Do I need cash in Germany, or can I use cards?

Germany is more cash-reliant than most of Western Europe. Larger supermarkets, department stores, hotels and chain restaurants take cards, and contactless (including Apple Pay and Google Pay) is increasingly normal. But a lot of everyday places, bakeries, bars, kiosks (Spatis), market stalls, and plenty of smaller restaurants and cafes, are cash-only or prefer cash, and some will wave you off for a small card payment.

The domestic debit card is the Girocard. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, but not universally: some spots take only Girocard or cash, and Amex is the least reliable. The practical rule is simple: always carry some euros, and do not assume a card will work at a small place.

When a card terminal or ATM asks whether to charge you in dollars or euros, always choose euros. Choosing dollars triggers dynamic currency conversion at a rate about 3 to 8% worse than your own bank's. Decline it every time.

For cash, use an ATM (a Geldautomat) attached to a real bank, such as Sparkasse, Volksbank, Deutsche Bank or Commerzbank. Avoid the standalone Euronet machines at stations and tourist spots, which charge high fees and push the dollar conversion hardest.

Keep smaller euro notes and coins handy, since cash-friendly spots dislike large notes. Use a debit card at the ATM rather than a credit card (a credit-card withdrawal is a cash advance with a fee from day one), and take out a few days' worth at once to limit per-visit fees.

As a rough guide, plan to use cash for a meaningful slice of daily spending here, more than you would in France or the Netherlands. For the wider picture, see the Germany money guide, and for gratuities, tipping in Germany.

Common questions

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