Germany
Money in Germany: currency, ATMs, cards and tipping
Germany uses the euro (EUR). Carry €50–100 in cash even if you mostly tap a card: bakeries, kiosks, beer gardens and some small restaurants are still cash only. Tip by rounding up or adding about 5–10% and saying the total to the server when you pay, not by leaving coins on the table.
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Key facts
- Currency
- Euro (EUR), €1 = 100 cents
- Cash still needed
- Yes — bakeries, kiosks, beer gardens, markets, some taxis and small restaurants
- Card acceptance
- Good in cities and chains, patchier in small towns and independent places
- Girocard trap
- 'EC-Karte' or 'Girocard only' signs may reject foreign Visa and Mastercard
- Tipping
- Round up or add about 5–10%; say the total to the server when paying
- ATM feescheck
- Many German bank ATMs charge foreign cards €3–6 per withdrawal
- Bottle deposit (Pfand)
- €0.08–0.25 per bottle or can, refunded at supermarket machines
- Cash declarationcheck
- Carrying €10,000 or more into or out of the EU must be declared
Summary by passport, month and cost
Germany is in the eurozone, so the currency question is the same for every passport. What changes is how you pay for things and what your bank charges you for doing it. The table below sets out the practical differences by where your card and cash come from, plus the seasonal and cost factors that change how much cash you actually need.
| Passport / card origin | Currency to use | Cash to carry | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | EUR | A float in small notes (check) | Foreign transaction fees; ATM operator fees (check) |
| UK | EUR | A float in small notes (check) | Card fees vary by bank (check) |
| Canada | EUR | A float in small notes (check) | Wide spread between buy and sell rates at exchange desks |
| Australia / New Zealand | EUR | A float in small notes (check) | Long flight, so exchange before you land or use a bank ATM |
| Ireland | EUR | A float in small notes (check) | Same currency; no exchange needed |
| Any passport, cash-only venue | EUR cash | Small notes (check) | €50 and €100 notes are refused by some small shops |
2026 estimate. Cash needs rise in small towns, at Christmas markets and on Sundays, when many shops close.
Step by step
Step 1: get euros. Use a bank ATM (Sparkasse, Volksbank, Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank) rather than a standalone machine in a tourist street, which may add its own fee on top of your bank's (check). Decline the machine's own conversion offer and let your bank do the conversion — the rate is usually better. Withdraw a larger amount less often to cut per-withdrawal fees.
Step 2: carry a float. Keep mixed notes, including €10s and €20s. Small shops and kiosks may refuse €100 or €200 notes. This covers the bakery breakfast, the beer garden, the market stall and the taxi that will not take a card.
Step 3: know which card you hold. Visa and Mastercard work widely in cities, supermarkets, chain hotels and train ticket machines. American Express is accepted far less often. If you see 'EC-Karte' or 'Girocard only', that is the German domestic debit system and your foreign card may be rejected even though the logo looks familiar.
Step 4: pay the German way. When the server asks what you owe, tell them the total you want to pay including the tip — for example, say 'eighteen' on a €16.50 bill. They will give change for the amount you named. Do not leave coins on the table and walk away; that is not the local habit.
Step 5: handle the deposit. Cans and many bottles carry a Pfand of €0.08–0.25. Keep them and return them at the machine in a supermarket for a voucher, or leave them beside the bin, where someone will collect them.
- Use bank ATMs, not tourist-street machines.
- Decline the ATM's own currency conversion.
- Carry €10s and €20s, not €100s.
- Say the total including tip out loud.
- Keep Pfand bottles for the supermarket machine.
Notes
Card acceptance has improved across Germany, but the country still runs on more cash than the UK, Canada or Australia. The gap is widest in small towns, at independent bars and bakeries, at Christmas markets and flea markets, and anywhere the sign says 'Nur Bar' (cash only). Ask before you order if you only have a card.
Tipping is smaller and quieter than in the US. Round up or add about 5–10% when you pay, told to the server rather than left on the table. You do not tip at supermarket tills or in bakeries where you pay at the counter.
Sundays and public holidays matter for cash planning: many shops close, so plan ahead and check the holiday calendar before a weekend trip. For day-to-day budgeting, see the cost of travel in Germany page, and use the currency converter for typical prices.
- Cash only is common in small towns and at markets.
- Round up or add about 5–10% when you pay.
- Shops close on Sundays and public holidays.
- Keep some cash for the last day in case an ATM is out.
Questions people ask
What currency is used in Germany?
The euro (EUR), divided into 100 cents. Germany has used it since 2002, so prices, ATMs and card terminals are all in euros. Notes run from €5 to €500, though €100 and €200 notes are refused by some small shops.
Should I use cash or a card in Germany?
Use both. Cards work in cities, supermarkets, chain hotels and ticket machines, but bakeries, kiosks, beer gardens, markets and some small restaurants are cash only. Carry €50–100 in small notes as a float and ask before ordering if you only have a card.
How much should I tip in Germany?
About 5–10% in restaurants and cafés when service is good, or simply round up. For a coffee or beer, rounding to the next euro is fine. Taxis get a rounded-up fare. Tell the server the total you want to pay rather than leaving coins on the table.
Can I use my Visa or Mastercard everywhere in Germany?
No. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in cities and chains, but American Express less so, and signs reading 'EC-Karte' or 'Girocard only' refer to the German debit system, which may reject a foreign card. Always carry some cash as backup.
Are there ATM fees in Germany?
Often yes. Many German bank ATMs charge foreign cards €3–6 per withdrawal, and standalone machines in tourist areas add more. Use bank ATMs, withdraw larger amounts less often, and decline the machine's own currency conversion so your bank sets the rate.
What is the Pfand deposit on bottles?
Cans and many bottles carry a deposit of €0.08–0.25, added to the price when you buy and refunded when you return the empty at a supermarket machine. Keep them in your bag and cash them in, or leave them beside a bin for someone to collect.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialEuropean Central Bank – euro
- officialDeutsche Bundesbank – cash and payments
- officialGermany Travel – official tourism site
- secondaryWikivoyage – Germany