General Information Location: Europe Local Time: GMT+1 From 25 Oct 09 to 28 Mar 10 GMT +1 From 28 Mar 10 to 31 Oct 10 GMT +2 From 31 Oct 10 to 27 Mar 11 GMT +1 From 27 Mar 11 to 30 Oct 11 GMT +2 Capital City: Berlin Population: 82 million Area: 357,021 square km, 137,846 square miles. Language(s): German Dialling Code: 49 Emergency: Police: 110. Fire & Ambulance: 112 Directory Enquiries: 10 TV Standard: PAL Driving: Driving is on the right. National or EU licence required. Minimum driving age is 18 (17 for holders of a full UK licence) Electricity: 220V AC 50Hz
Business & CurrencyCurrency: Euro (EUR 1 = 100 Cents) Notes: EUR: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 Coins: EUR: 1, 2. Cents: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50
Credit Cards/Travellers Cheques: Credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted in larger retail outlets, petrol stations, hotels & restaurants Opening Hours Bank: 0830-1300 & 1430-1600 Mon-Wed & Fri, 0830-1300 & 1430-1730 Thur Office: 0900-1700 Mon-Fri (many offices close earlier on Fri) Shops: 0900-1830 Mon-Fri, 0900-1300/1400 Sat (regional shops), 0900-2000 Mon-Fri, 0900-1800/2200 Sat (city shops) Public Holidays 2010 1 Jan New Year's Day, 6 Jan * Epiphany, 2 Apr Good Friday, 5 Apr Easter Monday, 1 May Labour Day, 13 May Ascension, 24 May Whit Monday, 3 Jun *Corpus Christi, 15 Aug * Assumption, 3 Oct Day of German Unity, 31 Oct * Day of Reformation, 1 Nov * All Saints' Day, 17 Nov * Repentance Day.
Note: * These are not observed in all areas. Business/Social Hints: English is widely spoken. Smoking is banned in restaurants bars and the majority of public places unless a separate dedicated smoking room is provided. On social occasions, eg invitation to restaurants, be punctual and dress as for business meetings unless otherwise indicated. The minimum drinking age is 16 years Tipping: If a service charge has been added to the bill, tips are not necessary, additional discretionary tips are around 10%
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AirportsAllgau Airport GmbH & Co. KG (FMM) Altenburg (AOC) Berlin Schonefeld (SXF) Berlin Tegel (TXL) Berlin Tempelhof (THF) Bremen (BRE) Cologne Bonn (CGN) Dortmund (DTM) Dresden (DRS) Dusseldorf International (DUS) Dusseldorf Moenchengladbach (MGL) Dusseldorf Niederrhein (NRN) Frankfurt (FRA) Frankfurt Hahn (HHN) Friedrichshafen (FDH) Hamburg (HAM) Hanover (HAJ) Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden (FKB) Leipzig/Halle (LEJ) Muenster/Osnabrueck Intl (FMO) Munich International (MUC) Nuremberg (NUE) Paderborn/Lippstadt (PAD) Rostock-Laage (RLG) Saarbrucken (SCN) Stuttgart Echterdingen (STR) Westerland - Sylt (GWT) Zweibrucken (ZQW)
Passport & VisaThe following details relate to holders of adult normal passports (requirements for children may be different), if any other type of passport or travel document is held, entry requirements should be checked with the relevant embassy or consulate PassportsRequired, but NOT by the following:
1) Holders of valid National Identity Cards issued to nationals of Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland & United Kingdom
Passport Validity: 1) Where a visa is required passports must be valid for at least 3 months from the expiry of the visa
2) Expired passports can be accepted (maximum of 5 years) issued to nationals of Austria, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain & Switzerland
Passport Notes: 1) Passports or temporary passports are not recognised to nationals of South Africa (Temporary), Somalian (passports issued after 31st Jan 1991), Iraqi passports (issued or renewed after 9th Apr 2003), Guinea Rep (passports models 1995 and 2002)
2) Please note that where a passport is required, it must be signed by the bearer, otherwise permission may be refused. VisasThe following DO NOT require a visa:
1) Nationals of Germany
2) For an unrestricted length of stay by:
a) Holders of passports issued by Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland Rep, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea (South), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland & United States
b) Holders of British passports endorsed British Citizen
3) For stays up to 3 months by:
a) Nationals of Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (S.A.R. passports only), Macao (S.A.R. passports only), Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Singapore, St Kitts & Nevis, Uruguay, Vatican City & Venezuela
Notes: Visitors must hold confirmed return or onward tickets, all documents required for their next destination and sufficient funds for maintenance during their stay.
Return or onward tickets are not required by Nationals of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Ireland Rep, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland & United Kingdom Air TransitRequired by all except those as noted above and:
1) Persons continuing their journey to a third country by the same or first connecting aircraft within 24 hours without leaving the airport transit area. There are conditions to this and this should be checked with embassy or consulate Notes: 1) Transit without a visa is not available if any of the subsequent destinations or transit locations are a Schengen country requiring a visa. Therefore, as the passenger is entering the Schengen territory, which is a borderless territory, those nationals of countries requiring a visa for any Schengen state, which they are entering, require a visa at all times
2) The above facility is not generally available to persons making more than one intermediate stop in Germany. Where granted, in exceptional circumstances only
3) Transit is only possible at certain airports in Germany, please check Exit PermitsSpecial NotesAll visitors must hold onward/return tickets, documents required for next destination & sufficient funds for length of stay, except EU nationals |