkward knock from a neighbour.

8. Wait for the green man

Germans wait for the green pedestrian light even on an empty street, especially with children around, and crossing on red can earn a disapproving look or rarely a small fine. In the east you will meet the beloved Ampelmännchen, the little hatted figure on the lights, a genuine local icon you will see on souvenirs everywhere.

9 to 12. More habits worth knowing

None of these are make-or-break, but together they mark you as a considerate visitor rather than a clueless one, and Germans notice the difference.

Language and getting by

English is widely spoken in cities, tourist areas and among younger Germans, so you will rarely be stuck. The friction comes with the written world: menus in smaller restaurants, ticket machines, official signs and supermarket labels are often German only. A translation app with the German pack downloaded covers almost everything.

A little effort goes a long way socially. Open with “Hallo” or “Guten Tag”, and learn “Danke” (thanks), “Bitte” (please, and also “you’re welcome”), and “Entschuldigung” (excuse me). Germans tend to be direct rather than rude, and small talk is lighter than in some cultures, so do not read brevity as coldness. In Bavaria you will hear “Grüß Gott” as a greeting, which is normal and worth returning.

Safety, health and emergencies

Germany is a safe country by most measures, with low violent crime. The realistic risks are petty: pickpocketing in crowded stations, tourist hotspots and at busy Christmas markets. Keep your phone and wallet secure in crowds, and be wary of anyone creating a sudden distraction.

For health, the single emergency number is 112 across Germany and the EU, for ambulance and fire, with 110 for police. Pharmacies, marked by a red Apotheke sign, handle minor ailments and can advise, and there is always one on emergency duty (Notdienst) overnight, posted on the door of every pharmacy. EU visitors should carry the European Health Insurance Card, and travellers from the UK the GHIC, which covers state medical care. Everyone else should have travel insurance, since care is excellent but not free. Tap water is safe to drink throughout the country.

Stay connected from the start

Half of these tips are easier with your phone in hand: checking which supermarket is open near you, splitting a cash-only bill, or translating a menu and a recycling label. A reliable connection from the moment you land turns each small rule into a non-issue.

Instead of queueing for a local SIM with its identity check, or risking roaming charges, set up an eSIM for Germany before departure. You are online the second you arrive, on the 4G/5G network, with your usual number still active for those bank confirmation texts.

With Orange, the service from a group with over 300 million customers, you travel with peace of mind: 200+ destinations covered, 24/7 human support, and 100% refunded if you do not use your eSIM.