Germany
Cards, ATMs and cash in Germany: what to expect
Credit cards work in hotels, chain shops, supermarkets and most city restaurants, but Germany still runs on cash: bakeries, kiosks, small cafés and rural places may take only euros. Carry €50–100 in small notes, withdraw from a bank-branded ATM, and always choose to be charged in euros, not your home currency.
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Key facts
- Cash still needed
- Bakeries, kiosks, small cafés, market stalls, some rural restaurants and small-town taxis
- Cards widely taken
- Hotels, supermarkets, chain stores, fuel stations, most city restaurants
- Card type that works best
- Debit or credit with chip and PIN; contactless is common
- Cheapest ATM
- Bank-branded machines (Sparkasse, Volksbank, Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, ING, Postbank)
- ATM feescheck
- €0–6 per withdrawal depending on machine and your bank (2026 estimate)
- Currency choice at card terminal
- Pay in EUR; decline the machine's home-currency conversion
- Typical cash float
- €50–100 in €10 and €20 notes
- Sunday and holiday cash
- Shops shut; station supermarkets and fuel stations stay open
Details
Germany is a card country at the top and a cash country at the bottom. You can pay by card for a hotel, a train ticket, a supermarket shop, a fuel station and dinner in a mid-range city restaurant. You often cannot pay by card at a bakery counter, a kiosk, a small café, a market stall, a rural guesthouse or some taxi drivers. Assume cash for anything small, old-fashioned or outside a city centre.
Debit cards and credit cards with a chip and PIN work almost everywhere that takes cards. Contactless is standard in supermarkets and chains. Some machines still want a signature for foreign credit cards, and a few small businesses set a minimum spend, often €10. Mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay) work in the same places as contactless cards.
Withdrawing cash is the practical issue. Use an ATM attached to a bank branch, ideally during opening hours, and prefer machines branded Sparkasse, Volksbank, Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, ING or Postbank. Standalone machines in bars, kiosks and tourist streets, often run by independent operators, tend to charge the highest fees and offer the worst conversion rate. Your own bank's foreign withdrawal fee is separate and usually the bigger cost.
When a card terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion: the operator sets the exchange rate and adds a margin, typically several percent. Choose euros (EUR) and let your bank convert. The same rule applies at the ATM screen.
Cash is also how Germany handles small daily life. Many bakeries open from 06:00 and are cash only. Sunday and public holidays close nearly all shops, so plan cash for those days; supermarkets inside main train stations and fuel stations stay open. Tipping is normally done by telling the server the total you want to pay, which works with cash or card.
| Situation | Card or cash | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel, chain shop, supermarket | Card | Contactless standard |
| Mid-range city restaurant | Card usually | Some set a €10 minimum (check) |
| Bakery, kiosk, small café | Cash | Many are cash only (check) |
| Market stall, rural guesthouse | Cash | Assume cash outside cities (check) |
| Taxi | Card in cities, cash in small towns | Ask before you get in (check) |
| Train ticket machine | Card | Cards accepted at DB machines |
| ATM withdrawal | Bank-branded machine | Avoid standalone tourist ATMs (check) |
| Card terminal currency prompt | Choose EUR | Decline home-currency conversion |
Fees and card acceptance vary by business; treat the card-or-cash column as a default, not a rule.
Tips
- Carry €50–100 in €10 and €20 notes; €50 notes are awkward for small purchases.
- Withdraw larger amounts less often to cut per-withdrawal fees.
- Use bank-branch ATMs, not machines in bars, kiosks or souvenir shops.
- Always pick EUR at the ATM and card terminal; never accept the home-currency offer.
- Keep a card and some cash in a separate bag from your main wallet.
- Check your bank's foreign transaction fee before you travel; some cards charge none.
- Tell your bank you are travelling if it still requires a travel notice (check).
- On Sundays and public holidays, use station supermarkets and fuel stations.
Questions people ask
Are credit cards widely accepted in Germany?
Yes in hotels, supermarkets, chain shops, fuel stations and most city restaurants. No at many bakeries, kiosks, small cafés, market stalls and rural places, which are cash only. Carry €50–100 in small notes as a backup.
Which ATMs have the lowest fees in Germany?
Bank-branded machines, such as Sparkasse, Volksbank, Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, ING or Postbank, usually cost least. Standalone ATMs in bars, kiosks and tourist streets charge more and often add a poor exchange rate. Your own bank's fee is separate (check).
Should I pay in local currency or my own?
Always choose euros. If a terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, that is dynamic currency conversion, and the operator adds a margin of several percent. Pay in EUR and let your bank convert.
Can I use Apple Pay or Google Pay in Germany?
Yes, anywhere contactless cards are accepted: supermarkets, chains, hotels, transport ticket machines and many restaurants. Small cash-only businesses still take neither.
Do I need cash for taxis and public transport?
City taxis increasingly take cards, but small-town drivers may not; ask first. Train and tram ticket machines take cards, and the Deutschlandticket is usually bought in an app.
How much cash should I carry day to day?
€50–100 in €10 and €20 notes covers bakeries, kiosks, tips and small purchases. Top up from a bank ATM rather than carrying large amounts.
Deep dive
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