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Car Hire Germany

Car hire in Germany can be wonderful way of exploring the country or region and enabling you to explore the untouched areas where tourist day trips do not reach. Below is some general information which will help your car rental in Germany be a pleasurable experience.

currency
Euros (dm)

Time difference
1 hour ahead of gmt

Bank opening
generally open mon - wed and fri 0900 - 1200 and 1430 - 1600, thurs 0900 - 1200 and 1430 - 1730

Public holidays
New year's day - 1 jan
Epiphany in baden württemberg, bavaria and saxony-anhalt - 6 jan
Good friday - 18 april 2003
Easter monday - 21 april 2003
May day or labour day - 1 may
Ascension day - 29may 2003
Whit sunday 8 june 2003 whit monday - 9 june 2003
Corpus christi - 19 june 2003
Assumption of the blessed virgin mary in bavaria and saarland only - 15 aug day of german unity - 3 oct reformation day in brandenburg, mecklenburg-vorpommern, saxony, saxony-anhalt and thuringia - 31 oct
All saints day in baden-württemberg, bavaria, north rhine-westphalia, rhineland palatinate, saarland and thuringia - 1 nov
Repentance day in saxony only - 20 nov 2002 19 nov 2003
Christmas eve - 24 dec
Christmas day - 25, 26 dec
New year's eve - 31 dec

Driving rules
Speed limits
built-up areas: 50 kmh (31mph), residential areas: 30 kmh is common, major roads outside towns: 100 kmh (62 mph), motorway: although some sections of the autobahn have no restrictions 130 kmh (80 mph) is recommended.

Drink and driving
Blood alcohol limit is 80 mg.
General driving
Drive on the right, overtake on the left.

It is compulsory to carry an emergency triangle, first aid kit and spare bulb kit.

A parking disc system operates in major towns, discs are available from police, tourist offices and tobacconists.

Always give way to vehicles on the right unless advised otherwise.

Driving licence and vehicle documents should be carried at all times.

On-the-spot fines of up to dm75 can be charged. offences may include: speeding, parking and running out of fuel on a motorway.

It is compulsory to wear seatbelts in the front and in the rear if fitted.

Buses have right of way when leaving bus stops.

Use dipped headlights in poor visibility.

In built-up areas, the use of horns is only permitted for emergencies.

In cities, give way to trams and do not pass them at official stops.

It is an offence to park facing oncoming traffic.

It is prohibited to overtake or pass a school bus, which has stopped outside a built-up area, when red lights are flashing.

Travel tips
the federal republic of germany borders, austria, belgium, the czech republic, denmark, france, luxembourg, the netherlands, poland and switzerland. it has a diversity of landscapes which include the famous rhine, bavaria and black forest. the country is divided into 16 states known as bundesländer which include the city of berlin. each region has its own distinctive character, dialect, traditional dress and food.

In the east, river basins cover a major part of the landscape and the south is well known for its beer halls, black forest and the lake constance. along the rhine and moselle are steep terraced vineyards and beautiful castles. the north is best known for its seafaring cities of hamburg and bremen and its health resorts.