Germany

(EUR) Currency News >>

CURRENCY:

Euro - EUR, Symbol €

DENOMINATIONS:

NOTE: €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5.

COIN: €2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

Please note cheques are very rarely used.

US DOLLAR ACCEPTED?

CREDIT/DEBIT CARDS AND ATMS:

Major international credit cards are accepted in mainstream shops and hotels, but note that most supermarkets and smaller businesses will only take the local EC card. It is advisable to carry sufficient cash. ATM machines are widely available and accept most credit cards.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE:

Foreign exchange can be done at the banks, post offices, bureaux de change, major hotels and airports.

TRAVELLER'S CHEQUES:

These are best in Euros, Sterling or US dollars. Note some banks refuse them, and they cannot be used as payment in shops.

BANKING HOURS:

Mon-Fri 0830-1300 - 1700. Note some smaller branches may close for lunch.

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS:

COUNTRY OVERVIEW:

Officially called the Federal Republic of Germany, this is a country in Central Europe. Germany can be traced back to the 10th century. Until the early 1990s, the country was divided into two - East and West Germany - but since then the country has been re-unified. The capital and largest city is Berlin, in the Northeast of the country. The official language is German.

POPULATION:

82,060,000

ECONOMY:

Germany is the largest economy in Europe and the third largest by GDP in the world. It is the world's top exporter, and is keen on closer European economic and political integration. Despite reunification between East and West Germany, the western side of the country still has a general higher standard of living than the eastern side.