krystle0819

Hi everyone,

I am planning my next trip. My friend and I are thinking about going to Germany around September - October 2010. Is this is a good time to go? Are the fares more reasonable around this time? Is Germany more reasonably priced than London? Is it difficult to communicate? Also, I am not too familiar with Germany so I wonder if the trains are easy to use. Does anyone have any tips that may be helpful?

Thank you for your help in advance!

swandav2000

Hi krystle0819,

I moved to southern Germany last year -- I'll try to answer some of your questions.

Yes, the Fall in Germany is spectacular, with sunny skies and warm temperatures. Though the weather is always unpredictable -- we had a heavy dump of snow in mid-October this year (it melted in a week).

The prices here can range from inexpensive to expensive, of course, as with everything. But here you can find cozy and warm pensions and guesthouses for 30-80E per person, and be very comfortable.

Yes, trains are dead-easy to use. I don't have a car, and I get around town (Garmisch-Partenkirchen) easily, as well as lots of nearby spots.

If you like beer and crowds, you may want to head to the Oktoberfest in München in mid-September, but know that hotels will be charging a premium at that time. If you don't like crowds and beer, you may want to avoid southern Germany at thaat time.

Have fun!

s

Palenque

I have ridden German trains for decades and can say they are extremely user friendly and easy to use, even if you do not ssprechen a word of German. Two departures an hour usually to all key cities - train stations have tons of amenities. I always have a railpass when i go to Germany because i like train travel so travel a lot and more importantly like flexibility to hop on any train anytime as the pass allows and for these type of fully flexibile tickets a German pass can pay off with just a few longish train trips. But if you are not traveling on trains long distances or only a few times and do not desire flexibility and are willing to make advance online purchases for a specific train at a specific time on a specific date and which cannot be changed nor refunded i believe then you can often score deep discounts on www.bahn.de - the German rail website - but if you do say several of these then the pass will be better often, both price-wise and in giving flexibility these tickets do not. But anyway you have all the normal walk up fully flexible ticket fares and the possible online discounts at www.bahn.de - the morer days you travel on a pass the cheaper per day the pass becomes (the way it is priced) so at some point it's down to say $25/day or 15 euros - a true bargain for any kind of fares if traveling several days. German passes come in a German Twin (2 names on one pass for about a 20% p.p. discount) and are flexipasses - meaning they provide X number of days of unlimited fully flexible travel over a one-month period - need not be consecutive but could be - you chose as you go along. For loads of great info on German trains i always highlight these info-laden sites: www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id9.html; www.ricksteves.com.

traveller1959

Is this is a good time to go?

Yes, it is. Temps will be mild in September and mild to cool in October. You can always have sunny or rainy days.

Are the fares more reasonable around this time?

Cannot speak for airfare. Check the search machines and the airlines directly.

Is Germany more reasonably priced than London?

It is much, much, much less expensive than London - half of the prices in London maximum. Everything is inexpensive here - besides gas -: food, beverages, hotels, entrance fees... You always find good hotel deals on www.hrs.de. Try also Hotwire and Priceline for the larger cities.

Is it difficult to communicate?

No, many Germans speak English and they will happily practice their school-learnt knowledge.

Also, I am not too familiar with Germany so I wonder if the trains are easy to use. Does anyone have any tips that may be helpful?

You have already got excellent advice. Just play around with www.bahn.de to get familiar with the system, schedules and fares. The train system is pretty reliable, comfortable and convenient, especially if you want to visit city centers. For the countryside or small villages, it might be more convenient to rent a car for a day or day. But if it is your first trip to Germany, I strongly recommend the train.

Palenque

Air fares tend to decline IME the farther you travel into the fall - By Oct you may save literally hundreds of bucks over say a summer flight. And don't limit your search just to Frankfurt but any German airport or even Brussels or Amsterdam are just a short train ride from Germany. A friend just booked an Atlanta to Venice flight via a change of planes in Paris and viola the price to Venice was cheaper than if they had terminated in Paris - but you have to ask these questions as airlines do not seem to really highlight the cheapest fares sometimes. so check not only Frankfurt but Berlin, Munich, etc. even if you go via Frankfurt. But Frankfurt Airport has great mainline train connections to so you can be anywyere in Germany in a few hours after landing there. But the later in the fall typically the cheaper fares become - sometimes dramatically so IME - but also the weather gets rainier IME and days dramatically shorten as fall progresses. But when the weather turns cool the Germans crank out the Gluehwein - piping hot spiced wine served in cafes, including kiosks in train stations IME

iris1745

Hi krystle; I can tell you our experience in September. [5th ---17th] Weather was fine , mostly short sleeve. Only one bad day, with light rain. For air fares, I have the time to check daily. We flew direct, Boston to Munich on Lufthansa. Booked sometime in June. Every day it was $859 and then one day it was $569 and I booked the fare. I have found that mid week is a good time to check. Richard

MarthaT

To get familiar with Germany I would buy a good guide book. That will help you decide what cities and towns and areas of the country you wish to see.
Barnes & Noble or similiar store has a great selection of books to choose from.
Most touristy areas the younger people will speak some English but I would buy or download a phrase guide to help you out.
I love Germany and am going again next month. You time frame fits in to Oktoberfest in Munich and to me is a must see.

Pegontheroad

Germany is my favorite country, so I've been there many times, including September/October. I like the smaller cities and the countryside better than Berlin, Munich, etc., but that's my preference.

Berlin, Munich, etc., have many excellent museums if that's your preference. As other posters have said, it's much cheaper than London---isn't everywhere? I love towns like Regensburg, Bamberg, Rothenburg (in the evening and morning, anyway), Meersburg, Berchtesgaden, Garmisch, Schwäbisch Hall and the like.

The scenery in the south is spectacular.

I too suggest that you get a guide book and read about Germany. You'll be better able to decide what to see.

iris1745

Yes, books like the 'green guide' or 'eyewitness guide'. Usually they can be purchased at amazon.com at reduced prices, perhaps less shipping charges if you spend over $25 dollars. But here is a good start. A brief history of Germany. Scroll down and you can click on a 'state'. From there you can click on each town/city within that state. Richard http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/germany

bilboburgler

YOu need some words man. The basic Michael Tomas (Thomas) gives a basic drink, food & hotel thing. Trains are great. Wine and beer festivals abound but you need to check local tourist info for timings. Since every wine town has a booze up you may need to start at an area first and them track down to town and village. the great thing is the web sites work by village so I'm pretty sure Trier tourist office is at www.trier.de and probably has an english section

LSky

biboburgler is right and the advice to start with Michael Tomas is excellent. He really does have a fun and easy program.

logos999

Who drinks wine (unless it's Franconian) and doesn't prefer beer?

logos999

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franconia

krystle0819

Thank you so much everyone! Your tips are very helpful and I'm glad to know that it is cheaper than London! I can't wait to study up and learn more about Germany!

bilboburgler

logos, so little time so much wine

spassvogel

Hi kristle

I am responding to your Q:

I am planning my next trip. My friend and I are thinking about going to Germany around September - October 2010. Is this is a good time to go? Are the fares more reasonable around this time?

>>>>>The best deals for hotel rooms (4 and 5 *) is in July and August as these are the months business traveler don't travel! Therefore more "specials" are available to tourists as the hotels have to get the rooms filled. And weather wise it's also more predictable (SUMMER) - ar fas as the weather is predictable anymore.
September has pleasant days with temps in the mid 20ies - at its best!


Is Germany more reasonably priced than London?


>>>>>Hotel rooms, food, bus and train tickets are much cheaper than in UK.

Is it difficult to communicate?

>>>>> Having a dictionary at hand would be wise. Generally the youngsters speak English. But restaurants and cafés waiters/waitresses generally speaking don't always speak English. But the Germans are pretty helpful.

Also, I am not too familiar with Germany so I wonder if the trains are easy to use. Does anyone have any tips that may be helpful?

>>>>> I cannot state on that one as I don't use trains. But when I travelled last there was no English advise how to get a ticket e.g..

Maybe you reach or contact bettyk who loves to travel Germany - have a look at her trip reports.

Maybe buy some guide books and familiarse yourself with the destination in order to make a choice for cities, what to do and how to get around.

Good luck and happy planning!

SV

swandav2000

Hi again,

Just have to make a comment on spassvogel's comment on trains and language --

I don't speak German (yet . . .), and as I said above, I use the trains a lot.

The train site has English pages and accepts English spelling of towns and cities, so that's no problem. I usually print out my schedule so I know which track I need to be at, at what time, etc.

Ticket agents everywhere I've ever been speak perfect English (even if they say they only speak "a little").

Ticket machines have an English-language button.

Believe me, the system is idiot-proof!

s

spassvogel

THX swandav for the info.

Maybe next time to the airport I'll check that out in our town.
Could well be the case because of the FIFA WC they have upgraded the systems.

SV

Palenque

From riding German trains annually since 1969 i can attest that it will provide little problem for non-German speakers - heck even idiots like me have no problem. But a tip is to learn the universal European train sysmbols that you will see on posted schedules, etc. Like the numbers 1, 2... 7 indicating days of the weeks. On posted schedules every train will be posted that runs but there may be footnotes like those numbers where it says say 'Ex 7' - except Sundays sp learn the schedule symbols and you'll have little need to ask anyone. And German train station information offices are really helpful for tourists - they will patiently print out exact schedules for your train trip - indicating where you have to change and from what platform to what platform, etc. (the same info is available at www.bahn.de) so you can print out your expected train info before leaving.

quokka

Some train travel tips by yours truly, including photos, here: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/f86bd/b/9/