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Germany
As Europe's largest economy and most populous nation, Germany remains a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO, while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.
Towns in Germany (click town name for more information)
Driving Advice in Germany
Driving in Germany - a useful guide
Drive on the right, overtake on the left.
Driving licence and vehicle documents must be carried.
Observe speed limits, speed cameras are common.
Buses always have right of way when pulling away from bus stops.
Use dipped headlights visibility is poor.
Do not pass school buses when red light is flashing.
Give way to pedestrians on marked pedestrian crossings ('Zebra crossing'), pedestrians have the right of way, you must stop to allow them to cross.
Use of horn only is for emergencies only in built-up areas.
VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS
Emergency Triangle 'Warndreieck'
First Aid Kit 'Erste-Hilfe-Kasten'
Spare Bulb Kit 'Ersatzglühbirnen' Recommended
Fire Extinguisher Recommended
Road Signs
Abblendlicht - Dipped headlights
Abstand halten - Maintain distance
Alle Richtungen - All directions
Altstadt - Old town
Anfang - Start, beginning
An geraden Tagen - On even days (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday)
An ungeraden Tagen - On odd days (Monday, Wednesday and Friday)
An Sonn- und Feiertagen - On Sundays and holidays
Anleiger Frei - Residents are free of this restriction
Anschluß - Junction
Anwohner Frei - Residents with indicated permit are free of this restriction
Auf dem Seitenstreifen - On the shoulder
Ausfahrt - Exit
Autobahndreieck - Autobahn "T" junction
Autobahnkreuz - Autobahn junction
Bauarbeiten - Roadworks
Baustelle - Roadworks
Baustellenfahrzeuge frei - Construction vehicles only
Baustofflagerung - Roadwork equipment
Bei Nässe - During wet conditions
Belegt - Full
Besetzt - Full
Bitte Sauberhalten - Please keep this a clean place
Bis - Until
Centrum - City Center
Dauer - Duration
Durchfahrt verboten - No through traffic
Einbahnstraße - One-way street
Einfahrt - Entrance
Einordnen - Enter the lane, merge
Einsatzfahrzeuge frei - Operations vehicles only
Ende - End
Fahrbahnwechsel - Change lanes
Fahrtrichtung - Direction of travel
Frei - Free, permitted
Freiefahrt - Road is clear
Frostchäden - Frost damage
Fußgänger - Pedestrian
Eigen - Own
Gasse - Lane
Gefahr/gefährlich - Danger, risk
Gesamte - Entire
Glatteisgefahr - Icy road
Grenze - Border
Grenze Kontrolle - Customs inspection
Halt - Stop
Haltestelle - Bus/tram stop
Keine, Kein - No
Keine einfahrt - No entry
Keine mofas - No mopeds
Kfz. - Motor vehicle
Kraftfahrzeugwerkstatt - Motor vehicle repair shop
Krankenfahrzeuge frei - Ambulances only
Kreuzung - Intersection
Landschafts Schutzgebiet - No parking
Langsam fahren - Drive slowly
Licht einschalten - Turn on lights
Lieferverkehr frei - Delivery vehicles only
Linienverkehr frei - Scheduled transit vehicles only
Links einbiegen - Turn left
Lösen - Take
Lkw. - Heavy trucks
Mittwoche - Wednesdays
Nur - Only
Nur mit Parkschein - Only with a parking permit ticket
Parkhaus - Parking garage
Parkplatz - Parking lot
Parkscheibe - Parking disc
Parkschein - Parking permit ticket
Parkscheinautomat - Parking permit ticket machine
Parkuhr - Parking meter
Pkw. - Private/passenger vehicles
Polizei - Police
Radweg kreutz - Bicycle-path crossing
Raststätte - Service area
Rechts einbiegen - Turn right
Rechts fahren - Keep right
Rollsplitt - Loose Material
Sackgasse - Dead end, cul-de-sac
Schlechte Wegstrecke - Bad section of road
Schulbus - School bus
Schülerlotse - School crossing guard
Seitenstreifen nicht befahrbar - Do not use shoulder
Sperrgebeit - Restricted area
Sperrung - Closure
Spur - Traffic lane
Stadtzcentrum - Town center
Stadmitte - Town center
Stau - Slow traffic;drive with care
Straße - Street
Straßenbahn - Streetcar
Straßenschäden - Road damage
Streugut - Road salt/sand
Stunde(n) - Hour(s)
Tankstelle - Fuel station
Überholen - Passing
Überholen verboten - No passing
Umleitung - Detour
Unfall - Accident; drive with care
Verboten - Prohibited
Verengte Fahrbahn - Road narrows
Verkehr - Traffic
Verkehrshelfer - School crossing guard
Verschmutzte Fahrbahn - Dirt on the road
Vorfahrt - Priority (right of way)
Vorfahrt beachten - Yield
Vorfahrtstraße - Priority road
Vorrang - Priority (right of way)
Vorsicht - Be careful
Weg - Way, lane
Werktags - Workdays
Wochentage - Weekdays
Wohnwagen - Caravan, motorhome, RV
Zentrum - Town center
Zufahrt frei - Access permitted
The word bahnhof, whether alone or incorporated in another word, indicates a train station.
Speed limits for car only:
Built-up areas = 50 kph
Major roads outside towns = 100 kph
Motorways recommended = 130 kph
Motorways minimum speed = 60 kph
Visibility < 50 metres = 50 kph
MOTORWAYS
Motorways (autobahns) are toll-free. Service stations are frequent. Beware of complex junctions, take care when using them.
Many motorway sections are two lanes, return to the right hand lane after overtaking. Speeds are very high on the unrestricted sections so be cautious.
SEAT BELTS
Front seats = Compulsory
Rear seats = Compulsory
Children under 12 years or smaller than 150cm in the rear only unless using an approved front child seat.
DRIVING LICENCE
UK licence acceptable.
Minimum Driving age 18 years.
FINES
Fines for motoring offences can be charged on-the-spot or 7 days are allowed to pay the fine.
Offences can include : Drink driving, speeding, parking, ignoring traffic lights, undertaking, bad language, making obscene signs or running out of fuel on a Motorway. Speed cameras also enforce the speeding regulations.
DRINKING and DRIVING
Blood / Alcohol limit is 0.05%.
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Police
110
Fire Service
112
Ambulance
115
PARKING
A parking disc system operates in major towns, discs available from police, tourist offices and tobacconists. Parking meters can also be found.
FUEL
Unleaded Regular 91 = Bleifrei Normal
Unleaded Super 95 = Bleifrei Super
Unleaded Super 98 = Bleifrei Super Plus
Diesel = Diesel
We offer car hire in the following locations in Germany
Berlin, Stuttgart, Osnabrueck, Munich, Cologne, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Essen, Dusseldorf, Bremen, Dresden and many other locations.
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