Inside Germany: Deutsche Bahn disruption ahead and how foreigners really feel about Munich
Rail upgrades keep on rollin'
It's been a big week for travel news in Germany, as Deutsche Bahn (DB) is pressing on with major (and much needed) infrastructure modernisation projects. The problem for passengers in the short term is that those upgrades will amount to some serious disruptions, and just in time for the summer vacation season.
We learned this week that one major rail connection – which links Berlin to Hanover and also affects travel to Cologne, Frankfurt and even Amsterdam – is
set to close for six months in the first half of next year
. But smaller disruptions will be felt already this year and are expected to continue on until 2027.
Beside work on that central line, smaller closures will be felt all over Germany through the coming season. If you're planning a cross-country train trip in the near future, you'd be advised to check out our
list of all of DB's major disruptions
that are already planned for the sunshine season.
While delays and cancellations can be tough to bear, it's worth keeping in mind that all of these efforts are toward a more reliable rail network for tomorrow. If DB is to be believed (and yes, we realise that's a pretty big
if
), then record numbers of delayed and cancelled trains each year may finally become a thing of the past.
In a spot of more positive news from the rails, Italy's national rail operator confirmed plans this week for
new cross-border high speed connections
from both Rome and Milan to Munich to be ready by 2026.
How 'unfriendly' are German cities really?
A couple weeks ago we reported on a ranking of international cities that suggested Germany's big cities
were the world's 'unfriendliest'
– with Munich being singled out as the least friendly city in the world.
And while we are well aware of the seriously unwelcoming vibes foreigners can face in Germany, we did have to wonder if calling these cities out as the least friendly in the world was really fair.
Passers-by walk across a street in Munich's Haidhausen district in the early hours of the morning. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Peter Kneffel
So we conducted a survey of our own, and it turns out that most of our readers who live in Munich reject the idea that it's so unfriendly. In fact, many readers said they found people in Munich more welcoming than those in other German cities, and one reader even suggested the Bavarian capital was 'more collegial than California'.
READ ALSO:
'Not unfriendly' - Is Munich really an unwelcoming city for foreigners?
Regarding cities in the north, we heard from columnist and hardcore Hamburg advocate Brian Melican, about
how it is in fact possible to make German friends
– even if it does take a bit of effort and patience.
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Where is this?
Photo by
Lukas D.
on
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This little known town in the central state of Thuringia made it onto our recent list of '
Beautiful German villages to visit this summer
'.
Often overlooked by tourists who are more likely to flock to the German Alps or the Black Forest, Thuringia is a bit closer to travellers coming from Germany's northern or central regions and it certainly has its own charms.
This image was captured in Bad Langensalza, where you can soak in healing mineral waters, explore one of the many themed gardens, or venture into nature in Hainich National Park.
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Good to know
In our reporting this week we stumbled upon a few practical tips that may be useful for readers currently living in Germany.
For instance, if you were to fall behind on a payment for any reason and received one of those threatening reminder letters in the mail, it's good to know that
you probably wont be hauled to jail
. In fact, it's pretty rare to be jailed for debts in Germany -- provided you cooperate with authorities and do intend to pay what's owed when you are able.
Another tip comes from a court case heard in Cologne this week. A Netflix customer had sued the streaming giant for its price increases, and the Cologne Regional Court
ruled in his favour
-- suggesting that in-app notices about price increases don't satisfy German consumer protections.
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A representative of the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Centre has suggested that you could potentially challenge other subscription price increases, if they were rolled out in the same way.
Finally, for anyone seeking work in Germany, or thinking about moving here to do so, Tom Pugh rounded up five hard-facts that are helpful to understand as you put your best foot forward.
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