Germany

Lufthansa and Deutsche Bahn will be stepping up their cooperation to offer more train+plane services. Lufthansa's ICE (high-speed train) network will now include five more cities. But also the introduction of a faster train, the "Sprinter", to Frankfurt airport. The new Sprinter trains will enter service in...

In Hamburg, it will be no more and no less than the architectural counterpart to its emblematic concert hall designed by architects Herzog & de Meuron. The Elbphilarmonie, until now the flagship of the HafenCity urban project, will soon be joined by another focal point of this business district, the Elbtower. The future tallest building...

Construction of a new terminal began in Stuttgart, the Federal Administrative Court gave the final go-ahead for work on the new Munich airport, and Lufthansa began training its first female airline pilots. The year was 1986, and German air transport was entering a phase of rapid development. Until 2020. The year 1986...

Germany and Austria are in the midst of a debate on the compulsory wearing of FFP2 masks on trains and other public transport. At the end of the week, both countries made up their minds. No in Germany (except in Bavaria) and yes in Austria. The debate raged after the Austrian state of Bavaria introduced the...

The Adagio long-stay brand will be part of the development of a vast urban project in Stuttgart, the Neckarpark. Neighbouring the head offices of Daimler and Mercedes Benz, this new district will be the result of the redevelopment of the former freight station site, covering around 22 hectares, into a business, residential and commercial area. Encompassing...

Munich is Germany's second-largest airport, with almost 48 million passengers in 2019. Its growth has been exponential, with passenger traffic up by almost 40% between 2010 and 2019. This growth has been supported by Lufthansa, which has made Munich its second hub. The airport is regularly...

At present, it is possible to cross borders and travel to Spain, but subject to strict rules. Since 23 November, Spain has required a covid-19-negative PCR test result less than 72 hours old to enter the country. Only travellers in transit to a third country (Portugal or Gibraltar)...

It is now compulsory for anyone travelling from an area considered to be at risk to register using an online application. These include France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland. You need to log on beforehand to the www.einreiseanmeldung.de website. The page is available in French, although the country names still appear in German. You need to...

Patience and time are undoubtedly the two lifebloods of hotel development. The Steigenberger Airport Hotel Berlin, ready since 2012 and the scheduled opening of the German capital's new airport, has had to wait, postponement after postponement, for the official inauguration of Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) before opening its doors. "We are delighted...

More than its Asian neighbours, the city-state of Singapore is heavily dependent on global mobility. The city of six million inhabitants has built its economy on trade. It therefore seems essential for the government to gradually reopen its borders to international travellers. In an interview with Bloomberg...

The obligation for each German region (Land) to adopt any new health regulations has forced the government to postpone the introduction of new compulsory quarantine protocols for travellers from high-risk pandemic zones. These areas are listed by country by the Robert Koch Medical Institute, which is responsible for managing...

Initially scheduled for 1 October, the new rules for entry into Germany will apply from 15 October. The decision was taken in response to the upsurge in cases of covid in Europe. Two measures are likely to discourage many business travellers. Quarantine will become compulsory even if a person tests negative for covid. The...

The price of the BahnCard 25, which gives access to a 25% discount on German rail routes, is being offered at 24.90 euros (2nd class) or 69.90 euros (1st class) instead of 54.60 euros and 109.90 euros. The discount applies to all major Deutsche Bahn -ICE lines...

To curb the possibility of imported cases of covid-19, the Italian Ministry of Health has introduced new rules for French travellers arriving in Italy from high-risk areas. In a press release, Health Minister Roberto Speranza states that from 22 September, travellers arriving...

The lifestyle brand Ruby Hotels is continuing to expand, with two new hotels expected by 2023. Already boasting eight hotels based on the "lean luxury" concept of relaxed, affordable luxury, the German group intends to unveil seventeen new properties in Europe by this date. While the German group founded by Michael Struck already has a presence...

With the resurgence of infections linked to the covid-19 pandemic throughout the world, and particularly in Europe, travel conditions are once again becoming stricter for potential travellers. In less than two weeks, for example, the United Kingdom has decided to re-impose a quarantine on travellers from Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

The Covid-19 pandemic has relatively spared Germany. According to the latest figures, Germany and France are close on the heels of each other, with around 225,000 infections. But the mortality rate in Germany is almost four times lower than in France, with 9,300 deaths to date. This probably explains the decontamination rules...

Lufthansa's Airport Express service has been around for decades. As far back as the 1980s, Lufthansa innovated by running Deutsche Bundesbahn trains from Düsseldorf, Cologne and the former federal capital Bonn, as well as from Stuttgart, to the mainline station at Frankfurt airport. The trains were painted in Lufthansa colours...

In the air, Air France, Lufthansa, Easyjet and Eurowings are continuing to operate flights between the two countries, but on a reduced timetable. For example, on 18 March, Lufthansa is offering four daily flights to Frankfurt and Munich from Paris CDG and five daily flights from Lyon (two to Frankfurt and three to Munich). Air France...

The borders are completely open, and all trains between France and Germany - particularly on the two major routes Paris-Strasbourg-Germany and Paris-Metz-Sarrebruck-Germany - are fully operational. Nor is there any interruption to traffic on the regional TER line linking Strasbourg to Bale CFF in Switzerland or the line linking Mulhouse to...