Germany and Austria

[john_374305982]

Hi All
Could anyone recomend any sites where there is space between each pitch some of them look a bit crowded they dont have to be big sites with pools as there is just the two of us as long as the toilets are good
We are first timers to these countrys we have 28 days( i suppose being made redundant has one benefit) setting off from and returning to Rotterdam we are thinking of
Luxembourg.
Black forest area.
Innsbruck /salzburg or any where inbetween.
Rhein valley or open to suggestions on way back to Holland
About 5days at each site thanks in advance for any help

 

[DianneT]

Hi John, When are you going? Here are a few tips for Luxemburg and on the way down or back try Prumtal Camping*****, Oberweis, Germany near to Bitburg. 20 minutes to Luxemburg from there so good position you can visit the Mosel area from there too. You will find a lot of pitches there large and not crowded at all. Quite a large site but well laid out. Excellent restaurant at very reasonable prices. Family owned and run so every care is taken of you by the Kohler Family. From there you can easily get to Black Forest in a day. Try Alisehof*****, Bad Rippoldsau very central for all of the Black Forest and rural setting. Owners very helpful. Nattersee at Innsbruck is excellent. If you want to go as far as Berchtesgaden to Winkle -Landthal **** at Bischofswiesen good site not crowded. 20 minute ride into Salzburg if you want to visit. Plenty to see in Berchtesgaden as Eagles Nest and Obersalzburg Documentation Centre on Hitler in War 11.
If you care to go to my website as in signature below this post all these sites are listed with website info too. They are all ACSI camping card sites so cheap out of season. For Holland look at our last years trip site there excellent near to Arnhem. In the 2011 Trip which starts next Monday you will see our route taking in all of these sites in Germany. But we are going down via Heidelberg and Fussen and then back up via Black Forest.
If you need any more help please let me know will be glad to help.

 

[john_374305982]

Hi Dianne
We are going for the month of august so right at the peak season just had a look at your web site and it looks brilliant all the info were going to need thank you
Whats the best way to get money apart from carying cash for the whole trip

 

[DavidKlyne]

Hi Dianne
We are going for the month of august so right at the peak season just had a look at your web site and it looks brilliant all the info were going to need thank you
Whats the best way to get money apart from carying cash for the whole trip

Just get money out of ATM's as and when needed. Its a bit more difficult in Germany to use credit cards but not impossible. We find that most of the big brand fuel stations accept them. There is also a supermarket group called REWE that certainly accepted them when we last shopped with them. Check the symbols of the doors and cash desks. UK bank cards are not widely accepted (except in ATM's ) as they don't have the EU symbol on them.

David

 

[Lutz]

It's not an EU symbol on a bank card that determines whether or not you can pay for purchases. It's an EC (Electronic Cash) symbol. If the card has a 'Cirrus' or a 'Maestro' symbol it will definitely work at an ATM. It may also work for purchases.
As David says, credit cards are rapidly going out of fashion in Germany, but most of the well-known petrol companies, most hotels, large department store chains and some supermarkets (such as REWE which he mentions, but not Lidl nor Aldi) will still accept them. You'll find that shops in the main tourist areas will also generally accept credit cards.
We just returned from staying at a campsite in the north of Germany and to my surprise, I was able to pay by credit card there, but I wouldn't bank on it.

 

[DavidKlyne]

Lutz
Sorry about the mix up between EU and EC, I should have know better! But one question, were credit cards ever in fashion in Germany?
David

 

[Lutz]

Not really to the extent as in the UK, but quite a number of shops which used to accept credit cards have stopped doing so over the last couple of years.

 

[smiley]

So, let me see if I understand this.

Take loads of cash.....
Bank cards and credit cards are not widely excepted unless there is a symbol on them?

I don't have Maestro so that doesn't matter

What am I looking for on my cards?

 

[Lutz]

If your bank cards don't have a 'Maestro' symbol, do they at least have a 'Cirrus' symbol? These symbols are not necessary on credit cards so you can always get cash at an ATM using a credit card (but the charges are often relatively expensive)
I believe that REWE supermarkets (which do accept credit cards) will allow you to get cash up to 200 Euros in addition to any purchases that you make at the supermarket when you use your card. Mind you I haven't tried it myself so I can't confirm that.

 

[smiley]

What does the symbol look like?

I would have thought that you would stand a better chance with bank cards as it direct to the account??
Or am I missing something?

 

[Lutz]

Both the Maestro and the Cirrus symbols are very similar to the Mastercard symbol, i.e. two overlapping circles. Whereas Mastercard is red/yellow, Maestro is blue/red and Cirrus is dark blue/light blue.

 

[smiley]

Nope, I don't have those I just have the boring old visa on all cards...

 

[john_374305982]

Hi All
What documents do you need for Germany and Austria for your car and caravan
Do people traveling overseas recomend fitting a safe and which is a good one

 

[Lutz]

Germany and Austria require the V5c certificate for the car. If you are not the legal owner you also need some sort of documentation that you are an authorised user of the vehicle. Visiting vehicles from abroad need insurance certificates proving third party coverage both for the car and the caravan (German-registered vehicles do not need this as these details are readily accessible on existing government authority databases) and it would be helpful if you have some paperwork indicating your permanent address together with your passport. An MOT certificate is not required as it is not recognised by the German authorities. They exercise their own discretion what they consider safe or not.
If you are visiting or passing through certain towns and cities you need a vehicle emissions sticker, which you can obtain by post before leaving or you can purchase one at any TÜV station once you arrive in Germany. Details of which type of sticker you need to apply for and which towns/cities require them can be obtained from the following website:
http://www.tuev-nord.de/SID-37268520-76284A04/de/verkehr/ENGLISH_Low_Emission_Zone_8648.htm
Regarding safes, they are all relatively easy to break or remove, but they may deter the casual thief. You are no more likely to experience theft from a vehicle in Germany or Austria than in the UK. Theft of caravans is almost unheard of.

 

[DianneT]

Been in Germany and Austria 8 times for 3 months at a time. Never needed any safe or even lockson the Caravan. As Lutz says caravans are not stolen here. Not like the UK at all much safer. We are in Germany now and feel very at Home Wonderful. Been to Berkastel on the Mosel for lunch today. They were Sweeping the Motorway on the way there, never seen that in the UK. Everything is so prestine here.

At Prumtal Camping, Oberweis, near Bitburg at the moment, been here 2 days on our way South, Heidelberg tomorrow then Fussen, Berchtresgaden and then Ossiachersee for 6 weeks before starting back North to Tyrol and Black Forest.
As Lutz says you will need a Umwelt Plakette if you drive into some towns, we bought one 2 years ago. You need your E111 equivelent and Camping Card International. See more about these on my website as in my signature below.