Germany is an interesting country not only for tourists who want to see the whole world, but also for professionals who travel for business purposes. Renting a car in this country means getting a tool for quick movement between sights, cities and towns, as well as protecting yourself from the consequences of strikes by transport workers and other force majeure situations.

What do you need to rent a car in Germany?

In order to rent a car in Germany, you need to have with you:

The money that is taken as a deposit will be returned to the card within 14-28 days (the time frame in which fines from the police may come).

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Rent terms

Most standard car rental agreements include:

Also, in a significant part of the companies, additional insurance is required if the age of the driver does not exceed 25 years.

For an additional fee, along with the car, you can rent a GPS navigator, a child seat or pay for insurance so that a second driver can drive the vehicle.

Where to rent a car

Car rental points in Germany are concentrated at major airports, since it is through these transport hubs that the main flow of wealthy tourists arrives. Also, there are offices of companies that provide car rentals in large cities outside the historical centers closed to traffic, at railway and bus stations, in large hotels of 4 or 5 star categories.

Rent price

Before traveling to Germany, it is better to book a car in advance. The price of car rental in this country changes very often. Rental companies put them up based on the number of vehicles remaining in the parking lot and the dynamics of the reservation of iron horses in a certain period of the year.

On average, with early booking, an economy class car will cost 80-110 euros, a premium car – 170-200 euros, a minibus or SUV – 180-250 euros. You can find out about car rental prices from various companies on special Internet resources, for example, on rentalcars.com.

Fuel prices

As of January 2017, 1 liter of A-95-E10 gasoline in Germany costs 1.38 euros, the same amount of regular 95 is 1.4 euros. 1000 ml of A-98 brand fuel – 1.55 euros, 1 liter of diesel fuel – 1.19 euros, gas – 0.56 euros. Self-service has been introduced at most gas stations and the driver must independently pay at the cash desk and pour fuel into the car.

Features of traffic in Germany

Toll roads

There are no toll roads in Germany. A small amount of money must be paid at the entrance to the centers of some cities and for travel through two tunnels – in Rostock and Lübeck. The price of such services for cars is 1.5-3.5 euros, for minibuses – 2.5-4.5 euros.

Ecological zones

Ecological zones (Umweltzone) have been introduced in major German cities. A sticker with a special marking in red, yellow or green is attached to the inside of the windshield of the car. On the sign that indicates the entrance to the zone there is a marking, such with one of these colors. It shows which cars are allowed to enter a particular area of the city. The fine for entering the territory marked with special signs without stickers or with stickers with markings of a different color is 40 euros.

Permitted speeds

In Germany, within built-up areas it is allowed to drive at speeds up to 50 km/h. Outside the boundaries of cities and villages, you can accelerate to no more than 100 km / h, and on autobahns – up to 130 km / h. Also on the tracks you can not slow down to less than 50 km / h. The fine for violating the speed limit can range from 10 to 80 euros. It, as well as other penalties for minor violations, in case of detention by the police, can be paid in cash or by credit card.

Transportation of children

Children under the age of 12 must be transported in a special seat, which is better to take with the car at the rental office. Toddlers under 150 cm tall can only travel in the back seat of the car. The fine for violating the rules for transporting children is 40-50 euros.

Driving under the influence of alcohol

Drunk driving is one of the most serious traffic violations in Germany. The minimum sanction for him is a fine of 500 euros, the maximum is imprisonment for 6 months and deprivation of rights for 5 years. Permissible levels of alcohol in the blood for drivers aged 18 to 21 are especially underestimated. Therefore, it is better for drivers, regardless of driving experience, not to drink any strong drinks in Germany.

Mobile phone use

The use of a mobile phone by a driver while driving is also prohibited. In order to negotiate without being distracted from the road, it is better to take a wireless headset with you. The amount of the fine for talking while driving without a headset is 40 euros.

parking

Free

There is no free parking in city centers in Germany. Most of the sites for parking cars are concentrated in residential areas or outside the city, and shuttle buses run from the center to them. The sign that shows where this type of public transport stops is a green “H” in a yellow circle.

Also in German settlements you can see parking lots, where free parking time is limited. Such places are indicated by a plate with the letter “P”, an hour hand and a quarter circle of the dial. To use these parking lots, you need to purchase a special indicator at any gas station for 1-2 euros – Ankunftzeit, on which you need to set the start time for the car to stop.

Also, free parking is allowed on the roadsides, if there are no prohibition signs near them. The latter may indicate that parking is prohibited on working days (werktags) or at certain times, for example, from 8 to 19 hours. In addition, leaving the car may be prohibited by signs reading “Einfahrt und Ausfahrt Tag und Nacht freihalten!” – “Leave travel free during the day and at night.”

Paid

Paid parking lots on the roadsides are indicated by a sign with the words “Hier Parkschein lösen”. This means that you need to pay for parking at a special machine, and leave a check under the windshield. To use this device, you need to have a supply of coins, since it does not give change and does not exchange bills.

In places where a large number of cars are concentrated – near airports, train stations, shopping centers, there are covered paid parking lots or multi-level garages. On the signs that show the direction to them, there is an inscription “Tiefgarage” or “Parkhaus”.

Near the entrance to paid parking lots there are machines where you need to get a parking ticket for free. This document at the end of the parking must be inserted into another device – Kassenautomat, on the scoreboard of which the amount for parking will be indicated. You can pay with coins, banknotes and credit cards. The latter method is undesirable to use, to keep the bank account intact.

And if you run out of travel ideas in Germany, book a tour online and go for an unforgettable experience!