Energy Crisis: What Visitors Travelling to Germany Should Expect This Fall?
The German government has introduced several measures which aim at saving energy for winter, as the country is trying to reduce its dependency on Russian gas.
As the goals of reducing gas usage by two per cent have been introduced, tourists visiting Germany this fall, or even winter, can expect fewer lights in the city halls and buildings and fewer lighten up billboards.
More specifically, public buildings will not be lightened up after ten o’clock, while businesses could be banned if they keep their shops’ lights on at night, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Tourists might find apartments and accommodation facilities colder this year, as the public buildings need to be heated to a maximum of only 19C, while heating can be entirely cut off in entrances and similar spots. In addition, the private swimming pools will have to remain cold as heating them is banned. Warm water for washing hands will also not be available to German residents or tourists for this period.
Moreover, the country will give coal and oil cargo priority over travelling via railways, indicating that tourists wanting to travel by train will probably have to wait.
“We have a shortage situation on the rails right now. That means that if additional fuel transports are temporarily necessary, we would have to prioritise them,” Transport Minister Volker Wissing said.
As the German Economy Minister has previously noted, the new rules could save households, companies and the public sector up to €10.8 billion until 2024. Before the Russian military invasion of Ukraine, Germany got 55 per cent of its gas from Russia, but since then, this amount has dropped down to 35 per cent, and the government is determined to end imports completely.
However, as BBC reports, Germany remains a huge market for Russia, as it has paid almost €9 billion for Russian oil and gas in March and April alone.
Although the energy-saving measures can be stringent, this doesn’t mean that tourists aren’t welcomed or don’t have much to see in German territory. On the contrary, the destination is particularly attractive in fall, as Oktoberfest will be held during this season.
More specifically, this festival, which is dedicated to beer lovers, will start from September 17 to October 3, and it is expected to receive more than seven million tourists. Moreover, the festival is expected to generate the country more than €1.5 billion in tourist revenue.
As the official website for Oktoberfest 2022 reveals, entering the festival and beer tents is entirely free, but the starting price point for food and beverages is €12.
