17 Essential Germany Transportation Tips For Travelers
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For those traveling through Germany, it’s also guaranteed you’ll be using the public transport system — especially the trains — at some point during your travels.
If you’re unfamiliar with how this works or if you don’t speak German, this can be quite confusing (I had quite a few mishaps myself as I got familiar with the city!).
To help you have a stress-free trip, here are 17 essential Germany transportation travel tips.
1. Understand How To Read A Subway Line Listing
Being from NYC, I’m pretty good at reading even the most daunting subway map. That being said, I’ll admit it can be confusing when the words — or even the spelling or pronunciation — are foreign.
One thing to keep in mind is that trains are often listed by their final destination, no matter where you are in the world, and this may be different from where YOU’RE going. Before heading to the station, know the final destination for the direction you’re heading.
Luckily, in Germany, the platforms typically have moving signs that will tell you all of the stops on the line and which side the train will be on. This simplifies things for you a lot.
2. Think About Getting A City Transport Pass
Depending on how much public transport you plan to take, opting for a special city card might be a smart option.
For example, in Hamburg, I purchased a daily Hamburg CARD for 9.75 Euros (about $11.75 USD) and had unlimited access to the city’s trains, buses, and ferries. This also means you have access to unlimited fun things to do in Germany.
Moreover, the card gets you discounts on certain attractions and restaurants. Do the math to see if you’ll end up saving with the pass.
Traveling around Europe and exploring multiple places?
Consider a Eurail Pass for discounted travel!
3. Understand The Different Types Of Trains
In most cities you’ll see the U-Bahn and S-Bahn. The major difference, aside for the stops themselves, is that the U-Bahn is a generally an underground subway (although at times is also overground) while the S-Bahn is an overland rapid train.
There’s also the Inter-City-Express Train (ICE) which is a rapid train that travels in between major cities. Certain train cars are silent or have stronger cell reception, so request these if desired.
When you get your ticket, you’ll receive an assigned car and seat to sit in.
You can make reservations 90 days in advance and will receive a booking # that you will then type into a ticket machine in your local train station to have printed.
4. Think About The Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus
My regular readers who know I’m all about going local and finding offbeat experiences might be surprised to know I’m a big fan of the Hop On, Hop Off bus.
Not really for the tour itself — although I appreciate having some background of the sites.
These tickets are typically budget-friendly and take you all over the city to the main attractions and neighborhoods, making for a stress-free way to get around.
For instance, in a Hop On, Hop Off Bus ticket costs $22.32 in Hamburg and $22 in Berlin.
Side note: these can make for great nap stations. I’d be lying if I said I’d never been craving sleep while my hostel was being cleaned and bought a Hop On, Hop Off Bus ticket to see the sights… and have a safe place to sleep!
5. You’ll Pay For The Bathroom — But Will Also Get Back
I can’t vouch for every train station in the country, but at least in Hamburg my experience was that when you paid 1 Euro (about $1.25 USD) to use the bathroom — undoubtedly grimacing as you place way too much money in the machine — you get a coupon for 0.50 Euros to use in the train center.
While annoying to pay so much money, I couldn’t help but admire the savvy tactic at keeping money flowing through the station and encouraging local business. This also allows the station to hire attendants to keep it clean.
These cashback reward bathrooms are popular in major train stations and rest stops.
6. Germany Rail Is Expensive
I’m from NYC, which everyone touts as being expensive; however, after paying 3 Euros (almost $4!) for a one-way S-Bahn ticket to a station about 30 minutes away, I was in shock.
Same with when I took the 2-hour train from Hamburg to Leipzig — 87 Euros (about $112 USD)!
On that note, I’ll admit the trains in Germany are very clean and comfortable, and you often get free snacks and drinks.
7. Transport Workers Are Generally Nice
Now I’m not sure if this is because I’m from NYC where every time I ask a train or bus worker a question they roll their eyes like I’m wasting their time, but transport workers in Germany are actually helpful — and nice!
In Hamburg I accidentally got on the wrong train — luckily at least going in the correct direction — and the ticket checker seemed delighted to pull out his smartphone and help re-route me.
It was a pretty nice change from my normal situation, especially when a staff member brought me a free chocolate granola bar.
8. Taxis Accept Credit Card
Some may require a $10 minimum, but for the most part taxi drivers in major cities do accept credit cards.
9. In Hamburg, The Water Is A Viable Transport Hub
No other city in Germany has more waterways than Hamburg, from rivers to canals to lakes and beyond. Because of this you’ll not only find great seafood, boating museums, a lively fish market, and a rich fishing heritage; but ferries, water taxis, and cruises that can take you where you need to go in a more scenic way.
While I didn’t do it myself, I heard from many people that cruising on Lake Alster is a memorable experience.
10. “Hbf = Central/Main Station”
If you’re looking for the Central Station of a city make sure you get off at the one that has the letters “Hbf” — which stands for Hauptbahnhof — as this denotes this.
All major cities have multiple train stations, for example, Berlin Hbf vs Berlin Sudkreuz, so you’ll want to get off at the correct one to avoid any hassles.
11. On The Train, Press The Green Button To Exit
My first time taking the ICE train from Hamburg to Leipzig I stared stupidly at the un-opening doors when we reached my stop. I waited for them to open on their own, but no cigar.
Luckily, the woman behind me — who was either a local or had gotten the memo — reached from behind me and pressed a bright green button and, voila!, I was able to exit.
12. You’ll Need To Look At More Than Your Ticket To Know Where To Go
Understanding where to go to get your train as well as the route means looking at more than just your ticket. In the train station, you’ll need to find the printed schedule to find the correct train time and number. Once you locate this, you’ll look for the corresponding platform and stop information.
It’s simple to read; however, if you don’t know to do this beforehand you’ll be very confused.
In my case, I ended up asking a police officer for help.
Note: Because trains are sometimes late and the times can be a bit off it’s helpful to know your train or ICE number so you can check you’re getting on the correct one when it arrives.
13. Get Last Minute Deals On Trains
If you can be flexible with what train you take, don’t purchase your ICE train ticket in advance.
Instead, wait until about five days before your desired departure and visit Ltur.de.
Here, you’ll typically be able to find insanely reduced last-minute deals on leftover train tickets for about 1/3 or 1/4 the original ticket price.
14. Station Lockers Are Usually Available For Major Hubs
If you’re going to be taking the train later in the day and can’t store your luggage at your hotel, opt for a train station locker.
They’re usually very affordable and worth the convenience if it means you don’t have to lug your stuff around all day.
For example, at Hamburg Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) a locker cost 4 Euros (about $5.15 USD) for up to 72 hours.
15. In Berlin, Scooters Are A Cheap Transport Option
Through a company called Berlin Scooter, it’s possible to rent a scooter for cheap: 5 Euros (about $6.32 USD) per hour; 19 Euros ($24 USD) for four hours and 29 Euros ($37 USD) for 24 hours. Discounts are available for multi-day renters.
Also fun is something called an “eTrike” — you can see me riding on in the photo above. It’s offered by Berlin on Bike through their array of city tours. When I asked the company if someone could rent them without a tour they seemed unsure, like they don’t but might be willing to.
Their reply was that for now it’s only offered via tour, but they’re looking to change that in the near future. If interested in just renting I would give them a call/email to see if you might be able to work something out.
16. Depending On Your Age, A Eurail Pass Might Be A Smart Idea
Depending on your itinerary, a Eurail Pass can help you save money by offering discounted prices for train travel without a certain amount of time. There are Youth Passes, Adult Passes and Family Passes, and an array of different tickets depending on how many countries you plan on visiting.
For example, a Germany-Switzerland Regional Pass for a Youth (12 to 25 years of age) traveling for five days within two months (meaning you can choose five days within a two-month span to enjoy unlimited train travel) would be $331 USD. Calculate what your train trips would be without the pass and see if it makes sense to purchase one before you go.
I used one the first time I backpacked Europe for three months and it saved me a ton. I also love that they send an updated train timetable for all of the countries they work in so you don’t have to navigate unfamiliar transport websites.
17. When In Doubt, Speak Up
In Hamburg, Leipzig and Berlin, many locals speak English and are happy to help you.
In fact, I’d say at least 9 out of every 10 people I approached for one reasons or another spoke English.
German Transport Infographic
If you found this post public transportation in Germany helpful, here is a handy infographic.
Feel free to save it to your desktop or to pin it on Pinterest to refer to later:
Do you have any Germany transportation travel tips to add?
*My trip to Germany was sponsored by the Germany Tourism Board. I was not required to write this post nor was I compensated. All opinions are 100% my own.
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