Germany On A Budget Travel Guide

Germany is a huge country and I have barely scratched the surface of this country. There are multiple destinations which you can do a holiday out of in Germany. Most famous being are the Black Forest, Munich and Berlin. There are also plenty of noteworthy cities that can be served as a day trip from other countries like Dresden from Czech Republic or Cologne from the Netherlands or Belgium. To do Germany on a budget is all about choosing the right base, booking trains in advance and sometimes renting a car if you are in the Bavaria region or Black Forest. What is for sure, do NOT attempt to visit the whole country in one trip, it is way too big you get burnt out and the distances are huge.

Best Time to Visit & Where To Go in Germany

Germany has a long season and it changes dramatically by region. Spring and autumn are the best balance of weather and prices. Summer is great for mountain lakes like Königssee, but accommodation spikes in classic tourist areas like Bavaria.

I am only going to talk about the regions I have actually visited. Unfortunately, the Black Forest is still on my destinations to visit so I don’t have any tips about it yet. My visited regions are Bavaria and Cologne so here’s my tips on these.

Cologne and the Rhine region (one day in Köln)

Cologne is mostly popular because it has a famous Christmas market, widely regarded as one of the best in Europe. However it is still worth a visit and spend a day exploring on foot and you will feel like you saw a lot without spending much. Here is how I did it

Bavaria, Munich (Neuschwanstein + Königssee)

Bavaria is where Germany gets expensive as it is the most popular region by far. Be weary also of the very famous Oktoberfest and do not visit Munich around this time unless you specifically want to go to this festival. Munich has plenty to see in itself and you can easily spend 2-3 days without getting out of the main city. However there are plenty of destinations to venture from Munich. Some of these include Nuremberg and the famous Neuschwenstein Castle or Berchetsgaden and Lake Konigsee.

You can also go to Austria from Munich with a day trip to Innsbruck easily doable or extend your trip by then going to Salzburg and explore the Salzkummergut Region. For that read my Austria guides and you will know how to visit everything there is to do there!

Here let’s focus on the day trips that you can do in Germany. Neuschwanstein is the big one. It can be crowded and pricey once you start stacking ticket, shuttle, and food costs. Luckily for you I wrote an entire guide on how to visit this famous Disney inspired castle by either car or public transport.

Lake Königssee is a completely different vibe. It is a beautiful lake with alpine scenery and has a slower pace. You take a boat ride on this quiet lake and you can either relax or start a small hike. I have written a detailed guide about it here

Germany Practical Tips

Where to stay in Germany

There aren’t much money saving tips here. Most of the accommodation is expensive, try and look for deals outside the city center with easy public transport access. If you rent a car it is not necessary to stay in the city centre.

Food & Drink on a Budget

You will most likely be overwhelmed by beer in Germany and if you are not careful your belly fills up and your wallet empties. Try and use bakeries, supermarkets and street food like a traditional frankfurter hotdog. If you want to eat good then a schnitzel is traditional and not that expensive. I absolutely love it and have it every chance I get.

Airports in Germany

Airports in Germany almost always come at a premium unfortunately. All the major cities have huge airports as they are major hubs and budget airlines struggle to get slots to them. So be careful if you are booking with airlines like Ryanair and check that the airport gets you to your intended destination. Sometimes these airports are 90 minutes plus outside the main city. Smaller cities like Cologne and Baden Baden are fine but be careful with Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin.

Transport in Germany

Germany’s trains are not cheap but not super expensive. They are known to sometimes be delayed so be weary of that when planning. Also last minute tickets tend to spike so try and buy tickets before. Check out the Deutsche Bahn‘s website for up to date information. It also depends heavily where you’re staying and if car rental is a viable option go for it. If you want to venture outside the city where there are no direct trains then definitely rent a car. For example a day trip to Innsbruck using a train is viable but to Neuschwenstein Castle may be a bit trickier where you need to get a combination of train and buses.

Most importantly like I said in the introduction, pick a region or at most two and stick with them. Don’t cross the country as logistics and pricing make it more difficult and more expensive.

Frequently Asked Questions – Germany on a Budget