Below are a few lines concerning general travel tips, money matters and the like.
Date, Europe: Europeans write the date contrary to Americans, like so: day/month/year — for example, 9.12.07 = December 9, 2007. That said, this 24-hour system is widely known in the the U.S. as military time since it is used uniformly throughout the D.O.D. (Department of Defense).
Daylight Savings: Don’t forget to change the clock one hour if you are in Europe on the last Sunday in March (spring forward) or on the last Sunday in October (fall back).
Passport/Visa: Citizens of North America, Australia and New Zealand only require a valid *passport to enter Germany and Austria. Without a specific work- or study-related visa/permit, your stay will be limited to 90 days every six months. *Note: Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your intended stay.
Adaptors and Voltage Converters: Like the rest of Europe, voltage in Germany and Austria is 220/240, enough to fry any 110V North American appliance. Thus Americans and Canadians will require a converter ($20, to convert the voltage) and an adapter (set $10, or typically $3 for the piece specific to Europe, so you can plug it into the socket). Most mobile appliances these days are dual-voltage, e.g. laptop computers which only require the adapter, but double-check instructions to prevent what could be an expensive blowout. And don’t leave the adaptor in the wall socket after use! Note: If you’re only looking to plug in, let’s say, a hairdryer, then consider buying a local product at a discount store (which may only cost 5-10€). Australians and Kiwis already subscribe to the 220V system and will only require an adaptor.
Bathrooms: In most cases it costs to use the toilet in Europe. Always keep small change on hand for those necessary breaks (especially the ladies)—typically 20¢ for the attendant’s dish, or 50¢ for coin-operated stalls.
International Dialing: To call another country you must first dial the international access code (IAC). If you’re inside Europe, the IAC is 00 — from inside USA/Canada, the IAC is 011. Next, punch in the country code (see next entry).
For our example, let’s say we are trying to call this telephone number in Salzburg, Austria: 0662/123456. Note: 0662 is the city code; drop the 0 when dialing from outside of Austria.
From the USA/Canada you would dial the number like so, 011-43-662/123456
From inside Europe, 0043-662/123456
From inside Austria, 0662/123456
While in Salzburg, 12345
Country Codes: Australia 61; Austria 43; Belgium 32; Canada 1; Croatia 385; Czech Republic 420; Denmark 45; Estonia 372; Finland 358; France 33; Germany 49; Greece 30; Hungary 36; Iceland 354; Ireland 353; Italy 39; Latvia 371; Liechtenstein 423; Lithuania 370; Netherlands 31; Norway 47; Poland 48; Portugal 351; Slovakia 421; Slovenia 386; Spain 34; Sweden 46; Switzerland 41; UK 44; USA 16.
The following emergency numbers (within Germany & Austria) are individually referred to as a “Notruf” (pronounced note roof, meaning emergency call) and can be dialed within their respective countries (from a payphone or wherever) free of charge.
Nationwide Emergency Tel. Numbers within GERMANY:
Police (Polizei) = 110
Fire dept. (Feuerwehr) or general emergency = 112
Ambulance = 19222
Nationwide Emergency Tel. Numbers within AUSTRIA:
Fire dept. (Feuerwehr) = 122
Police (Polizei) = 133
Ambulance/Rescue = 144
Telephones: Public telephones in Germany and Austria use either coins or local calling cards. That said, the newest German pay phones take both. Local calling cards, however, are handy to have (to make reservations or confirm the ones you have) and can be purchased for typically 5€-12€ from newspaper and tobacco stands/shops. The price of a call, depending on the time of day and how long you’re on the phone, begins with a nominal fee and then incrementally compounds as you talk. Outside of business hours (after 18:00 & weekends), the price is much cheaper. Note: Keep in mind that calling a cell phone is considerably more expensive than calling a landline. And telephone books are a quick source for a local area/city map.
Cell Phones: If you’re planning on staying awhile in Germany or Austria, buy a cell phone locally (called a “Handy”)—they’re inexpensive, you’ll always be contactable, and your family will have piece of mind.
Ask at the TI for the best retailer to purchase a “Handy” that uses a pre-paid card. (In Germany, Vodafone shops have easy-to-choose-from selections—look for their “CallYa” Handy.) A pre-paid card phone means no contract, no strings. They’re cheap (from 50€) and typically come with 5€ worth of credit—while you’re in the shop consider topping up your new phone with more credit, 15€-25€.
It costs nothing to receive a call in the phone’s home country. If you’re roaming outside the country you bought the phone in, then it’ll cost big time to receive a call! Note: Buy the phone in whichever country you plan on spending most of your time. To use your “Handy” to frequently make calls will empty its pre-paid card in no time. The phones are perfect for emergencies, receiving calls, or to send a text message (“SMS”). Most important is that you have a number your family can reach you on while overseas. As your European journey comes to an end, you can either sell your phone to a fellow traveler, hold on to it for your next visit, or keep it as a memento.
Credit Cards: Ideally you want to bring a second credit card on your trip in case your primary card gets lost, stolen, demagnetized, or for some reason the transaction won’t go through. Plastic is a convenient way to carry purchase power while providing an itemized record of your expenses. Use your credit card to charge accommodations, tours, train tickets, general services, etc. (Note: Depending on the card company, you will pay 3% on foreign transactions vs. 1% with a debit card.) If you charge a rental car or your plane ticket to the card, you may be rewarded with significant insurance coverage (check your paperwork or call the issuer for details). Avoid using your credit card for a cash advance, which will burden you with a sky-high APR, accrued immediately (hence you brought your debit card, see next entry). Also, avoid using your credit card in fast-paced service environments, such as a beer hall in Bavaria, which will only incur a nasty frown from the wait staff.
Use a credit card with a low, fixed APR or one that benefits you with a rewards program, e.g. cash back or air miles. Note: Not every place accepts credit cards in Europe; query service provider before initiating purchase. To eliminate any confusion back home, notify your issuer that you will be using your credit card overseas (customer service number is on back of card). If you do not notify the issuer, chances are your account will be frozen when they see transactions coming in from abroad.
Debit Cards: To access cash while abroad, bring a debit card linked to your bank account. Nowadays, with ATMs blanketing Europe and offering low exchange rates, traveler’s checks are old hat and your humble debit card is the most cost effective way to retrieve funds while overseas. (*To avoid frequent withdrawal fees—which can total upwards of $7.50 per transaction—consider taking out a few hundred euro at a time.) Ideally you want to bring a second debit card in case your primary card gets lost, stolen, demagnetized, eaten by the machine, or whatever. You can arrange for a back-up card by calling the customer service number on your card. Always carry cash for emergencies or for the many places that do not accept credit cards. It is very important that you know your numeric PIN because European keypads do not have letters on them. When the ATM is located indoors, use your card to gain access if the door is locked (insert/swipe card in slot by door). An ATM in Germany/Austria is called a “Bankomat,” or “Geldautomat.” Look for one displaying the bank symbol (Plus, Star, Interlink, Cirrus, or whichever is) compatible with your card. Frequently, ATMs do not dispense a receipt. And sometimes, because of a glitch, it won’t even give you money (don’t worry, your account is not charged). If this is the case, and no money was dispensed, wait a minute before trying again and/or enter a different amount, or try a different ATM. *Note: Call the customer service number on the back of your card to ask whether they have an arrangement with any banks in Europe (Germany, Austria) that do not charge a withdrawal service fee—for example, Bank of America customers can use Deutsche Bank ATMs fee-free. To eliminate any confusion back home, notify your bank that you will be using your debit card overseas (customer service number is on back of card). If you do not notify the bank, chances are your account will be frozen when they see transactions/withdrawals occurring abroad.
Traveler’s Checks: These days, with the advent of the ubiquitous ATM offering low exchange rates, traveler’s checks have lost their luster. However, in case there’s a problem with your debit card—and since we don’t want you to take out a cash advance with your credit card—it’s probably not a bad idea to bring $200-$300 as extra security (but it’s easier and more cost effective to bring this amount in cash rather than traveler’s checks, which cost about 2% to purchase and are vulnerable to high commission rates when exchanged). For folks who prefer to bring traveler’s checks because of their replacement guarantee if lost or stolen, consult your bank for options. Arguably the most recognized issuer, American Express checks can be cashed at their overseas offices commission-free, and if you do have a problem with the checks (lost/stolen) you can talk to someone in person to swiftly sort out the crisis. Working on a similar premise to traveler’s checks, American Express has created the Travelers Cheque Card, which is a pre-paid card—not to be confused with a credit or debit card linked to an account—that you load funds onto to spend as needed. To query American Express about the Travelers Cheque Card, call toll-free (within USA/Canada) 1-888-412-6945 or click here.
Travel Insurance & Medicine: For piece of mind and the nominal premium charged, travel insurance is a tremendous idea. Start your Web search here: www.travelguard.com, or call toll-free within the U.S. 1-800-826-4919. Note: If you’re planning on bringing medications, keep them in the original bottle. Oh, and it’s not a bad idea to bring your medical history with you. Although not a medicine, we recommend you invest in a bottle of fiber caplets or chewable tablets (e.g. Benefiber) to maintain your fiber intake while abroad.
Train or Car?: Travelers 25 years of age or younger receive hard-to-pass-up discounts on rail travel in Europe (
compare prices at railpass.com and raileurope.com for a wide range of options
) Over 25 year olds pay a steeper price but will get first-class seating. Trains are easy-to-use in Germany/Austria, zipping you smoothly and scenically between cities and dropping you (typically) in the heart of the Old Town near a TI, post office, food court, accommodations, and/or local transportation connections. By rail is the way to go for first-timers and travelers who are sticking to main routes. With a car, however, you have freedom to roam and it carriers your bags for you. You will, though, pay ridiculously high gas prices (about $8/gallon) and possibly a road toll, and sometimes encounter a traffic jam (called a “Stau”). Moreover, cars are a pain to have in the big cities, like Vienna and Berlin. That said, it’s still nice to have wheels to take you wherever, whenever. In our city chapters in the travel guide we’ve tried to accommodate Drivers by listing the local parking situations as well as a convenient place to park outside of the major cities where you can take the subway in to avoid traffic (if you wish), and/or a pick of Good Sleeps that are easily accessible by car. Note: Combine the benefits of both modes of transportation by purchasing a railpass as well as renting a car. This is easily done with a well-defined itinerary. Rent a car to visit all the difficult-to-reach-by-train destinations, such as the Black Forest, Romantic Road, 
Mosel Valley and use the railpass between major cities.
Car Rental: Plan ahead and arrange your car rental from home; it’s cheaper than doing it in Europe. A good place to start is www.kemwel.com (toll-free within North America 1-877-820-0668) or www.autoeurope.com (toll-free within North America 1-888-223-5555), who deal with all the major companies to get you the best price. On either website, when selecting your pick-up and drop-off points, note that picking up a car in one country and dropping it off in another will incur a substantial surcharge. Your best bet is to pick up and drop off the car in Germany (in different cities is not a problem and will cost little or nothing to do so). Besides being centrally located on the continent with numerous cities to choose from, Germany only requires that you have your D.L.—an international driver’s license is recommended but not obligatory. If you were to pick up and drop off in Austria, for example, an international driver’s license would be required and you’d have to pay a hefty road tax (about $5/day compared to Germany’s $1/day). To get the cheapest rate, do not pick up the car at an airport or a train station—either place will increase your rate by about 20% (to drop off at either place does not incur a charge). Instead, pick up the car at the downtown office, which is usually close to the train station. Secure the booking/rate with your credit card but don’t worry if your dates change; Kemwel and Autoeurope are flexible so you can either drop the car off early (and be credited) or keep it longer (and continue on the same weekly rate). Credit card holders check with your issuer to see whether the CDW insurance is covered when you pay for the rental with your card. If you are covered, you just saved around $10/day. Note: Keep in mind that gas prices are outrageously high in Europe, about $8/gallon. Ouch! To trim that price, request a diesel (saving you about 10%). Lastly, the more passengers you have, the cheaper the end cost will be.
Email, finding the @ button along with the Y & Z keys: Making toys is to Santa’s elves what the @ button is to tech-savvy travelers. No matter how easy it is at home, writing e-mail is tricky business when trying to find your way around a German/Austrian keyboard. Have no fear, here’s the juice: the Y and Z keys have been swapped, i.e. Z is upper center and Y is lower left, and to produce @ on the screen press the Alt Gr button while pushing the @ button. Presto, Aunt Betty is just a click away. To find email, Internet cafés are springing up just about everywhere, especially in the vicinity of transportation hubs such as the main train station in cities. Commonly, these Internet saloons also offer faxing, CD burning, and cheap international calling.
Common Sense: The biggest chunk of advice we can offer travelers is to use common sense! Part of that logic is to remember that you are an ambassador to your country wherever you go—the locals will judge your nation by your actions.