TRAVELLING IN GERMANY

Germany is a generally very accessible country from a ticketing perspective. All clubs have an online ticketing system (even for large clubs in the 4th/5th divisions) and most use the same system. Ticket sales typically open between 2 and 4 weeks before matches.

The majority of clubs offer resale on their ticketing platform, so opportunities can arise right up until matchday.

Most large clubs have an annual "membership" system that brings benefits, notably priority access to ticket sales.

For major clashes or derbies, it is often necessary to be a season ticket holder or member to access the sale.

Match tickets are not personalised in Germany.

Find ticketing information for each club on each stadium's page.

For your visit to Germany, we recommend prioritising public transport (train) over car travel.

The vast majority of German fans travel to the stadium by train throughout the season, so Deutsche Bahn is well accustomed to managing fan flows by rail.

⚠️ To drive in many German cities, you must display an environmental badge (Umwelt-plakette). Plan ahead and check the dedicated websites before you travel. All information further down under "The environmental badge".

🚖 Regarding taxis, 4 ride-hailing services operate in Germany:

🎟️ To book your train tickets, you must go through Deutsche Bahn (German railway company) :int.bahn.de/en

Germany is crisscrossed by numerous rail lines and some cities are major connection hubs.

Main types of German trains to understand the offers:

• U-Bahn: urban metro systems in cities (underground)
• S-Bahn: local trains between major local cities (similar to RER in France)
• Regional Express (RE) & Regional Bahn (RB) & Interregio-Express (IRE): regional trains between major cities (similar to TER in France)
• Intercity (IC) & InterCity Express (ICE) & Eurocity (EC & ECE): national trains
  

For your information, there are several direct trains from France to Germany. For these cross-border trains, compare prices on SNCF and Deutsche Bahn – there may be differences. Cross-border lines:

• From Paris there are direct trains to Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Freiburg and Munich. Along these train routes, stops in Karlsruhe or Mannheim also allow you to reach all of Germany very easily by train. EUROSTAR also offers direct trains to Düsseldorf and Cologne.
  
• From Marseille there is a direct train to Frankfurt. This train passes through Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Lyon, Chalon-sur-Saône, Besançon, Belfort, Mulhouse, Strasbourg, Baden-Baden, Karlsruhe and Mannheim.
• From Strasbourg you can access all the lines mentioned above. Otherwise, there is a Strasbourg - Offenburg line (25 minutes). From Offenburg many trains allow you to reach all of Germany (for example there are direct trains to Berlin).

❗Things to know about train culture in Germany with Deutsche Bahn :

⏱️ Delays are recurring and "normal" -> always allow at least 15-20 minutes for a connection

⏫ Download the DB Navigator app to check delays etc...

🔃 If you miss a train due to a previous train's delay, you can take another one to continue your journey

⚠️ Reserving your seat on the train is optional but we recommend it for a more "comfortable" journey (and to avoid standing). A seat reservation costs €5.

Everyone thinks that in Germany there's no speed limit ... WRONG!

🚨 Stay vigilant and check your speed because on German motorways certain zones are limited and outside them, even villages are well equipped with speed cameras.

Just like in France there are rules to follow for everyone's safety.

⚠️ To drive a car in many German cities, you must have an environmental sticker (Umwelt-plakette). Plan ahead and check the dedicated websites before you leave.

ℹ️ A French website provides fairly comprehensive information to understand the system -> vignette-ecologique-allemande however it's not the cheapest option.



🎟️ The sticker can be purchased from an official seller: TÜV, DEKRA, GTÜ, FSP or KÜS.

Alternatively, the sticker can be ordered online from each city, here's the link for Berlin (the sticker is valid throughout the country).

With online purchase, allow 7 to 14 days for delivery.



💸 The sticker costs €5 to €15 on-site, €6 online.

The cities of Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Gelsenkirchen, Leipzig, Stuttgart and Munich require this green sticker to be displayed on your car (Umwelt-plakette 4).

🚆 Germany has an extremely comprehensive railway network.

🌙 Several trains (local, regional or national) run in the evening / at night.

🆓 Regional trains are free with your matchday ticket for the majority of stadiums, there is the opportunity to find cheaper accommodation by looking in a nearby city.

HOW TO FIND CHEAPER ACCOMMODATION?

Look at train lines that run late evening / night to sleep in a nearby city / village.

Here are the steps to make accommodation savings:

1️⃣ Find a nearby city or village

2️⃣ Look for cheaper hotels / accommodation in the region, close to one of these stations

3️⃣ Check on Deutsche Bahn's website your itinerary, to see if trains run well at night to your destination

4️⃣ Book your accommodation and you will have made great savings

IC, ICE (national trains similar to TGV) and night trains run at all hours, you can also find long-distance routes this way (paid trains, see offers presented above).

📍Find all the stations served (usually at night) on the outskirts of these cities to help you :

Every country has its habits, here's what you need to know about Germany:

📍 The currency: the Euro

💶 Although contactless payment is very widespread in German stadiums, we still recommend carrying some cash with you. In daily life, small shops often prefer cash payments.

💤 In Germany, Sunday is sacred! Many shops are closed. Some even close as early as 5pm on Saturday.

🍺 It is customary to leave a tip at restaurants and bars if you are satisfied with the service.

♻️ Remember to sort your waste and know that most bottles you buy in Germany are returnable.

🫧 Germans appreciate anything fizzy (-Schorle): sparkling water, fizzy apple juice (apfelschorle), even wine... To ask for still water, you should specify "Still".

🌭 To try an unmissable sausage, ask for a "Wurst", sometimes topped with your choice of Zwiebeln (onions) or Apfelmus (apple sauce). You'll be offered a "Bratwurst" (traditional grilled veal and pork sausage) or a "Bockwurst" closer to knackwurst cooked in water. There's also the "Weisswurst" (white sausage), grilled and delicious.

Don't hesitate to try the Currywurst (knackwurst sliced into rings in a mildly spiced sauce) served with "Pommes" 🍟 (chips!) pronounced -> po-mess.

⏰ There is no time difference between Germany and France.

🔌 The electrical outlets are the same as in France, so no adaptor needed.

Hello: Hallo

Goodbye: Tschuss

How are you: Wie Geht's

Well or Good: Gut (pronounced Goot)

Thank you: Danke

Excuse me / Please: Bitte

Yes: Ja (pronounced ya) / No: Nein

I am French: Ich bin Französisch

I don't understand: Ich verstehe nicht

I love: Ich liebe

🥨 and for survival:

Sausage: Wurst

Chips: Pommes

Beer: Bier