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Rick Steves' Germany

Updates since the 2012 edition

Rothenburg and the Romantic Road

The Romantic Road
Dinkelsbühl

The dates for the 2012 Kinderzeche Festival are incorrectly listed in the appendix; the correct dates are July 13–22, 2012.

Würzburg

Hotel Barbarossa is temporarily closed for renovation through spring 2012, when it may take on new owners.

Berlin

Original Berlin Walks has a new manager, Manuela Kemter, and email address: info@berlinwalks.de.

The beloved Operncafé, in the Opernpalais near Bebelplatz, has closed.

Updates for those still travelling with the 2011 edition

The Deutsche Bahn, Germany's national railway, has re-introduced a money-saving deal. The Quer-durchs-Land ticket is valid for up to five people on regional trains throughout the country for one weekday after 9:00 (€42 for the first traveler, €6 for each additional traveler).

Munich

The Flight Museum is incorrectly labeled on the maps in our book. It's in Oberschleissheim, north of the city (not east), directly west of Dachau.

Hotel Eckelmann has new phone and fax numbers: tel. 089/5999-3902, fax 089/5999-3994.

Hotel Deutsches Theater also has new phone and fax numbers: tel. 089/5999-3903, fax 089/5999-3995.

Bavaria and Western Tirol

Füssen

At the King's Castles, the phone number for the local TI is now 08362/81980.

Hotel Kurcafe is now called Hotel Schlosskrone, and has a new website and email address: www.schlosskrone.com, info@kurcafe.com.

Hotel Hirsch has a new website and email address: www.hotelfuessen.de, info@hotelhirsch.de.

Hotel Sonne's correct phone number is 08362/9080.

Reutte, Austria

The Reuttener Bergbahn is now called the Hahnenkammbahn, but it still has the same contact information.

Gutshof zum Schluxen has new rates for 2011–2012: Sb-€51, Db-€96.

Ehrenberg, Austria

Landgasthof Klause's new website is www.gasthof-klause.com, their email is gasthof-klause@gmx.at, and their new phone number is 05672/62213. Double rooms now cost €74 for a one-night stay (for two or more nights, the rate remains €66).

Fallerschein, Austria

Lotte's Fallerscheiner Stube is now called Michl's Fallerscheiner Stube and has a new email address — michaelknitel@mountainmichl.at, but its other contact info remains the same.

Oberammergau

Gasthof zur Rose has a new website and email address: www.rose-oberammergau.de, info@rose-oberammergau.de.

Baden-Baden

The city's famous horse races are running again — good news for racing enthusiasts, though potentially a hassle for other visitors, as hotels tend to fill up around race days.

The Wash Tours launderette may be closed; if so, check out the laundry at Adelhauser Strasse 24 (Mon–Fri 7:00–20:00, Sat 7:00–17:00, closed Sun, in passageway behind hair salon at corner with Marienstrasse, tel. 0761/35656).

Rothenburg and the Romantic Road

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

The Night Watchman's store has slightly shorter hours: April–Dec daily 10:00–18:00; Jan–March open only Sat 11:00–17:00.

The Werkstattladen Lebenshilfe shop has closed.

Guests at Hotel Spitzweg must now pay for Internet access and Wi-Fi at the nearby hotel run by Herr Hocher's children.

The Romantic Road
Dinkelsbühl

Hotel Palmengarten has closed.

Würzburg

Hotel-Pension Spehnkuch and has closed.

Rhine Valley

Railpass bonuses that cover the cost of non-train travel, such as cruises on the KD Line's Rhine boats, start use of a railpass day — they do not "use up" a day per se, as you can also ride the train (or another boat) anywhere the pass covers on that same day. (For railpass bonuses that only give a discount on travel, rather than cover the entire cost, use of the pass for a discount does not start the use of a travel day.)

The Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket day pass, which covers travel on milk-run trains in the Rhine Valley, Mosel River area, and Trier, is now valid after 9:00 Mon–Fri and all day Sat–Sun.

Maus Castle no longer hosts falconry shows, and is currently open only for concerts and weddings, with the occasional guided tour available.

Bacharach

You can now pick up picnic supplies at Nahkauf, the town's basic grocery store (Mon–Fri 8:00–12:30 & 14:00–18:30, Sat 8:30–14:00, closed Sun, Koblenzer Strasse 2).

Mosel Valley

KD (Köln–Düsseldorfer) ships do not sail between Cochem and Koblenz on Tuesdays mid-June–September.

Trier

The Roman Sights combo-ticket is now called the Antique Card. The €9 version covers the Archaeological Museum and two of Trier's four Roman sights (Porta Nigra, Imperial Baths, Viehmarkt Baths, and amphitheater). The €14 version covers the museum and all four Roman sights.

Köln

If you're planning a short whistle stop in town just to visit the cathedral, be sure to plan your visit between its many services (since the cathedral is off-limits to sightseers then).

Nürnberg

The Nürnberg Youth Hostel is closed for renovation until mid-2012, but the brand-new A&O Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof Hostel has opened near the train station (Bahnhofstrasse 13-15, tel. 0911/309-168-4401, www.aohostels.com).

Dresden

To reach the Blue Wonder by tram, take tram #12 (not #4 or #6) from Postplatz to Schillerplatz.

Hotel Martha Hospiz has a new email address: rezeption@marthahospiz-dresden.com (not ".de").

Görlitz

The Emperor's Keep now set to reopen in mid-2012 (not late 2011; when open: May–Oct Tue–Sun 10:00–17:00, closed Mon and Nov–April).

Berlin

Because of security concerns, you can only visit the Reichstag Dome if you've made a (free) reservation online. You'll need to reserve at least several days ahead, and up to 2 weeks in advance in the busiest summer months. With a reservation, you only need to show up at the appointed time and give your name. At times when it's not too crowded, you may be able to get in without a reservation (though it's unlikely) — ask nicely, but expect a "no." The reservation website is user-friendly: Go to https://visite.bundestag.de/BAPWeb/pages/createBookingRequest.jsf?lang=en and select "Visit the dome." Fill in the number of people in your party, ignore the "Comments" field, and click "Next." After entering the scrambled code (captcha), you can select your preferred visit date and time (you can request up to three different time slots) and fill in your contact information. Once you complete the form and agree to their privacy policy, you'll be sent a confirmation email with a link to a website where you'll enter the name and birthdate for each person in your party and confirm your request. After completing this form, you'll receive a confirmation of your request (not a confirmation of your visit) by email. But you still have to wait for yet another email confirming your visit.

Public-transit costs have gone up for 2011. A single ticket (Einzelfahrschein) for zones AB costs €2.30; a short-ride (Kurzstrecke) ticket is €1.40; a four-trip ticket (4-Fahrten-Karte) is €8.20; a day pass (Tageskarte) for zones AB is €6.30, and €6.80 for zones ABC. A seven-day pass (7-Tage Karte) is €27.20, and €33.50 for zones ABC. A Kleingruppenkarte, however, is cheaper, and now an even better deal, at €15 (zones AB). WelcomeCards have also become more expensive (zones AB: €16.90/48 hours; €22.90/72 hours).

Euraide's offices have somewhat different hours: May–July Mon–Fri 10:00–20:00, Sun 14:00–20:00, closed Sat; Aug Mon–Fri 11:00–20:00, Sun 14:00–20:00, closed Sat; Sept–April Mon–Fri 11:00–19:00, closed Sat–Sun.

If the Netlounge at Auguststrasse is closed during your visit, try Hotdog World, in Prenzlauer Berg (Weinbergsweg 4, just a few steps from U8: Rosenthaler Platz toward Kastanienallee).

The information center for the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe closes at 19:00 in winter (Oct–March; otherwise open until 20:00).

National museums, such as the Pergamon and Gemäldegalerie, are no longer free on Thursday evenings.

The museums clustered on Berlin's Museum Island (Pergamon, Neues, Old National Gallery, Altes, and Bode) have a new general information phone number: 030/266-424-242.

The Berlin Wall Memorial (Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer) has a new telephone number and website: tel. 030/4679-86666, www.berliner-mauer-gedenkstaette.de.

Kulturforum has a new website: www.kulturforum-berlin.de.

Several sights have new phone numbers: Topography of Terror: 030/2545-090, Panoramapunkt view deck: 030/2593-07080, Musical Instruments Museum: 030/2548-1178, Museum Berggruen: 030/326-95815, B-Flat Acoustic Music and Jazz Club: 030/283-3123.

Beloved polar bear Knut, the star of the Berlin Zoo, has died.

Hotel Augustinenhof's correct email address is augustinenhof@albrechtshof-hotels.com.

Precise Hotel Myer's Berlin has a new email address: myers@precisehotels.com.

Circus Hostel has a new phone number: 030/2000-3939.

Pension Peters has a new phone number: 030/312-2278.

Konnopke's Imbiss, a super-cheap German-style sausage stand beneath the U2 viaduct, has reopened. A Berlin institution for more than 70 years — it was family-owned even during DDR times. Berliners say Konnopke's cooks up the city's best Currywurst (grilled bratwurst with curry-infused ketchup, less than €2). Located beneath the U2 viaduct, the stand was demolished in summer 2010 during road work. Berliners rioted, and Konnopke's was rebuilt in a slick glass-and-steel hut (Mon–Fri 10:00–20:00, Sat 12:00–20:00, closed Sun; Kastanienallee dead-ends at the elevated train tracks, and under them you'll find Konnopke's at Schönhauser Allee 44A). Don't be fooled by the Currystation at the foot of the stairs coming out of the station — look for the real Konnopke's across the street, under the tracks.

Deponie3 restaurant (listed on page 620) has a great Sunday-brunch deal (€8, offered 10:00–15:00).

Weihenstephaner Bavarian Restaurant has a new phone number: 030/8471-0760.

La Bodeguita del Medio Cuban Bar Restaurant has a new phone number: 030/4050-0601.