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Country Commercial Guides FY 2000: Germany Report prepared by U.S. Embassy Bonn, released July 1999 Note*

CHAPTER IX. BUSINESS TRAVEL

Neither Germany's legal system or its fully developed infrastructure present any obstacles for traveling to the country. Traveling by plane, train or car meets international, but prices exceed U.S. standards. The number of in-country flights has been picking up and the train stations that dot the country provide sufficient access to nearly all cities.

Nevertheless, cars are the most popular means of transport and Germany's famous highway system is extensive. The condition of roads in eastern Germany may still not reach western German standards, but they are no barrier to traveling. Geographic distances are relatively short, when compared to the United States, but as Germany is much more densely populated than its European neighbors, it may take a little longer to travel the same distance in the FRG than it may take in France or Scandinavia. Especially the industrial and commercial centers in the Rhine-Main (Frankfurt) and Rhine-Ruhr areas are densely populated and heavily industrialized, and business travelers are well advised to plan on timely departures to reach their destination in time. Train and air travel are also efficient means of travel, with timely and comprehensive connections between all major and many minor cities throughout both eastern and western Germany.

There is sufficient hotel space in most major cities, unless there happens to be a major trade fair or a similar event in a particular city. Business class amenities and services can be found in all major cities, including those in the eastern states.

Visas are not required for business (and leisure) travelers spending fewer than 90 days in Germany; for longer stays, travelers are encouraged to apply to the German Embassy or German Consulates in advance of travel (see addresses in Appendix E, part VII).

Guide for Business Representatives are available for sale by the Superintendent of Documents. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402; tel: (202) 512-1800; fax: (202) 512-2250. Business travelers to Germany seeking appointments with U.S. Mission officials should contact the commercial sections of the Embassy or the Consulates General in advance. [For contact information, please see Section XI. U.S. and Country Contacts.]

Germany-Wide Holidays in FY 2000

October 3				Day of German Unity
October 31	(4,9,13,14,16)		Reformation Day
November 1	(1,2,10,11,12)		All Saints Day
November 17	(13)			Repentance Day
December 25 				Christmas
December 26				Second Christmas Day
January 1				New Years Day
January 6	(1,2,14)		Epiphany
April 21				Good Friday
April 24				Easter Monday
May 1					German Labor Day
June 1					Ascension Day
June 12					Whit Monday
June 22		(1,2,7,10,11,12,13,16)	Corpus Christi Day
August 15	(2,13)			Assumption Day

The above numbers denote that the appropriate holidays are observed in the following federal states:

1 = Baden-Wuerttemberg
2 = Bavaria
3 = Berlin
4 = Brandenburg
5 = Bremen
6 = Hamburg
7 = Hesse
8 = Lower Saxony
9 = Mecklenburg-Pommerania
10 = Northrhine-Westphalia
11 = Rhineland-Palatinate
12 = Saarregion
13 = Saxony
14 = Saxony-Anhalt
15 = Schleswig-Holstein
16 = Thuringia