Some sample flying times to Munich are 8½ hours from New York, 11 hours from Chicago, and 13 hours from Los Angeles.

Carriers

Major Airlines

Delta (PHONE: 800/241-4141).

LTU International Airways (PHONE: 800/888-0200).

Lufthansa (PHONE: 800/645-3880).

Northwest (PHONE: 800/225-2525).

United (PHONE: 800/241-6522).

US Airways (PHONE: 800/428-4322).

From the U.K.

British Airways (PHONE: 0345/222-111).

Lufthansa (10 Old Bond St., London W1X 4EN, U.K., PHONE: 020/8750-3300 or 0345/737-747).

German Airlines

Deutsche BA (PHONE: 089/9759-1500).

LTU (PHONE: 0211/941-8888).

Lufthansa (PHONE: 018/038-03803).

Transfers Between the Airport and Town

By Bus

The bus service is slower and more expensive (EUR8.18) than the S-bahn train link and is only recommended if you have a lot of luggage.

By Car

Take route A-9 and follow the signs for "München Stadtmitte."To drive back to the airport from the city center, head north through Schwabing, join the A-9 Autobahn at the Frankfurter Ring intersection, and follow the signs for the airport ("Flughafen").

By Taxi

A taxi from the airport costs between EUR46 and EUR51. During rush hours (7-10 and 4-7), allow up to an hour of traveling time.

By Train

A fast train service links the airport with Munich's main train station. The S-1 and S-8 lines operate from a terminal directly beneath the airport's arrival and departure halls. Trains leave every 10 minutes, and the journey takes around 40 minutes. Several intermediate stops are made, including the Ostbahnhof (convenient for lodgings east of the Isar River) and such city-center stations as Marienplatz. A one-way ticket costs EUR7.36, orEUR6.13 if you purchase a multiple-use "strip" ticket. A group of up to five people (two adults and three children under 15) can make the trip for EUR13.29 by buying a Tageskarte ticket, valid weekdays from 9 AM to 6 AM the following day and at any time on weekends.

Eurolines (PHONE: 0990/143-219) has at least three departures a week from London's Victoria Coach Station. The buses go via the Channel Tunnel through France, Belgium and Holland to Munich, taking 20 hours.

There are several ways to reach Germany from London on British Rail. Travelers coming from the United Kingdom should take the Channel Tunnel to save time, the ferry to save money. Fastest and most expensive is the route via the Channel Tunnel on Eurostar trains. They leave hourly from Waterloo and require a change of trains in Brussels. Cheapest and slowest are the 8-10 departures daily from Victoria using the Ramsgate-Ostend ferry, jetfoil, or SeaCat catamaran service.

For timetables and information about German rail services and fares, British travelers should contact the German Rail Passenger Services (PHONE: 020/7307-0919 in the U.K.).

Banks are generally open weekdays from 8:30 or 9 to 3 or 4 (5 or 6 on Thursday), sometimes with a lunch break of about an hour at smaller branches. Banks at airports and main train stations throughoutGermany open as early as 6:30 AM and close as late as 10:30 PM.

Gas Stations

Along the autobahn and major highways, gas stations and their small convenience shops are often open late, if not around the clock.

Museums & Sights

Most museums are open from Tuesday to Sunday 10-5. Some close for an hour or more at lunch. Many stay open until 8 or 9 on Wednesday or Thursday.

Shops

Department stores and larger stores are generally open from 9 or 9:15 to 8 weekdays and until 4 on Saturday. Smaller shops and some department stores in smaller towns close at 6 or 6:30 on weekdays and as early as 1 on Saturday. Visit a department store in the morning or early afternoon to avoid crowds.

For anyone entering Germany from outside the EU, the following limitations apply: (1) 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco; (2) 2 liters of still table wine; (3) 1 liter of spirits over 22% volume or 2 liters of spirits under 22% volume (fortified and sparkling wines) or 2 more liters of table wine; (4) 50 grams of perfume and 250 milliliters of toilet water; (5) other goods to the value of EUR179.

Tobacco and alcohol allowances are for visitors age 17 and over. Other items intended for personal use can be imported and exported freely. There are no restrictions on the import and export of German currency.

Australian Embassy, Friedrichstr. 200, Berlin, PHONE: 030/880-0880.

Canada

Canadian Consulate, Tal 29, Munich, PHONE: 089/219-9570.

Canadian Embassy, International Trade Center, Friedrichstr. 95, Berlin, PHONE: 030/261-1161.

New Zealand

New Zealand Embassy, Friedrichstr. 60, Berlin, PHONE: 030/206210.

United Kingdom

British Consulate, Bürkleinstr. 10, Munich, PHONE: 089/211-090.

British Embassy, Unter den Linden 32-34, Berlin, PHONE: 030/201-840.

United States

U.S. Consulate, Königinstr. 5, Munich, PHONE: 089/28880).

U.S. Embassy, Neustädtische Kirchstr. 4-5, Berlin, PHONE: 030/238-5174.

Fire department, ambulance, and medical emergencies (PHONE: 089/112).

Doctors and Dentists

The American, British, and Canadian consulates have lists of recommended doctors and dentists who speak English.

Pharmacies

Internationale Ludwigs-Apotheke (Neuhauserstr. 11, PHONE: 089/260-3021), open weekdays 8-6 and Saturday 8-1, and Europa-Apotheke (Schützenstr. 12, near the Hauptbahnhof, PHONE: 089/595-423), open weekdays 8-6 and Saturday 8-1, stock a large variety of over-the-counter medications. Munich pharmacies stay open late on a rotating basis, and every pharmacy has a schedule in its window.

Germans are less formal when it comes to nudity: a sign that reads "Freikörper" or "FKK" indicates that a park or beach allows nude sunbathing.

Airmail letters to the United States and Canada cost EUR1.53; postcards, EUR1.02. All letters to the United Kingdom cost EUR.56; postcards, EUR.51.

Receiving Mail

You can arrange to have mail sent to you in care of any German post office; have the envelope marked "Postlagernd." This service is free. Or you can have mail sent to Munich's American Express office (Promenadenpl. 6, PHONE: 089/290-900. There's no charge to cardholders, holders of American Express traveler's checks, or anyone who has booked a vacation through American Express.

Twenty-four-hour ATMs (Geldautomaten) can be accessed with Plus or Cirrus credit and banking cards. Some German banks exact EUR2.05-EUR5.12 fees for use of their ATMs. Your PIN number should be set for four digits; if it's longer, ask your bank about changing it for your trip.

Since some ATM keypads show no letters, know the numeric equivalent of your password.

Currency

January 1, 2002, saw the introduction of euro coins and notes. The former local currency, the deutsche mark (DM), ceased to be legal tender at the end of February, 2002. All transactions are now made in euros.

Euro notes come in denominations of EUR500, EUR200, EUR100, EUR50, EUR20, EUR10 and EUR5. The euro is divided into 100 cents, and coins are available as EUR2 and EUR1 and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2, and 1 cents. The euro can be used in 11 other European countries: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain.

The mark was divided into 100 pfennige. There were bills of 5 (rare), 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 marks and coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, and 50 pfennige and 1, 2, and 5 marks.

Exchanging Money

If you are changing the currency of another European Union country into German marks, you can do so free of charge at any branch of Germany's central bank, the Deutsche Bundesbank (it doesn't work the other way around, though: You cannot get Italian lire or French francs free of charge at the Deutsche Bundesbank).

Exchange Services

International Currency Express (PHONE: 888/278-6628 for orders, www.foreignmoney.com).

Thomas Cook Currency Services (PHONE: 800/287-7362 for telephone orders and retail locations, www.us.thomascook.com).

Taxes

Value-Added Tax

The price tag you see on goods in Germany is inclusive of the 16% value-added tax (VAT). As is the case with other European countries, non-EU residents are entitled to a refund of the VAT paid on goods taken home with them.

Global Refund is a VAT refund service that makes getting your money back hassle-free. In participating stores-some 130,000 Europe-wide -- ask for the Global Refund form (called a Shopping Cheque). If a store is not a participating member of Global Refund, they'll probably have a form called an Ausfuhr-Abnehmerbescheinigung, which Global Refund can also process, for a higher fee. When you leave the European Union, you must show your purchases to customs officials before they will stamp your refund form. You might not be permitted to carry these purchases in carry-on luggage, so pack the items so that they are easily reached in your check-in luggage. Before you check your luggage at the airport, ask to be directed to the customs desk. Once the form is stamped, take it to one of the more than 700 Global Refund counters -- conveniently located at every major airport and border crossing -- and your money will be refunded on the spot in the form of cash, check, or a refund to your credit-card account (minus a small percentage for processing). Alternatively, you can mail your validated form to Global Refund.

VAT Refunds

Global Refund (707 Summer St., Stamford, CT 06901, PHONE: 800/566-9828, FAX: 203/674-8709, taxfree£us.globalrefund.com, www.globalrefund.com).

Tipping

The service charges on bills are sufficient for most tips in your hotel, though you should tip bellhops and porters; EUR1 per bag or service is ample. It's also customary to leave a small tip (a couple of euros per night) for the room-cleaning staff. Whether you tip the desk clerk depends on whether he or she has given you any special service.

Service charges are included in all restaurant checks (listed as Bedienung), as is tax (listed as MWST). Nonetheless, it is customary to round up the bill to the nearest mark or to leave about 5% (give it to the waiter or waitress as you pay the bill; don't leave it on the table, as that's considered rude). Bartenders and servers also expect a 2-5% tip.

In taxis round up the fare a euro or two as a tip. Only give more if you have particularly cumbersome or heavy luggage (though you will be charged extra for each piece of luggage anyway).

U.S., Canadian, and British citizens need only a valid passport to enter Germany for stays of up to 90 days.

Passport Offices

The best time to apply for a passport or to renew is during the fall and winter. Before any trip, check your passport's expiration date, and, if necessary, renew it as soon as possible.

Australian Citizens

Australian Passport Office (PHONE: 131-232).

Canadian Citizens

Passport Office (PHONE: 819/994-3500 or 800/567-6868).

New Zealand Citizens

New Zealand Passport Office (PHONE: 04/494-0700 for information on how to apply; 04/474-8000; 0800/225-050 in New Zealand for information on applications already submitted).

U.K. Citizens

London Passport Office (PHONE: 0990/210-410) for fees and documentation requirements and to request an emergency passport.

U.S. Citizens

National Passport Information Center (PHONE: 900/225-5674; calls are 35¢ per minute for automated service, $1.05 per minute for operator service).

Directory & Operator Information

The German telephone system is fully automatic, and it's unlikely you'll have to employ the services of an operator unless you're seeking information. If you have difficulty reaching your number, call 0180/200-1033. You can book collect calls through this number to the United States but not to other countries. For information dial 11833 for numbers within Germany and 11834 for numbers elsewhere. International operators speak English.

International Calls

The country code for the United States and Canada is 1; for Australia, 61; for New Zealand, 64; and for the United Kingdom, 44.

International calls can be made from just about any telephone booth in Germany. It costs only 48 pfennigs per minute to call the United States, day or night, no matter how long the call lasts. Use a phone card or make international calls from post offices. You pay the clerk the cost of the call plus a DM 2 connection fee. At a hotel, rates will be at least double the regular charge, so never make international calls from your room.

Local Calls

A local call from a telephone booth costs 30 pfennigs for six minutes.

Long-Distance Calls

Telephone links between western and eastern areas of the country have now been completely upgraded.

AT&T, MCI, and Sprint access codes make calling long distance relatively convenient, but you may find the local access number blocked in many hotel rooms. First ask the hotel operator to connect you. If the hotel operator balks, ask for an international operator, or dial the international operator yourself. One way to improve your odds of getting connected to your long-distance carrier is to travel with more than one company's calling card (a hotel may block Sprint, for example, but not MCI). If all else fails, call from a pay phone.

Access Codes

In Germany: AT&T Direct (PHONE: 0130-0010).

MCI WorldCom (PHONE: 0130-0012).

Sprint (PHONE: 0130-0013).

Public Phones

Most telephone booths in Germany now are card-operated, and it's risky to assume you'll find a coin-operated booth when you need one, so buy a phone card. You can purchase one at any German post office (they're also available at many exchange places). Most phone booths have instructions in English as well as German. Another advantage of the card: It charges only what the call cost. Coin-operated phones don't make change.

Tourist Offices

Some travel offices keep shorter hours than normal businesses, and you can expect some to close during weekday lunch hours, and as early as 12 PM on Friday.A new centralized system allows you to reach local tourist offices through the phone number 19433 by first dialing the appropriate local area code, which in Munich's case is 89.

In Munich

Hauptbahnhof (Bahnhofpl. 2, next to DER travel agency, PHONE: 089/2303-0300, www.munich-tourist.de), open Mon.-Sat. 9-8 and Sun. 10-6.

Info-Service (Marienpl. PHONE: 089/2332-8242) in the Rathaus, open weekdays 10-8, Sat. 10-4.

For information on the Bavarian mountain region south of Munich, contact the Tourismusverband München-Oberbayern (Upper Bavarian Regional Tourist Office; Bodenseestr. 113, D-81243, PHONE: 089/829-180).

At Home

German National Tourist Office:

Australia (Box A980, Sydney, NSW 1235, Australia, PHONE: 9267-8148, FAX: 9267-9035).

Canada (175 Bloor St. E, Suite 604, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3R8, Canada, PHONE: 416/968-1570, FAX: 416/968-1986).

U.K. (18 Conduit St. London W1R ODT, U.K., PHONE: 020/7317-0908, FAX: 020/7495-6129).

U.S. Nationwide (122 E. 42nd St. New York, NY 10168, PHONE: 212/661-7200, FAX: 212/661-7174).

U.S. Government Advisories

U.S. Department of State (Overseas Citizens Services Office, Room 4811 N.S., 2201 C St. NW, Washington, DC 20520, PHONE: 202/647-5225 for interactive hot line; 301/946-4400 for computer bulletin board, FAX: 202/647-3000 for interactive hot line); enclose a self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope.

Germany's climate is temperate, although cold spells can plunge the thermometer well below freezing, particularly in the Alps. Summers are usually sunny and warm, though you should be prepared for a few cloudy and wet days. The south is normally always a few degrees warmer than the north.

As you get nearer to the Alps, however, the summers get shorter, often not beginning until the end of May. Fall is sometimes spectacular in the south -- warm and soothing. The only real exception is the strikingly variable weather in South Bavaria caused by the Föhn, an Alpine wind that gives rise to clear but very warm conditions. The Föhn can occur in all seasons. Sudden atmospheric pressure changes associated with the Föhn give some people headaches.

Germans measure temperature in Celsius, not Fahrenheit. For example, 23.9°C is a pleasant day of 75°F; 10°C is a chilly 50°F.

Weather Chart

The following are the average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for Munich:

January 35-23°F (1 to -5°C); February 38-23°F (3 to -5°C); March 48-30°F (9 to -1°C); April 56-38°F (14-3°C); May 64-45°F (18-7°C); June 70-51°F (21-11°C); July 74-55°F (23-13°C); August 73-54°F (23-12°C); September 67-48°F (20-9°C); October 56-40°F (14-4°C); November 44-33°F (7-0°C); December 36-26°F (2 to -4°C).

Holidays

The following holidays are observed in Bavaria: January 1; January 6 (Epiphany); Good Friday; Easter Monday; May 1 (Workers' Day); Ascension Day; Pentecost Monday; Corpus Christi; August 15 (Assumption Day); October 3 (German Unity Day); November 1 (All Saints' Day); December 24-26 (Christmas).

Munich and its environs are easily navigated on two wheels. The city is threaded with a network of specially designated bike paths, and bikes are allowed on the S-bahn. A free map showing all bike trails is available at all city tourist offices.

You can rent bicycles from Radl-Discount Benediktbeurerstr. 20-22, PHONE: 089/724-2351; Trappentreustr. 10, PHONE: 089/506-285) and at Aktiv-Rad (Hans-Sachs-Str. 7, PHONE: 089/266-506).

Bikes can also be rented from April through October at the Hauptbahnhof (Radius Touristik, opposite platform 31, PHONE: 089/596-113) and at some S-bahn and mainline stations around Munich. A list of stations that offer this service is available from the Deutsche Bahn. The cost is EUR3.06-EUR4.09 a day if you've used public transportation to reach the station; otherwise it's EUR5.11-EUR6.14, depending on the type of bike.

Car Rentals

Rates with the major car-rental companies begin at about $45 per day and $220 per week for an economy car with a manual transmission and unlimited mileage. This does not include tax on car rentals, which is 16%.

Volkswagen, Opel, and Mercedes are some standard brands of rentals; most rentals are manual, so if you want an automatic, be sure to request one in advance.

If you're traveling with children, don't forget to arrange for a car seat when you reserve.

At Home

Avis (PHONE: 800/331-1212; 800/879-2847 in Canada; 02/9353-9000 in Australia; 09/525-1982 in New Zealand).

Europcar (PHONE: 678/461-9880; 019/2381-1000 in the United Kingdom; 03/9330-6178 in Austalia.

Hertz (PHONE: 800/654-3131; 800/263-0600 in Canada; 020/8897-2072 in the United Kingdom; 02/9669-2444 in Australia; 03/358-6777 in New Zealand).

National (PHONE: 800/227-7368; 0345/222525 in the United Kingdom).

In Munich

All rental offices in the Hauptbahnhof (train station) are in the mezzanine-level gallery above the Deutsche Bahn information and ticket center. Rental offices at the airport are in the central area (Zentralbereich).

Avis (Airport, PHONE: 089/975-97600; Hauptbahnhof, PHONE: 089/550-2251; Nymphenburgerstr. 61, PHONE: 089/1260-0020; Balanstr. 74, PHONE: 089/403-091).

Europcar (Airport, PHONE: 089/973-5020; Hauptbahnhof, PHONE: 089/550-1341; Hirtenstr. 14, PHONE: 089/557-145).

Hertz (Airport, PHONE: 089/978-860; Hauptbahnhof, PHONE: 089/550-2256; Nymphenburgerstr. 81, PHONE: 089/129-5001).

Sixt (Airport, PHONE: 089/526-2525; Hauptbahnhof, PHONE: 089/550-2447; Seitzstr. 9, PHONE: 089/223-333).

Requirements

Formalities for motorists entering Germany are few: All you need is proof of insurance, an international car-registration document, and your own driver's license.

An International Driver's Permit is a good idea; it's available from the American or Canadian automobile association and, in the United Kingdom, from the Automobile Association or Royal Automobile Club. These international permits are universally recognized, and having one in your wallet may save you a problem with the local authorities.

If you or your car are from an EU country, Norway, or Switzerland, all you need is your domestic license and proof of insurance. All foreign cars must have a country sticker.

In Germany you must be 21 to rent a car, and rates may be higher if you're under 25.

Rules of the Road

In Germany you drive on the right, and road signs give distances in kilometers.

There is no speed limit on autobahns, although drivers are advised to keep below 130 kph (80 mph). Speed limits on country roads vary from 80 to 100 kph (50 to 60 mph).

Alcohol limits are equivalent to two small beers or a quarter of a liter of wine (blood-alcohol level.05%).

Note that seat belts must be worn at all times by front- and backseat passengers.

Passing is permitted on the left side only. Headlights, not parking lights, are required during inclement weather.

Fares are uniform for the entire system. As long as you are traveling in the same direction, you can transfer from one mode of transportation to another on the same ticket. You can also interrupt your journey as often as you like, and time-punched tickets are valid for up to four hours, depending on the number of zones you travel through. Fares are constantly creeping upward, but a basic Einzelfahrkarte (one-way ticket) costs around EUR1.84 for a ride in the inner zone and EUR.92 for a short journey of up to four stops.

If you're taking a number of trips around the city, save money by buying a Mehrfahrtenkarte, or multiple strip ticket. Red strip tickets are valid for children under 15 only. Blue strips cover adults. EUR7.67 buys a 10-strip ticket. All but the shortest inner-area journeys (up to four stops) cost two strips (one for young people between 15 and 21), which must be validated at one of the many time-punching machines in stations or on buses and trams.

For a short stay the best option is the Tageskarte ticket, which provides unlimited travel for up to five people (maximum of two adults, plus three children under 15). It is valid weekdays from 9 AM to 6 AM the following day and at any time on weekends. The costs are EUR6.65 for an inner-zone ticket and EUR13.29 for the entire network.

The Welcome Card covers transport within the city boundaries and includes up to 50% reductions in admission to many museums and attractions. The card, obtainable from visitor information offices, costs EUR13.30 for one day and EUR14.82 for three days. A three-day card for two people costs EUR21.47.

All tickets are sold at the blue dispensers at U- and S-bahn stations and at bus and streetcar stops. Bus and streetcar drivers, all tourist offices, and Mehrfahrtenkarten booths (which display a white "K" on a green background) also sell tickets. Spot checks are common and carry an automatic fine of EUR30 if you're caught without a valid ticket. Holders of a EurailPass, a Youth Pass, or an Inter-Rail card can travel free on all suburban railway trains.