Germany travel checklist: what to do before you go

This is where the trip is won or lost. Passport validity, visa status and insurance are the three items that can cancel everything else, so settle them first and only then pay for flights.

Check your passport's expiry date against the Schengen rule: most visa-free visitors need a passport valid for at least three months beyond the planned date of leaving the Schengen area, issued within the last ten years. Renewals can take weeks, so start now if it is close.

Decide the shape of the trip before booking transport. The country facts recommend two bases for a first visit — Berlin for 3–4 nights and Munich or the Rhine for 3–4 — joined by high-speed train. Booking rail early usually means cheaper, train-specific tickets; flexible fares cost more but let you change plans.

Fill in the middle of the trip. Book the second and third bases, any castle or museum slots that sell out, and the trains between them. If you are travelling in May–September or over the Christmas market weeks, this is the point where good-value rooms in Berlin, Munich and the Rhine valley start to disappear.

Sort money and connectivity. Germany is a card-friendly country but small bakeries, some taxis and rural guesthouses still prefer cash, so plan to carry a modest amount of euros. Tell your bank you are travelling if it still asks. For phones, an EU roaming plan from another EU country works here; visitors from outside the EU should price a local SIM or eSIM against their home roaming rate.

Book anything time-specific: Neuschwanstein tickets, Elbphilharmonie concerts, major museum slots, and restaurant tables for a special night. Add the addresses and booking references to an offline note.

Re-check the practical details. Confirm opening hours for the specific places you care about, since museums often close on Mondays and some sites run seasonal hours. Check for rail engineering works on your travel days, and look at the weather forecast for the regions you are visiting — Alpine areas and the Baltic coast can be very different from Berlin in the same week.

Pack for the season and for walking. Cities are best on foot and cobblestones are common, so broken-in shoes matter more than a fourth outfit. Layers work in every season; a compact rain jacket earns its place year-round. Bring your own adapter for types C and F sockets, and any medication in its original packaging with a copy of the prescription.

Download offline maps, your tickets and a translation app. Print or screenshot the essentials in case your phone dies.

Keep the documents you need at the border in one place: passport, any visa or residence paperwork, insurance details, and proof of onward or return travel if asked. Have the address of your first night's accommodation ready to show.

On arrival, get cash if you need it, activate your data plan, and confirm how you will reach your accommodation — German city transport usually runs on trust-based ticketing with occasional checks, so validate or buy the right ticket before boarding. Save the emergency numbers: 112 for fire and ambulance, 110 for police, 116 117 for an out-of-hours doctor.

For the first day, plan light. Jet lag plus a new language is enough; leave the big museum for day two.

Germany sits in the Schengen area, so the same entry rules apply as for France, Italy or Spain. Visa-free visitors from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland can generally stay 90 days within any 180-day period across the whole Schengen zone — count the days across your entire European trip, not just Germany.

The passport rules are strict and easy to fail: check both the expiry date and the issue date before you book. Carry proof of accommodation and onward travel; border officers may ask. If you hold a passport that needs a Schengen visa, apply at the German mission responsible for your place of residence, well before departure.

Keep digital and paper copies of your passport, insurance and bookings, stored separately from the originals.

Germany uses the euro. Cards are accepted in most hotels, supermarkets, chain restaurants and ticket machines, but cash still matters in bakeries, small taverns, some taxis and rural guesthouses. Carry €50–100 in mixed notes as a buffer and top up as you go.

Tipping is simple: round up, or add 5–10% for good service, and say the total you want as you pay rather than leaving coins on the table. Budget-wise, a mid-range day in a German city — room, transport, food and one paid attraction — commonly lands in the €120–200 range per person, with Berlin and Munich at the upper end; check current prices when you book.

Use a card with no foreign transaction fee where you can, and choose to be charged in euros rather than your home currency at terminals to avoid a poor conversion rate.

There are no routine vaccinations required for entry to Germany from most countries, but your standard course — measles, mumps and rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, polio — should be up to date. Check your own government's travel health advice for anything specific to your itinerary or health status.

The main practical points are insurance and medication. EU and UK travellers can use the relevant health arrangements for state care, but visitors from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland should carry insurance that covers medical treatment and repatriation. Bring enough of any prescription medicine for the whole trip, in its original packaging, with a copy of the prescription; some medicines that are common at home are controlled here, so check before you fly.

In an emergency call 112 for an ambulance or fire service, 110 for police, and 116 117 for a non-emergency out-of-hours doctor. Pharmacies (Apotheke) handle minor problems and can advise on what to buy.

Pack for walking and for changeable weather. German cities reward long days on foot, and cobblestones punish new shoes, so bring footwear you have already broken in. Layers plus a compact rain jacket cover spring, summer and autumn; winter needs a proper coat, hat and gloves, especially in Bavaria and the east.

Electronics: Germany uses type C and F sockets at 230 V, so US, UK, Irish, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand plugs all need an adapter. A small power strip lets you charge several devices from one adapter.

Leave room for the things you will actually buy: books, beer glasses, Christmas market finds. If you plan to shop seriously, pack a foldable bag and check your airline's baggage allowance before you go.