In Germany, Berlin is the only city on my wish list that I have not visited so far. I have been to Frankfurt, Cologne, Munich, Regensburg, Heidelberg, black forest, portion of Rhine valley(Rüdesheim), Neuschwanstein castle and Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Language
One can easily get by with English. I encountered many Germans happy to have conversations in English or providing clarifications in English. But it does help to know few basics. For example, instead of asking for ‘metro station’, ask for ‘U-Bahn’. There are signboards in english also, and traveling by public transport is easy. In fact, some of the German words can easily be understood. Can you guess what is the meaning of this word – vegetarische?
But with google maps, the interactions with locals on seeking directions is becoming less and less.
Accomodation
Bit pricey given that Germany is an affluent country. However, variety of accommodation is available to suit every budget – a 3 star hotel can cost upto INR 10k per night, a 5 star will be above INR 15k per night. Rates do tend to vary and gets marked up during peak seasons and festivities. In Munich, during Oktoberfest 2023, the rates were marked up by a factor of 3X!
Vegetarian food
German cuisine is largely meat based. But vegetarian food is generally available. There are Indian and Italian all over, not to forget the ubiquitous Subway. Mexican food is available in few places. At McDonalds, I struggled to find any vegetarian option(except french fries that is) but there are bakeries at train stations and elsewhere if you can do with bread and coffee/soup. And vegetarian sandwiches but not everywhere.
A simple vegetarian meal in a fast food kind of a joint can cost €10 Euros or so for an individual and €30-45 for a couple more in a decent restaurant. With a drink. 500ml of beer normally costs about €5. Water is marginally lower!
But do note that vegan and vegetarian are often used interchangeably, so vegetarians – do watch.
Currency
Euro is the currency in Germany. Do ensure you carry currency notes also because credit/debit cards may not be acceptable everywhere. Especially when traveling out of larger cities or heading out to a place of tourist attraction. Even in larger cities, small payments have to be often settled in cash. Some loose change always helps if you wish to use a public toilet.
Public transport
Frankfurt and Munich have an amazing and extensive network of public transport comprising Trams, Metro(U-Bahn), buses and commuter trains(S-Bahn, the suburban trains). Taxis are generally not necessary except to commute to and from airport/railway station with luggage. If you plan to use the public transport, do ensure you spend a few minutes understanding the fare zones and different modes of transport. Fines can be heavy! Especially note that S-Bahn and Regional trains(RB, RE) are different. Check for discounts available for group travel.
The best thing is tickets are valid across all modes of public transport.
I primarily used the trams and metro for travel within the city, and each station normally contains a map and a ticket vending machine that allows for displays in English also. Default is German. But the best thing to do is to buy a day pass, which costs marginally more than two single journeys.
Details are all available online as well, for those who like planning their trips to perfection!
Tipping
My impression is that tips are not always expected and is not mandatory either. I have not noted service charges being added to restaurant bills. But most are happy to have a nominal tip. Pay by cash or add to the credit card bill.
When to travel
Whole of Europe is virtually on a vacation during July and August. Best to avoid these 2 months as it can get crowded and pricier. Winters can also be cold and unless you plan to indulge in winter sport or wish to experience winter (I have read that christmas time is very special) avoid November to March. Many of the tourist places will be shut in winter.
April to June and September /October are good to visit Germany though June, being start of summer, will also be pricier. It can also rain off and on and therefore, carry ponchos or thin rain coats.
Oktoberfest is held in Munich from around 3rd week of September to the first sunday of October.
Communication
Given that we are all now so dependent on Google Maps, it was necessary to have data connection at all times. I opted for an international roaming pack with my service provider in India. Buying local SIM, relying on hotel WI-Fi are still options but no longer necessary.
Safety
Germany is quite safe though it would be advisable to apply usual precautions such as avoiding lonely areas, not carrying valuables in person and so on.
Visa
Schengen visa is required for Indian passport holders. Germany is among the top 3 European countries that sees maximum number of visa applications in India. France is at the top.