Loading ...Personal Safety
Germany is a very safe country, with some of the lowest violent crime rates in the world. Germany ranked twenty-first globally on the Legatum Institute Safety and Security Sub-Index (2013) out of 142 countries studied.
The Legatum study found that 82 percent of Germans felt safe walking alone at night. Assault and theft rates are low, with about 4 percent reporting they were victims of assault and 10 percent victims of theft. But perhaps the most impressive indicator of Germany’s personal safety record is its low homicide rate, which at 0.8 per 100,000 people (Euromonitor International 2011) is significantly lower than the U.S. homicide rate of 4.3 per 100,000.
Despite the low rates of serious crime, the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs still advises American travelers to be wary of petty criminals in urban cities. According to crime statistics published by the German government, the northern areas in Germany tend to have a higher rate of crime, especially in Berlin and Hamburg.
Transportation
Airlines
Air travel quality in Germany is ranked sixth globally by The World Economic Forum (2012). The country’s airports are some of the busiest in Europe, with over 60 airports serving millions of people every year. Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is considered to be Germany’s main airport and it alone served 56 million passengers in 2011, making it the ninth busiest in the world. There are a number of airlines that offer low-cost flights within Germany, including Air Berlin and TUIfly. You can fly directly to Germany on United, US Airways, American Airlines, Delta, Lufthansa, Air Berlin and TUIfly from major U.S. gateway cities.
Highways
The World Economic Forum (2012) ranks Germany’s overall highway quality tenth in the world. Driving is on the right side of the road and speed limits and other traffic signs are posted in kilometers per hour and German. You can use your valid U.S. driver’s license for your first six months in the country, after which you must register for a German license to continue driving. Germany’s main highway network is called the Autobahn, which is known for having long stretches without a speed limit. The government, however, recommends that drivers go no faster than 130km/h, or about 80 miles per hour.
Buses
Nearly three-quarters of a million commuters travel by bus each year in Germany. Each major city has its own public transportation company that manages all forms of transportation. In Berlin, for example, the public transportation system is managed by the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG). The BVG has over 1,300 buses operating within the city and has over 150 bus lines. The ticket system is fairly different from what you might be used to. Instead of charging for a single ride, tickets are valid for a certain time duration, during which the ticket holder can use any form of public transportation as often as they would like. This allows the ticket holder to change between the bus and rail lines to get to their destination. A single ticket is valid for two hours and costs between US$2.95 and US$3.80. Fare choices range from daily to annual tickets. You can visit the BVG website for schedules and maps.
Germany also has regional buses for long-distance travel to other cities. Although planes and trains are the most popular means to get around the country, bus companies like the Touring Eurolines can offer reasonable bus fares.
Trains
Travelling by rail is very popular in Germany, with most major cities offering an extensive rail transportation system. Like many other German cities, Berlin’s BVG has an underground train system (U-Bahn) as well as an above ground tram network. The U-Bahn is Berlin’s most used method of public transportation, serving over one million commuters everyday with its 170 stations. The tramlines serve an additional half million people and have nearly 800 stops. Both services and the bus service use the same tickets sold by the BVG. Maps and schedules are available on the BVG website.
The Deutsche Bahn (DB) is Germany’s national railway company and is the largest railway system in the world, with 64,113 kilometers (nearly 40,000 miles) of tracks and 5,718 stations. Each year DB trains carry nearly two billion passengers. To check train fares and schedules, visit the DB website.