Decided to follow someone else's team around Germany? Paddy Comyn offers some World Cup driving essentials
While Ireland, sadly, missed the boat for the World Cup, you don't have to. For many, the lure of a World Cup so near our own shores will be too much to ignore and tickets or not, many Irish fans will travel to Germany this week hopeful of a slice of the atmosphere - if not the action.
From June 9th to July 9th Germany will host 32 teams, in a total of 64 matches in 12 stadiums.
But what do you need to know before setting off by car to this year's championships? Whether you decide to rent a car there or bring your own vehicle to Germany, there are some things to bear in mind to ensure your stay is both safe and Polizei-free.
Using a car may be one of the best ways to travel between World Cup venues, allowing you to also take in some of the sights.
The German autobahn is well known for being both well engineered and for the fact that in parts there are no speed limits. The autobahn network is approximately 11,000km long and has names that consist of an 'A' followed by up to three digits. In general, even-numbered roads connect east to west destinations, whereas odd numbers indicate mainly a north to south direction.
Tom Hanratty, from Drogheda, a sales manager with Musgrave, spent six years living in Germany and points out some of the more subtle differences between driving in Ireland and driving in Germany.
"Virtually every move made by drivers in Germany is regulated by the law. On the autobahn, drivers will drive fast, regardless of the conditions. Don't ever drive on the far left lane unless you really know what you are doing because people really do drive flat-out. Unlike some people in Ireland, German drivers know what an indicator is and actually use it.
"Always carry your driver's licence with you, as German police will impound your car if you haven't got one on you. The same applies for fines. If you haven't the money on you, you can lose your car there and then."
The German newspaper Spiegel is offering a handy, if somewhat tongue-in-cheek online guide on their English-language site called The German Survival Bible (see spiegel.de) and some offerings include "Don't give anyone the finger. Germans are 100 times more likely to call the police." Another worth noting is: "Don't complain when a parking attendant charges you for another hour even when you are only 25 seconds late."
Remember your three Rs in Germany - Rules, Rules and Rules and your German Road Trip should be a memorable one, for all the right reasons.
DOCUMENTATION
A national driving licence, a vehicle registration document and a valid insurance certificate is sufficient for driving in Germany for up to 12 months. Non-German vehicles should have a European number plate (European symbol of stars with, e.g. IRL, on the extreme left of the number plate) or at least have a nationality sign at the back of the vehicle. Most Irish vehicle insurances are valid and recognised in Germany but it is a good idea to check with your insurance provider before leaving. Ensure that you always carry all documents and evidence of motor insurance with you.
FERRY
A round trip from Rosslare to Cherbourg for a car and two adults will cost you between €500 and €600 with Irish Ferries. The distance from Cherbourg to Cologne (closest World Cup venue to France) is 762km, which depending on traffic conditions should be reached in about 8 hours.
TOLLS
All German motorways and main roads are toll-free for cars. However, a charge is levied upon some sight-seeing roads in Bavaria.
GERMAN SPEED LIMITS
Cities/towns/villages 50 km/h
Motorways (recommended limit) 130 km/h
On all other roads 100 km/h.
DRINKING AND DRIVING
Heavy fines are imposed for driving with an alcohol content of over 0.5 per ml in the blood.
WARNING TRIANGLES
Triangles are required to be on board every vehicle. In case of breakdown this should be placed at least 100m behind the car on motorways and 50m on all other roads.
HEADLIGHTS
If you are driving to Germany then you must adjust the headlamp beam pattern to suit driving on the right so that the dipped beams don't dazzle oncoming drivers. Headlamp beam converter kits should be obtained from a car accessories shop before travelling to the Continent. Xenon headlamps cannot be adapted by applying an external mask. Consult your dealer for advice in this case.
CAR RENTAL
Most of the major car rental agencies are represented in Germany including Avis, Hertz, Budget, Alamo, Sixt, and Europcar. Rental cars are available at all airports and many major rail stations and other city locations, although you'll often pay more for the convenience of the latter.
A quick scoot around the internet uncovered Interrent car rentals, a no frills subsidiary of Europcar/VW (see interrent.com) offering car rental in seven of the 12 World Cup cities from as little as €8.99 per day for a Volkswagen Fox, with a long-term rental of a Volkswagen Golf from €680 per month. You will get a more comprehensive fleet from providers such as Sixt, who have outlets at all World Cup venues, with prices from about €138 for a Volkswagen Polo. Don't hang about though, because many of the sites we checked had little availability left for key dates.