Airport
Hannover Airport(Langenhagen), Airport code:HAJ, is 11km (7 miles) north of the city (travel time – 30 minutes). Express bus no. 60 goes to the city every 20-30 minutes, returning from the city air terminal at the main railway station (Ernst-August-Platz). A 24-hour taxi service runs to Hannover. Airport facilities include a duty-free shop, 24-hour luggage lockers, 24-hour medical facilities, banks/bureau de change (Mon-Fri 0630-2100, Sat-Sun 0900-1730), bars (0600-1900), snack bar, post office, restaurants, tourist information and car hire.

Visas
Foreigners must have a valid passport to enter Germany and in some cases must produce a return ticket at immigration; nationals of the following countries do not require visas for stays of up to 3 months: Australia, Canada, Japan, Singapore, United States, Israel, New Zealand, Switzerland, Poland, and the European Union. All other nationalities must get a visa in advance of travel to Germany. Citizens of E.U. countries, Switzerland and poland may enter Germany with just an official identity card.

Top

Currency
euro (EUR); deutsche mark (DEM)
The currency of Germany is the Deutsche Mark (DM). The Deutsche Mark comes in coin denominations of DM5, 2, and 1, and 50, 10, 5, 2, 1 pfennigs; and banknotes of DM10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000.
Single European currency (Euro): The Euro is now the official currency of 12 EU member states (including Germany). The first Euro coins and notes were introduced in January 2002 and completely replaced the Deutschmark on 28 February 2002. Euro (€) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

Credit Cards
These are accepted in approximately 60 per cent of all shops, petrol stations, restaurants and hotels. Nationals of other Western European countries, Canada and the USA will find less credit card availability than they are used to in their own countries and it is advisable to carry cash or a Eurocheque card as well. All major credit cards are accepted.

Tipping
Germans generally round up €1 when tipping. However, tipping is not practiced as liberally as it is elsewhere---most Germans only tip in restaurants and bars, or when they are the beneficiary of a service, such as a taxi ride. Note that tips in Germany are not left lying on the table, but handed directly to the server when you pay. If you don't want any change, say Das steht so (dahs SHTAYT zo). Germans rarely bargain except at flea markets.
""Das steht so is" is wrong, . . ."

Top

Useful Numbers
International country code: 49
Hannover: 511
Police: 110
Ambulance: 112
Fire: 115

Electricity
220V, 50Hz

Top

Health Risks
Living and traveling in Germany poses no serious health risk, and the only problematic illness is the common flu. Food laws are extremely strict, food is safe and tap water is drinkable. The medical establishment is among the best in the world, and its services are often free to foreign travelers. Medical coverage is required by law in Germany. Basic travel health insurance is recommended.

Time Zone
GMT/UTC +1(+2 in between April-October)

Top

Business Hours
Offices: Many businesses close early on Fridays.
Banks: Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. In large cities banks remain open throughout the day.
Government: Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Retail: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Saturday until 4 p.m.). Smaller shops in non-touristed areas may close for a couple of hours around noon.

Holidays
2008
1 Jan New Year's Day.
6 Jan* Epiphany.
21 Mar Good Friday.
24 Mar Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
1 May Ascension.
12 May Whit Monday.
22 May* Corpus Christi.
15 Aug* Assumption.
3 Oct Day of German Unity.
31 Oct* Day of Reformation.
1 Nov* All Saints' Day.
19 Nov* Repentance Day.
25-26 Dec Christmas.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
6 Jan* Epiphany.
10 Apr Good Friday.
13 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
21 May Ascension.
1 Jun Whit Monday.
11 Jun* Corpus Christi.
15 Aug* Assumption.
3 Oct Day of German Unity.
31 Oct* Day of Reformation.
1 Nov* All Saints' Day.
18 Nov* Repentance Day.
25-26 Dec Christmas.

Top

Climate
From May to October the prospect of good weather is generally better. Average temperatures in the summer range from 20 to 30°C and in winter to - 2.

Clothing
Being well and correctly dressed is very important.
Casual or sloppy attire is frowned upon.
For business, men should wear suits (dark colors) and ties. Women should wear dresses, suits, pantsuits, skirts and blouses.
European clothes with light- to mediumweights in summer, medium- to heavyweights in winter. Waterproofs are needed throughout the year.

GDP Growth Rate
Real growth rate: 0%

Inflation
1%

Imports
machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals

Top

Exports
machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures, foodstuffs, textiles

Trading Partners
France, Netherlands, Italy, UK, Belgium/Luxembourg, USA, Japan

Industries
motor vehicles, engineering, chemicals, iron, steel, coal, electronics, environmental technology, food, clothing

Teledensity
63.48 Main telephone lines per 100 inhabitants

Government
Federal republic

Top

Geography
Hannover, capital of the German state of Lower Saxony, is located in northern Germany (52x22' northern latidude,55m above sea level) at the intersection of east-west andnorth-south routes.
Germany is located in Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark. Its terrian rises from northern coastal lowlands to belt of central uplands, complex and varied in form. To south of uplands, a high plain suddenly rises to Alps in country's extreme south. Most important rivers: Rhine, flowing to north; Elbe, flowing to northwest; and Danube, flowing to southeast.

Population
Germany : 82.6 million
Hannover: 518722

Ethnic Groups
German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Serbo-Croatian, Italian, Russian, Greek, Polish, Spanish)

Languages
German

Literacy
99%

Religion
90% Christian. There are 1.7 million Muslims and about 74,000 Jews (the pre-Holocaust figure was over half a million).