Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
» Up-to-the-minute travel and roadwork information in English is available at
www.bayerninfo.de
.
Traffic reports on the radio (in German) usually follow on-the-hour
news summaries.
» Well-equipped service areas appear every 40km to 60km on autobahns with petrol sta-
tions, toilet facilities and restaurants; some are open 24 hours. In between are
Rastplätze
(rest stops), which usually have picnic tables and toilet facilities.
Automobile Associations
Germany's main motoring organisation, the
Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club
(ADAC; for roadside assistance 0180-222 2222, from mobile phone 222 222;
www.adac.de
)
has offices in all major cities and many smaller ones. Its roadside assist-
ance is also available to members of its affiliates, including the British AA and American
AAA.
Driving Licence
Drivers need a valid driving licence. International Driving Permits (IDP; issued by your
local automobile association) for non-EU drivers are not compulsory but having one may
help Germans make sense of your home licence (always carry that one too) and may sim-
plify the car hire process.
TRAIN PASSES
If residing permanently outside Europe, you qualify for the German Rail Pass, which entitles you
to unlimited travel for four to 10 days within a one-month period. Sample prices for four/seven/10
days of travel are €249/323/408 in 2nd class (half-price for children ages six to 11). The pass is
valid on all trains within Germany, plus Salzburg and Basel as well as some river services, and
entitles you to discounts on the Europabus along the Romantic Road and the Bayerische Zug-
spitzbahn.
The German Rail Youth Pass for people between 12 and 25, and the German Rail Twin Pass for
two adults travelling together are variations on the scheme. If Bavaria is part of a wider European
itinerary, look into a
Eurail Pass
(
www.eurail.com
)
.
A great resource for rail passes wherever you live is
Rail Europe
(
www.raileurope.com
)
, a
major agency specialising in train travel around Europe.
