Things You Need to Know When Traveling in Germany

When preparing for a trip to Germany, you probably already know you need to learn things like getting directions and basic medical terms.

Social norms are a big part of what makes people act the way they do in public. If you are in the US, you seem to “just know” not to sit next to someone else if you have a choice to sit in another, vacant area or seat. In the UK, you don’t cut in line. If you are in Japan, it’s ok to sleep on public transport. All of these things are social expectations that people generally follow.

Most social norms are based on a country’s culture and values. This is just as true in Germany and German speaking countries. Being able to follow those norms can make your time traveling gaffe free.

There are also a few norms that you should know to make your time more enjoyable. If nothing else, you will know that you didn’t make someone else feel uncomfortable.

Let’s look at some of the things you should know about social norms before you go to a German speaking country.

The Ins and Outs of Being Formal

Since German speakers have a whole conjugation for people they don’t know, you would expect them to be more formal in their everyday speech. They have a reputation for being more serious, sometimes to a fault. They also have a reputation for being incredibly punctual. They aren’t early or late – they are on time.

There is an expectation that everyone will follow these types of social norms. It’s not so much about being formal but being polite. It’s just good manners not to make people wait. Unlike a lot of other cultures, there is an expectation that people will respect each other’s time in Germany.
They are a bit more formal in their everyday discussions as well. When talking in a professional setting or with people you don’t know, use “Herr,” “Frau,” or “Fraulein.” And yes, you will need to use formal conjugation when talking to people you don’t know well.

Things to Know about Paying in Germany

When it comes to money, the Germans and German speaking nations are fairly different from English speaking nations, especially America. In Germany, people still largely pay in cash. In fact, there are places that won’t accept cards because they don’t have card readers.

Some places do accept digital payment, but it is best to be prepared with a
bit of cash. It’s accepted pretty much everywhere.

Tipping is very much a cultural thing. In the US, it’s usually expected that the patrons will calculate and pay the tip. Wait staff gain a large part of their salary from tips.

This is not how things are in Germany. Most of the tip is included in the bill. The only math you’ll need to do is to round up, so if your total is $31.25, round up to $32.00. When it comes time to pay the bill, you’ll hand over the payment to your waiter. Cash isn’t left on the table.

For other services, tipping is pretty similar. Most services get between a 5% and a 10% tip in addition to the total cost. This should be pretty easy as a lot of apps will do the calculations for you. Things like taxis, ride shares, and tour guides are all positions that usually get tips.

Be Punctual

Being on time isn’t just good manners, it’s expected. When you are late, it says that you don’t respect the person or people you are meeting. In business, failing to be punctual indicates that you aren’t reliable, which is much more likely to result in losing business, or possibly your job.
If you have an appointment, make sure you are five to ten minutes early. This way you won’t show up a few minutes late.

In the event that you are running late, even if you may only be a minute late, take the time to send a message. It is better that they know you will be late before you are supposed to be there than to have you walk in the room and start apologizing. Remember, it’s about being respectful. Sending a message shows that you respect the person you are meeting.

One of the best benefits of being with people who are punctual is that you don’t dawdle. There is no sitting around in meetings, waiting for people to show up. When you go out to eat or to the movies, you won’t miss anything.

Giving People Space

If you’ve traveled to other countries, you’ve probably noticed that personal space is a bit less of a concern. Germans are much more like Americans on this one – both countries value personal space. Just like in North America, choose a seat farther away from others. They are just as uncomfortable with strangers being close to them as most Americans are.

When you are talking with someone, try to maintain a distance that is about arm’s length. This also applies if you are waiting in line. It's also importnat to remember when you want to start a conversation with someone.

Unless you really know someone, it’s best not to touch them, beyond a handshake. Activities like hugging or touching someone’s arm are generally not welcome.

This norm will probably be pretty easy since Germans and Americans do tend to keep their distance.

Observing Ruhezeit

This is actually a written rule, but not one that most people know about since it is unique to Germany. On weeknights and Sunday nights, people aren’t allowed to make loud noises between 10 pm and 6 am. This time is called Ruhezeit, or quite time.
What comes to most people’s mind is music – and yes, you aren’t allowed to play music loudly, However, it also means you shouldn’t be using power tools, mowing, or vacuuming (unless you live in a house away from your neighbors).

If your neighbors complain about too much noise from your home between these hours, you will almost certainly be fined for it.
This may seem unnecessarily restrictive, but keep it in mind the next time your neighbors are really noisy. Don’t you wish that there was a way to keep them quiet?

Germans Take Recycling Seriously

This is something that is incredibly enjoyable because you aren’t going to find litter or other debris when you are trying to enjoy your surroundings. However, it does go beyond being responsible with your wrappers and bottles.
Waste must be split based on what category it falls into, such as plastic, organic, or paper. Since there are different ways of managing waste based on where you are staying, it’s a good idea to do a bit of research for where you will be.

Ultimately, when you are traveling around the country, it will become second nature to recycle garbage appropriately. They may be rigorous about recycling, but they also make it very easy to follow proper recycling practices.

Going Forward

When traveling around Germany, you’ll almost certainly feel excited. Knowing a bit about what to expect and how to act can help you be more mindful of things you may not otherwise notice.

Proper etiquette is just as important as knowing how to ask for directions or proper dining etiquette to minimize the chance that you end up accidentally offending someone.

Take some time to refresh the unspoken rules before you leave. That way you can start practicing some of them before you even get there.