Learn German - How To Travel

A “Reise” (trip) to Germany can be very interesting. You could visit one of the big cities like Berlin, “München” (Munich), Frankfurt am Main or Cologne. Or you could take a trip to the countryside and enjoy the beautiful “Landschaft” (scenery/landscape). Berlin is by far one of the most interesting cities in Europe. It's full of history but also known for it's great bar and club scene. It's also one of the cheapest cities in Germany and the whole European Union. When choosing the right place to visit you might also want to check for “kulturelle Ereignisse” (cultural happenings). Often times a city will offer free concerts or theater plays. In Berlin, Germany's capital city, most “Museen” (museums) are free to visit for 4 hours every “Donnerstag” (thursday).

Another great spot for “Touristen” (tourists) is “Schloss Neuschwanstein” (Neuschwanstein Castle). The castle is a 19^th century Gothic revival palace in southwest “Bayern” (Bavaria) and was the inspiration to Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle. It is very popular among tourists from all over the world.

My personal tip would be “die Mecklenburgische Seenplatte” (the Mecklenburg Lake District) which is sometimes called “das Land der tausend Seen” (the land of the thousand lakes). It's just beautiful especially during the summer.

While Germany isn't exactly the cheapest destination, there are countless ways to save some money when visiting the country.

“Jugendherbergen” (youth hostels) are increasingly popular. You can find one in every major city and even in rural areas, and they are a great way to be “sparsam” (frugal). Most “Jugendherbergen” are organised in the “Deutsche Jugendherbergsverband” (German youth hostel organisation). Youth hostels are a great way to meet young people from all around the globe, especially in a city like Berlin. The staff usually speaks english and it shouldn't be a problem to get a “Mehrbettzimmer” (dorm room) or even a “Zweibettzimmer” (2 bed room). In those places you usually have to share the bathing facilities with the other backpackers.

If you don't want to sleep in a room full of strangers you could try and google “Hotel Sonderangebote” (hotel bargains) to find something that suits your needs and isn't “zu teuer” (too expensive). Most hotel employees are friendly and speak at least some english.

If your “Budget” (budget) permits, you could even rent a small city apartment. Having your own “Küche” (kitchen) is a great way to save “Geld” (money). If you go grocery shopping you should look for Aldi. It's one of the biggest “Discount Supermarkt” (discount grocery store) in Germany, and you should be able to find everything you need from food to cleaning products. They don't sell name brands though, so if you want to buy a real coke you'll have to look for another super market like Real, Plus, Markant, Globus or Edeka.

Enjoy your “Reise” in “Deutschland” (Germany) and don't forget to try one of the many local “Biere” (beers).

How to Get Around

Getting around in Germany is easy. You can choose between renting a “Auto” (car), taking the “Bahn” (train), or “fliegen” (flying).

Renting a car

If you want to rent a car in Germany, you can go to one of the big car rental chains like Avis, Sixt, Europcar, or Hertz. You can also choose one of the many smaller local car rental companies. It will help to know the following sentences when renting a car:

“Ich würde gerne ein Auto mieten.” - I'd like to rent a car.

“Ich hätte gerne einen Mercedes.” - I'd like to get a Mercedes.

“Haben Sie noch einen BMW da?” - Do you have BMW here?

“Wieviel kostet ein größerer/kleinerer Wagen?” - How much does a bigger/smaller car cost?

“Ich hätte gerne Vollkasko.” - I'd like to take the fully comprehensive cover.

“Wo kann ich den Wagen in Berlin abgeben?” - Where can I give you the car back in Berlin?

“Ich habe eine Kundenkarte.” - I have a loyalty card.

“Nehmen Sie auch American Express?” - Do you accept American Express?

“Der Wagen gefällt mir.” - I like that car.

“Welche Nummer kann ich im Notfall anrufen?” - Which number can I call in case of an emergency?

Going by train

Germany has a very good rail network. Exploring Germany by train can be much more relaxing than driving through the rush hour on a German Autobahn. It isn't exactly “billig” (cheap) but it's usually affordable.

You can buy your train ticket in one of the many “Ticketautomaten” that you'll find inside of every train station. They even offer English menus, and you can pay with your credit card. You could even buy your ticket online and just print out your own ticket. However, if you need help buying your ticket, don't hesitate to walk up to one of the ticket counter. The following sentences should help you with buying a ticket in a German train station:

“Hallo! Ich möchte von Berlin nach München fahren.” - Hello, I want to travel from Berlin to Munich.

“Wo muss ich umsteigen?” - Where do I have to change trains?

“Wieviel Zeit habe ich zum umsteigen?” - How much time do I have to change trains?

“Wie lange dauert die Fahrt?” - How long does it take to get there?

“Gibt es einen Speisewagen?” - Will there be a buffet car?

“Ich würde gerne einen Sitzplatz reservieren.” - I'd like to reserve a seat.

“Wieviel kostet das?” - How much is it?

“Wird es eine Verspätung geben?” - Will the train be late?

“Auf welchem Gleis fährt der Zug ab?” - On which platform will the train leave?

“Wo finde ich Gleis 8?” - Where can I find platform 8?

Flying

There are many airlines that offer flight within Germany for very little money. Just use your normal online booking service. The announcements are usually in English so you have nothing to worry about.

Enjoy your “Reise” (trip)!

How to Ask For Directions and Never Get Lost

Whether it‘s the cathedral in Cologne or the Berlin wall, Germany‘s cities are full of history.  Even though many old buildings have been destroyed during the second world war, some cities like Ravensburg still have their medieval town centre. In those narrow alleys it can be tough, not to get lost. But even in more modern cities like Frankfurt, you might want to ask someone for directions.

„Wie komme ich nach X?“ means „How do i get to X?“. „Nach rechts“ means „to the right“, „nach links“ means „to the left“ and „geradeaus“ means „straight ahead“. So if someone tells you: „Gehen Sie die erste nach rechts und dann die zweite nach links“, it means: „you‘ll have to take the 1st road to the right and then the second one on your left“. If know one knows how to get to the place your looking for, or if you just can‘t find it, you could ask for the tourist information by saying: „Wo finde ich die Touristeninformation?“

If you go by car and if you‘re from the UK, you should remember that the cars in Germany drive on the right side of the road! As you might have heard, Germany‘s highways - „Autobahn“ - often don‘t have speed limits but that doesn‘t mean they don‘t have them anywhere, especially near towns or on very busy parts of the road. Ignoring a speed limit can be very expensive! Within a town you‘re not allowed to drive faster then 50km/h.

If you travel by „Fahrrad“ (bicycle) you should be aware that it‘s illegal for grown-ups to drive on the „Bürgersteig“ (sidewalk). It is also illegal to drive drunk! You can rent bikes at a local „Fahrradverleih“.

Luckily „Bahnhöfe“ (trainstations) usually have signs in German and English. You can buy tickets at the counter or use your credit card with one of the ticket automates. There you can choose your language. To understand what‘s on your ticket you need to know that „Gleis“ means platform, „Wagen“ means wagon and „Sitzplatz“ means seat.

If you can‘t find your way, just ask the information desk!

Taxis are usually yellow in Germany but in some states they are allowed to have a different color. All taxis have a yellow Taxi sign on the car roof. You‘ll find detailed information about the rates within the taxi. It is important to know that a taxi driver, who doesn‘t have another customer, is not allowed to reject a customer. He‘s bound by law to drive you unless you want him to leave the city!

Some German cities offer „Frauentaxis“ (literally: women taxis) which will transport female customer after dark for a reduced fee so they don‘t have to walk in the dark on their own. If you feel uneasy with a male driver you could ask the „Taxizentrale“ (cab office) for a „weiblichen Fahrer“ or „Fahrerin“ (female driver).

 In „Großstädten“ (major cities) you‘ll also find the „U-Bahn“ (subway) or „S-Bahn“ (city railway). They offer English websites and the „Fahrstrecken“ (routes) are usually color coded, so it shouldn‘t be a problem for you to find the right train. In Berlin they have something called „Berlin Welcome Card“, which costs around €16 and allows you to use the U-Bahn and S-Bahn for 48 hours. Additionally you‘ll get a map and a 50% discount at more then 140 highlights of the German capital, like sightseeing tours, boat tours, museums and much more.