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Neutron Flux
04-19-13, 00:03
This is thread is aimed at travel information of all sorts to FKKs and sauna clubs in Germany and thereby help to reduce some of the ever repeating questions in the club threads. My idea would be that this thread would be there for questions of all sorts and that posters who feel qualified can collect a general info post on a specific subject like the one that I will add here shortly (does not need to be on specific club, can also be on a specific travel method like car, train etc, general dos and donts and so forth). These info posts could then be linked to when someone asks instead of typing the same stuff every time again. Of course, the info posts are not meant to restrict someone from adding even more info on a specific club or subject. If we manage to collect enough info posts on all the major clubs, maybe these could be tagged somewhere at the top of the page. Let's see if it works out.

Note that there is also a thread in the German Partytreff forum that has useful travel info:

http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/showthread.php?3377-Trip-Planning-Tips-Public-Transport-Hotels-and-Practical-Details

Neutron Flux
04-19-13, 00:14
Oase is one of the major FKK clubs in Germany. Many questions about it and how to get there are already answered on their website.

http://www.fkk-oase.de/

Those who are thinking of visiting should take a moment to review the info available there. Since the club is located in the countryside between Burgholzhausen and Ober-Erlenbach getting there and back takes little bit of logistics if you do not have a car but it can easily be done.

HOTELS: It is not possible to stay overnight in the club and there are no hotels in the immediate vicinity, however there are many hotels that are just a short taxi ride or a walk, if you feel inclined to do so, away. On their website they recommend the Mercure and Arkadia in Friedrichsdorf. These are around 5 kms away from the club and around 10 euros with taxi one-way. I have stayed at the Mercure, their rooms are a bit small and they do not have free wi-fi (but a free internet corner close to the reception) but other than that it is a good hotel. Their rates vary, but you should not pay more than 70 euros per night. Some deals are excluding breakfast, but there is a 24 hour gas station including shop next door. Be aware that this hotel is around 1 km away from the S-Bahn station and the route is not flat, so if you arrive with some heavy luggage and walk like I did last time, you will struggle a bit. I have never been at Arkadia, it is closer to the S-Bahn, it is probably good. But basically any hotel in Friedrichsdorf or Bad Homburg area will be relatively good for Oase. On Google maps they show two hotels in Ober-Erlenbach and a small 'Pension' in Burgholzhausen, from there you can probably easily walk even in bad weather. Whether they are any good, I don't know. For those wanting more luxury there is the Steigenberger and I believe also one or two other 5 star hotels in Bad Homburg.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Generally, as was mentioned lots of times, use.

www.bahn.de

For all of Germany and.

www.rmv.de

For the region for up to the minute travel info, prices, discounts, online tickets etc. Also available as app for phones.

From the airport: There are various train options from the Airport, in order to remain brief, if you do not know what to do: Go to the 'Regionalbahnhof', look for train and green S-Bahn signs and use the S8 or S9 train that go very frequently in the direction 'Hanau, Frankfurt, Offenbach' on platform 1, do not go in the direction 'Wiesbaden, Rüsselsheim'. There are ticket machines and offices, you want to go to 'Friedrichsdorf S-Bahn Station' or 'Bad Homburg S-Bahn Station', see below. The standard fare is 4. 25 euros, one way. Although it is not exactly the direct way, there is no shortcut, and you have to go via the central station (Hauptbahnhof) , three stops. 10 minutes. Get out there on platform 102.

From Frankfurt central station: Go to platform 104 and take the S5 to 'Friedrichsdorf'. The standard fare is 4. 25 euros, one way, there are ticket machines and offices. Then you will have many stops and the train successively filling and emptying with passengers, and it is the three last stops that the Oase visitor should consider. Travel time is around 20 to 25 mins. First: Bad Homburg. This is the easiest station for the newbie. Get out there, take one of the many taxis and direct the driver to Oase, around 16-18 euros, one-way. Second: Seulberg. This station is really only good if you want to walk the rest of the way, see below. Third and last stop: Friedrichsdorf. From this station the taxi is cheaper. 10-11 euros, however the backdraw is that there is only a small taxi stand with, I believe, two taxis there, so if they are both absent you have to wait or call up one.

From Frankfurt: If you have a hotel somewhere in Frankfurt, depending on where you are, other routes than the S5 may be faster, in particular if you are a close to the U2 line, you can use it to 'Bad Homburg Gonzenheim', the last stop. I do not remember the taxi situation there, I'm not sure I ever used this for Oase, but if there is none, walk the short way to Bad Homburg S-Bahn station via Frankfurter Landstrasse (look at Google maps or similar).

For those who hate cabs, or paying for it: It is possible to take the bus from Bad Homburg to 'Ober-Erlenbach', various stations there, or the HLB train from Friedrichsdorf to 'Burgholzhausen', from there you can walk the rest of the way. Again, use rmv. De and / or maps. From Seulberg it is possible to walk directly, over an autobahn bridge, through some rather loose paths. If choose any of these options, I assume you know what you are doing, and you don't need this guide. I do not recommend this to a newbie.

BACK FROM OASE: Not a problem, if you are staying somewhere close as I recommended, just use the taxi. There are always taxis there, on busy nights there is also usually a taxi waiting right at the front door, starting from midnight or so. Else, walk the short way to the taxi stand located at the start of the parking lot, or let reception call one to the front door. If you need to go back to Frankfurt, the usual way is to taxi to Friedrichsdorf and there take the S5 back, last train at 0. 08, the first arrives at 4. 38 mon- fri. 5.08 sat, sun, for those who want to close the club. If you miss the one at 0. 08 go to Bad Homburg Gonzenheim with the taxi and take the last U2 train at 0. 39, or the first at 4. 54 mon-fri. 5.24 sat, sun. I recommend leaving at least 20 mins before those times, just in case, but usually the taxi will be there fast, and take just 5 mins. Taxi to Gonzenheim will be around 15 euros. If you really need to go back to Frankfurt in between those times, and don't find someone else who can give you a ride, you just have to use an expensive taxi at 40-50 euros.

TAXI: Use the internet to find local taxi numbers, always good to have. +49-6172-22100 is one that I have stored in my mobile, I think that was the cheap one. Other than that, just remember the station where you want to go. The taxi driver will know Oase, no need to remember details. Taxis are metered and highly regulated in Germany, the risk of scams is very low, but it's surely helpful not to look like a totally clueless tourist.

RENTAL CAR: Nothing specific to Oase, maybe someone can write more on that. There are many reputable companies, global and local ones, just look at the details of the deal, don't let them upsell you useless extras (every new car has a navigation system etc.) , book over the internet, not on the counter, and you can often get better deals at stations that are not directly on the airport or the central station. Note that there is 0. 5 per mille alcohol limit in Germany, and while I have never seen one anywhere close to Oase, controls do happen. Oase has a cocktail night on Saturday, selling delicious cocktails for five euros each. Directions to Oase can be found on their website and maps of course.

SAFETY: Generally, all the public transport routes and all the area around Oase are very safe. Of course that should not prevent anyone from using common sense on some occasions. Some areas in Frankfurt are maybe not 100 percent in that category but that would lead too far here. Note that, while there is much worse on this planet, the roads around Frankfurt can be a bit confusing and busy at times.

Breadman
04-19-13, 00:22
Always, always avoid using Thrifty and Dollar car rentals. They'll tell you when you walk up to the desk that you have to pay extra for their insurance, adding several hundred dollars to your reservation.

Mack Dad
04-19-13, 02:38
I uploaded the video that was floating around the web, How to get to OASE from FRA airport. If it gets pulled PM me so I can upload it in another site. Mind you the train ride price has gone up from 2.10 to 3.25 euros.

http://youtu.be/FtvSI9d3-kU

Ibn Buttita
04-19-13, 11:55
There's also a lot of useful transportation information here:

http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/showthread.php?3277-Club-tour-using-public-transportation

Ibn Buttita
04-19-13, 12:17
Excerpts from my reports from November 2012:

World:

At the start of November I had the chance to tack on a couple of days in Frankfurt on the way back from a trip to Eastern Europe, but this time I decided to try staying close to World and Oase, rather than stay in Frankfurt and need to leave early for the last trains back to Frankfurt HBF. Touching down at midday on a Thursday, I got a train to Giessen and continued on the Hessisches Landesbahn to Garbenteich (I had purchased a discounted E19 ticket online a few days earlier).

Earlier in the week I had made a reservation at zum Gruenen Baum guesthouse (06404-7152 or 0641-45784, zumgruenenbaum@arcor.de) , a five minute walk from the (tiny) Garbenteich station. I'm glad I followed advice on the forum to book ahead, as the proprietor (a friendly guy, with good English) told me that he had to give me the last room, one without a bathroom attached (discounting it from 27 Euros to a bargain 20 Euros) since so many of the rooms were taken up by girls from World. This made for an interesting combination, since the only other guests I saw were elderly folk; the place seems to be part working girl dormitory, part convalescence home. The walk over to World took barely 15 minutes, an easy route that takes you through the attractive village a bit, over the train tracks, past an Eastern Orthodox church and then up the hill to the club.

Oase:

After a long night at World at the start of November, I woke up for the second day of my quick Frankfurt FKK layover. I had stayed overnight in Garbenteich near World, and caught a noontime train to Giessen and then via Friedhof to Burgholzhausen. I got turned around a little bit walking through Burgholzhausen to Pension Wall (49 60071467) , where I had reserved a room (39 Euros for the night) , but it's an attractive historic village and so I enjoyed the walk. The walk over to Oase took around 15 minutes, not as good as the walk to World since I was right on the shoulder of road (I didn't see the farmer's path I later read about).

Note: On a January trip I did find the farmer's road mentioned above, it's a better walk than along the main road, and it's actually a very scenic stroll. You end up behind Oase and just walk into the parking lot.

Lucknow
04-23-13, 03:28
Do they have taxis waiting here or walk is the only option to oase. Has anyone tried taxi from friedhof to oase? Do they have taxis waiting.

Thanks

Yakob
04-23-13, 08:09
Do they have taxis waiting here or walk is the only option to oase. Has anyone tried taxi from friedhof to oase? Do they have taxis waiting.

ThanksLucknow,

At Bulghozhausen (BHH) station there is usually no taxi waiting. Thou shalt need to use your handy to call a taxi to come collect you and take you to Oase. In Germany it is part of a normal taxi service that you can call them to collect you to take you to your final destination. Just like when you are at Oase you ask Reception to call a taxi for you rather than always finding a taxi waiting for you in front of the building, although at times there is always a taxi waiting for you at Oase in any case.

Njoy.

Banana Boi
05-05-13, 13:46
How much would it be for taxi from FKK Palace to FRA airport be? From FKK Palace to Taunusstrasse (RLD)?

1 day car rental from SixT is € 80 so if taxi works out to be only a bit more I will not rent a car. Train is an option but I'd prefer to stay out after 1:00 am but not til 4 am.

Hessen Bub
05-05-13, 17:00
Palace to airport: approx. 35€

Palace to RLD: approx. 12€

HB

RedBull691
06-14-13, 18:45
Can anyone help, will be in Dusseldorf tomorrow, Saturday, for a few days. Was looking to go to villa-venus. Is it possible to go by public transport. Anyone help.

Wanking
06-14-13, 19:27
Can anyone help, will be in Dusseldorf tomorrow, Saturday, for a few days. Was looking to go to villa-venus. Is it possible to go by public transport. Anyone help.Http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query2.exe/en?ld=9647&seqnr=3&ident=8w.02794047.1371234083&rt=1&rememberSortType=minDeparture&REQ0HafasScrollDir=1

Foolish
06-14-13, 23:48
How much would it be for taxi from FKK Palace to FRA airport be? From FKK Palace to Taunusstrasse (RLD)?

1 day car rental from SixT is € 80 so if taxi works out to be only a bit more I will not rent a car. Train is an option but I'd prefer to stay out after 1:00 am but not til 4 am.Storage: 7 euro. 2-24 hours for a normal bag, max 30kg.

http://www.frankfurt-airport.com/content/frankfurt_airport/en/checkin_luggage/luggage_neu/storage.html

Xplorer007
06-17-13, 16:20
Can anyone help, will be in Dusseldorf tomorrow, Saturday, for a few days. Was looking to go to villa-venus. Is it possible to go by public transport. Anyone help.Take train to Duisberg then Tram to Amsterdammstrasse club is about 25 mins walk.

Ortos
06-18-13, 12:13
There has been some discussion of late about the situation of finding a taxi from the S-bahn station at Friedricksdorf in order to continue the journey to FKK Oase.

Some posters have said: It is easy to find a taxi here as there are "always" two or three taxis waiting at the station as each S-bahn arrives from Frankfurt. Others have posted about problems of finding a taxi at this station, and that they had to wait for up to 30+ minutes for one to turn up.

I normally don't face any of this stuff because I usually rent a car. However, last week it happened that I was in FFM without access to a car and I used the S-bahn / taxi forumula on several occassions. Here's what I found:

First from FFM Hbf to Friedricksdorf you must use the S5 line, which normally runs twice an hour, at :54 and :24, if my memory serves. If you take a train during "prime time travel hours" (intepret that how you like) it is most likely you WILL find a taxi waiting for you. If you travel during off-peak hours, you may run into problems finding taxis waiting in the staiton. This is what I found.

Every time I arrived at Friedricksdorf BEFORE 20. 30, I found taxis waiting. Twice I arrived after 20. 30 and I had a problem.

However, I was lucky I suppose because on my first visit via Taxi to Oase, I got friendly with the young (Persian-origin) taxi driver, who gave me his card with mobile number and he freely offered to take me direct from Oase back to central FFM for 40e flat fee. This was great, becasue it allowed me to stay in the club as late / early morning as I liked without having to keep track of time for the last train back to FFM. Also with this card / handy number, I was able to call him from the Friedricksdorf S-bahn station on the occassions that I found no taxi waiting.

Apparently this is a father-son team who together have two taxis and they handle alot of transfers to Oase.

Am I allowed to post here the taxi driver's mobile telephone number? I assume somebody in the admin here will yell bloody murder if I post the telephone number, right? I don't know why it is wrong though, since this is an essential piece of information that will greatly aid travellers trying to go to Oase (and / or maybe back to FFM). Isn't that what this board is all about: trying to help people get there, do there thing and save some money?

Let me know and I'll post the number if anybody is interested.

O

PeterTaylor
06-18-13, 12:22
[I'd like the number.

Peter

PianoPlayer
06-18-13, 19:58
I recently rented a car at Koln-Bonn airport (CGN) from Sixt for $25 per day on a weekend, by booking on Kayak. Com. On the Sixt web site the rate was over $100 per day. It is always worth checking the various internet travel web sites. Even with gas it seemed an economical way to get to Bernds, Acapulco and Samya.

UltraHappy
06-18-13, 23:46
There has been some discussion of late about the situation of finding a taxi from the S-bahn station at Friedricksdorf in order to continue the journey to FKK Oase.

Am I allowed to post here the taxi driver's mobile telephone number? I assume somebody in the admin here will yell bloody murder if I post the telephone number, right? I don't know why it is wrong though, since this is an essential piece of information that will greatly aid travellers trying to go to Oase (and / or maybe back to FFM). Isn't that what this board is all about: trying to help people get there, do there thing and save some money?

Let me know and I'll post the number if anybody is interested.

OI previously posted my taxi tips in the Oase thread on October 26, 2012. Here is a useful excerpt from that earlier post:

If you don't mind calling a taxi and waiting a few minutes, call this number: 0617222100.

www.taxi-22100.de/

That's probably the cheapest taxi service in the area. Check out their flat-rate discounted prices (printed on the back of their business cards they hand you when you ride with them) :

Bad Homburg to Frankfurt airport 32,

Bad Homburg to Frankfurt Hbf 27,

Bad Homburg to Frankfurt City from 25 and

Friedrichsdorf to FRA airport 35,

Friedrichsdorf to FRA Hbf 29 and

Friedrichsdorf to Frankfurt City from 26 Euros.

BUT VERY IMPORTANT: You must tell the taxi driver up front that you want the above discounted flat rates. Otherwise, the driver will turn on the meter and you will pay the same rate as all the other taxis.

Way better pricing than what the Oase taxis offer. If you lose this number and are in a pinch, you could always just call Oase and ask them to send you a taxi. The Oase taxis want to charge you 50-55 Euros to go to Frankfurt city on a busy night (if they know you as a regular or it's a really slow night at the club, they will offer you their 35 Euro price) , but if you call this other taxi service, you can see that their price is almost half of Oase's usual asking price of 55 Euros.

Here are the typical taxi prices from bahnhof to Oase:

Bad Homburg Bahnhof to Oase = 15-17 Euros.

Friedrichsdorf Bahnhof to Oase = 10 Euros.

Remember, if you get off of the S5 at Bad Homburg, there will always, always be taxis outside the bahnhof 100% of the time throughout the entire night and morning. But as others have observed, there aren't always taxis available at the Friedrichsdorf station. I have personally experienced this and was delayed by this error.

When going the opposite way from the club to the station, always go to Friedrichsdorf station because it's closer to Oase and hence slightly cheaper. Get a copy of the S5 schedule so the taxi drivers won't be able to fool you that "there are no more trains left now." Print out a copy from this pdf (or put it on your smartphone) :

http://www.traffiq.de/fm/20/2011_Buc.2010_12_12.pdf

Also useful to time your exits from the club since the train only comes every half hour late at night or on the weekend. During the week in the day, the S5 usually arrives every 15 minutes. Be mindful of when the last train runs in the night if you're counting on that, otherwise you'll have to wait for the morning or resort to taxis to get back to Frankfurt. By the way, it's usually better to just book your hotel in Bad Homburg or Friedrichsdorf if you're spending most of your visits at Oase. Way more convenient than shuttling back and forth to Frankfurt everyday if you can help it.

Neutron Flux
06-19-13, 01:13
Ortos, I don't see why you shouldn't post that taxi no. I've also posted the taxi no. Of Ultrahappy in my introductory post and nobody has complained. This is not some confidential info about WGs or mongers, these are taxi drivers going about their regular and regulated business. It is not a very special deal he gave you though, you can probably get that from almost all drivers. They will usually be very happy to carry you to Oase anyway, because of the extra tener they get from reception and back it's just a standrad flatrate.

You're right about the on and off-peak times of taxis at Friedrichsdorf, however, I've been stuck there at "on peak" times too. I think another good advice is to be fast when you leave the S-Bahn station. Others will also want to use the taxis, so if you are too slow they will be gone by the time you get there.

Den Haag
06-19-13, 10:17
I recently rented a car at Koln-Bonn airport (CGN) from Sixt for $25 per day on a weekend, by booking on Kayak. Com. On the Sixt web site the rate was over $100 per day. It is always worth checking the various internet travel web sites. Even with gas it seemed an economical way to get to Bernds, Acapulco and Samya.To get a more accurate idea of the price you should be paying for a rental car in Germany, check out the German, Dutch (Netherlands) or United Kingdom versions of the auto rental website (Sixt, Hertz, Avis etc).

For $100 per day you should be able to rent a BMW 7 Series Limo and you should be able to get a very descent auto for no more than $50 per day. Even better if you can improve the price further off an internet travel web site (as mentioned in the above post).

Hbengkok
06-19-13, 16:48
To get a more accurate idea of the price you should be paying for a rental car in Germany, check out the German, Dutch (Netherlands) or United Kingdom versions of the auto rental website (Sixt, Hertz, Avis etc).

For $100 per day you should be able to rent a BMW 7 Series Limo and you should be able to get a very descent auto for no more than $50 per day. Even better if you can improve the price further off an internet travel web site (as mentioned in the above post).Is it allowed if we rent a car, for example in Nederland, then use / drive it to Germany or v. V. ? Or there's additional charge?

Thanks.

Optimist
06-19-13, 17:50
Is it allowed if we rent a car, for example in Nederland, then use / drive it to Germany or v. V. ? Or there's additional charge?

Thanks.No problem driving to and from Germany. And should definitely be no charge.

By the way, avoid Thrifty and Dollar in Germany. They are franchised out to Terstappen who have many scams to make up for the fact that on car hire consolidator sites they always come out cheapest

Ortos
06-19-13, 17:57
Ortos, I don't see why you shouldn't post that taxi no. I've also posted the taxi no. Of Ultrahappy in my introductory post and nobody has complained. This is not some confidential info about WGs or mongers, these are taxi drivers going about their regular and regulated business.Okay, here is the number of the Friedricksdorf Taxi Driver: 06172-74 000.

Yes sometimes one must be quick, but even if the taxis are full with customers pulling away, yell at him Oase and they'll stop in their tracks to take you. Because, as said below, of the 10e commission Oase gives the drivers.

Den Haag
06-19-13, 23:55
Thank you for the excellent information Ortos and UltraHappy. Best info on this board of recent times. Much appreciated.

TankTank123
06-20-13, 12:17
I think another good advice is to be fast when you leave the S-Bahn station. Others will also want to use the taxis, so if you are too slow they will be gone by the time you get there.Sit at the 2nd last coach of the S5. The door will then open almost next to the underground passage entrance. Then, if no one else is running, you should be able to get to the taxi ahead of all the rest.

Syzygies
06-22-13, 11:36
Sit at the 2nd last coach of the S5. The door will then open almost next to the underground passage entrance. Then, if no one else is running, you should be able to get to the taxi ahead of all the rest.Agreed. I take the last coach and try to exit door nearest to the stairs. I usually get to the taxi rank first. Standard daytime fee to Oase is 8 Euros 50. Late night and Sunday could be a little more.

Syzygies
06-22-13, 11:37
Sit at the 2nd last coach of the S5. The door will then open almost next to the underground passage entrance. Then, if no one else is running, you should be able to get to the taxi ahead of all the rest.Agreed. I take the last coach and try to exit door nearest to the stairs. I usually get to the taxi rank first. Standard daytime fee to Oase is 8 Euros 50. Late night and Sunday could be a little more.

Banana Boi
07-01-13, 03:05
Any 3 or 4 star hotels near Mainhattan, Palace, or Oase that have air conditioned rooms?

Ortos
07-01-13, 05:05
Any 3 or 4 star hotels near Mainhattan, Palace, or Oase that have air conditioned rooms?Ibis Hotels have pretty decent A / C in the rooms. There's one (Ibis Frankfurt West) within easy walking distance from Palace. Ibis Offenbach (Kaiserlei) is across the river not too far from Mainhattan, but the Ibis Frankfurt Centre (Hbf area) might provide easier access to the Strassebahn to Mainhattan. (If you have a car than, Offenbach is closer). For Oase, maybe the Mercure Hotel in Friedricksdorf has A / C, I'm not sure.

O

Banana Boi
07-02-13, 04:23
Thanks Ortos. I found Kayak, a site with a filter that shows all air conditioned hotels for those who can't sleep in hot stuffy rooms.

BonePony
07-02-13, 06:30
Any 3 or 4 star hotels near Mainhattan, Palace, or Oase that have air conditioned rooms?I have stayed at the Pure near the Hauptbahnhof several times. It is a fantastic hotel with modern decor and nice rooms (including A / C). The staff all speaks great English and provide wonderful service (OK, not that kind of service, but still very helpful). Breakfast is fantastic, and the rooms are not too expensive (at least by US and UK standards). It is within walking distance of Palace, short cab or TRAM ride to Mainhatten, and 100 meters from the train station (I. E. trains to Friedrichsdorf and Giessen).

The Pure

Niddastrasse 86

60329 Frankfurt

Germany

BP

Banana Boi
07-04-13, 11:00
The Pure

Niddastrasse 86

60329 Frankfurt

Germany

BPThanks BP. Looks like a nice place. Will definitely keep it in mind.

Trans Atlantic
07-07-13, 04:02
To get a more accurate idea of the price you should be paying for a rental car in Germany, check out the German, Dutch (Netherlands) or United Kingdom versions of the auto rental website (Sixt, Hertz, Avis etc).

For $100 per day you should be able to rent a BMW 7 Series Limo and you should be able to get a very descent auto for no more than $50 per day. Even better if you can improve the price further off an internet travel web site (as mentioned in the above post).Very true. That's why I rent instead of public transportation. If you keep the car over a Saturday night (with Hertz on their UK / France / Spain website) , it's even cheaper. If you can't drive stick, a Mercedes C with GPS is €120 VAT included for a Thursday to Sunday rental for pickup at the airport. That comes out to €40 a day not including petrol. If you want to save more, pickup the car at the Hertz location by the Hbf and the same rental is €100 since you avoid the airport surcharge. And if you drive stick, there are even more cheaper options available.


Is it allowed if we rent a car, for example in Nederland, then use / drive it to Germany or v. V. ? Or there's additional charge?

Thanks.

Driving in another country no charge but if you are returning in another country (or even another location within the same country), there usually would be a charge.

Breadman
07-07-13, 04:43
That's why I rent instead of public transportation. If you keep the car over a Saturday night (with Hertz on their UK / France / Spain website) , it's even cheaper. If you can't drive stick, a Mercedes C with GPS is €120 VAT included for a Thursday to Sunday rental for pickup at the airport.So do you waive the insurance and use your credit card to cover any damage? Most credit cards limit the amount money wise that they will cover. You are liable for the rest of the amount that the credit card won't pay. The higher priced car you rent, the more you'll have to pay if the car is damaged beyond repair or stolen. You can always add on the extra coverage thru the rental agency but that can double a rental. $37k euro's for a mercedes C class equates to roughly $50k USD. The fine print on my credit card says 'up to $40, 000' to replace the vehicle.

Trans Atlantic
07-07-13, 11:11
So do you waive the insurance and use your credit card to cover any damage? Most credit cards limit the amount money wise that they will cover. You are liable for the rest of the amount that the credit card won't pay. The higher priced car you rent, the more you'll have to pay if the car is damaged beyond repair or stolen. You can always add on the extra coverage thru the rental agency but that can double a rental. $37k euro's for a mercedes C class equates to roughly $50k USD. The fine print on my credit card says 'up to $40, 000' to replace the vehicle.My card covers $50K USD so that's adequate since I usually just go with a manual. If I want to splurge and go with a 5er / 7er, I use AMEX's car rental premium protection. $25USD flat rate coverage up to $100K USD per rental.

Banana Boi
07-07-13, 21:34
Where can I buy or rent a pay as you go phone in Dusseldorf or FRA?

I bought a Simyo SIM card that I thought I could plug in to my phone by it doesn't work. It asks me to unlock it which I can with the phone but then says no service. It supposedly came with air time, I think?

By the way, is calling emergency in Germany the same as it is in the US, by dialing 911?

London Traveller
07-07-13, 23:28
Where can I buy or rent a pay as you go phone in Dusseldorf or FRA?

I bought a Simyo SIM card that I thought I could plug in to my phone by it doesn't work. It asks me to unlock it which I can with the phone but then says no service. It supposedly came with air time, I think?Try a phone shop. There is an O2 shop in Frankfurt Airport, Terminal 1, area B.

I have a cheapie phone which I have been using in Germany. I bought the sim card on Ebay and then topped it up at Dusseldorf airport. I am now upgrading to an iphone and have a different sim card for that, of course. The new account can be managed online, which is much more convenient.

Here is German emergency number list: http://www.dastelefonbuch.de/Notfallrufnummern.html
'Notfall' is German for 'emergency'

Trans Atlantic
07-08-13, 04:05
Where can I buy or rent a pay as you go phone in Dusseldorf or FRA?

I bought a Simyo SIM card that I thought I could plug in to my phone by it doesn't work. It asks me to unlock it which I can with the phone but then says no service. It supposedly came with air time, I think?

By the way, is calling emergency in Germany the same as it is in the US, by dialing 911?Is your phone purchased with a contract? If so it is probably SIM locked to the carrier. Some carriers will unlock once your contract is up allowing you to use SIMs from other carriers

Banana Boi
07-08-13, 08:46
Is your phone purchased with a contract? If so it is probably SIM locked to the carrier. Some carriers will unlock once your contract is up allowing you to use SIMs from other carriersMy phone is unlocked. I'm able to unlock my SIM card on the phone. Just not able to get service.

Trans Atlantic
07-08-13, 18:59
My phone is unlocked. I'm able to unlock my SIM card on the phone. Just not able to get service.Does the phone support the same GSM frequency as the carrier?

Banana Boi
07-24-13, 00:38
My Galaxy S3 didn't work in Germany again. Is there a store in or near DUSS airport where I can go to buy a Germany pay as you go phone?

UltraHappy
07-24-13, 02:09
My phone is unlocked. I'm able to unlock my SIM card on the phone. Just not able to get service.Banana, there are two different types of locks here. There is the SIM card lock which you observed when you had to type the SIM card password. But your phone is likely carrier-locked as well. You have to have your phone itself "unlocked" from the carrier so that other SIM cards will work in your phone. You typically contact your carrier to initiate this process. You need to do this at least a week or two before your trip because the entire process can take a few days (the carrier often has to go through the manufacturer which typically involves emails back and forth).

A Galaxy S3 will certainly work in Germany no problem if it is both GSM and carrier-unlocked (and I am assuming it is GSM because you were able to insert a SIM card inside it).

Optimist
08-04-13, 10:13
The crucial A52 autobahn is closed until the end of September. This is leading to extra congestion on al the east-west autobahns running from the Duisburg to Dortmund. You probably need to allow an extra 30/45 minutes at least. Avoid the A40 through the middle of Essen: it is often a stationary car park at the moment. This makes getting to all the Gelsenkirchen/Bochum etc clubs difficult unless you travel outside daytime working hours

On the west side of Dusseldorf the southwards junction from the A52 to the A57 is a nightmare due to the ongoing A57 roadworks

Banana Boi
08-04-13, 13:18
The crucial A52 autobahn is closed until the end of September. This is leading to extra congestion on al the east-west autobahns running from the Duisburg to Dortmund. You probably need to allow an extra 30/45 minutes at least. Avoid the A40 through the middle of Essen: it is often a stationary car park at the moment. This makes getting to all the Gelsenkirchen / Bochum etc clubs difficult unless you travel outside daytime working hours.

On the west side of Dusseldorf the southwards junction from the A52 to the A57 is a nightmare due to the ongoing A57 roadworksThanks Optimist. Glad it's not the stretch of A52 from Dusseldorf to GT.

Having a GPS with live traffic alerts has saved me so much time in Germany. On my trip from Frankfurt to Cologne last month I took a 20 km detour that my GPS said will save me 40 minutes of valuable FKK time.

Banana Boi
09-02-13, 03:32
The crucial A52 autobahn is closed until the end of September. This is leading to extra congestion on al the east-west autobahns running from the Duisburg to Dortmund. You probably need to allow an extra 30/45 minutes at least. Avoid the A40 through the middle of Essen: it is often a stationary car park at the moment. This makes getting to all the Gelsenkirchen / Bochum etc clubs difficult unless you travel outside daytime working hours.

On the west side of Dusseldorf the southwards junction from the A52 to the A57 is a nightmare due to the ongoing A57 roadworksA friend of mine drove from ACA to GT via A46 last weekend and said it took him 2 hours due to construction. I would have taken A44 and A52 but I guess his GPS told him to go A46.

Any other routes we need to avoid at this time?

Any issues on A44 between ACA and PHG?

Breadman
09-02-13, 05:10
A friend of mine drove from ACA to GT via A46 last weekend and said it took him 2 hours due to construction. I would have taken A44 and A52 but I guess his GPS told him to go A46.

Any other routes we need to avoid at this time?

Any issues on A44 between ACA and PHG?On my last trip I came down the 535 (leaving my hotel in Velbert) and got onto the 46 towards Dusseldorf. Didn't go more than a mile before I was stuck in stopped traffic, took me 20 minutes to get off at the next exit. Headed back to Aca without any problems. This was about 10am on a weekday.

SwingerLover
09-02-13, 13:46
A535 + A44 + A52 is propably the worst route from ACA to GT, even if there isn't any construction going on.

I have never driven from Velbert to Brüggen, but from the look of things I'd say you are better off taking the even shorter route via A535, A44, then leave the Autobahn and take the L426 & L 422 towards Wülfrath / Düsseldorf and then A44 and A52 to Mönchengladbach and on to Brüggen. This route makes most sense on paper.

Another option is to go north on the A44 towards Essen and then use the A40 towards Mönchengladbach, then a quick dip into the A61 towards Koblenz and from there to Brüggen. But I have no idea about the construction situation on those two alternate routes or if there is any construction going on at all.

Trans Atlantic
09-25-13, 02:59
A535 + A44 + A52 is propably the worst route from ACA to GT, even if there isn't any construction going on.

I have never driven from Velbert to Brüggen, but from the look of things I'd say you are better off taking the even shorter route via A535, A44, then leave the Autobahn and take the L426 & L 422 towards Wülfrath / Düsseldorf and then A44 and A52 to Mönchengladbach and on to Brüggen. This route makes most sense on paper.

Another option is to go north on the A44 towards Essen and then use the A40 towards Mönchengladbach, then a quick dip into the A61 towards Koblenz and from there to Brüggen. But I have no idea about the construction situation on those two alternate routes or if there is any construction going on at all.From Aca to GT, I always go thru the airport and haven't really have any issues. The route is A44- L426- L422- A44- A52 to Bruggen.

Banana Boi
09-25-13, 04:47
I encountered no big traffic issues and I drove many different routes last week.

SwingerLover
09-25-13, 14:40
The route is A44- L426- L422- A44- A52 to Bruggen.So it's exactly the route I described as "making most sense on paper". Thanks for the confirmation.

Sad Sam
09-29-13, 18:46
I was wondering if it is easy enough for people to be able to drive around to the NRW clubs from Frankfurt airport in this age of google maps and navigation. Any suggestions or help is greatly appreciated. I have never driven in Germany.

PussyLiccker
09-30-13, 02:41
i was wondering if it is easy enough for people to be able to drive around to the nrw clubs from frankfurt airport in this age of google maps and navigation. any suggestions or help is greatly appreciated. i have never driven in germany.it's pretty easy. if you enter any club address to google, it should recognize the location. if you are using a portable device with google, you will need a data connection and it must have gps capability built in. also, if you like to use a personal navigation program, i would recommend tomtom as it's a european company, and from my experience it finds the exact address in germany. you can purchase it for the smartphone and use it without a data connection as long as your device has gps built in. also, look for speed camera capability built into tomtom software or app on portable devices. if it's your first time, you will run into speed cams especially around koln. you will be doing mostly highway driving with some city driving depending on which clubs you attend, but if you follow the gps, you will have no problems. germany can be confusing for some without navigation, but germans care about you and displays signs everywhere to let you aware of what is going on around you which is very helpful.

autobahn is like the us highway, it's really easy to drive. very organized and have necessary signs just like in the us. they also use numbers and also show which city you are heading to on the signs. but, you will need navigation system still.

Trans Atlantic
09-30-13, 10:12
i was wondering if it is easy enough for people to be able to drive around to the nrw clubs from frankfurt airport in this age of google maps and navigation. any suggestions or help is greatly appreciated. i have never driven in germany.regarding car rentals. keeping it over a sat night is usually significantly cheaper that a rental during the week. weekend rates usually start around thursday noon. renting a manual transmission is even cheaper. frankfurt to dusseldorf is about a 2 hour drive. be aware which type of fuel the car takes (unleaded or diesel). one option worth considering is taking a train from frankfurt airport straight to dusseldorf and renting a car from there. buying a train ticket days / weeks in advance is usually cheaper than last minute.

in terms of navigation, you can either rent one (either built in or handheld provided by rental agency) or if you have a smart phone, use waze or google maps. of course to do so you'll need a data plan and an unlocked smartphone. if your phone is not sim unlocked, you'll probably be better off getting navigation from the rental agency due to data roaming charges. assuming you have the later, you can pickup prepaid sim cards are supermarkets and probably gas stations. i picked mine up at real. i tested blau.de with waze last week and it was pretty good coverage. supermarkets sell a blau (as well as other brands) prepaid sim (which is a regular size sim but is punchout-ready to micro-sim) for 9-10eur and it comes with a 9-10eur credit. if you need a nano (iphone 5) , you might have to go to an actual mobile store. blau offers an "internet-optionen" of 1gb at 3g for 10eur a month which probably makes the most sense since you can use waze / google maps as well as use voip apps to make phone calls.

as for speed cameras, i would observe all posted speed limits (or at almost go 5-10 km / h above). the suggested speed limit for the autobahn is 130 km / h. speed limit in urban areas is 50 km / h if not posted. country side is usually either 70 km / h (or 100 km / h if not posted). generally speaking, keep the left lane clear especially on the autobahn unless you are passing another vehicle.

i always drive when visiting germany so let me know if you have any other questions.

SwingerLover
09-30-13, 16:34
i was wondering if it is easy enough for people to be able to drive around to the nrw clubs from frankfurt airport in this age of google maps and navigation. any suggestions or help is greatly appreciated. i have never driven in germany.if you drive from fra to düsseldorf, then you will be using the a3. be aware that especially at the "elzer berg" and around köln (cologne) you will encounter highway-robbers, masquerading as speed control. so be extra careful to obey the speed limits at those parts of the a3. shouldn't be a problem if you are used to creeping around on us-highways. if you are sammy hagar (i can't drive 55) , then driving on german highways should be to your liking.

as for navigation: the built-in navis in the rental cars should take you everywhere you want to go. you could also use the google-maps system. one guy once showed me that he had downloaded my ao-map to his android-phone and used this map to navigate; so this should work with all other maps as well.

maybe this helps too: http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/showthread.php?3376-swingerclub-map-on-android-phones

happy mongering!

PussyLiccker
10-01-13, 14:10
I've experience dollar rental agency would rip me off, any others?

Banana Boi
10-01-13, 17:36
I've experience dollar rental agency would rip me off, any others?I was just charged 51 euro for 1/8th tank of gas by sixt. The guy who I returned the car to said everything is fine so I assumed no extra charge. I was not asked to take the prepaid gas option.

Trans Atlantic
10-01-13, 18:26
I was just charged 51 euro for 1/8th tank of gas by sixt. The guy who I returned the car to said everything is fine so I assumed no extra charge. I was not asked to take the prepaid gas option.I snap a pic of the gas gauge along with the odometer reading in Germany since, unlike the US, (Sixt) never provides a receipt on the spot.

Banana Boi
10-01-13, 21:39
I snap a pic of the gas gauge along with the odometer reading in Germany since, unlike the US, (Sixt) never provides a receipt on the spot.Good idea. Will start doing that. I'm a Platinum member and I'm going to make a stink when I get back to the airport.

UltraHappy
10-02-13, 00:59
I was just charged 51 euro for 1/8th tank of gas by sixt. The guy who I returned the car to said everything is fine so I assumed no extra charge. I was not asked to take the prepaid gas option.That is so weird. I rent from Sixt quite a bit and have never had any problems with them at all. In fact, one time they reported a 10 inch scratch on my driver's side door. They asked me to submit a report and afterward, instead of charging me a repair fee, they just sent me a letter saying that they decided not to charge me anything. Maybe because it was such a small thing and because I am always renting from them.

Based on my many, many positive experiences with Sixt, I would suggest that your experience was not representative of Sixt in general. At least not based on the Sixt rental agencies in Frankfurt.

I never ask for Navi (because I have my own TomTom and Google Maps on my phone) , but if you get the CPMR class car (that's a SIPP code) from Sixt, then that level car almost always comes with NAV anyways. Just a way for folks to get a free NAV upgrade.

I've read a bunch of people on the Internet complaining about Thrifty / National in Germany doing all kinds of scams (only the subsidiary in Germany, not outside of Germany. Different ownership).

Banana Boi
10-10-13, 06:13
I would suggest that your experience was not representative of Sixt in general. At least not based on the Sixt rental agencies in Frankfurt.My car return was in DUSS. It was not returned directly to a SixT rep since I returned my car before SixT opens. The return was handled by one of those seedy guys who take after hour car returns for all companies.

Creature2
10-10-13, 07:57
I was trying to reach my plane back home, the 3rd of October. This was the unification day, a Thursday, and a public holiday in Germany.

I catch the train from Dietzenbach to Fra Hbf, at 15. 49, on time. Then in midway, all the railways stopped in direction to Fra Hbf. In each station, I lost at least 10 min. There should be a signalisation problem. But I don't have any clue about the issue, the drive made the announcement only in German. I was at the airport just 50 min before my flight. Hopefully, I had my boarding pass already printed at the hotel, so run directly to the security checks, grab the flight with minutes.

I rarely do public transport during my German mongering visits, I mostly rent a car. But I think that DBahn schedule is reliable, the rail system is mostly on time. When catching flight with rental car, I always put a safety margin, because there are always some stau in German highways.

Trans Atlantic
10-10-13, 13:53
My car return was in DUSS. It was not returned directly to a SixT rep since I returned my car before SixT opens. The return was handled by one of those seedy guys who take after hour car returns for all companies.Definitely take a picture of the odometer and fuel gauge when you return so that you know if they took the car out for a joyride after the return and before they close the contract. I think the returns guy will definitely think twice especially if they see you taking the picture.

I've returned in DUS both during and after Sixt business hours. They don't provide receipts on the spot in any scenario.

Optimist
10-10-13, 17:35
I've experience dollar rental agency would rip me off, any others?As already reported by another member, avoid like the plague Thrifty / Dollar which, in Germany, is franchised out to Terstappen. There are a whole host of horror stories. All other companies seem to be generally fine. But always take lots of photos, including of spare tyre and odometer.

I had a problem with Thrifty / Dollar Germany (Terstappen) once and Thrifty UK could not believe the abuse and insults they (Thrifty UK) received from Terstappen

Solo Traveler
10-19-13, 14:19
On the RMV website, it shows that.

"RMV day ticket: It is valid for one calendar day until close of operations or the last journey of the day."

(Tageskarte:Sie gilt am Geltungstag bis zum Betriebsschluss beziehungsweise bis zur letzten als Nachtlinie gekennzeichneten Fahrt.)

Because I will stay in a hotel near Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, and I will take the S-Bahn to Friedrichsdorf Bahnhof and Darmstadt Hauptbahnhof for FKK Oase and FKK Sharks.

I will take the S-Bahn "Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof to Friedrichsdorf " at 15:54 on November 13.

And then, on my way back, I take the S-Bahn "Friedrichsdorf to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof" at 00:08 on November 14.

Here's the problem,

After I have fun in Oase, on my way back to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, when I take the "Friedrichsdorf to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof ", it will be November 14 on the calender (00:08 on November 14).

I wonder the day ticket which I bought on November 13 still available for me to take the S-Bahn "Friedrichsdorf to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof"?

Trans Atlantic
10-19-13, 19:27
I wonder the day ticket which I bought on November 13 still available for me to take the S-Bahn "Friedrichsdorf to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof"?How much are we talking about here if you had to buy another ticket?

Panhead
10-19-13, 19:35
I rented a car from Sixt last Nov. For one day. I used it to go to a hockey game in Islohn and returned to Fra airport. I dropped it off at the sixt area for after hours. I fueled the car up at the gas station at the airport. I flew home and logged into the sixt website to see my invoice I noticed a fuel charge on the invoice I emailed Sixt customer service asking about the charge I left the gas receipt with the paperwork for the car in the car. Sixt refunded the charge no problem.

Panhead
10-19-13, 19:48
Hello,

I have a few questions for you guys who go to NRW on your trips to Germany. I am thinking of making another trip to Germany soon I will fly into Frankfurt I have been to Fra four times, I have been to Palace Oase Sharks 2X, Diezenbach 3X, and Treff 188 on the last trip. I feel like I should Try out an new area NRW If you had to fly in and out of Fra how would you get to NRW and where would you stay? If you where staying four nights just for monger play would you do two days Fra two NRW or all days in NRW and what would your must do places in NRW.

Thanks guys,

Panhead

PussyLiccker
10-19-13, 21:02
Hello,

I have a few questions for you guys who go to NRW on your trips to Germany. I am thinking of making another trip to Germany soon I will fly into Frankfurt I have been to Fra four times, I have been to Palace Oase Sharks 2X, Diezenbach 3X, and Treff 188 on the last trip. I feel like I should Try out an new area NRW If you had to fly in and out of Fra how would you get to NRW and where would you stay? If you where staying four nights just for monger play would you do two days Fra two NRW or all days in NRW and what would your must do places in NRW.

Thanks guys,

PanheadHow would you get to NRW? GPS. You need to have a car (by train, it's not worth it since it's pain in the ass to visit most clubs) , and your previous post tells me you drive. I generally stay near DUSS city since ACA is on the other side of GT relative to DUSS. Near DUSS, doesn't have to be in DUSS, since driving in the city sucks and parking is rare in the city for a hotel. Also DV and LR are close to DUSS. PHG is 3/4 ways to GT. It all depends on which clubs you will be attending the most. If you go to GT only, obviously you need to book a hotel near GT.

Ableyone
10-19-13, 23:57
How much are we talking about here if you had to buy another ticket?A 40€ fine if you don't have a valid ticket.

Previously my understanding was that the validity of a day ticket was until close of operations including the night buses, thus it would therefore be valid on the 00:08 train; however it appears the RMV have now complicated it by adding 'the last journey of the day' condition.

'Last journey of the day or close of operations' makes no sense, why not just say 'last journey of the day'? If the close of operations was before midnight then it would be the last journey of the day!

Buying another ticket at Friedrichsdorf if time is tight can mean you miss your train.

Finnish Fucker
10-20-13, 00:20
How would you get to NRW? GPS. You need to have a car (by train, it's not worth it since it's pain in the ass to visit most clubs) , and your previous post tells me you drive. I generally stay near DUSS city since ACA is on the other side of GT relative to DUSS. Near DUSS, doesn't have to be in DUSS, since driving in the city sucks and parking is rare in the city for a hotel. Also DV and LR are close to DUSS. PHG is 3/4 ways to GT. It all depends on which clubs you will be attending the most. If you go to GT only, obviously you need to book a hotel near GT.You don't necessarily need a car in NRW area! I have done all the main clubs GT, ACA, PHG etc with train + taxi combo. You just need a bit time and patience. DB navigator helps you a lot! And some Rammstein's Reise, Reise to listen to while in the train :cool:

-Kepp

Trans Atlantic
10-20-13, 02:38
Hello,

I have a few questions for you guys who go to NRW on your trips to Germany. I am thinking of making another trip to Germany soon I will fly into Frankfurt I have been to Fra four times, I have been to Palace Oase Sharks 2X, Diezenbach 3X, and Treff 188 on the last trip. I feel like I should Try out an new area NRW If you had to fly in and out of Fra how would you get to NRW and where would you stay? If you where staying four nights just for monger play would you do two days Fra two NRW or all days in NRW and what would your must do places in NRW.

Thanks guys,

PanheadIf you can book in advance and commit to a certain train, it might make sense to take ICE or IC from Frankfurt to Dusseldorf Hbf on a discounted fare and rent a car there. One way diesel is about €35 and you don't have to deal with the 2 hour drive each direction. I usually stay at a B&B or Motel One.


A 40€ fine if you don't have a valid ticket.

Previously my understanding was that the validity of a day ticket was until close of operations including the night buses, thus it would therefore be valid on the 00:08 train; however it appears the RMV have now complicated it by adding 'the last journey of the day' condition.

'Last journey of the day or close of operations' makes no sense, why not just say 'last journey of the day'? If the close of operations was before midnight then it would be the last journey of the day!

Buying another ticket at Friedrichsdorf if time is tight can mean you miss your train.That is the point I was trying to lead to. A one way is less than €5. If you can shell out €120 just for the first 30 min session at Oase, just spend the €5 for the extra ticket back to Frankfurt Hbf.

PussyLiccker
10-20-13, 09:54
You don't necessarily need a car in NRW area! I have done all the main clubs GT, ACA, PHG etc with train + taxi combo. You just need a bit time and patience. DB navigator helps you a lot! And some Rammstein's Reise, Reise to listen to while in the train :cool:

-KeppOf course you can. But then again, I do consider cost/time/convenience when I make decisions. I can move from one club to another at any moment, and I can leave the club at any time. There are many clubs in NRW spread apart and at remote locations. And, I don't have to buy tickets in advance(what if I change my mind?). I've done trains, there are obvious reasons why I drive at the NRW like many others.

Trans Atlantic
10-20-13, 15:07
My Galaxy S3 didn't work in Germany again. Is there a store in or near DUSS airport where I can go to buy a Germany pay as you go phone?Which company SIM are you using? It's been brought to my attention that certain carriers don't program their SIMs to auto configure the phone (APN settings). Assuming your phone is a tri or quad band, and is not locked to your home carrier, it should work with any SIM as long as theses settings are configured either manually or automatically.

Trans Atlantic
10-20-13, 15:14
Of course you can. But then again, I do consider cost/time/convenience when I make decisions. I can move from one club to another at any moment, and I can leave the club at any time. There are many clubs in NRW spread apart and at remote locations. And, I don't have to buy tickets in advance(what if I change my mind?). I've done trains, there are obvious reasons why I drive at the NRW like many others.Same reasons I rent and if you rent over the weekend, car rental prices are not that expensive €70-€90 for three days on a manual. Usually it is an Audi A3 from Sixt or Hertz.

Banana Boi
10-20-13, 15:15
Thanks TA. It worked last month. I had to call my carrier to turn my roaming back on. For some idiotic reason they decided to de-activate roaming on my phone without telling me. Even though my phone said it was roaming it really wasn't!

German phone question. I think I read somewhere I need a German address to get a German cell phone number. Is that true? I plan on walking in to a phone store or Media Markt to ask next time. Hoping someone here can tell me if I'm wasting valuable FKK time.

PussyLiccker
10-20-13, 15:16
Guys I found out that roaming(except calls) will be free with T-mobile overseas, which of course include Germany. The data, text, and wifi calling will be free roaming. The data will be slow(2G), but it's better than nothing. It has not started yet, but will be around 22 of Oct? Not sure, but you need to call in for that.

Trans Atlantic
10-20-13, 15:21
thanks ta. it worked last month. i had to call my carrier to turn my roaming back on. for some idiotic reason they decided to de-activate roaming on my phone without telling me. even though my phone said it was roaming it really wasn't!

german phone question. i think i read somewhere i need a german address to get a german cell phone number. is that true? i plan on walking in to a phone store or media markt to ask next time. hoping someone here can tell me if i'm wasting valuable fkk time.use a fake address. i purchased a sim last month from real. went back to hotel to activate online using google translate. it asked for name / address. i put down a fictitious name and the address of my hotel. from what i can tell, it seems the number is active for at least one year.


guys i found out that roaming(except calls) will be free with t-mobile overseas, which of course include germany. the data, text, and wifi calling will be free roaming. the data will be slow, but it's better than nothing. it has not started yet, but will be around 22 of oct? not sure, but you need to call in for that.limited to 2g speeds but should be adequate for email and imessage. not sure about gps apps such as google maps or waze. probably too slow for voip.

PussyLiccker
10-20-13, 15:21
i have t-mobile, but just in case i want to get a sim for calls and better data speeds. i've heard you need to enter german info like bb talked about below, but don't know if there are a good sim card we can purchase that we don't have to do all that. or is there a easy way to get a sim activated. where in the duss airport can you purchase?

Trans Atlantic
10-20-13, 15:24
i have t-mobile, but just in case i want to get a sim for calls and better data speeds. i've heard you need to enter german info like bb talked about below, but don't know if there are a good sim card we can purchase that we don't have to do all that. or is there a easy way to get a sim activated. where in the duss airport can you purchase?didn't notice mobile stores in dus but i would try the rewe on arrivals. they may have sims.

Banana Boi
10-20-13, 15:27
use a fake address. i purchased a sim last month from real. went back to hotel to activate online using google translate. it asked for name / address. i put down a fictitious name and the address of my hotel.

limited to 2g speeds but should be adequate for email and imessage. not sure about gps apps such as google maps or waze. probably too slow for voip.thanks ta. i always go to real in tonisvorst near phg so will try this.

i only use the net to check out who's working at samya, read isg, and check the weather.

PussyLiccker
10-20-13, 15:42
Same reasons I rent and if you rent over the weekend, car rental prices are not that expensive €70-€90 for three days on a manual. Usually it is an Audi A3 from Sixt or Hertz.So, you are getting Fri-Sun rental of A3 for 90 or less? I've always wanted to drive an Audi. I'm guessing you are renting it from the city not the airport. That is great rate. Although my trip will be longer from Thurs-Mon, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks.

Trans Atlantic
10-20-13, 16:24
So, you are getting Fri-Sun rental of A3 for 90 or less? I've always wanted to drive an Audi. I'm guessing you are renting it from the city not the airport. That is great rate. Although my trip will be longer from Thurs-Mon, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks.I do Thurs to Sunday rentals (3 days noon to noon) for that price. Sixt vehicle class for A3 is CPMR (BMW 1er). Hertz should be MB A or B class. A3 falls into those groups. With Sixt you need to shop around (different stations report different prices). Sixt at the Martim hotel at DUS does not have the premium location fee that the airport location charges but often times the airport discount their base rate so that even with the premium location charge the difference in total is minimum.

Airport locations charges the premium location fee. The locations at Hbf doesn't.

Banana Boi
10-20-13, 17:18
Sixt at the Martim hotel at DUS does not have the premium location feeThanks TA. Does the hotel have an airport shuttle bus or do I take the bahn?

Anyone know the closest location to FRA airport, easily accessible by bahn or taxi / shuttle?

PussyLiccker
10-20-13, 17:25
Thanks TA. Does the hotel have an airport shuttle bus or do I take the bahn?

Anyone know the closest location to FRA airport, easily accessible by bahn or taxi / shuttle?You can take the bahn to hbf as TA said you don't get charged location fee to rent from there. I don't know if it's worth the trouble/time for lower rates.

I usually use Kayak for rentals, what do you use TA?

Banana Boi
10-20-13, 18:02
I usually use Kayak for rentals, what do you use TA?

I use Kayak for flights but for the most part I find cheaper deals for the main car rental companies (SixT, Avis, Enterprise, Hertz) directly from the company sites than Kayak.


YI don't know if it's worth the trouble/time for lower rates.



The DUSS airport premium rate is $5. 41 US per day. I agree I wouldn't do it for a few days but if you stay a week or 2 you would have to consider it for a 10 min bahn ride. It takes nearly 10 minutes to walk to the SixT lot at DUSS anyways. lol

Unfortunately, I usually fly in to FRA so any help with the closest SixT without premium rates to FRA airport would be great. The closest I can see is Hoechst. Am I correct?

Trans Atlantic
10-20-13, 19:11
Thanks TA. Does the hotel have an airport shuttle bus or do I take the bahn?

Anyone know the closest location to FRA airport, easily accessible by bahn or taxi / shuttle?Maritim hotel is right next to DUS (exit out at Rewe). Takes about the same amount of time to walk to the airport rental garage as it does to walk to the Maritim. Don't know about FRA.


You can take the bahn to hbf as TA said you don't get charged location fee to rent from there. I don't know if it's worth the trouble / time for lower rates.

I usually use Kayak for rentals, what do you use TA?I book directly with hertz and Sixt sites. You should compare between the US / German / UK sites.

Capt Dan
10-20-13, 19:57
Thanks TA. Does the hotel have an airport shuttle bus or do I take the bahn?I seem to recall that the Holiday Inn (Dusseldorf Airport) also has a shuttle bus, but not as near as the Maritim Hotel.

Might be less expensive though.

CD

Ableyone
10-20-13, 20:00
Previously my understanding was that the validity of a day ticket was until close of operations including the night buses, thus it would therefore be valid on the 00:08 train; however it appears the RMV have now complicated it by adding 'the last journey of the day' condition.From the slightly more helpful VGF website,

http://www.vgf-ffm.de/fileadmin/data_archive/tickets-tarife/Tariftabelle_Frankfurt_2013.pdf

From which the day ticket is valid until end of service, nightbus incl.

Also information on using the older ticketmachines,

http://www.vgf-ffm.de/fileadmin/data_archive/Downloads/Der_Fahrkartenautomat_englisch_1207.pdf

Solo Traveler
10-20-13, 20:45
From the slightly more helpful VGF website,

http://www.vgf-ffm.de/fileadmin/data_archive/tickets-tarife/Tariftabelle_Frankfurt_2013.pdf

From which the day ticket is valid until end of service, nightbus incl.

Also information on using the older ticketmachines,

http://www.vgf-ffm.de/fileadmin/data_archive/Downloads/Der_Fahrkartenautomat_englisch_1207.pdfThank you, Ableyone.

I finally understand how this system works.

UltraHappy
10-20-13, 21:22
Guys I found out that roaming(except calls) will be free with T-mobile overseas, which of course include Germany. The data, text, and wifi calling will be free roaming. The data will be slow(2G), but it's better than nothing. It has not started yet, but will be around 22 of Oct? Not sure, but you need to call in for that.T-mobile roaming starts on Oct. 20th for new customers. For existing customers who have already changed over to the new plans, the global roaming doesn't start until Nov. 1st.

You don't need a German address to buy a SIM card. This may be a technical requirement, but if you are a tourist, the vendor will just make it work by typing something into their computer. I have bought maybe 6 SIM cards in Germany, all no problem, never gave a German address.

The T-mobile roaming option is great if you're there for only a couple of days, but for more extended trips, it makes sense to just buy a local SIM card. They're super cheap and widely available.

The vendor should configure your APN for you if your phone doesn't automatically configure it. I usually make the guy show me the working Internet on my phone before leaving the store. If for some reason they forget this step, there are apps and places on the Internet with APN databases where you can look up the APN for a given carrier. But you really shouldn't have to do this. The guy in the phone shop should just do this for you.

Hessen Bub
10-20-13, 21:23
Unfortunately, I usually fly in to FRA so any help with the closest SixT without premium rates to FRA airport would be great. The closest I can see is Hoechst. Am I correct?Probably the closest and easiest to get to Sixt location is at FFM Hauptbahnhof. There's train connection every few minutes. Don't know how easy it is to get to Höchst by public transportation.

HB

Trans Atlantic
10-20-13, 21:43
Probably the closest and easiest to get to Sixt location is at FFM Hauptbahnhof. There's train connection every few minutes. Don't know how easy it is to get to Höchst by public transportation.

HBSixt and Hertz at Frankfurt Hbf also charges the premium location fee.



T-mobile roaming starts on Oct. 20th for new customers. For existing customers who have already changed over to the new plans, the global roaming doesn't start until Nov. 1st.

You don't need a German address to buy a SIM card. This may be a technical requirement, but if you are a tourist, the vendor will just make it work by typing something into their computer. I have bought maybe 6 SIM cards in Germany, all no problem, never gave a German address.

The T-mobile roaming option is great if you're there for only a couple of days, but for more extended trips, it makes sense to just buy a local SIM card. They're super cheap and widely available.

The vendor should configure your APN for you if your phone doesn't automatically configure it. I usually make the guy show me the working Internet on my phone before leaving the store. If for some reason they forget this step, there are apps and places on the Internet with APN databases where you can look up the APN for a given carrier. But you really shouldn't have to do this. The guy in the phone shop should just do this for you.

That is my understanding as well; no address needed provided you get a SIM and activate in a phone shop. For SIMs you activate online, an address is required.

PussyLiccker
12-09-13, 05:14
Sounds like TA is an expert on Rentals as his advice about Sixt is very helpful. And of course UH with his mobile phone advice is very informative.

Any experts on finding good prices for plane tickets? Any tricks or rewards you guys know of that could be helpful to mongers that has to fly to Germany?

PussyLiccker
12-09-13, 06:32
my last trip, i tested out the t-mobile international roaming in nl and de and must say it's super slow. i had no idea how slow 3g was untile i've had lte in the states for awhile. actually, i don't recall 3g being so slow as it was in germany. since i was driving around in nl and nrw in de, i was getting 3g, g, or e connections since most of the places are desolate near some of the clubs at the nrw.

could it be possible, i am connected to 3g, but connection is throttled to much slower speed since i'm roaming for free?

e of course is super slow, and even 3g took forever to download data. i'm guessing the t-mobile towers in germany are heavily trafficked and the 3g speeds are slower than it should be. i'm not sure how much quicker a sim would be than 3g free t-mobile roaming. do the sims have lte? i think germany still doesn't have lte, and it's 3g. also, calls are $.2 a min if you need to use the phone, and texts are free.

Trans Atlantic
12-10-13, 08:45
according to us t-mobile website, the free international roaming only gives you speeds up to 128kb / s. that's edge. you either sign up for a higher speed pass or buy a local sim for higher speeds. lte is available in de but does not entirely operate on the same lte bands as the us. a us lte phone may only cover a small set of de lte band. google iphone lte bands to get a high level description of lte bands in various countries.

blau operates on the e-plus network. it has limited / no reception in aca and gt. next time i'll try out vodafone and t-mobile.

UltraHappy
12-14-13, 23:30
my last trip, i tested out the t-mobile international roaming in nl and de and must say it's super slow. i had no idea how slow 3g was untile i've had lte in the states for awhile. actually, i don't recall 3g being so slow as it was in germany. since i was driving around in nl and nrw in de, i was getting 3g, g, or e connections since most of the places are desolate near some of the clubs at the nrw.

could it be possible, i am connected to 3g, but connection is throttled to much slower speed since i'm roaming for free?

e of course is super slow, and even 3g took forever to download data. i'm guessing the t-mobile towers in germany are heavily trafficked and the 3g speeds are slower than it should be. i'm not sure how much quicker a sim would be than 3g free t-mobile roaming. do the sims have lte? i think germany still doesn't have lte, and it's 3g. also, calls are $.2 a min if you need to use the phone, and texts are free.yeah, the t-mobile free roaming option is super slow because it is limited to edge speeds. it's only good for occasional email and maps navigation. if you're going to be in a country more than a couple days, it makes sense to plug in a local sim card (after you've unlocked your phone with t-mobile back home).

you've got plenty of choices in germany for local sim cards. they all work pretty well at pretty good 3g download speeds. i recommend the deutsche telekom prepaid card that only charges you for the days you use it (i think a euro a day or something like that for internet). it's the cheapest option when you're just popping into germany occasionally here and there for a few days, but for something longer term, the other cards are a better option. you can conveniently top up your sim cards at any gas station.

PussyLiccker
12-15-13, 01:59
Blau operates on the E-plus network. It has limited / no reception in Aca and GT. Next time I'll try out Vodafone and T-mobile.This is good info, I need to know which cards link up with cell towers in desolate areas such as GT and ACA. The thing is, T-mobile is free roaming so it will pick up signals in most desolate areas. Being able to communicate at 20 cents a min in a foreign country is useful also.

PussyLiccker
12-15-13, 02:02
Are there any economical options to go to Berlin or Zurich from DUSS? It's very expensive. Any advice? Any good deals or website helpful in finding the least expensive transports besides rental cars?

Banana Boi
12-15-13, 02:21
Are there any economical options to go to Berlin or Zurich from DUSS? It's very expensive. Any advice? Any good deals or website helpful in finding the least expensive transports besides rental cars?You can fly for about $130 and will be way faster than train. Don't book last minute prices can go way up. Search on kayak.

Trans Atlantic
12-15-13, 04:08
yeah, the t-mobile free roaming option is super slow because it is limited to edge speeds. it's only good for occasional email and maps navigation. if you're going to be in a country more than a couple days, it makes sense to plug in a local sim card (after you've unlocked your phone with t-mobile back home).

you've got plenty of choices in germany for local sim cards. they all work pretty well at pretty good 3g download speeds. i recommend the deutsche telekom prepaid card that only charges you for the days you use it (i think a euro a day or something like that for internet). it's the cheapest option when you're just popping into germany occasionally here and there for a few days, but for something longer term, the other cards are a better option. you can conveniently top up your sim cards at any gas station.if you are flying into dus and already have a local sim, you can also top up at the rewe there. just go straight to the cashier and tell them how much you want.


are there any economical options to go to berlin or zurich from duss? it's very expensive. any advice? any good deals or website helpful in finding the least expensive transports besides rental cars?

if you can commit to a specific train several weeks/months in advance, db offers discounts. db sells tickets around 90 days in advance. as an example, düsseldorf to berlin is as low as €29 one way.

SilverFux
12-15-13, 04:19
Hello everyone,

I'm a newbie to this board but not to our hobby. I'm scheduled to spend a week next month in Frankfurt & Dusseldorf and had a specific question about the train / taxi approach to getting to the Hessen Big 5 clubs, particularly Oase and World. It appears that taking the trains to the nearest stops to the clubs is the most efficient method to get there.

My question is, once I arrive at the various local train stops, how available are the local cabs at the stations? Can I just walk out of the station and into a waiting taxi or will I have to call a local taxi company to send a car? I'm not much of a walker and, while I'm aware that some of these clubs are closer than others to the stations, I'm not much of a walker and, being from Florida, I don't really get excited about the prospects of wandering around a location I'm not familiar with in the German January temperatures looking for the club.

Hopefully, I'm posting in the correct forum and apologies if I'm not but Any info on this particular matter would be very helpful. I promise to try to post some useful info once I've had the opportunity to enjoy these amazing clubs. Thanks and I'll look forward to any input.

PussyLiccker
12-15-13, 16:08
Hello everyone,

I'm a newbie to this board but not to our hobby. I'm scheduled to spend a week next month in Frankfurt & Dusseldorf and had a specific question about the train / taxi approach to getting to the Hessen Big 5 clubs, particularly Oase and World. It appears that taking the trains to the nearest stops to the clubs is the most efficient method to get there.

My question is, once I arrive at the various local train stops, how available are the local cabs at the stations? Can I just walk out of the station and into a waiting taxi or will I have to call a local taxi company to send a car? I'm not much of a walker and, while I'm aware that some of these clubs are closer than others to the stations, I'm not much of a walker and, being from Florida, I don't really get excited about the prospects of wandering around a location I'm not familiar with in the German January temperatures looking for the club.

Hopefully, I'm posting in the correct forum and apologies if I'm not but Any info on this particular matter would be very helpful. I promise to try to post some useful info once I've had the opportunity to enjoy these amazing clubs. Thanks and I'll look forward to any input.Suggestions:

Go through the threads and search for directions to clubs especially World. For Oase, I used to stop at Friedrichesdorf mainly and cabs are there during the day, but there was a time after dark that I didn't see a cab, but there is a payphone nearby so you can call. If you don't want to run into that problem, stop at Bad Hamburg instead.

Highly recommend you rent a car in Dusseldorf if you want to check out GT, PHG, ACA, and many other clubs in NRW area. I highly recommend you check out GT and ACA.

Get a place around FRA hbf, relatively cheap and easy to change plans if you like to attend Palace, Mainhattan or Sharks. If you are set on going only to Oase and World, get a place near both clubs, and just cab it.

I would suggest renting a car for both FRA and Duss as it saves time and money and it's very convenient. You can drive from FRA to Duss with your rental and back as you wish. Just have a GPS and it's very easy to find the clubs. TomTom is very good with european addresses since it's a european company.

SilverFux
12-15-13, 17:44
Thank you very much, PussyLicker. Great info. Just what I was looking for. I have been thinking about just renting a car and keeping it for the week since I'll be going from Frankfurt to Dusseldorf and back. I'm assuming that the rental car companies will rent me a GPS in the car that will talk to me in English since my German is non-existent?

I've never driven in Germany before but I suppose the signage can generally be figured out with common sense.

Anyway, thanks again. Please let me know if you ever find yourself headed to Miami and I'll return the information favor.

Hessen Bub
12-15-13, 22:40
There's some new bus lines operating in Germany. Here's one:

http://meinfernbus.de/unser-angebot/linien/bus-koblenz-duesseldorf-berlin.html

D. B can be bought oneway from 22€, regular price is 52, 50€.

There's other offers, google for Fernbus.

HB

PussyLiccker
12-21-13, 23:58
thank you very much, pussylicker. great info. just what i was looking for. i have been thinking about just renting a car and keeping it for the week since i'll be going from frankfurt to dusseldorf and back. i'm assuming that the rental car companies will rent me a gps in the car that will talk to me in english since my german is non-existent?

i've never driven in germany before but i suppose the signage can generally be figured out with common sense.

anyway, thanks again. please let me know if you ever find yourself headed to miami and i'll return the information favor.yes, rental companies rent out gps but at a high daily rate, so i would recommend purchasing a stand alone gps with european map capability. higher class cars has gps capability built in. gps has language settings, and usually is in english.

auto europe offers free gps rental, but you will have to give yourself enough time for them to mail out the gps device to your address before the trip. if you have a smartphone, tablet or other type of portable device with gps capability(wifi ipads do not), i would recommend purchasing tomtom app, as it's handy to have one to take to germany or europe in general for travel purposes since it doesn't need data service for maps.

regarding rentals, if you read further in this thread you will find details on finding low rates. ta told me it's possible that sixt or hertz, uk or us website may have lower rates than kayak or other rental search engines. it's worth a look.

speed cameras. there are speed cameras to watch out for in germany. obey the speed limits around koln, especially around the big bridge.

driving in germany is a pleasure for me actually. i really like the autobahn. the signage is pretty straight forward. just have a quick look on the signage references provided online. there are zones with no speed limits, the sign looks like a do not enter but in monochrome.

PussyLiccker
12-22-13, 00:00
what are good speed camera apps for smartphones? i have tomtom on my android device, but not sure if there is anything that i can run while driving that alerts me of up-coming speed cameras. tomtom app does have speed camera feature that can be turned on, but you need data service to run it.

UltraHappy
12-23-13, 04:05
what are good speed camera apps for smartphones? i have tomtom on my android device, but not sure if there is anything that i can run while driving that alerts me of up-coming speed cameras. tomtom app does have speed camera feature that can be turned on, but you need data service to run it.you don't need the tomtom data service or the traffic antenna to take advantage of tomtom's speed camera feature. you just download the speed camera add-on database from their online store and install it on your device. the first update for the speed camera database download is free. subsequent updates must be paid for. but, you must go into settings on your device and turn on the alerts so you hear the beeping when you approach a speed camera. the device will alert you to a speed camera even if it's on the wrong side of the road, so that explains why you get an alert sometimes even if you don't see a speed camera on your side of the road.

as far as speed camera apps go, pocketworldgps receives good online reviews but i didn't feel like shelling out the dough for it and messing with installing it, so i've never tried them. my tomtom seems to work fairly well in pointing out where the speed cameras are, at least in germany.

i would recommend that everyone out there just buy a tomtom for europe, something like the start25 (only 150 euros). that thing has probably already paid for itself just with the speed tickets i've avoided. google maps on my phone is a good map backup assuming the availability of data service (either through t-mobile's free international roaming option or by using a local sim card in an unlocked phone).

here's another option for those who haven't gotten hooked up with data service in germany on their cell phones: you can just download a map app with downloadable offline maps that doesn't an internet connection. one example is mapfactor navigator which uses open maps data. it's clunky and nowhere near as good as google maps but it's totally free and gets the job done when you first arrive in a country and haven't had a chance to get internet on your phone yet.

PussyLiccker
12-23-13, 04:17
you don't need the tomtom data service or the traffic antenna to take advantage of tomtom's speed camera feature. you just download the speed camera add-on database from their online store and install it on your device. the first update for the speed camera database download is free. subsequent updates must be paid for. but, you must go into settings on your device and turn on the alerts so you hear the beeping when you approach a speed camera. the device will alert you to a speed camera even if it's on the wrong side of the road, so that explains why you get an alert sometimes even if you don't see a speed camera on your side of the road.is this for the smartphone? i have tomtom western europe for android. i don't have a stand-alone gps device, tomtom app is installed on my phone. the manual says when data service is available, the speed camera feature is updated and enabled.

UltraHappy
12-23-13, 04:42
is this for the smartphone? i have tomtom western europe for android. i don't have a stand-alone gps device, tomtom app is installed on my phone. the manual says when data service is available, the speed camera feature is updated and enabled.oh. i see now that you were talking about the tomtom app. i was talking about a standalone gps device (when i was talking about installing the free speed camera database).

i considered downloading the tomtom app to my phone for offline maps but many of the reviews out there were unfavorable and described the app as clunky with a poor user interface. i've never tried it myself though.

PussyLiccker
12-23-13, 06:06
I considered downloading the TomTom app to my phone for offline maps but many of the reviews out there were unfavorable and described the app as clunky with a poor user interface. I've never tried it myself though.I don't understand why it has unfavorable reviews, of course Google maps is much better, but for offline use TomTom app is just as good if not better on the smartphone than the stand-alone. I would recommend this to anyone who has the most recent Android device that is compatible since it's convenient to have for trips to FKK land with your rental to guide you to the exact address of all the clubs. I recall way back when members were discussing GPS devices not recognizing FKK World's address. TomTom recognizes pretty much any address in Germany. That's the reason why I purchased it for my smartphone, and it works pretty well on my smartphone.

KumarCool
01-02-14, 19:17
Hi All,

I am a monger from India and travelling to Paris. Heard lot about FKK Clubs, graving to experience once.

Please guide me the nearest or easiest FKK to visit from paris. Don't mind travelling 2-3 hours for that. I don't have a car, would be using public transport & taxi. It would be grateful, if someone suggest me how to reach the club using train, tram bus or taxi. My last option is to travel to frankfurt and visit oase or mainhattan.

PussyLiccker
01-04-14, 20:56
Hi All,

I am a monger from India and travelling to Paris. Heard lot about FKK Clubs, graving to experience once.

Please guide me the nearest or easiest FKK to visit from paris. Don't mind travelling 2-3 hours for that. I don't have a car, would be using public transport & taxi. It would be grateful, if someone suggest me how to reach the club using train, tram bus or taxi. My last option is to travel to frankfurt and visit oase or mainhattan.Have you heard of Google Maps? Look at it! This is Germany FKK forums. We don't spoon feed people that is too lazy to figure out that they cannot get to FKK in 3 hours. And, please stop posting this ridiculous question everywhere. Nobody is going to answer it because it makes no sense.

SilverFux
01-10-14, 04:47
I'm planning to go to World next week, probably on Saturday night. I'd like to take the train from Frankfurt to Geissen and then take a cab from there. I'll probably arrive in Geissen late in the afternoon and am wondering how easy it will be to get a cab at the train station. Can someone please give me some idea about this as well as the approx. Cost for the taxi ride?

Thanks

PussyLiccker
01-10-14, 07:59
I've been looking up rental fares for my next trip and found something interesting. I use Kayak to search for the lowest rental rates, and I've noticed that the rate changes based on the times of the day picked up and/or dropped off. For the same dates, I put in 10am pick-up and return I get 110e and when I put in 12pm pick-up and drop-off I get 70e for the lowest price. 70e for 4 days is pretty damn good(and that's with Hertz), and pretty happy with the rate, but I find it odd that couple hours difference could change the rate from 110 to 70.

I've compared rates with Sixt and Hertz, and Kayak shows me the best rates. I found lower rates at the airport than non-airport locations using Kayak.

Vito Corleone
01-11-14, 00:14
I'm planning to go to World next week, probably on Saturday night. I'd like to take the train from Frankfurt to Geissen and then take a cab from there. I'll probably arrive in Geissen late in the afternoon and am wondering how easy it will be to get a cab at the train station. Can someone please give me some idea about this as well as the approx. Cost for the taxi ride?

ThanksDepending on the time of day, but 5-10 taxis waiting for customers. About 20 euros.

SwingerLover
01-16-14, 21:29
Please guide me the nearest or easiest FKK to visit from paris. Don't mind travelling 2-3 hours for that.That will not be possible. I don't know how long it will take by train, but the closest city from Paris for visiting FKKs is Saarbrücken; and that's roughly 400 km away. But at least there should be a direct train connection, and among the 111 sex venues in the city, there should be a few FKKs as well.

SilverFux
01-19-14, 22:52
hello gentlemen,

thank you for all your help and information to help me with my german fkk adventure. so far, i've visited oase and mainhatten and have now moved on to dusseldorf for the boat show and a continuation of my adventures in nrw.

my question is, hopefully, a simple one. assuming a rental car is not an option for me (it's not) , can anyone tell me what the most direct approach to both golden time and acapulco using a combination of trains and taxis? what are the closest train stations from dusseldorf that i can be reasonably assured will have cabs waiting to take me the rest of the way to each of these clubs? cost is a secondary concern but reasonable speed is important.

unfortunately, i've left this to the last moment since i'm planning on going to one or the other tomorrow (mon.) and the other on tues. i know that it's early in the week so i'd also welcome input on which of these clubs might be better on which night.

thanks in advance to anyone who can weigh in on this.

BadinSweet
02-06-14, 04:38
gentlemen, i'm trying to prepare for my drive from fra to nrw this sunday. after reading much about traffic in cologne, which route would you suggest from fra to nrw? i'm staying in monchengladbach for the easy access to gt. thank you for any suggestions.

https://www.google.com/maps?saddr=frankfurt,+germany&daddr=m%c3%b6nchengladbach,+germany&hl=en&ie=utf8&sll=51.21226,6.562614&sspn=0.229049,0.572319&geocode=fcqh_aidj3qeacnflnbhbwm9rzeaxrapuemiba%3bfanzdamdne9iaclpzebmmky4rzfqyl_his1fva&oq=mon&mra=ls&t=m&z=9&layer=t

1. a3 to cologne, a4, and then a61.

2. a3, a48 through koblenz, then a61.

3. a66 through wiesbaden, then a61

any tips on speed camera trap, routes to avoid, etc. would be appreciated. thanks.

SwingerLover
02-08-14, 16:31
1. a3 to cologne, a4, and then a61.

2. a3, a48 through koblenz, then a61.

3. a66 through wiesbaden, then a61a3, a4, a61 is the shortest route. but if you want to avoid cologne because of traffic, then use a3, a48, a61. might be 5 minutes and 7 km longer. a well known speed camera trap is at "elzer berg" on the a3, if you use your route #1. your #3 option doesn't work, because wiesbaden is nowhere near the a61 (and wiesbaden is carpet-bombed with speed cameras).

Hessen Bub
02-08-14, 16:41
Elzer Berg is only a problem going back from Cologne downhill to Limburg / Wiesbaden / Frankfurt.

I'd take A3, A4, A61. If you take A66 and then A61 you will be passing Wiesbaden, but not be going through the city.

HB

BadinSweet
02-10-14, 11:40
thank you hb and swingerlover. i ended up taking a3, a4, and a61 yesterday. the drive couldn't be any easier. no traffic at all (maybe it was a sunday). thanks for the tip about the speed trap. i will watchout in those area (hopefully google map and waze have some type of warning about this).

ClydeTheGlide
05-05-14, 19:32
I have a 12 hour layover next week at FRA. I've been to Oase, but I thinking of expanding my horizons and trying out Sharks.

I could rent a car, but its pricey and a bit of a pain the arse. I was thinking about taking the Airliner Express Bus to Darmstadt, and then either taking Bus R, or cabbing it to the club. But rmv. De and the bus company seem to give conflicting into on whether the day pass is applicable for this bus. I could also take the train to either Darmstadt or Darmstadt Nord.

I'm not seeing a lot on public transport from the airport to Sharks. Has anyone else tried this? Suggestions?

Neutron Flux
05-06-14, 00:49
I have a 12 hour layover next week at FRA. I've been to Oase, but I thinking of expanding my horizons and trying out Sharks.

I could rent a car, but its pricey and a bit of a pain the arse. I was thinking about taking the Airliner Express Bus to Darmstadt, and then either taking Bus R, or cabbing it to the club. But rmv. De and the bus company seem to give conflicting into on whether the day pass is applicable for this bus. I could also take the train to either Darmstadt or Darmstadt Nord.

I'm not seeing a lot on public transport from the airport to Sharks. Has anyone else tried this? Suggestions?IIRC the airliner bus is pretty much the fastest public transport option from Darmstadt to the airport and vice versa. Also IIRC you can use it with your normal ticket but it has an extra "express" charge of 2 or 3 euros or something. You can buy it from the driver.

Ableyone
05-06-14, 22:51
I'm not seeing a lot on public transport from the airport to Sharks. Has anyone else tried this? Suggestions?I would take the Airliner bus from the airport, you can buy the appropriate ticket from the driver.

Bus R generally runs every 15 minutes during the afternoon (Mon-Fri), 30 minutes during the day on Saturday and hourly on Sunday.

Due to construction work Bus R at Darmstadt Hbf now departs from a different stop just to the right of the old one. This also means that it no longer goes down the road with the streetwalkers, if they are still there that is?

Anyone contemplating staying at the B&B hotel Darmstadt be aware it is now next door to a building site where they start work at 07:00 Monday to Saturday.

NikCool10
10-09-14, 06:48
hello gentlemen,

thank you for all your help and information to help me with my german fkk adventure. so far, i've visited oase and mainhatten and have now moved on to dusseldorf for the boat show and a continuation of my adventures in nrw.

my question is, hopefully, a simple one. assuming a rental car is not an option for me (it's not) , can anyone tell me what the most direct approach to both golden time and acapulco using a combination of trains and taxis? what are the closest train stations from dusseldorf that i can be reasonably assured will have cabs waiting to take me the rest of the way to each of these clubs? cost is a secondary concern but reasonable speed is important.

unfortunately, i've left this to the last moment since i'm planning on going to one or the other tomorrow (mon.) and the other on tues. i know that it's early in the week so i'd also welcome input on which of these clubs might be better on which night.

thanks in advance to anyone who can weigh in on this.hi silverfux,

i also have a trip coming up, most likely to dusseldorf. could you advise me which are the best clubs in and around the region which can be reached by public transport. i have couple of days time to spend. any suggestion on places to stay close to the best clubs?

thanks in adv.

Dufey
10-11-14, 11:26
Hi Silverfux,

I also have a trip coming up, most likely to Dusseldorf. Could you advise me which are the best clubs in and around the region which can be reached by public transport. I have couple of days time to spend. Any suggestion on places to stay close to the best clubs?

Thanks in adv.You can get the train from Dusselfdorf main train station to station Kaarst to go to Living Room which is within walkable distance of the train station. The Park Inn hotel in Kaarst is also worth staying at.

Dufey
03-31-15, 18:50
Due to many questions about that here is a comparison about official taxi costs from Frankfurt Airport Terminal 1 to the Frankfurt big5 FKK clubs. This estimation is based on an average trip without traffic jams and is a rough estimation.

1. Palace: 12 minutes, 16 km, day price 31 euro, night price 33 euro.

2. Sharks: 17 minutes, 24 km, day price 45 euro, night price 48 euro.

3. Mainhattan: 18 minutes, 21 km, day price 40 euro, night price 43 euro.

4. Oase. : 24 minutes, 30 km, day price 55 euro, night price 59 euro.

5. World: 39 minutes, 68 km, day price 116 euro, night price 125 euro.Taxi fares from Frankfurt airport to the big 5 FKK clubs in Frankfurt area.

A repost of a report by Craiova of the pricing for taxi made in the General Info thread.

Gratass65
04-14-15, 22:12
Someone in area now? Plan to check out Oceans now.

Have not deside for the 2 next days.

Treble Machine
04-21-15, 07:53
Any ISG'er in the know regarding Dusseldorf Weeze (NRN) airport?

It's my first time flying and renting with Hertz there. You know, the usual Ryanair package.

Are there gas stations in the area for refilling the car? Anything else I should be aware of?

Trans Atlantic
04-24-15, 05:03
Any ISG'er in the know regarding Dusseldorf Weeze (NRN) airport?

It's my first time flying and renting with Hertz there. You know, the usual Ryanair package.

Are there gas stations in the area for refilling the car? Anything else I should be aware of?Download the app clever-tanken.

Treble Machine
04-24-15, 08:00
Download the app clever-tanken.Thank you very much, TA.

I already added some sort of gas station map to my TomTom but I do not really trust that stuff.

However I decided to spend one night in the area since the flight in will arrive kinda late and I will probably have some time to suss things out (and maybe venture out to FKK Van Goch).

Jim57
04-24-15, 09:01
Any ISG'er in the know regarding Dusseldorf Weeze (NRN) airport?

It's my first time flying and renting with Hertz there. You know, the usual Ryanair package.

Are there gas stations in the area for refilling the car? Anything else I should be aware of?I don't know Dusseldorf airport but I have rented vehicles in numerous airports around the globe and there has always been a gas station at the airport if there is a car rental facility there.

My GPS is a TomTom and there is a facility to locate the nearest gas station to the terminal, or in fact any other destination. It has always worked for me.

Treble Machine
04-24-15, 14:40
I don't know Dusseldorf airport but I have rented vehicles in numerous airports around the globe and there has always been a gas station at the airport if there is a car rental facility there.

My GPS is a TomTom and there is a facility to locate the nearest gas station to the terminal, or in fact any other destination. It has always worked for me.I was asking because I've recently flown a few times and rented a car in Eindhoven. Well, my old TomTom (2007) did not find any gas station in the proximity and it took a while to find one and that was quite a stretch down the road.

I now have a new TomTom (XXL I blieve) that I enhanced with a few downloads that include user generated maps for gas station but since most Ryanair airports are basically in the middle of nowhere I still felt like asking.

Trans Atlantic
04-26-15, 03:38
Clever tanken app indicates the closest to the airport on the German side is an Aral in Weeze and it also gives you a recent price. Google map suggest there is a closer one in the Netherlands.

Treble Machine
04-27-15, 08:08
Clever tanken app indicates the closest to the airport on the German side is an Aral in Weeze and it also gives you a recent price. Google map suggest there is a closer one in the Netherlands.The one in Weeze should do since I will be coming up from Duisburg.

Thanks again.

Optimist
05-05-15, 20:29
Yet another train strike: this one will last until Sunday morning this week. Anyone planning to use trains or get a hire car on walk up needs to be aware.

Mambomike
05-06-15, 05:53
I've rented cars at DUS a couple of times and found (using my Garmin) gas stations in the towns just SE of the airport, a click or two away.

I like DUS for its good layout and accessibility, although there are no direct flights there from here. If you are facing the front of the airport (facing toward the gates), the garage for the rentals is on the right side. Auto returns to the same location.


Any ISG'er in the know regarding Dusseldorf Weeze (NRN) airport?

It's my first time flying and renting with Hertz there. You know, the usual Ryanair package.

Are there gas stations in the area for refilling the car? Anything else I should be aware of?

Optimist
05-06-15, 08:45
Dusseldorf airport DUS needs to be distinguished from Dusseldorf Weeze NRN.

Nille Copenhagen
05-06-15, 12:34
I've rented cars at DUS a couple of times and found (using my Garmin) gas stations in the towns just SE of the airport, a click or two away.

I like DUS for its good layout and accessibility, although there are no direct flights there from here. If you are facing the front of the airport (facing toward the gates), the garage for the rentals is on the right side. Auto returns to the same location.There is a Shell station next door.

Trans Atlantic
05-07-15, 04:09
Dusseldorf airport DUS needs to be distinguished from Dusseldorf Weeze NRN.My thoughts exactly. NRN is out in the countryside by GoldenTime.

As I wrote before, just use the Clever tanken app to find the closest and cheapest gas station around.

Spock666
09-05-15, 08:54
Hello All,

On my first trip to Germany this past summer, I visited various FKK clubs in Frankfurt (Sharks) and Dusseldorf (Golden Time, Living Room). Had a great in all past but did enjoy FKK's around Dusseldorf better. My next trip might be around Christmas and / or new year during the middle of winter.

How FKK clubs differ in the middle of winter? A place like Golden Time was great this past summer with its wide open outdoor spaces but it is hard to believe I would enjoy it during the winter. Which clubs are best to visit during the winter?

Also, overall which city has the better FKK clubs for visiting in the is better Frankfurt OR Dusseldorf?

Thank you.

Dufey
09-05-15, 21:42
Hello All,

On my first trip to Germany this past summer, I visited various FKK clubs in Frankfurt (Sharks) and Dusseldorf (Golden Time, Living Room). Had a great in all past but did enjoy FKK's around Dusseldorf better. My next trip might be around Christmas and / or new year during the middle of winter.

How FKK clubs differ in the middle of winter? A place like Golden Time was great this past summer with its wide open outdoor spaces but it is hard to believe I would enjoy it during the winter. Which clubs are best to visit during the winter?

Also, overall which city has the better FKK clubs for visiting in the is better Frankfurt OR Dusseldorf?

Thank you.In Winter the tendency for me and many of my friends is to stay near the Frankfurt clubs and use sparingly the NRW clubs since they are so much smaller for long visits being much more confined indoor spaces as the great outdoors are limited due to the snow bound exteriors.

Although in saying that I have a series of visits planned for the NRW clubs through the winter regardless. The mainstay of the winter visits are still planned for Frankfurt.

Hope that helps.

Nille Copenhagen
09-05-15, 21:56
Hello All,

On my first trip to Germany this past summer, I visited various FKK clubs in Frankfurt (Sharks) and Dusseldorf (Golden Time, Living Room). Had a great in all past but did enjoy FKK's around Dusseldorf better. My next trip might be around Christmas and / or new year during the middle of winter.

How FKK clubs differ in the middle of winter? A place like Golden Time was great this past summer with its wide open outdoor spaces but it is hard to believe I would enjoy it during the winter. Which clubs are best to visit during the winter?

Also, overall which city has the better FKK clubs for visiting in the is better Frankfurt OR Dusseldorf?

Thank you.My Playground is mainly NRW, I go there very often during all season, Even GT is good in the Winter if you know your timing, I would leave to LR when is getting too crowded at GT. Aca is bigger so not a problem in the Winter, Ocean is also big.

Banana Boi
09-06-15, 03:47
Also, overall which city has the better FKK clubs for visiting in the is better Frankfurt OR Dusseldorf?- FRA has bigger clubs, usually with more Wellness amenities.

- FRA clubs' rooms generally hotter draining energy during sex.

- FRA's larger clubs have more girls in a single club. Oase and Sharks can reach 100 girls. Even more at Oase during a Messe. GT in NRW can reach 70-80 girls.

- full nude in FRA. Topless up to the girls in NRW.

- NRW has way more clubs.

- NRW has cheaper entry to each club making club hopping easy. Can do a GT and LR combo for 95 euro where you would see more girls than at Oase for 70 euro.

- NRW has far more AO options (BBFS) if that's your thing.

- northern NRW has many more partytreff clubs where you can have sex with as many girls as you can in a day for around 120 euro.

- FRA girls are more sharky pushing for extras.

- extras in FRA generally twice as much as NRW (ie. 50 vs. 100 euro extra for anal).

- good looking girls in each area can be argued but there are more girls in either Region than anyone can do. You've been to GT, LR, and Sharks so I'm sure you have a good sense of which girls you prefer.

Christmas is the slowest time of the year for FKK's. Sharks usually has their Christmas incentive pulling in girls to work over the Holidays.

Willi69
09-06-15, 13:00
How FKK clubs differ in the middle of winter?Which time do mean with "Winter in Germany" (begins often only in March)?

The worst time in the clubs is the time from beginning until middle of January because many girls are at home in this time to celebrate the Orthodox Christmas (6. January).

MrManGuy
09-16-15, 12:26
Are the refugees causing problems for non-eu tourists?

UltraHappy
09-18-15, 01:04
Are the refugees causing problems for non-eu tourists?No. No problems.

Ortos
09-19-15, 06:18
- - NRW has cheaper entry to each club making club hopping easy. Can do a GT and LR combo for 95 euro where you would see more girls than at Oase for 70 euro.

A very useful summary indeed. Good accurate overview for sure.

Regarding the point quoted above: you do have to add onto that 95 euro GT / LR combo: costs of travel to LR from GT, which might bring the over all costs above 110-120, no?

Vitrea
10-04-15, 01:35
- NRW has way more clubs.

- NRW has cheaper entry to each club making club hopping easy. Can do a GT and LR combo for 95 euro where you would see more girls than at Oase for 70 euro.

- NRW has far more AO options (BBFS) if that's your thing.

- northern NRW has many more partytreff clubs where you can have sex with as many girls as you can in a day for around 120 euro.

- FRA girls are more sharky pushing for extras.

- extras in FRA generally twice as much as NRW (ie. 50 vs. 100 euro extra for anal).

- good looking girls in each area can be argued but there are more girls in either Region than anyone can do. You've been to GT, LR, and Sharks so I'm sure you have a good sense of which girls you prefer.

Christmas is the slowest time of the year for FKK's. Sharks usually has their Christmas incentive pulling in girls to work over the Holidays.Yes, very nice summary. I am an NRW fan for the similar reasons.

Unlike some of you veterans here, I don't live in Europe so for me time is more valuable. Of the few trips a year I make, I try to maximize my time in FKKs. NRW, makes club hopping easy and I always rent a car that allows me to enjoy the Autobhan.

My MO is, Book a room at Hotel Issa which is block from LR. I start at GT at noon where party but I don't drink or don't drink much. I Leave to go to LR early evening, park my car at Issa, walkover to LR and party hard till closing time and just walk back over. 50 Euro / night at Issa with good WiFi.

I have experimented with many combinations and personally, I found this to be the most efficient way to party in FKK.

Magnum is open late as well but has no decent hotels close by. For people that self drive, It is good to have a hotel close to the FKK.

Last week Issa was fully booked some nights! I had to get a hotel in Nuess, 10 minutes (12 euro) away, parked my car at the hotel and cabbed it back to LR.

Thommy84
10-24-15, 11:54
Hi all,

I am a "FKK-virgin", but will have a small window of opportunity mid next week to experience the pleasure that I've heard so much about.

Job related I will be in the Cologne / Düsseldorf area from Tue. Wed, but most likely will only have time to myself (I. E. To enjoy my first FKK trip) after approx. 18.00 and won't stay longer than 22.00 due to work commitments the next morning.

I haven't booked a hotel yet and while my meeting is in Düsseldorf it seems that there are almost no hotels available there, so there is some flexibility regarding hotel location as long as it is easy commute to Dusseldorf the next morning.

Now after reviewing some of the latest posts I know that there are lots of options, but this also makes it quite difficult for a newbie with a short time window to choose the one option, so I'd still like to ask fellow mongers for recommendations for the "right" FKK considering:

- should be located within 1 HR radius by car to Düsseldorf city center (during rush hour).

- should have a wide selection of girls (preferably more than 30) on a Tuesday night.

- I'm only set on one session (maybe 2 if the feeling is right), so amenities and atmosphere are as important as the girls themselves.

- since I am new to the scene, prefer an atmosphere that is not too "sharky" (if I know my way around, then I don't mind, but I don't want to go in with the feeling of constantly having to navigate "dangerous waters" if you know what I mean).

Many thanks in advance for any helpful suggestions!

Best regards.

Thomas

UltraHappy
10-24-15, 14:14
Hi all,

I am a "FKK-virgin", but will have a small window of opportunity mid next week to experience the pleasure that I've heard so much about.

Job related I will be in the Cologne / Dsseldorf area from Tue. Wed, but most likely will only have time to myself (I. E. To enjoy my first FKK trip) after approx. 18.00 and won't stay longer than 22.00 due to work commitments the next morning.

I haven't booked a hotel yet and while my meeting is in Dsseldorf it seems that there are almost no hotels available there, so there is some flexibility regarding hotel location as long as it is easy commute to Dusseldorf the next morning.

Now after reviewing some of the latest posts I know that there are lots of options, but this also makes it quite difficult for a newbie with a short time window to choose the one option, so I'd still like to ask fellow mongers for recommendations for the "right" FKK considering:

- should be located within 1 HR radius by car to Dsseldorf city center (during rush hour).

- should have a wide selection of girls (preferably more than 30) on a Tuesday night.

- I'm only set on one session (maybe 2 if the feeling is right), so amenities and atmosphere are as important as the girls themselves.

- since I am new to the scene, prefer an atmosphere that is not too "sharky" (if I know my way around, then I don't mind, but I don't want to go in with the feeling of constantly having to navigate "dangerous waters" if you know what I mean).

Many thanks in advance for any helpful suggestions!

Best regards.

ThomasCongratulations! You have just chosen Living Room in Kaarst. Enjoy!

Banana Boi
10-24-15, 14:58
- I'm only set on one session (maybe 2 if the feeling is right), so amenities and atmosphere are as important as the girls themselves.

- since I am new to the scene, prefer an atmosphere that is not too "sharky" I can't think of a single major NRW club that would be classified as sharky. If you run into a sharky girl at one of these clubs it's bad luck. All the major clubs we discuss on here will have over 30 girls on a Tuesday night.

NRW is not known for amenities. Imo YY is the best but it's a good hour from DUSS. For your limited window not recommended. For atmosphere it's Samya and Mondial but the fun doesn't start til 9 pm and you want to leave early. From reports ACA is the best current lineup but zero atmosphere.

Banana Boi
12-25-15, 06:06
I guess my query falls into this thread since I need a car to get to FKK's.

Looking into moving to Germany. Did a bit of research in to car insurance but found nothing conclusive so I will turn to the German guys on this forum. Looking to insure a new vehicle something along the lines of an Audi A4, BMW 3 series, etc. Can someone give me a ballpark figure on what liability and comprehensive coverage would cost for this type of vehicle?

Also, what are the best places to look online for some car prices? I found mobile.de

Hessen Bub
12-25-15, 08:31
http://www.autoscout24.de

http://www.fidelio-relocation.de/en/faq/driving/car-insurance/

https://www.check24.de/kfz-versicherung/

HB.

Optimist
12-25-15, 12:18
Sorry if this is a bit off topic.

I am currently being scammed by Enterprise car hire and I was wondering if anyone has any ideas how I as a foreigner might succeed with challenging them.

On arrival to ich up the car I had alarm bells ringing as they were strangely insistent that I would lose up to 1000 euro in the case of damage (this excess is normal but it was their attitude which rang bells). On return there was a scratch on the car, but no more than other car hire companies normally ignore. So they deducted 1000 euros.

My problem is that after six weeks they still have given no details of the cost of repair and therefore are not refunding any part of the 1000 euro. I suspect that this is because the damage was so slight they are not going to repair it.

Any thoughts on best method to get any part of the 1000 euro back?

Citizen Kane
12-25-15, 12:46
Sorry if this is a bit off topic.

I am currently being scammed by Enterprise car hire and I was wondering if anyone has any ideas how I as a foreigner might succeed with challenging them.

On arrival to ich up the car I had alarm bells ringing as they were strangely insistent that I would lose up to 1000 euro in the case of damage (this excess is normal but it was their attitude which rang bells). On return there was a scratch on the car, but no more than other car hire companies normally ignore. So they deducted 1000 euros.

My problem is that after six weeks they still have given no details of the cost of repair and therefore are not refunding any part of the 1000 euro. I suspect that this is because the damage was so slight they are not going to repair it.

Any thoughts on best method to get any part of the 1000 euro back?Have you phoned them at the airport?

Optimist
12-25-15, 15:03
Have you phoned them at the airport?Thanks. Phoned and emailed and they say the information will come soon (but it doesn't).

Banana Boi
12-25-15, 16:18
Thanks for the links HB. Will check them out later.


Thanks. Phoned and emailed and they say the information will come soon (but it doesn't).I recommend calling Head Office, not the actual branch.

Just an idea not sure if it will work but if you rented via a credit card that has vehicle coverage, talk to the credit card company about deductibles on rental vehicles. Certainly if the damage is over 1000 euro as enterprise's actions are indicating a claim must be submitted to VISA, Amex, etc. for the balance of the repairs.

Hopefully you took photos of the scratch so Head Office would easily recognize the damage would not cost 1000 euro. Also good practice to take photos of all sides of the car before taking it out of the garage (if the garage is dim the second you pull out to daylight) and when you return the car, whether there is damage or not. Make sure the date and time on your camera is correct.

Citizen Kane
12-25-15, 19:48
Thanks. Phoned and emailed and they say the information will come soon (but it doesn't).I've only hired from Enterprise once and they gave me a pretty hard sale on the excess insurance as well so I think that it might just be company policy. I did actually have to get a small refund from them as they charged me for a diesel and gave me a petrol but it was pretty fast so perhaps it's an insurance issue at their end that's slowing things down.

I know this is like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted but if you hire regularly you can get excess insurance pretty cheap. I paid under 40 quid for annual cover. Obviously it's no use for your current situation but maybe an idea for the future.

Let us know how it pans out. Good luck.

Neurosynth
12-25-15, 20:07
I had a case that, even though I had credit card car insurance coverage, took over a year to resolve. I dealt with it through Avis state side and the credit card company.

Credit card coverage will usually cover the whole thing because domestic car insurance doesn't extend to overseas. (This is the typical case, but perhaps not yours.).

My suggestion would be to scrutinize your credit card coverage for rentals, and if there is none, then dispute the charge on the credit card and demand proof. However, I think they are within their rights to charge you for the cost of the repair, but then not make the repair. The cost of the repair is the diminished value your scratch caused.

Monger152
12-26-15, 09:00
Anyone familiar with the shuttle service offered by Goldentime in Bruggen? I am wondering how far they would be willing to go to drop you at your hotel, as I will be staying in Grefrath. Anyone used this service to get home at night?

Optimist
12-26-15, 10:22
Neurosynth. Thanks for the suggestion about credit card company.

Yes, the car hire company is within its rights to charge for the scratch, but not to take more than the cost of the scratch.

I do have separate insurance to cover this and will also try to involve that company as it will be footing the bill (I hope)

Co Pilot
12-26-15, 14:12
Your CC company will provide a "coverage letter" which the car hire company will accept. Especially works for renting in Europe I get the letter made up to include all countries I intend to visit on a trip and yes used National / Enterprise for FKK visits with no problem also saves about 12 Euro a day.

PussyLiccker
12-26-15, 17:04
Anyone familiar with the shuttle service offered by Goldentime in Bruggen? I am wondering how far they would be willing to go to drop you at your hotel, as I will be staying in Grefrath. Anyone used this service to get home at night?I am not aware of any shuttle service offered by GT. Shuttle service is offered by clubs that are located near the airports. If you are in Grefrath, that means you are minutes (via car) from a club called Villa Vertigo. Another option if you have time to do more clubs besides GT although GT should be a higher choice. My PT experience is limited to my first visit. I took the train from Duss to Kaldenkirchen station, and then taxi-ed to the club. 15 Euros a few years ago for the cab (rates could have raised close to 20 now). You are more than twice the time out. Perhaps if can be 40 Euros one direction via cab. I advise you to rent if you drive on the same side of the road at in DE.

Looks like a bad location for bus (takes like 2 hrs from there, not worth it). So tricky.. I advice renting a vehicle(or get a better hotel location that fits travels easily). I'm starting to realize how difficult it's to get to GT now. Haha.

http://www.vrr.de/en/

Vito Corleone
12-27-15, 08:20
Anyone familiar with the shuttle service offered by Goldentime in Bruggen? I am wondering how far they would be willing to go to drop you at your hotel, as I will be staying in Grefrath. Anyone used this service to get home at night?Not really a shuttle service. A black hummer drives clients back & forth to the extra parking lot couple min down the road.

PussyLiccker
01-14-16, 14:39
I guess my query falls into this thread since I need a car to get to FKK's.

Looking into moving to Germany. Did a bit of research in to car insurance but found nothing conclusive so I will turn to the German guys on this forum. Looking to insure a new vehicle something along the lines of an Audi A4, BMW 3 series, etc. Can someone give me a ballpark figure on what liability and comprehensive coverage would cost for this type of vehicle?

Also, what are the best places to look online for some car prices? I found mobile.deJust in time for the BMW M2. :)

Banana Boi
01-14-16, 22:33
I don't need a M series. If I'm actually living in Germany I don't need to rush around from club to club like a tourist. A normal BMW will suffice.

Citizen Kane
01-16-16, 20:45
I know it's a 'love it or hate it' car to look at, but I still lust after the original M Coupe.

Trans Atlantic
01-28-16, 06:12
Neurosynth. Thanks for the suggestion about credit card company.

Yes, the car hire company is within its rights to charge for the scratch, but not to take more than the cost of the scratch.

I do have separate insurance to cover this and will also try to involve that company as it will be footing the bill (I hope)Dispute the charge citing no repair estimate provided.

With Sixt they always provide repair estimate along with letter demanding their claim.

Optimist
01-28-16, 08:50
Dispute the charge citing no repair estimate provided.

With Sixt they always provide repair estimate along with letter demanding their claim.Thanks. I wrote to Enterprise eventually threatening report to credit card company and the European Trading Standards if I didn't get the cost of repair invoice, and quickly was promised a full refund.

PussyLiccker
02-06-16, 07:07
I know it's a 'love it or hate it' car to look at, but I still lust after the original M Coupe.That looks like the Z3. M2 is supposed to be like the E46 M3 which was a great one.

More bang for your buck would be the VW Golf R. Performs well for it's price point due to it's light weight.

Takedown
04-20-16, 00:26
Hey guys,

I am looking to purchase a sim card when I arrive in Frankfurt so that I can have a phone for the 2 weeks that I am there. Does anyone know much about sim cards and data plans? I am having a hard time figuring out if these sim card options provided 4 G LTE options. I only seem to be able to find sim cards with 3 G networks.

Any info in greatly appreciated.

Mambomike
04-20-16, 03:23
I travel with a magicjack app instead of getting a compatible sim card. You do pay LD fees to make a 'foreign' call back to Germany, but its only a few cents per minute.


Hey guys,

I am looking to purchase a sim card when I arrive in Frankfurt so that I can have a phone for the 2 weeks that I am there. Does anyone know much about sim cards and data plans? I am having a hard time figuring out if these sim card options provided 4 G LTE options. I only seem to be able to find sim cards with 3 G networks.

Any info in greatly appreciated.

PussyLiccker
04-20-16, 03:33
If you have a smartphone, Google hangouts is free on wifi. You can also call through Gmail if you got a laptop.

As far as data, I use Deutsche Telekom sim I got from T-mobile in De. Supposedly the best coverage, so the reason I use it due to driving around remote places. Problem with it is, LTE (4 G) data is limited. But, it's fine since I only use it where wifi is not available (when I'm out and about) as most clubs now got wifi inside(not at Sharks, World, Samya, Aca not reliable). By limited I mean 25 megs of 4 G for 24 HR period, but it's only 99 cents deducted from the funds you've topped up every time you do it. If you drive it's convenient since you can top up at any gas station then having to look for a Telekom shop.

If anybody know of another sim that provides 4 G, and more data per pricing, I'd like to hear about it.

If you are from the US, you got the regular T-mobile unlimited plan, it includes 3 G international roaming for free. Google project Fi provides 3 G roaming in De also.

Google maps take up data so you can buy an app with maps for the smarphone like TomTom. Nokia "HERE" app can precache map on wifi for not purchase required.

Banana Boi
04-20-16, 11:33
Looking for short-term condo / home rentals for 2-3 months at a time. Wondering if anyone had sites they can refer me too. I know of Arkadia and I guess AirBNB is an option as well.

I prefer to stay in sleepy towns like Kaarst or Neuss over Essen or Wuppertal where most listings are from.

Shark16
02-11-18, 20:04
I am thinking of checking out FKK Oase this weekend instead of Sharks because of recent reviews. Anyone know how much the taxi price is between Frankfurt and Burgholzhausen?


A single ride from Frankfurt central station to Burgholzhausen (the village where Oase is located) amounts to about 60 Euro. www.taxi-rechner.de/taxikosten.php

Berechnungsdetails
base fare: 3,50 ; price per kilometer 1,75 -2,00 ; complete fare: 60,70 Euro (distance 28 km)


It is so simple to just take the S5 train to Friedriksdorf (or even Bad Homburg) and take a taxi from there. Then you are looking at a flat 10 e taxi ride to club from Friedriksdorf or 18 e from Bad Homburg. Totally simple, as the S5 runs twice per hour. Also at peak rush hour times, there are additional (yellow) regional trains that leave direct from Hauptbahnhof to Friedricksdorf.

But if you insist on taxi the whole way from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof to Oase and back: You can get round-trip deals from taxi drivers based in / around Oase: for 75-80 e some will pick you up in central Frankfurt and then deliver you back later, all for that flat fee. At least that is what I was able to negotiate about a year+ ago, but now I just rent a car and more happy about everything.


Danke. Going to Oase is no problem. Coming back to Frankfurt at 3 am is when I need the taxi.If you worry about taxi costs, then why not stay at a hotel near Friedrichsdorf (or Bad Homburg) in stead? Much more convenient at night and keeping costs to a minimum.

- 10 E for a taxi at 3 am.
- Less than 5 E for the train back to Frankfurt in the morning after a good night's sleep.
- Accomodation is often cheaper in Friedsrichdorf than in central Frankfurt. Or at least just as cheap.
- (Free or cheaper parking for those with a car rental, which is not that easy in central Frankfurt).

https://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-2937-mercure-hotel-bad-homburg-friedrichsdorf/index.shtml close to the train station.

Just an idea.

Ortos
02-12-18, 10:10
If you worry about taxi costs, then why not stay at a hotel near Friedrichsdorf (or Bad Homburg) in stead? Much more convenient at night and keeping costs to a minimum.

- 10 E for a taxi at 3 am.
- Less than 5 E for the train back to Frankfurt in the morning after a good night's sleep.
- Accomodation is often cheaper in Friedsrichdorf than in central Frankfurt. Or at least just as cheap.
- (Free or cheaper parking for those with a car rental, which is not that easy in central Frankfurt).

https://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-2937-mercure-hotel-bad-homburg-friedrichsdorf/index.shtml close to the train station.

Just an idea.You forgot to write at the end: This message has been approved by the Bad Homburg / Friedrichsdorf Hotel and Tourism Board. :)


But on a serious note: Thanks for the excellent summary, and the valid points about the advantages of staying in the area. One should additionally stress for the benefit of those who insist on staying in central Frankfurt:

--The first S-bahn back to Frankfurt Hbf from Friedricksdorf is 04.38, so you can stay at club effectively through closing, then hop a 10 e taxi to S-bahn station and go back to city for, as you note, under 5 e.

--If you want to leave club and go back to city by taxi direct from club: you should be able to negotiate a 50 e flat fee. If driver wants more, just tell him "Tashak laleen bardako-sou!" (translated from Turkish: "May your genitals swell to the size of beer barrels and explode!" Which is a common greeting amongst taxi drivers, I have it on good authority.)

--There are some advantages to staying in Friedrichsdorf or Bad Homburg as pointed out by Sharks16 above, however one disadvantage: If you want to visit clubs other than Oase over the course of a few days, then Frankfurt city is a more advantageous choice as hotel base.

Of course, as is so often posted on this topic: Your very best option, if feasible, is to simply hire a car.

Shark16
02-12-18, 23:10
Hehe, I forgot to say I receive 50 E for every post being positive about BH / F-dorf. :)


--There are some advantages to staying in Friedrichsdorf or Bad Homburg as pointed out by Sharks16 above, however one disadvantage: If you want to visit clubs other than Oase over the course of a few days, then Frankfurt city is a more advantageous choice as hotel base.True. But my point was simply to suggest to travel light, skip hotel base and stay locally in stead to save taxi costs and/or inconvenience at night. I know a couple of good budget hotels in Darmstadt, too.

Of course; central Frankfurt has its charms. But good FKK clubs? Not so sure. Not at this moment.

I too always rent a car. A car rental gives you so much more flexibility and is basically cost free considering your savings on taxi and accomodation. Added value is that I find the experience so much better at the FKK clubs outside central Frankfurt (Sharks, Oase, World, Rom, Atlanta) than in central Frankfurt (Palace / Mainhattan).

But that's just me of course. I accept that others may think differently.

Ortos
02-12-18, 23:15
I too always rent a car. A car rental gives you so much more flexibility and is basically cost free considering your savings on taxi and accomodation. Added value is that I find the experience so much better at the FKK clubs outside central Frankfurt (Sharks, Oase, World, Rom, Atlanta) than in central Frankfurt (Palace / Mainhattan).

But that's just me of course. I accept that others may think differently.I don't think there are too many others who disagree with you.

Vito Corleone
02-13-18, 04:47
I always take a taxi at night / early morning. I'm too scared to stand alone at those spooky & creepy platforms.

KenzoTange
02-20-18, 08:59
If you worry about taxi costs, then why not stay at a hotel near Friedrichsdorf (or Bad Homburg) in stead? Much more convenient at night and keeping costs to a minimum.

- 10 E for a taxi at 3 am.
- Less than 5 E for the train back to Frankfurt in the morning after a good night's sleep.
- Accomodation is often cheaper in Friedsrichdorf than in central Frankfurt. Or at least just as cheap.
- (Free or cheaper parking for those with a car rental, which is not that easy in central Frankfurt).

https://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-2937-mercure-hotel-bad-homburg-friedrichsdorf/index.shtml close to the train station.

Just an idea.Wow thanks for this hotel recommendation! I will use this next time for sure.

BackpackBrian
08-25-19, 22:34
I know I can purchase a SIM card to use in Germany when I arrive in Frankfurt.

Does anyone know if I can purchase a SIM card with a US number?

This is so I can forward all my US calls to this SIM card while I travel!

I can't forward to international numbers with my phone number / plan.

RandomDude963
02-05-20, 01:34
https://www.skype.com/en/skype-number/


I know I can purchase a SIM card to use in Germany when I arrive in Frankfurt.

Does anyone know if I can purchase a SIM card with a US number?

This is so I can forward all my US calls to this SIM card while I travel!

I can't forward to international numbers with my phone number / plan.

Ibn Buttita
02-07-20, 00:56
Posts from the past few months about the Oase shuttle service from / to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof:

Skepti10: A few days prior I emailed Oase just confirm where the pick-up from Frankfurt Central station was. They responded timely and said it was just opposite Hotel Excelsior. On their website it lists the times for pick-up and I decided to go for the 12 pm shuttle. I get to the pick-up at 11.50 am and the driver was already there, excellent! I had been worried the shuttle would be a bit too obvious and crass, and while it clearly says "FKK Oase" at least there were no photos of women nude or in lingerie. Unless you already knew what Oase was, then the shuttle is actually relatively inconspicuous. I head in and see I'm the only passenger. Turns out the driver doesn't speak English, but I manage to understand him when he says we'll be leaving at 12 pm, and when he asked me to pay the 5 fee.

Be Wilder: Shuttle bus leaving (it goes from the main entrance not the club entrance).

Sailor501: Took the shuttle from Frankfurt main to Oase, pick up point is across the street from hotel Excelsior on the south side exit of main train center, shuttle was on time.

Lucky Nuts: Took the 2 PM Oase shuttle picking up from the central train station (HPB) on Friday. How fucking awesome is this deal! After the 40 minute ride I understood why they have a shuttle. As we neared the club was reminded of a strip club near Lawrence Kansas I often visited also located out in the middle of the cornfields. Visiting Club Oase offers the opportunity to see the German countryside.

ThadMax: Caught the Oase shuttle on the south entrance of Frankfurt Main -- you can't miss it if you're in the right place. Big black sprinter. Schedule is listed on Oase Facebook page. 5 euros (hell of a deal).

SerpentX: Take the south exit and turn right for about 10 meters. Opposite to hotel excelsior.

SerpentX: Oase Shuttle at train station south exit runs from 12 pm (every 2 HR), 5 each way. Check oase Facebook page and you'll get details.

Fifty Euros: Great innovation is the shuttle service from Frankfurt Hbf and Messe. In Frankfurt Hbf, go to the south exit (on the right when you go out from the train platforms) then 30 meters on the right, in the place where people are waiting for long distance buses. You cannot miss the Oase van, it's the one that is displayed on their website. https://www.fkk-oase.de/shuttleservice_saunaclub_fkk-oase It's just 5 euros from Frankfurt, cheaper and faster than train + taxi. Be there 5 mn before departure time because it won't be waiting for you. Very few passengers, hope they will get more otherwise the service may stop. Probable more passengers during the week-ends.