Fast Facts

Business Hours -- The following are general open hours; specific establishments may vary. Shops on the Hohe Strasse and Schildergasse, as well as large department stores, are open Monday through Thursday from 10am to 8pm and on Friday and Saturday until 10pm; smaller stores in less busy areas close at 6pm and are often closed for an hour in the afternoon. Grocery stores are open Monday to Saturday 8am to 8pm. Post offices typically operate Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm and on Saturdays from 9am to noon. Many shops and businesses are closed on Sunday, with the exception of bakeries and cafes which tend to stay open at least until noon. Tourist attractions, such as the Cologne Cathedral, are open daily from 9am to 6pm, though they may close earlier during the off-season (note that some museums are closed on Monday). Restaurants close by 1am at the latest, but stop serving food earlier than that.

Electricity -- Electric current is 230 volts AC (50 cycles), so Americans often must buy adaptors for their appliances.

Emergencies -- From anywhere in Germany, call tel. 112 for an ambulance or firefighters. To call the police in an emergency, dial tel. 110; this is a free call from public telephone booths. There are also emergency phones at railway stations and along some streets, including the autobahns.

Internet Access -- Internet access is readily available, especially at internet cafes. Some of Cologne's most accessible are ViaPhone Internetcaf Internet (Marzellenstr. 3-5, tel. 0221 139960), CyberCafe (Sachsenring 29-31, tel. 0221 9320491) and Future Point (Richmodstr.13, tel. 0221 2067206). Many Wi-Fi hotspots are available for those with laptops and PDAs. Many hotels offer Wi-Fi to guests for free or at a nominal charge and some hotels also maintain fully wired business centers.

Liquor Laws -- The legal age for purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages in Germany is 16 for beer and wine and 18 for hard liquor (there's been talk of raising it to 18 across the board, but this hasn't happened yet). Laws governing driving under the influence are strict, prohibiting a blood-alcohol level of above 0.5/ml for adults. For drivers under age 21, a zero-tolerance restriction is in place.

Mail -- At press time, domestic postage rates were .55€ for a standard letter (up to 20g) and .45€ for a postcard. To send a letter to the U.S. costs 1.70€ and 1€ for a postcard, while mail to other European countries costs .70€ for a letter and .65€ for a postcard. Stamps are available from post offices, hotels, and dispenser machines.

Newspapers & Magazines -- Germany's most influential dailies include Die Welt (www.welt.de), Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (www.faz.net), and Süddeutsche Zeitung (www.sueddeutsche.de). Cologne's local papers include Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger (www.ksta.de), Kölner Rundschau (www.rundschau-online.de), and Express (www.express.de). The country's most widely read weekly magazines are Der Spiegel (www.spiegel.de) and Die Zeit (www.zeit.de). English-language newspapers readily available in Germany include the Local (www.thelocal.de), Expatica Germany (www.expatica.com), and the International Herald Tribune (www.iht.com). Most major English-language newspapers and magazines are available throughout Cologne.

Pets -- One person may be accompanied by up to five pet animals not intended for sale. Within the E.U., a pet passport is required to transport pets across borders. The passport must be clearly attributable to the animal, and it must also be possible to identify the animal by means of tattoo or microchip. Also required is a veterinary's certificate confirming that the animal has been vaccinated.

If you're traveling from the U.S., plan about three months ahead to ensure that blood samples and tests get processed in time for entry approval. After these tests, animals must be given boosters at regular intervals; if they don't get these, they will have to be tested again after a new vaccination, which will require another three-month processing period. All animals must be identified by a clearly visible tattoo or by a transponder and be accompanied by a vaccination document.

Depending on where the animal is traveling from, a quarantine might apply. More information is available from the German Embassy in Washington, D.C. (tel. 202/298-4000; www.germany.info).

Police -- To call the police in an emergency, dial tel. 110. The number is the same throughout Germany and is free from public telephone booths.

Safety -- Though Cologne is considered safe to visit, many minor crimes do occur, such as pickpocketing (especially near the cathedral), so keep your money and valuables in a safe place. More severe criminal acts are likelier to occur during Carnival and other street festivals, and in Ossendorf, Bilderstoekchen, Ehrenfeld, and Chorweiler. A new crime in the Cologne is identity theft; PIN numbers are being spied out with cameras, so when entering sensitive information on your laptop, PDA, or at the ATM, cover the keyboard with one hand. As in any city, take the usual precautions: Avoid deserted areas, especially at night, and remember to always lock your hotel door.

Smoking -- In Cologne, smoking in bars and restaurants will be prohibited starting in July 2008 -- but there are some slightly confusing exceptions to the smoking ban. For example, those wanting to light up in a festival tent at Cologne's carnival can do so. In 2007, Germany's government ruled to ban smoking on public transport, including taxis, buses, trains, and airplanes.

Taxes -- German value-added tax (VAT) is 19% -- check to find out whether it's included in your quoted hotel rate. For purchases made in duty-free shops, the VAT can be reclaimed by visitors from outside the EU; to do so, go to the offices located in the airport or at the train station.

To Make International Calls -- National and international calls can be made from telephone booths and at post offices. Most telephone booths require a phone card, which you can buy in denominations of €5, €10, and €15 from post offices, newsstands, and some tourism offices.

Germany's country code is 49 and Cologne's area code is 0221. The calling code to the U.S. is 001.

If you're bringing your cell phone, it's good to know that many international mobile-phone companies maintain roaming agreements with German companies; coverage is good.

Germany operates on a GSM network, which is compatible with the rest of Europe and Australia, but not with the U.S. If you have a multi-band cell phone, however, you can use your phone in the U.S. and in Europe. Otherwise, you can buy or rent a GSM phone to use in Europe.

Note that it is illegal to use a hand-held phone while driving. And FYI, Germans call their cell phones their "handy."

Time Zone -- Cologne operates on Central European Time (CET), which means that it's 6 hours ahead of New York and 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1). From the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October, however, daylight savings comes into effect, putting Cologne 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1).

Tipping -- Service charges are usually included in hotel bills, but not for several other service industries. For taxis and hairdressers, round up to the nearest euro, then leave 10% on top of that. In restaurants, the bill will typically already be rounded up to the nearest euro, and a 10% service charge tacked on. Still, it's common to leave an additional tip of 10% to 15% for wait staff.

Water -- Water is generally safe to drink and is free from bacteria and chlorine. Note that in restaurants, water is not free. If you ask for it, you'll get bottled water, which will show up on your bill.