Trip readiness checklist for Germany
Germany has rules, follows them, and quietly expects you to as well. Here's the trip-readiness checklist for Germany: what to pack, when to go, entry rules for your passport, and the official sources to confirm before you fly.
Build my checklistEntry rules for a US passport
Visa-free up to 90 days
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across every Schengen country together, not per country.
- US passport issued within the last 10 years and valid at least 3 months beyond the day you leave the Schengen Area
- Proof of onward or return travel — a booking on your phone is enough
- Where you're staying — a hotel confirmation or your host's address; officers can ask
- ETIAS (the EU's online pre-travel authorization) once it's live for your dates: tied to your passport, expected to start in late 2026. Check the official ETIAS site before you fly
Source: U.S. Department of State, checked September 14, 2026. Other passports get their own answer in the app. Confirm at the official source before you book.
What to pack
Germany is practical, and it expects you to be too. Pack for changeable weather, comfortable shoes for all the walking, and a bit of cash for the places that still side-eye cards.
Layers and a rain jacket
Weather shifts quickly; a packable waterproof earns its place most months.
Comfortable walking shoes
Old towns, markets, and beer gardens all happen on foot.
A reusable bottle
Tap water is safe; refill rather than buy (note the 'Pfand' deposit on many store bottles).
A Type-C/F plug adapter
Germany uses the two-round-pin plug at 230V.
When to go
Summer is festival season and the busiest; December's Christmas markets are worth it, and they know it — expect crowds. Oktoberfest fills Munich from late Sept to early Oct, and hotel prices act accordingly. Spring and early autumn are calmer for sightseeing.
Money & getting around
Germany's on the euro (€), but it's surprisingly cash-loving — plenty of bakeries, bars, and smaller restaurants are cash-only, so carry some. Tipping is customary: round up or about 5–10%, told to the server as you pay rather than left on the table. Deutsche Bahn links the whole country.
Local quirks worth knowing
Germany has rules, follows them, and quietly expects you to as well. The good news: they're all learnable in a day.
Sunday is genuinely closed
Supermarkets and most shops shut all day. Stock up Saturday — this catches almost every visitor once.
Wait for the green man
Jaywalking earns you glares (and occasionally a fine), especially with children present.
Stay out of the bike lane
The reddish strip of pavement belongs to cyclists moving at speed. They will not swerve.
Punctuality is respect
For dinner plans, tours, everything. A lesson Deutsche Bahn itself is still working on.
A week in Germany, the list starts here
Quantities scale with your dates, the weather groups arrive once we have your travel days, and your own plans add their gear on Trip Pass.
- Passport & travel documents1
- Phone charger & adapter1
- Wallet, cards & some local cash1
- Toiletries bag1
- Any daily medicationsenough for the trip
- Underwear7
- Socks7
- T-shirts / tops5
What am I forgetting?
A real answer from Trip Happens for a sample week in Germany, departing in five weeks with a checked bag and nothing packed yet. Yours is built from your own trip.
Berlin in late October. Seven nights, five weeks out. Three gaps.
- 1.
Check ETIAS before you fly
Your entry guide says ETIAS is expected to start in late 2026, and your trip lands in October. Check the official ETIAS site closer to departure to see whether it applies to your dates, and note the passport rules there too: issued within the last 10 years, valid at least three months past your exit.
- 2.
Euros in cash
Germany is cash-loving — bakeries, bars and smaller restaurants often take nothing else. Plan to have notes and coins on you from day one rather than assuming your card will do the work.
- 3.
A warm layer and rain shell
Berlin in late October is changeable, and a week means you'll be walking through whatever shows up. Pack layers you can add and remove, plus something waterproof, alongside the comfortable shoes already on your list.
Entry, advisories & health
These change. Confirm at the official source before you book.
Entry and visa requirements depend on your nationality. Confirm the current rules for Germany with the official source below before you book.
U.S. State Department travel advisory for Germany — check the current level and any alerts before you go.
CDC traveler health page for Germany — recommended vaccines, health notices, and a packing checklist.
Get the full Germany checklist
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