• Travel Germany
  • 🇩🇪 Germany: bunq Community Travel Tips

✈️ Heading to Germany? We've gathered some tips from the bunq community to make sure your trip is the smoothest it can be. 😎

Check them out below! 🌈 👇


Using your card

💳 Do I need cash in Germany, or can I use my card everywhere?

Many places take cards, however plenty of shops still require cash. Make sure you always carry some on you.

Please be aware some POS terminals only accept German Girocards/EC-karte.

💰 What currency do they use here?

The currency here is Euros! The symbol is € or EUR.

🏧 Which ATM’s can I use for free?

The bunq community has reported free withdrawals at these ATMs.

  • Deutsche Bank
  • Commerzbank
  • Postbank
  • Hypovereinsbank
  • Targobank
  • ING Germany
  • Volksbank

The bunq community has reported (possible) additional fee's for withdrawals at these ATM's.

  • Sparkasse
  • Euronet
  • Bankhaus August Lenz
  • ReiseBank

ATM fees may vary by using a different card type. Many ATM'S charge additionally for Mastercard and not Maestro.

Good to know: You can also withdraw money at thousands of supermarkets for free, thanks to bunq's partnership with Barzahlen. Learn More

💵 If I want cash, how much should I take out of an ATM?

€150 should be enough for a few days.


Staying connected

📱 Can I roam, or should I get a local SIM?

All EU mobile plans should let you roam for free.

If you don't have an EU plan, you can learn about your local SIM card options here.

  • The bunq community reported Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone have great coverage.

Useful things to know

💁‍♀️ How does tipping work?

In Germany it is typical to round up the total, usually by about 5-10% ending in a round Euro amount.

This works by telling the waiter how much you'd like to pay.

For example, if your total was €15,80 you might tell the waiter "€17 euros" and then pay that amount with cash or card.

🍺 How much does a 0.5L beer cost?

€2,00

🍽 How much does an average meal cost?

€15,00

🚨 What’s the emergency number?

112

🔌 What type of plug do they use?

This one! It’s the standard European plug.

🚗 What side of the road do they drive on?

They drive on the right side of the road here.

🗺 How do I navigate my way around?

Google and Apple Maps both work well in Germany.

Otherwise, we recommend Rome2Rio as the best way to find out how to get anywhere. It even tells you the cost of each option. 🙌

👀 Any other good tips?

  • Transport tickets in Germany often have to be validated before you can travel. Remember to find a "punch in" machine to stamp your paper ticket before boarding. In some cases, you "punch in" once you board a tram or bus.

Travel Perks

🎢 Visit famous attractions with 10% off

We've partnered with Tiqets to bring you discounts on attraction tickets in Germany 🇩🇪. To get your discount, simply follow the link here and use our coupon code BUNQTIQETS10 at checkout. That's it! 🎊

Travel hands-free with a 20% discount on Stasher

Our partnership with Stasher will allow you to enjoy your destination to the fullest without having to worry about your luggage. You’ll be able to drop off your bags at trusted shops and hotels in Germany with a 20% discount through this link 👌🏻.


If you've been to Germany 🇩🇪 share your experience! The following would be really useful for other bunqers to know:

  • Which ATMs are free to use?
  • What card should I use and where?
  • Any other info you think may be useful.

Share your experience with us in the comments below! 🌈 👇

    9 months later
    5 months later

    Je confirme en Allemagne certain magasin et station essence ne prennent pas la CB bunq

      4 months later

      Moin!
      Die ReiseBank hat momentan auch Gebühren bei der Abhebung erhoben.
      Habe gestern eine Gebühr von 3,95€ gezahlt.

        4 months later

        Should note that a significant number of commercial establishments accept payments only in cash (or a German issue bank card) - so it is important to keep some on you all the time.

          2 months later

          Today, I couldn’t withdraw cash from the ATM at Postbank, not with MasterCard, nor with Maestro card… Cards were not accepted (no issues at other banks).

            4 months later

            Hey, ich habe nun bunq zu meinem Hauptkonto gemacht und hatte bis jetzt noch nicht wirklich das abheben genutzt. Deshalb wollte ich einmal fragen, da anscheinend einige ihre Preise erhöht haben, wo man aktuell noch kostenlos Geld abheben kann?

              @Username#233550 wo man aktuell noch kostenlos Geld abheben kann?

              Für Beträge unter 200 Euro sind die Barzahlen/Viacash-Partnerfilialen eine super Möglichkeit. Dort ist die Abhebung nämlich immer kostenlos und es gibt auch keinen Mindestumsatz. Also REWE, real, Rossmann, dm, Penny und Toom vor allem.

              Ansonsten am Geldautomaten mit der Karte klappt es in meiner Stadt immer noch kostenlos bei der örtlichen Volksbank, der Deutschen Bank und Postbank. Die Informationen ganz oben sind meines Wissens nach noch korrekt. Bitte hier melden, wenn da andere Erfahrungen gemacht worden sind, dann können wir den Artikel anpassen :)

                @Jakob-Y#233551 Super danke 🙏

                  8 months later

                  @Jakob-Y#233551 Hi! Vermerkt bitte, dass die Volksbanken und Sparkassen eigenständig sind. Manch eine kostet, manch eine nicht.

                  Ansonsten in eigener Sache, der Notruf 911 geht in Deutschland genauso, du kommst über die 112 raus. Geht überall und gerade für die amerikanische Community relevant. :)

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