cash vs card

Germans love their cash. and many places give a discount with cash (or apply a surcharge on credit card payments).

it is mostly personal preference -- no right or wrong. You can get along is most major areas with a credit card except for some street vendors that might demand cash. The best place to get local currency will be a debit card a local bank ATM. And ATMs are everywhere. The ATMs are for the local and not just for tourists.

Now I am kind of old school since I began traveling with Traveler Checks and often prefer cash. I do use a credit card for the hotel and larger restaurant bills but still use cash for smaller purchasers. I like cash simply because it is always accepted and cash cannot be copied or cloned. And I don't have to worry if the credit card machine is working. For us cash is just easier and more convenient to use. We probably always have about 100 or so of local currency available. Works for us. May not work as well for you.

Germany is one of the few countries in Europe where I make sure I have cash on me. While most established stores and restaurants take cards, many street vendors prefer cash.

ATM's are everywhere so you need not get a lot of cash. Start with 50-100 Euros and you can always replenish.

Make sure you do the conversion at an ATM in Euros and not Dollars.

“Here's the way I look at it. If you were traveling anywhere here in the US, would you go with no cash in your pocket?”
Well, I never carry cash in the USA and have not used any in the last 5 years.

Yes, you will need cash in Germany. Use the ATMs from a bank, and this includes the airport. Use the Deutsche Bank ATMs, and not the euronet ones.
Small vendors prefer cash. It costs them extra money to take a CC. I prefer cash too. Why would I use a CC to buy a bottle of water or a sandwich at a fest?

Why would I use a CC to buy a bottle of water or a sandwich at a fest?

Why wouldn’t you?

As a data point, I have recently needed cash in Germany for the following purchases and fees:

• pedal boat, kayak and canoe hire (and two of these were in locations where the nearest atm was miles away)
• ice cream (cash only in at least five different places, some of which were in decent sized cities)
• restaurants in scenic locations (forests, coast, island etc). At least one of them had no internet access via either WiFi or data - a family was attempting to pay via bank transfer with no success.
• church entry fees (coin donation)
• public toilets (not all, but some)

I can't remember the last time I took bank opening hours into account when withdrawing cash - bank ATMs are usually accessible (well) outside business hours.

In Switzerland in recent years I have needed cash for lockers (at pools and hostels, and at least one station), a random cheese purchase at a market, and ice cream (only once, though). I've also managed cashless, though - it was much easier than in Germany.

“Here's the way I look at it. If you were traveling anywhere here in the US, would you go with no cash in your pocket?”
Well, I never carry cash in the USA and have not used any in the last 5 years.

Exactly my point. It wasn't a negative comment. Personal preference.

Have the cash on you.

You just might be surprised when it is needed. I've seen tourists, Americans among them, caught without cash when needed and certainly not in a very good mood at that moment...too bad.

In Germany , other than paying the hotel bill or buying a train ticket , I use cash over the credit card, given the choice.

Well, Trelawny, that fest vendor probably does not take CC and it costs me money every time I use a CC for a .59€ bottle of water. I do have a debit card for Germany, but it is easier to give them 1 € and be done with it. We don't earn frequent flier points in Germany when we use our cards. So, why would I use a card to buy a bottle of water?
You need change for the WC at festivals too.

Good advice from Jo. but on the tour you probably won’t need much cash. I’d probably get 100 Euro or whatever the tour recommends.

As for me as a budget independent traveler in Germany, I need cash for my accomodations and some meals, so for my two weeks this fall, I will probably et 700-800 Euro

Simple question. -- Is it better to have the cash and not need it or not to have cash but need it. It is a simple question --- why make it complicated. Same goes for carrying your passport.

I visit my so on a somewhat regular basis. He lives in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. If it were not for cash we would starve. Maybe 1 in 10 restaurants takes a card. ATMs are few and far between.

According to "Our Tours" the Germany, Switzerland, Austria tour is a "14 day" tour (it's actually only 12 full days plus a few hours the first evening plus a few hours in the last morning). They say you get 7 meals plus all your breakfasts. If you eat lunch and dinner every day, you'll have to pay for 18 meals.

I've spent a lot of time traveling in Germany, and I'm very analytical. From my studies I can tell you that the restaurants and hotels that take credit cards are the most overpriced places, by a lot. The less expensive places won't take credit cards because they don't charge enough to cover the CC discount. Often you can't tell from the menu on the street whether they will take credit cards. Are you going go around town looking for a restaurant and asking every place first if they take CCs or are you going to have enough cash to cover your meals if they tell you they don't take CCs?

I've made 11 trips to Germany since 2000, and I've rarely spent a 100€ in a 24 hour period on all my expenses on the ground: accommodations, in-Germany transportation, meals, and incidentals. On the last two trips, traveling with a friend, we only spent $140 per night (that was dollars, not euro).

“Here's the way I look at it. If you were traveling anywhere here in
the US, would you go with no cash in your pocket?” Well, I never carry
cash in the USA and have not used any in the last 5 years.

I remember in college (1960s) reading American, by Franz Kafka. Franz Kafka had probably never been out of Prague, let along to American. He envisioned America as being just like Europe, except on a grander scale. Likewise, some Americans don't realize that Europe is not like America, except on a smaller scale. That's particularly true of Germany.

I've gone to Germany 11 times since 2000, and I doubt that I've used a credit card over there 11 times, total. A couple of times were advance purchase tickets with the Bahn online before I left (the only way I could do it). Twice were when my partner wanted to purchase clothing at a clothing store; I was not going to go all over town seeing if I could find in cheaper somewhere that didn't take CCs.

On my last trip, I spent 20 nights in 5 places. The first place (2 nts) sent me an email when I reserved, telling me that they took cash only. The second place (3 nts), I had stayed at before, and I already knew they only took cash. The last place (9 nts), an 80 years old lady who rented a Ferienwohnung in the building she owned, I'm very sure only wanted cash (I seriously doubt that she had the ability to process credit cards). The other two places (6 nights) were in major tourist areas and they might have taken CCs. They were the two most expensive places on my trip. One was the only place on our whole trip that charged more than 100€ per night.

but the tour is not staying at any of those places. Those are good stories but unfortunately irrelevant to the question

Yes, a little cash is good. On the tour there won't be a big need for it.

At the very least you will need some coins to use public toilets

Forget all the extremes. First, consider that you will be on a tour, the stops are well touristed, they like to deal with tourists, tourists like credit cards...so do they. You could get by using very little cash, all of your lodging, most transport, and the majority of meals paid for. Most shops selling things you want to buy will accept credit card, most all restaurants in the city centers of where you will be accept credit card.

That said, what most are saying is true, the Germans are stuck in a cash society by preference. They strongly prefer to use cash, it has nothing to do with paying fees or being safer, it is just ingrained into the society like the quirks and preferences of your Depression era parents and grandparents. If you do veer off the well beaten path, you will run into restaurants and shops that at least strongly prefer cash, if not require it. Services and coin operated things (Like toilets, laundry, some ticket machines, some public transit) that in other European countries have been updated to tap-to-pay, in Germany, have not. If you happen to be lucky enough to find some fest going on, cash is king, similar with street markets. Most days, you will get by using a few euros, until maybe you need 40 or 50 for a meal or hit a fest.

So just find an ATM, get out 100 euro, hand your partner 50, and go on your merry way. When you get down to about 50 between you, then replenish with another hundred. I try to get some small bills from an ATM by choosing an odd amount (say 90, or 120), but even for a small purchase vendors will take a 50. Of course, as always, choose to do the transaction in euros, not Dollars, and decline any offer of conversion (Google DCC for reference)

As for toilets, I largely get by without having to use a pay one, but they will pop up in a rail station or store from time to time, and in restaurants, you still run into the odd cleaner lady managing the toilet, wanting a few coins for the service.

Now, to really get this thread off the rails...lets talk about tipping...

You would be ill-advised if you believe you can get by in Germany solely relying on the credit card, paying with phone, etc. You just might be lucky enough to be told or see in a shop that the place has the sign out " cash only," what then? Or, better still, say the WC tap function is covered with tape (who knows if is genuinely so) . This is one occurrence where those waiting in line caught unawares by this are not in very good mood...too bad, ie, where is their cash, likewise paying for food.

Watch the Germans when paying in contrast to other nationalities of tourists, how many are using the credit card, the phone and how many Germans hand over the cash quite readily, look at the age difference, etc We can glad they still are preferring cash in the daily transactions It will stay that way, regardless. Interesting.

Use cash there unless if you are ill- at ease carrying cash, no such problem at all with me. I pay cash in Germany....gladly

but the tour is not staying at any of those places.

@Nigel: I hope you weren't talking to me, 'cause if you were, you weren't talking through your mouth.

I didn't list any of the places I've been to in Germany, so how could you tell? I've actually been in Koblenz (I've spent 10 days in the Rhein/Mosel area and stayed in three different places. I didn't stay in Koblenz, but I did visit it, ate there.

Same with Baden-Baden. I visited it, didn't spend the night there, but I have spent 23 nights in the No. BF, 16 of those in a smaller town a short bus ride from B-B.

I've spent 23 nights in the Munich area since 2000, been to Neuschwanstein and Salzburg. The only places on the tour I haven't been to are Wachau and Vienna.

BTW, I've spent 158 nights in 55 towns in Germany since 2000, most of them in small towns, less than 20k.

The following story took place in the summer of 2023 when I got in to Frankfurt late, ie past 9PM, didn't have a reservation , was in no mood to look for hotels, take the public transport, etc and would only stay one night only .

I went out the Poststr. exit where 3-4 hotels are situated one after another. I picked particular on Poststr. as a walk-in, was told by staff the 3 star hotel was cashless, ie, payment only by cc. She asked if I had any problems with that policy...no. paid with the cc, it was a bit pricey, 3 digits Euro.

This trip I was back there needing a hotel totally unexpected in the wee hours, saw that the "cashless" hotel in 2023 gone, replaced by a Motel One, which offered me a good reasonable two digit rate. To the outsider, well what happened.... did that cc only hotel with its discriminating policy fall victim to supply and demand ? Paying that cc fee proved to be too much?

There are numerous reasons why a hotel closes. Not all are negative.

I have never heard that a hotel closed because they took credit cards. If a small percent has to be paid to a cc company, that cost is figured in when rates are created.

I know of a few instances where independent hotels were sold because larger chains wanted the location. Or a few non-chained hotels are owned by the same company and that company is bought by a chain or larger company.

In your case it's possible the previous hotel couldn't compete pricewise with its competition while the cost of running a Motel One is less. (They can buy supplies in bulk for the chain for a lot cheaper than a single hotel can.)

While some small, independent guest houses take cash, most hotels prefer the CC route because it is easier.

Some countries still rely quite a bit on cash. Germany and Japan are two that come to mind. Mostly because the people are used to it. But slowly, that is going away. Especially now that anyone can accept credit cards thanks to new programs that bypass regular banks and utilize apps. I even seen buskers with signs saying " we accept credit cards." The younger generations are more apt to pay by card or their phone than use cash.

If anything, businesses will slowly lose business if they don't take cc's.

On that 2023 trip I happened to have stayed in 2 hotels, both 3 star , that were "cashless" ...in Frankfurt on Poststrasse and in Vienna close to Westbahnhof, not by choice since both were a bit pricey.

True, in Vienna I know of restaurants once only cash, ie pre-pandemic but now are permitting cc. and know of others , at least 2, still "cash only" likewise in Munich. In Berlin the Intercity Hotel Berlin Hbf is cashless. My observations in Germany, especially more than in Austria , show, regardless where, cafes, the post office, restaurants, ethnic eateries, train station food courts, souvenir shops, cash will remain the means of payment.

all of your lodging, most transport, and the majority of meals paid for.

That's kind of a misrepresentation - technically true, but misleading. There are 12 complete days on the tour. Three meals a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. makes 36 meals. Add to that the first night's get together dinner and breakfast at the end of the tour on the last day, and you get 38 meals. The tour provides one lunch and seven dinners, plus 13 breakfasts, 21 total out of 38. That's 55%, a majority.

But the 13 breakfasts are part of your overnight accommodations. There are 25 additional meals, 13 dinners and 12 lunches; the tour provides one lunch and seven dinners, 8 meals our of 25, only 32%, you pay for 11 lunches and 6 dinners, 17 meals or 68%.

Now, if you stay in the touristy area for your meals you are probably (not always) going to be able to use your credit card, and you'll probably pay the same as if you paid with cash. On the other hand, if you want to save money on non-covered meals, you will need to leave the touristy area, and than, more than likely, you won't be able to use your CC.

Use your CC, pay more, or pay less, but pay in cash.

I would've agreed with most of the sentiment on this thread but I will say things are changing in Germany, and have been since COVID. (I lived in Stuttgart from 2011 to late 2023 and visited a couple weeks ago). At least in major cities, you can use card way more than you previously could. To the point where my German (Swabian) friend Stephan said he was annoyed with tikoks about "outdated stereotypes" about Germany such as "you must use cash" and "no one crosses the street on a red light". Now most those things are true relative to the US, but not as common as they once were in Germany.

When I lived there, I usually had between 100-300 euros on me in cash at all times. This trip, we got out 100 at a time, struggled to spend it all for the later part of our trip. I was using my phone to pay most frequently in Stuttgart and Munich.

That said once you're outside a city center, you're bac to the old Germany, and as others have noted there are plenty of exceptions, so always carry some amount of cash on you. But tap to pay is much more widely accepted (and in some cases even preferred now!) compared to how it was just a few years ago.

We just returned from Norway, Denmark, and Germany. In all transactions save 1 in a coffee shop in Germany, the Google Pay app was accepted. We used that instead of cards as it creates an instant record - so convenient. Luckily, we had cash in the coffee shop, as I do not recall a "Cash only" sign.

Last year for us, one restaurant in the Mosel R. valley and one restaurant in Koblenz required cash payment. So be prepared for that possibility.

Obtain Cash from an ATM once you arrive in country. It is best to make sure you obtain cash from an ATM of a major bank, not the type of ATM that you would find in a convenience store, so to speak. Also, remember that you will withdraw euros and as an example, if you withdraw 500 euros that does not equate to $500. Further, note that in addition to the exchange rate, there are also foreign transaction fees and perhaps also a transaction fee that the German ATM may charge you. As to the amount to withdraw, if you want to avoid a whole series of differing exchange rates and excessive transaction fees, withdraw a large amount when you first arrive, and then if needed take a second or third withdrawal as needed. Lastly, make sure you notify your bank that you are traveling overseas and ask them to increase the limit you can withdraw at ATMs. In Europe, cash is King.

On the website for Oktoberfest in Munich, I just saw an article titled "Cash is King?". It basically says you need to have cash, although many tents or entertainments will take contactless and/or cards now. Here's a link:: https://www.wiesn.tv/kartenzahlung-oktoberfest-2026-bargeld-oder-karte-auf-der-wiesn/

Many people don't know that Oktoberfest is really a small city on the Theresienwiese. And after Oktoberfest, it is ALL taken down. All the huge fest halls (they call them "tents"). By November it will be a huge vacant area, and ready for other festivals to be constructed. Right now, on 31 August, the building back up is well underway. You can watch it all on webcams at this link: https://www.wiesn.tv/livecams/