Fast Facts

Business Hours -- The following are general open hours; hours at specific establishments may vary. Shops on heavily traversed streets, 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 10am to 6pm and on Saturdays from 9am to noon. Shops and businesses are usually closed on Sunday. Many restaurants stay open until at least midnight, and dance clubs stay open as late as 4am.

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

Emergencies -- 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 phone 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; try NGN Internetcafé (Berliner Str. 1A; tel. 49 6131-5019969). Many Wi-Fi hotspots are available for those with laptops, and a number of hotels maintain fully wired business centers and offer Wi-Fi to guests for free or at a nominal charge.

Liquor Laws -- The legal age for purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages is 16 for beer and wine and 18 for hard liquor. Laws governing driving under the influence are strict, prohibiting a blood-alcohol level of more than 0.5/ml for adults. For drivers under age 21, there is zero tolerance for drinking and driving, even if the driver's blood-alcohol level is lower than 0.5/ml.

Mail -- At press time, domestic postage rates were .55€ for a standard letter (up to 20g) and .45€ for a postcard. Sending 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). Mainz's local papers include Rhein-Zeitung (www.rhein-zeitung.de) and Main-Rheiner (www.main-rheiner.de). The country's most widely read weekly magazines are Der Spiegel (www.spiegel.de) and Die Zeit (www.zeit.de). English-language newspapers 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 in Mainz.

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 call is free from public telephone booths.

Safety -- Mainz is a relatively safe place to be, but beware of pickpockets in crowded places like the Mainz Cathedral and the Gutenburg Museum. As in any city, take common-sense precautions: Avoid deserted areas, especially at night, keep your money and valuables in a safe place, and always lock your hotel door.

Smoking -- Mainz's state, Rhineland-Palatinate, imposed a smoking ban in February, 2008, which means that smoking is prohibited in public areas. In 2007, Germany's government ruled to ban smoking on nationwide public transport systems, 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 Mainz's area codes is 6131. 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.

Time Zone -- Mainz 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 Mainz 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 here is generally considered safe to drink. However, in restaurants, water is not free. If you ask for it, you'll get bottled water, which will show up on your bill.