Please enjoy your hire car in Germany.
It is easy for you to pick up your hire car at a convenient
location. These include Baden Baden Airport, Berlin airports
(Tempelhof, Tegel and Schoenefeld), Munich Airport, in fact,
all major airports throughout Germany.
Are you going on holiday to Germany? To see
as much as possible and to get the most out of Germany, the
best way of transport is certainly by car. But of course you
will have to abide by Germany's law of driving. Below you
will find some useful information about driving in Germany.
Documents you need when driving in Germany:
To drive a foreign registered car legally in Germany you must
have the following documents with you, which are your full
driving licence, vehicle registration document and certificate
of motor insurance. EU nationals, which are taking their own
cars are strongly advised to obtain a Green Card. Without
a Green Card, your insurance cover is limited to the minimum
legal cover where the Green Card will top this up to the level
of cover provided by the car owner's domestic policy. Technically
a German translation of the licence is required, but it's
not likely you'll be asked for one. You can if necessary buy
one from the German ADAC motoring club for around €35.
Alternatively you can buy an International Driving Permit
from your country's national auto club for a lot less before
you go abroad.
Special rules you must follow:
When driving in Germany it is compulsory for all vehicles
to have a Warning Triangle and a First Aid kit. For all passengers
it is compulsory to wear both front and rear seatbelts. The
police are able to issue and collect 'on the spot fines' for
not obeying these rules.
Minimum age:
The minimum age of a driver in Germany is 18 years. Children
must be at least 12 years of age to sit in the front seat
unless the seat is equipped with an approved car seat.
Parking:
Parking in Germany is similar to Britain with car parks and
parking meters. A parking disc system operates in major towns
where a discs needs to be on display. Disks are available
from police, tourist offices and tobacconists. Parking meters
can also be found in certain areas. Disabled drivers should
be warned that, although Germany is well organised for disabled
travellers, Your orange badge as used in the UK will not entitle
the disabled motorist to park freely in Germany so please
be aware.
A few basic rules:
In Germany, they drive on the right hand side and overtake
on the left, pay full attention especially at roundabouts.
Your driving licence and vehicle documents should be carried
at all times. All visitors' cars must display vehicle nationality
plates. Always observe speed limit signs, as like England,
speed cameras are common. Buses have right of way when leaving
bus stops. Use your dipped headlights in poor visibility.
In built-up areas, only use your horn for emergencies. Please
note that pedestrians should be aware that it is an offence
to cross a road when the pedestrian crossing lights are red,
even if there is no traffic on the road. On-the-spot fines
for offenders are common.
Speed limits:
Built-up areas: 50 kph (31 mph)
Major roads outside towns: 100 kph (62 mph)
Motorways recommended: 130 kph (81 mph)
Motorways minimum speed: 60 kph (37 mph)
Visibility < 50 metres: 50 kph (31 mph)
Road:
There is a breakdown service that includes a helicopter rescue
service, which is operated by the ADAC. There are emergency
telephones, which are located along the motorway in the event
of a breakdown. When using these telephones, ask expressly
for road service assistance, (Strassenwachthilfe). The number
to dial for emergency services is 110 and 112 for the fire
brigade. Be aware as fines can be imposed for running out
of petrol on a motorway.
Bus:
The buses serve the villages and small towns, especially those
without railway stations. The Post, German Railways or private
firms operate the service for the buses, they mostly tend
to run between small places, there are also a few long-distance
services.
Taxi:
All taxis are metered and are available everywhere. Visitors
should watch out for waiting-period charges and surcharges.
Urban:
In Germany there is a high standard of public transport services,
which is available in all towns. All the urban areas have
a highly efficient and well-established bus services. In many
towns, you can purchase block tickets for several journeys
at reduced price and unlimited daily travel tickets are available.
In many larger cities, before boarding the suburban train,
underground, bus or tram, local transport journey tickets
have to be purchased from ticket machines. Passengers without
valid tickets will be fined on the spot, although there are
often no conductor on trams and underground trains, inspections
will often come along so make sure you purchase your ticket.
Travel times:
The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours
and minutes) from Berlin to other major cities and towns in
the Federal Republic of Germany.
Road
Hamburg 4.00
Cologne 7.00
Frankfurt 6.30
Munich 7.00
Dresden 2.30
Leipzig 2.00
Erfurt 4.30
Rostock 2.30
Driving in Germany will be a pleasurable experience as long
as you remember you are in their country and abide by their
laws. Please remember it is not a good enough excuse to plead
ignorance, as you are a foreigner, you are the driver and
it's your responsibility to know the law.