Hiring a car in Germany
Heading to Germany for your next big holiday? Rent a car in Germany to ensure you can experience everything on your Germany bucket list. While the large cities in Germany have good public transportation, once you head out into the heart of Germany, public transport can be unreliable. And some of Germany’s most beautiful places are located outside of the cities. The best way to see Germany is by renting a car and exploring the country at your own pace, without having to work your schedule around public transport or an organised tour.
Things to know before hiring a car in Germany
Driving in Germany is a different experience than what you are used to back home, so it’s important to keep the German road rules in mind. Firstly, Germans drive on the right side of the road. For anyone who is used to driving on the left, this can be confusing at first. Just be sure to pay close attention when driving through roundabouts and large intersections.
When many people think of driving in Germany, they imagine no speed limits and crazy drivers. Germany’s major highway is called the autobahn, and while some sections don’t have a speed limit, the majority of the autobahn does. Pay attention to the speed limit to avoid getting a ticket.
Lots of cities in Germany have what is called an Environmental Green Zone. All cars driving through these zones must have a special green sticker. Most rental cars will have this already, but double check before you start driving.
When you rent a car in Germany, you must meet some general requirements. You need to be at least 21 years old to rent a car in Germany, and you must have car insurance. If rental car insurance isn’t covered by your travel insurance, you can purchase an insurance plan from the car rental company. In Germany, you can drive with a license that is in English, meaning your Australian driving license is perfectly fine. Just be sure it’s valid for at least 6 months from the time your rental starts, and carry your passport with you as a secondary form of identification.
What to do when hiring a car in Germany
Germany is full of beautiful areas to explore outside of its big cities. Whether you rent a car for a day out of the city, or you’re planning a full road trip around the country, there are plenty of options to choose from.
One of the best road trips to take through Germany is the German Castle Road. This road is about 1000 km long in the south of Germany. It takes you past lots of beautiful nature as well as more than 70 castles and palaces. This route will also take you through some of Germany’s smaller cities that are often overlooked, but are definitely worth visiting, such as Heidelberg, Rothenburg, and Nuremberg.
Munich is the capital city of Bavaria, which is a large region in the south of Germany. Bavaria is made up of some incredible national parks, the Alps, traditional German villages, and the famous Neuschwanstein Castle, which looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale. From Munich, you could take a day trip into the Bavarian countryside, but to truly experience the region, plan to spend at least a few days out of the city.
When you think of wine regions around the world, Germany probably doesn’t come to mind. But not too far from Frankfurt is a wine route that takes you to some incredible vineyards. Along the 80 km route, there are countless vineyards and cellar doors to pop into and taste the local wine.
