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Local Germany
6 days ago
- Local Germany
Hotels, transport and food: How the cost of travel in Germany is rising this summer
The price of a summer holiday in Germany is rising once again this year, with hotels costing between 20 and 30 percent more in 2025 than five years ago, according to analysis by Budget Your Trip . For example, in 2025 the average price of a hotel room in Germany is €90 to €110 per night for a standard room - up significantly from five years ago when the average price was approximately €65 to €75. It's possible to pay a lot more, of course, and rooms can still be found for €30 to €50 per night in budget hotels. READ ALSO: How to save money on a camping holiday in Germany Higher transport costs Travelling by car or train remains a cost-effective option for many, especially for longer or interregional trips, but even here the overall trend is toward higher travel expenses for residents and visitors alike. The most visible change this year was the rise in the Deutschlandticket price to €58 a month, but road travel has also been affected by higher fuel and parking costs. COMPARE: Is it cheaper to fill your fuel tank in Germany or across the border? Eating and drinking out According to Germany's statistical office and current industry analyses, restaurant prices in Germany have risen by an average of around 30 percent since 2020, approximately double the rate of inflation over the same period. Even simple dishes like lasagne or salad have become around 20 to 25 percent more expensive and side dishes such as fries have seen an even greater increase. The steep rise in prices – driven by high energy costs and labour costs as well as inflation – is especially marked when it comes to drinks. The price of beer, in particular, has risen dramatically, with the cost of a litre of Helles set to hit a record high of €15.80 at this year's Oktoberfest. READ ALSO: Major German beer brands announce price increases Advertisement How are Germans reacting to the rising costs of a holiday at home? Germany remains the favourite travel destination for German tourists, accounting for 36 percent of all leisure trips taken by Germans in 2024. But the number of people choosing to holiday abroad continues to grow. A stand-up paddler sails on Lake Constance (Bodensee). Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Felix Kästle According to the ADAC Travel Monitor, one in every three Germans is now prioritising saving when it comes to planning their summer holidays, with a growing number of people looking at more affordable destinations including Bulgaria, Tunisia, and Egypt. Germans are also booking their holidays earlier to take advantage of early bird deals. According to the ADAC, 44 percent of German holiday makers booked their main vacation four months in advance in 2024, compared to 39 percent in 2022 and 35 percent in 2020. The most important criterion for people in Germany booking their summer holiday remains uncomplicated arrival and departure - named by nearly three-quarters of German travellers. For people holidaying in Germany, Bavaria maintains its position as the number one destination among the federal states. READ ALSO: Eight of the most beautiful German villages to visit this summer Advertisement Following an analysis of German tourism by the Stiftung für Zukunfstfragen (Foundation for Future Studies) , Professor Ulrich Reinhardt summed up the domestic travel trends in Germany: 'classic destinations such as the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts or the Alpine region remain popular, but lesser-known destinations are becoming increasingly important. "More and more citizens are consciously choosing new places away from the busy holiday areas and are looking for more individual travel experiences.'
Newsweek
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Staff Scream as Bungee Jumper Appears to Jump Off Without Safety Rope
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A video has gone viral online showing a man bungee jumping at the Hangzhou Qiandao Lake Huma Adventure Park in China, where it's not entirely clear if he has a safety rope attached before he makes the startling jump. Newsweek has reached out to Hangzhou Qiandao Lake Huma Adventure Park via social media for comment. Why It Matters Bungee jumping is an extreme sport that involves leaping off a high platform while connected to a long elastic cord. Originally inspired by "land diving," from the island of Vanuatu, modern bungee jumping has been popular since the first commercial jump in New Zealand back in the 1980s. Stock photo: Person jumps from a crane on a rubber band at the Southside Festival in Neuhausen ob Eck (Baden-Württemberg) on June 22, 2013. Stock photo: Person jumps from a crane on a rubber band at the Southside Festival in Neuhausen ob Eck (Baden-Württemberg) on June 22, 2013. Felix Kästle/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images Though it is an extreme sport, it is widely considered to be relatively safe, particularly when practitioners adhere to strict safety protocols. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that there is a fatality rate of one in 500,000 for both sky divers and bungee jumpers. What To Know A video shared on the Chinese social media platform Weibo showed staff at Hangzhou Qiandao Lake Huma Adventure Park screaming as a man bungee jumped off of a platform, and many on social media believed that he was not wearing the necessary safety rope. The video was reshared on X, formerly Twitter, where it has received over 2.8 million views. So, what really happened? The outlet Xiaoxiang Morning News learned that the safety rope was tied in front of the man, where it was not visible, but there was no safety issue with the bungee jumping process. The staff were screaming because they had never seen such a "decisive jump," according to the outlet. The staff were shocked by how suddenly the man jumped. The man himself posted a social media video after the jump where he explained what happened, explaining that he had jumped too quickly and the staff weren't prepared, adding that the angle the video was filmed at contributed to the misunderstanding, as per the Xiaoxiang Morning News. For thrill seekers, Huma Adventure Park in Jiajia Town, Qiandao Lake is a must visit. The 108-meter glass cantilever viewing platform, the 480-meter-long s-shaped glass slide, and the 4.5-kilometer-long super scooter lane are waiting for you to check out and challenge! — HANGZHOU TOURISM and CULTURE (@TOURISMHANGZHOU) January 7, 2022 The Hangzhou Qiandao Lake Huma Adventure Park is no stranger to attention on social media. Located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, the park has a number of attractions including a glass viewing platform, super mountain slide, high-altitude flying and cable cars and videos and pictures of these often circulate on social media. What People Are Saying The Huma Adventure Park on the Hangzhou website: "Dare you try the rocket bungee jumping that catapults you into the air in just one second? You can reach as high as over 300 meters and rotate 360 degrees multiple times in the air. The experience can really be described as 'overturning mountains and rivers.'" What Happens Next Extreme sports like bungee jumping are shocking and exciting to watch, so there may be similar viral moments like this on social media in the future.
Local Germany
06-05-2025
- Local Germany
Tips for camping on a budget in Germany
Considered a budget-friendly vacation option, camping for one or two weeks each summer has become a popular tradition for many German families. In fact, the number of campers in Germany each year appears to be steadily rising. The statistical office (Destatis) recently reported a new record in annual overnight stays at Germany's campsites – a total of nearly 42.9 million in 2024, up by almost 20 percent compared to 2019. Within the past twenty years, the number of overnight stays at campsites in the country has doubled. But unfortunately for those who see camping as a cheaper getaway option, the popularity of sleeping in the great outdoors means the costs have risen accordingly. Citing Destatis, Tagesschau recently reported that in 2024, motorhome parking spaces were 27.7 percent more expensive than in 2020, and the price increase for a simple tent campsite went up by 24.6 percent. So, for anyone looking to spend a few nights under the stars this year and keep costs down, here's what you need to know about planning a budget camping trip in Germany. How camping is priced in Germany Wild camping – that is camping outside of specifically designated camp sites – is illegal in Germany. So, short of getting permission to freely pitch a tent on someone's private property, there's usually no way around paying campground fees. Most campsites in Germany will charge a set fee for the use of the grounds as well as an additional cost per person or per tent. Some may add in extra costs, such as for bringing dogs. Some may also charge for access to specific amenities like hot showers or wifi, but most will loop these costs into the total price of your stay. As an example, prices to camp at Ostseecamping Am Salzhaff (a campsite on the Baltic Sea coast) are listed as €5 per adult and €7 .50 for a pitch including car and tent, on the Campingplatz Deutschland website. So two adults in one car with one tent could expect to pay €17.50 per night to camp there. But if you add in a couple of kids (at €2.50 each), a dog (€2.50) and another tent (€4), the per night costs would rise to €29. Advertisement For those who are used to camping in the wilderness, or in bare-bones campsites – like those that are common in the US – German camping grounds will amaze you with the facilities and conveniences on offer. The wifi and hot showers mentioned above are quite common, as are abundant electrical sockets and on-site restaurants and bars. Many of these feel more like an outdoor resort area than a campsite: heated pools, saunas, laundry machines, gyms, equipment rentals – if you can dream it, there's probably a camping ground that offers it. A campground on the Bodensee in the village of Allansbach in Baden-Württemberg. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Felix Kästle Of course, campsites offering luxurious amenities tend to come with higher price tags. Sometimes, that price is seen in the cost of the site itself, and other times it's only revealed at the end of a trip when all of the added extras that you indulged in are tallied up. Either way, if your aim is keeping costs down (or feeling closer to nature) you'll want to avoid the resort style campgrounds and aim for a more simplified set-up. Where is camping cheapest? Compared to other European countries, the cost to camp in Germany is right in the middle of the range. That's according to data compiled by the campground search site , and reported by Die Welt , which looked at 20,000 campgrounds in 24 countries. On average camping costs significantly more in Italy, Switzerland, Croatia, and Austria. Whereas the price to camp was higher on average in Germany than in Sweden, France, Greece or the Netherlands. Albania and Turkey had the cheapest camping prices in Europe. Advertisement But within Germany the prices for camping also vary widely from state to state. The cheapest state to camp is Saarland, where the average price of a campsite is €23.70 in 2025. The next cheapest states are; Thuringia with sites for around €24.20, Saxony Anhalt with an average cost of €2 5, Hesse at about €25.10 and North Rhineland-Westphalia where a Campingplatz goes for €25.90 on average. Hamburg is home to Germany's most expensive camping, with the average price being a whopping €44.40. Other pricier regions are along the northern coast, in Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg Pomerania, and in the extreme south, in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg: Campsites in all of those states go for a little over €30 per night on average. But while regional prices offer a sense of where it is more or less expensive to camp, ultimately it's only the price of the campsite you go to that matters. Even in the pricier states, you'll find a range of prices from campground to campground, and you'll find more affordable options if you look around online and avoid the most popular sites. An interesting fact to note is that German campers (often in motorhomes) tend to prefer beachside locations next to the North- or Baltic Seas, whereas foreign visitors (primarily from the Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium) tend to prefer the Black Forest or the Moselle, Saar or Eifel regions. READ ALSO: Holiday like a local - Five of the best camping regions in Germany The Swiss Alps and the mist-covered foothills of the Alps can be seen from a southern foothills of the Black Forest. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Philipp von Ditfurth Tips for cutting costs No matter where you decide to go, there are a few other tips that are helpful if you want to keep costs down. Advertisement First, it matters when you try to camp – camping in the shoulder season can be significantly more affordable than doing so in the middle of Germany's summer vacation season. In general, the camping season in Germany is from May to September. You can occasionally find campgrounds that open earlier or close later, and a select few that stay open through the winter, but most will be closed from October to April. So the best time to plan a budget camping trip is around May to early July, or in September rather than from mid-July to August. Another tip, albeit an obvious one, is that it's cheaper to keep it simple with tent camping compared to staying in a motorhome. The cost for a motorhome camping spot tends to be a bit higher than for a tent, and you'll save significantly on fuel costs. Speaking of fuel costs, depending on how and where you go, transportation to and from the campground can be among the bigger costs for a trip. The cheapest option, for those who don't mind roughing it, is usually skipping a vehicle altogether and finding a campsite that you can reach by train and / or bike. If you have a Deutschlandticket , for example, you can seek out a site near to a train station and ride a regional train there for free – or bring your bike on the train to significantly extend your reach for the small cost of a bike pass for the train. Of course, this implies a bit of know-how in terms of packing for bike camping, but it can make for a fun budget adventure. Advertisement READ ALSO: 10 things to consider for a bike trip in Germany Finally, to keep costs low at the campground itself, you may want to consider sharing a tent (to avoid the extra tent fee mentioned above) and bringing your own food and drinks rather than buying everything at an on-site restaurant.
