Money and cell phone !

Can only speak to parts of question #1- I have used credit cards for many purchases, hotels, meals, etc, all over Germany without a problem. PIN: When I inquired about the 5 digit (here) and 4 digit (there), I was told to just drop the first number on the PIN when using it in Europe, making it the required 4 number PIN. This may not be true in all cases but might be worth asking your bank.

math,

A few thoughts......

1. The easiest and least expensive way to obtain cash in Europe is to use an ATM card. it's a good idea to take a backup card, in case of a problem with the primary card. Be sure to notify your bank that you'll be travelling abroad so they don't freeze your card when they detect transaction activity in Europe. You might also want to review your daily withdrawal limit at the same time. One final point to mention is that you may encounter ATM's which offer to do the conversion to your home currency at the time of the withdrawal. This is called Direct Currency Conversion and it is NOT a good deal for consumers. Most larger hotels, restaurants etc. will accept Visa and MasterCard. You may also be offered DCC with credit card transactions.
2. It would be a good idea to check with your cellular carrier to determine whether your phone is a CDMA or GSM model. Does it use a SIM card? The Moto G is supplied in both versions, and you'll also need to confirm that it is in fact unlocked. The CDMA model can not be unlocked. You'll have to check cell shops when you arrive in Germany to determine which ones have the best offers for PAYG data plans.

A few years back I came across for the first time this DCC feature, obviously didn't know anything about it when asked in Vienna checking out of the hostel whether I wanted the credit card charge in Euro or $. My first gut reaction was: strange question? So, I inadvertently told them Euro.

In Germany, cash is needed for local transportation tickets in cities, small purchases like water, coffee, pastries, street food stands and markets. Some small restaurants are also cash only. Best is to ask when you enter the place.

That may be the case in some transport districts, and I know it because I use an app for them myself in the MVV, but try to use a card in VGN (Verkehrsverbund Großraum Nürnberg) machines in the greater Nürnberg area. Three machines, one station, three failures; cash worked fine. Two machines, different station, same result.

Hello. We have just arrived home from 2 weeks in Germany and Austria and we were very surprised at the number of businesses (hotels, restaurants, etc.) that did not accept charge cards (Visa nor Master Card). The K-D cruise line would accept the card but with a 3euro up-charge but many of the places we visited did not. We were there in 2011 and did not experience this - perhaps things have changed quite a bit since then. The ATM at the airport is a good place to start and as you know, they only accept 4 digit pins.

We opted for the international calling plan with our carrier here (ATT) since we didn't intend on making many calls. The plan did allow unlimited texting which was good and the calls were $ .50/minute.

Good for you for asking about the cash vs credit. I read the same thing before we left but really didn't believe it but was prepared 'just in case'. Have fun !

"Will I be able to buy a german sim card to get a local number in germany (and data) with my cell phone ? "

Yes - just be sure to bring your passport to the phone store. When I went in 2012, T-Mobile had a much better deal for my needs than Vodafone; but of course, four years is a lifetime in a rapidly changing arena like mobile phone plans, so check when you get there what the current offers are. If you want to do research ahead, you can use the Prepaid GSM website. Here's their Germany page: http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/germany.html

And here's their Germany Forum. Be aware that answers can get very technical - don't be afraid to ask for clarification: http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=25ceba715ec2c53c0928c0f2631f1920&f=34