Train information

The national railway company is Deutsche Bahn (DB): www.bahn.com.
Train types: Intercity-Express (ICE, high speed trains), reservations are required
for international services to France, reservations are recommended for other
destinations; Thalys (high speed trains), reservations are required; Eurocity (EC)
and Intercity (IC) (intercity trains), reservations are required only on night trains;
Interregio-Express (IRE), Regional-Express (RE) and Regionalbahn (RB), reservations are not required; S-Bahn (commuter trains), reservations are not required; City Night Line (CNL), Euronight (EN) and D (night trains), reservations are required. Expressbus service between Nuremberg and Prague, reservations are required.
Bikes are allowed on most Intercity and Eurocity trains (there is a bike symbol in the
timetable), reservations are required for bike spaces. Bikes can be taken on IRE, RE
and RB trains upon purchase of a special bike ticket, no reservations is required. In
some cities bikes can be carried on S-Bahn trains free of charge.

Ferries, ships, buses… everything but train

The extensive railway network practically operates everywhere and, other
transportation is only needed to reach remote locations or to circulate in larger urban
areas within German towns. Note that in many major cities, the local commuter
trains (S-Bahn) are operated by DB, therefore, these trains are often covered by your
InterRail Pass. There are ferries to/from Sweden and Finland.

Food and drink

Eat Bratwurst (sausages); Sauerkraut (sour cabbage, usually a side dish); Doner Kebap(grilled meat); Eisbein (pork knee, boiled or roasted); Kartoffelkase (potato and cream spread); Meerrettichfleisch (meat with horse radish sauce); Obatzda (cheese delicacy).
Drink beer; Schnaps (strong distilled beverage); Korn (cereal distilled drink); Jagermeister (herbal liquor) or wines such as Gewurztraminer or Riesling.

Accommodation

Hotels and Bed & Breakfasts (usually known as pension) are everywhere. Look also for Zimmer frei or Fremdenzimmer signs for private rooms. Agencies with accommodation services usually display the word Zimmervermittlung. Find a bed with www.hotelsingermany.com
The Local Hostel Association is the Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk (www.jugendherberge.de).
There are plenty of private hostels all over the country.
*Camping: www.camping-club.de – free camping is forbidden.

 

Travel information

• Local Tourism Board: www.germany-tourism.de and www.visitberlin.de is the official tourism website for Berlin
• National Parks: www.germanplaces.com/germany/national-parks.html