It is probably unnecessary to tell you that in Germany they drive on the right, so make sure you do the same!
- Germany AutobahnWolfgang Staudt / Foter / CC BY-NC
Drink driving laws are very strict, the legal limit here is 0.5 milligrams, as opposed to 0.8 milligrams in Great Britain, and the law is enforced with on the spot fines, so the wisest course of action is not to drink at all when driving.
Speed limits are usually 50km/h in towns and cities, whether displayed or not, and 100km/h on the open road. There is normally no limit on the autobahn, but a blue sign may show a suggested upper limit, usually 130km/h.
There are an increasing number of low emission zones where you will be required to display a sticker, confirming that your car meets environmental requirements.
In most towns and cities you must give way to traffic from the right at junctions without a yellow diamond.
Always carry your driving license, V5, and insurance certificate. Most hire companies will issue ‘hire car insurance’, but you may want to shop around for this.
If you do not have a photo license you will need to carry your passport.
- Carrying a First Aid Kit is compulsory
- GPS/Sat Nav systems which can detect speed cameras are illegal.
- On the spot fines are issued for nearly all driving offences, including running out of fuel on the autobahn!
Listed below are some scenic drives which you might enjoy.
1 The Romantic Road, which stretches for 261 miles through Bavaria, starting at Wurzburg (75miles south of Frankfurt), and ending in Neuschwanstein in the Bavarian mountains, and encompassing some spectacular scenery along the way.
2 The Castle Road, over 625 miles long and including 70 castles/palaces along the way. This runs from Mannheim to Prague in the Czech Republic.
3 The Fairy Tale Road, through towns and landscapes that inspired such tales as Rapunzel and Snow White, stretches for 370 miles from Hanau to Bremen.
4 The Wine Road, a 50 mile scenic route through Germany’s wine country, from Bockenheim to the French Border.
Any of these routes are wonderful at any time, but bear in mind that the grape harvest is in September and there will perhaps be even more festivals at this time.
Some highlights include the Rhine and Danube Valleys and the Black Forest in Southern Germany, and The Harz Mountains and Zittau Range in Eastern Germany
Some town and cities to visit are Hamburg, Munich, Berlin, Cologne, Heidelberg, Dusseldorf, Leipzig, Colditz, Stuttgart, and many more.
