| Youth hostels: |
| 608 youth hostels scattered throughout Germany offer the extraordinary possibility of visiting the most remote areas of the country at very reasonable prices. |
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| Homosexual environment: |
| There are rainbow banners throughout Germany. In the large cities there are many bars, restaurants and show venues, especially in Berlin and Cologne, where there are also homosexual neighborhoods. Germany is generally a country that is very open to gays and lesbians. The biggest event is Christopher-Street Day, which is celebrated with large parades in several cities throughout the country. |
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| Roadside assistance: |
ADAC – Breakdown assistance: 0 18 05 - 22 22 22
AvD – Emergency number: 08 00 - 9 90 99 09
ACE – Emergency number: 0 18 02 - 34 35 36 |
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| Automobiles: |
Speed limits to keep in mind:
Highway: 130 km/h (recommended)
Outside of towns: 100 km/h (recommended)
Inside towns: 50 km/h
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| Standards: |
| Use of seatbelts is obligatory for everyone in an automobile. Children younger than 12 years old must travel in child seats. The blood alcohol limit is 0.5. Use of a helmet is mandatory when driving any vehicle that may exceed 25 km/h. In Germany, international circulation standards prevail. |
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| Accidents: |
| In the case of an accident, remember to turn on the hazard lights and place the warning triangle at an adequate distance to avoid putting other vehicles in danger. If the accident is serious, the police should be notified. |
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| Parking: |
| You can park in large cities, but free parking is scarce. |
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| Banks and change: |
| The euro is a decimal currency that is worth 100 cents. There are bills of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 euros, and coins of 2 and 1 euros, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. There is no limit to the amount of money that can be brought into the country. |
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| Mail: |
| Normal office hours are from Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Mailboxes in Germany are yellow, with a black-colored mail flag. |
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| Courtesy: |
| Germany is known as a polite country. In business and among acquaintances it is preferable to use “Herr” and “Frau” when speaking to people, rather than to use their given name. People of the same age and status are informal when addressing each other. The most common greeting is to shake hands, even among women. |
