Transportation

Air
Lufthansa is the national Airlines. The main arrival/departure points for flights in Germany are Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin. Frankfurt is Europe's busiest airport after Heathrow. Frankfurt, the largest airport in the country, handles most international flights. German airports have excellent connections, plenty of luggage carts, and a very wide range of stores and services; train stations are usually a short walk away. Getting around Germany is easy. Domestic air travel is extensive but unless you're in an awful hurry, you might as well save your money.

Train
German Federal Railways equal or surpass almost any other system in Europe today. You are about to encounter the wonderful German train network! The eastern and western train systems have now been fully merged, although fares in the east are still cheaper. Numerous fares and ticket passes are available. There is usually a surcharge for the Inter City Express (ICE) trains but it's worth it to travel 250km/h through the German countryside.

Trains are punctual, clean, and comfortable; diners are efficient and inexpensive; electric locomotives on some of the Intercity routes now scoot along at the same speeds as France's better-known rockets. Air-conditioned dining cars are attached to almost all of these trains. The mountain segments of the railway, including the funiculars in the Bavarian Alps and the Black Forest, should not be overlooked—the scenery is glorious.

Bus
Most long-haul buses, particularly in the sightseeing districts, offer adjustable chairs, public-address systems, radio loudspeakers, and wall-to-wall windows.. Germany is served by an excellent highway system connected to the rest of Western Europe. Roads from Eastern Europe are being upgraded but some border crossings are a little slow, especially from Poland. German Federal Railways and the German Touring Company operate a good service.

The last is linked to the Europabus system, touching more than 200 cities over a 62,000-mile network. Their "Castle Route" is one of the most engaging, as are motor coach tours of the Bavarian Alps, the Allgau Alps, and the Black Forest roads. Some of them even go down to Salzburg and the Tyrol in Austria. These tours are astonishingly cheap; the buses are excellent, service is frequent, and the routes are terrific.

Car
German roads are either wonderful or frustrating—there's no middle ground. The autobahn network is fabulous for speed (100 miles per hour is commonplace) and comfort, but some main or secondary roads are a driver's nightmare. There are stiff penalties for driving violations: speeding fines are very high, and drunken driving can easily draw imprisonment plus a fine of up to DM3700 (US$2,500). The two most important German automobile clubs, ADAC and AvD, offer tour information in most cities.