By Air
Germany's two main international hubs are Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC). Frankfurt is the bigger of the two — one of Europe's busiest airports, handling around 70 million passengers a year — and is particularly well connected to North America, Asia, and the Middle East. A long-distance rail station underneath the terminal lets you continue directly to Cologne, Stuttgart, Berlin, or other cities without going through the city first. Munich is the better gateway for Bavaria and the Alps.
Berlin Brandenburg (BER) handles intra-European routes and growing long-haul traffic. Düsseldorf (DUS) is convenient for the Rhineland and Ruhr region.
Lufthansa is the national carrier. Budget carriers — Eurowings, Ryanair, easyJet — serve many German airports cheaply if booked in advance.
Approximate flying times to Frankfurt: London 2 hours, New York 9 hours, Singapore 12 hours, Sydney 22 hours.
By Train
Germany is well connected by rail to all its neighbours. From Paris, TGV and Thalys services reach Cologne in around 3.5 hours. From Amsterdam, direct ICE trains reach Cologne in under 3 hours and Frankfurt in about 4. From Vienna and Prague, regular services run to Munich, Nuremberg, and beyond. The Eurostar connects London to Amsterdam with easy onward connections into Germany.
Book international rail journeys at bahn.de, which handles cross-border tickets too.
By Bus
Flixbus and other long-distance coaches connect most major European cities to Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt, and Munich. Fares are often the cheapest option, though journey times are long. Berlin to Amsterdam takes around 8 hours; Paris to Cologne around 6.
By Car
Germany is connected to all neighbouring countries by motorway. There are no tolls on German motorways (the Autobahn) for private cars. From the UK, the most useful ferry routes are Harwich to Hook of Holland and Hull to Rotterdam, both well positioned for driving into Germany.
By Ferry
From Germany's Baltic ports — Kiel, Lübeck, Rostock — regular ferries run to Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and the Baltic states. Rail connections from these ports into the rest of Germany are reliable.
Entry Requirements
Citizens of EU countries enter with a national ID card or passport. Most Western nationalities — including US, UK, Canadian, and Australian citizens — can visit visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Citizens of other countries may need a Schengen visa obtained in advance. From late 2026, an ETIAS travel authorisation (online application, €20) will be required for most visa-exempt visitors — check requirements before travelling. Currency imports above €10,000 must be declared.