Drivers in Germany benefit from supreme mobility—not to mention terrific, terrifying speed. Although a single traveler won’t save by renting a car, four probably will. If you can’t decide between train and car travel, try a combination railpass (see Rail-and-Drive Passes above). Fly-and-drive packages are also available from travel agents, airlines, and rental companies.
Before you take the wheel, make sure you read up on Germany’s strictly-enforced driving laws (http://germany.usembassy.gov has good overview). It is true that there is no speed limit on the famed Autobahn and that cars in the left lane are expected to change lanes to let faster cars pass. For an informal primer on European Road signs and conventions, check out www.travlang.com/signs. The Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT), 11769 Gainsborough Rd., Potomac, MD 20854, USA (☎301-983-5252; www.asirt.org) can provide specific information about road conditions.
If you plan to drive, you must be 18 and have a valid driver’s license accompanied by an International Driving Permit (IDP), an official 10-language translation of your license recognized across the world. Foreign licenses are valid for six months after entering Germany, after which a German license is required.
Your IDP, valid for one year, must be issued in your own country, before you depart. An IDP application usually requires one or two passport-size photos, a current license, an additional form of identification, and a fee. To apply, contact your home country’s automobile association. Be careful when purchasing an IDP online or anywhere other than your home automobile association. Some vendors sell permits of questionable legitimacy for higher prices.
In comparison to other European countries, auto-obsessed Germany offers relatively affordable car rental. Still, when you factor in insurance costs and automatic transmission fees, you’ll still be paying at least US$45 a day.
You can generally make reservations before you leave by calling major international offices in your home country. It’s a good idea to cross-check this information with local agencies as well. The local desk numbers are included in town listings; for home-country numbers, call your toll-free directory.
To rent a car from most establishments in Germany, you need to be at least 21 years old. Some agencies require renters to be 25, and most charge those 21-24 an additional insurance fee. Small local operations occasionally rent to people under 21, but be sure to ask about the insurance coverage and deductible, and always check the fine print. Rental agencies in Germany include:
Rental car prices start at around US$45 a day from national companies. Cars with automatic transmission generally cost more than cars with manual transmission (stick shift). In some places, automatic transmission is hard to find in the first place, and it is especially difficult to find four-wheel-drive vehicles.
If you are driving a conventional rental vehicle on an unpaved road in a rental car, you are almost never covered by insurance; ask about this before leaving the rental agency. Cars rented on an American Express or Visa/MasterCard Gold or Platinum credit card in Germany might not carry the automatic insurance that they would in some other countries; check with your credit-card company. Insurance plans from rental companies almost always come with an excess for conventional vehicles which can increase for younger drivers and for four-wheel-drive. This means that the insurance bought from the rental company only applies to damages over the excess while damages up to that amount must be covered by your existing insurance plan. Many German rental companies in Germany require you to buy a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), which will waive the excess in the case of a collision. Loss Damage Waivers (LDWs) do the same in the case of theft or vandalism.
Most credit cards cover standard insurance. If you rent, lease, or borrow a car, you will need a green card, or International Insurance Certificate, to certify that you have liability insurance and that it applies abroad. Green cards can be obtained at car rental agencies, car dealers (for those leasing cars), some travel agents, and some border crossings. Rental agencies may require you to purchase theft insurance in areas that they consider to have a high risk of auto theft.
There is no set speed limit on the Autobahn, only a recommendation of 130km per hour (81mph). For Germans, schnell (fast) is the name of the game. Watch for signs indicating right-of-way (usually designated by a yellow triangle). The Autobahn is indicated by “A” on signs; secondary highways, where the speed limit is usually 100km per hour (60mph), are noted as “B” on signs. Germans drive on the right side of the road and it is always illegal to pass on the right. If you are in the left lane and a car is trying to pass you, it is expected that you will change lanes. In cities and towns, speeds hover around 30-60kph (18-36mph). Wearing a seatbelt is the law in Germany, and children should sit in the rear seat. Children under 40 lb. (17 kg) should ride only in a specially-designed carseat, available from most car rental agencies. The legal maximum for blood-alcohol level is 0.08%. German police strictly enforce driving laws, and German motorists observe them almost religiously. Gasoline (petrol) prices vary, but average about US$5.57 per gallon.
Germany has a greater traffic volume than any other country in Europe. As a result, Germany also has the highest injury-accident rate on the continant. In order to stay safe, familiarize yourself with driving practices in Germany and to have a ready list of contact information for local car assistance organizations.
The Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil Club (ADAC; www.adac.de) is Europe’s largest automobile association, offering support to motorists all over Germany. Members of worldwide partner organizations (including the American automobile associations) can contact the ADAC for assistance (☎0180 222 2222).
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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