Europe Vacation and Travel Guide

GERMANY

MOVING TO GERMANY

Travel Tips

Browse our Guide to help you with your move to Europe.  We have everything you need to help you with your transition and getting settled in.
 

Money Matters

Military Pay Scale
GS Pay Scale
CONUS COLA Rates
OCONUS COLA Rates
BAH
OHA
Per Diem Rates
Exchange Rates

Military Finance Center
 

Military Communities

USAG Ansbach
USAG Bamberg
USAG Benelux
USAG Grafenwoehr
USAG Heidelberg
USAG Schweinfurt
USAG Stuttgart
USAG Vicenza
USAG Wiesbaden


DOD Installations
 

Entertainment & Recreation

MWR Europe
AFRC Garmisch

AFN TV Schedule
AFN FM Radio
AFN News Radio

 

Useful Links

Where is my POV?
Garmisch Jobs
DOD Jobs

 

Photo Galleries

Germany Photos
Mountain Photos
Christmas Market Photos
Castle
Send an e-Postcard

 
Germany offers a variety of landscapes from the coast in the north to the Bavarian Alps in the south.  The country boasts a multitude of historical towns and cities, romantic castles, and excellent museums.  The tourism infrastructure is well developed and most of the people speak English. 

Our Favorite Germany Vacation Destinations

US MILITARY TIPS
US Air Force | US Army | US Navy | US Marine Corps
Berlin | Heidelberg | Frankfurt | Munich | Stuttgart

PCSing or going on TDY to Germany?
Use this page as your guide!

PASSPPORTS

Passports and sofa identification
Many military personnel arrive in Germany under the belief that they can travel freely in Europe with only a military ID card.  This is not the case.  All US Forces and family members must have a passport to travel between foreign countries.  A "blue tourist" passport is recommended in addition to an official passport.  If military family members are authorized to accompany you overseas on your orders, they must obtain "no-fee" passports.  Some military assignments may entitle the sponsor and his or her family members to official diplomatic passports.  These are also free of charge.

The NATO Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) requires US citizen civilian employees and family members of US military personnel and civilian employees to be so described in their passports when assigned in the territory of another NATO country.  SOFA stamps and SOFA cards identify the passport bearer as a person who is entitled to unrestricted entry into and exit from Germany and to benefits, privileges, and protection under the NATO SOFA.  In other words, passport bearers with valid SOFA identification generally may enter, remain in, and exit from Germany without obtaining visas; registering with the local alien registration and control officials; paying local customs and duties taxes on items imported and exported for personal use; paying German income taxes on salaries earned from US Government employment and interest received from military banking facilities; playing local radio, television, dog and road taxes; etc.

Those individuals who received a "no-fee" tourist passport in the US will have a SOFA stamp in it.  Military contractors and family members should obtain a SOFA card for their passports soon after arriving in Germany. 

As of July 2, 2001, the State Department now requires both parents' consent to obtain passports for overseas travel of children under the age of 14.  Both parents must now sign the passport application forms, unless one parent is unavailable because of geographic separation, divorce, or other circumstances.  In this case, the parent applying for a child's passport needs a signed, nonnotarized letter or statement from the absent parent that provides permission to take the child or children overseas.  For more information on this subject, please see the US State Department website at http://www.state.gov.

Castles

Heidelberg CastleHeidelberg
Heidelberg is the very image of romantic Germany.  The city's 17th Century red sandstone castle ruin and the old bridge are two of the most majestic sights in all of Germany.

Neuschwanstein CastleNeuschwanstein
Venture into the Bavarian Alps and visit the fairy tale landmark upon which the Walt Disney based his Disney Land Castle: Mad King Ludwig's Schloss Neuschwanstein.

Vacation Tips

Browse our options below to help plan your vacation activities.  Don't miss these sights and activities.  Preview our photos before you go.

Panoramas

Colosseum
Heidelberg
Innsbruck
Lichtenstein
Salzburg

Ulm Cathedral
Vatican City
Vienna
 

Highlights

Sights
Food
UNESCO World Heritage
 

Activities

Castles
Festivals
Hiking
 

Countries

Browse our Travelogues

Austria
Belgium
Czech Republic
France

Germany
Ireland
Italy
Malta
Northern Ireland
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland