Germany Meet Thread

praveencr85 · 1st July 2009, 21:02

Hi all ,

I am staying in germany , hamburg its been almost a year now .I have been here all these time witout driving any cars

, just drooling on all the beauties i see on road .I did enquire about driving license but every1 suggest to get it through a driving school, language is big prob for me cant convey wat i want easily & to get a license i was told to shell around 1500-2000 euros

I am just eager to know are ther any Bhpians in germany wer i can take ther help, meet up ???

simply_sunny001 · 1st July 2009, 21:17

Its been an year so you must have learnt a bit of German by now.

If not then consider learning german if you going to stay there for long.

And Driving License is a neccessity even if you dont have to drive so start preparing for that

And the amount you have quoted is totally wrong, so do some research on net regarding license Fees and Driving lessons costs etc.

cheers

pawan_pullarwar · 1st July 2009, 21:27

I am staying in Germany, Munich. I drove here Merc and VW on indian License, which is valid for 6 month from the date registeration done. As you are here for almost an year, you can not use Indian driving license. Getting license is tough and it will cost you around 1000 Euro. I can get exact information for getting license tomorrow with my German collegue.

praveencr85 · 1st July 2009, 22:32

Note from the Team-BHP Support Staff : Slang and SMS Language are STRICTLY prohibited on Team-BHP. Please type in full and proper English for the benefit of other community members. We advise you to read the Announcements and Board Rules section before proceeding any further.

clevermax · 1st July 2009, 22:52

I have driven several rented cars in Germany and some other European countries with an Indian License. You also need an IDP in countries like Italy. You should not miss the driving experience through Autobahn. How I miss it now.

shivapsreddy · 2nd July 2009, 03:00

I am staying in Nuremberg. For the licence you need to write theory exam and practical one. Theory you can write in English too. If you apply within first three years in Germany you need not take the mandatory 12 practical classes. The number of classes depends on you and your instructor. Some driving schools earn money by making you to take more classes. Ideally the expenditure can be 400 -500 euros. It can be more if you take more classes and need to attempt more than once.

clevermax · 2nd July 2009, 09:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by shivapsreddy

I am staying in Nuremberg.

Hi... I have stayed in Nbg, several short stays spanning couple of months to half a year from year 2003 to 2008... Was wondering whether we know each other.. You from Siemens?

navin · 2nd July 2009, 09:37

TheBrother (Sam Kapasi's to be brother in law) lives in Germany. TheOne however is now in India. Else you can ask Der Alte.

TheOne® · 2nd July 2009, 10:26

Getting a driver's licence in Germany is not cheap. I don't know about the current actual rates anymore but I paid around 1.200 Euros for mine and that was 11 years ago!

I trust that shivapsreddy knows more about not having to enroll for the mandatory 12 classes as a foreigner than I. However, there is normally an admission fee that you need to pay - used to be around 300 Euros at my time - that covers the theoretical classes, the "books" and exercises, the exam, the licence etc. I know from my brother that these fees (how much? not sure) still exist.

In addition you need to take practical driving classes that you have to pay separately. As already mentioned in this thread the total amount depends on you and your driving abilities. Maybe you are brilliant and can participate in the practical exam very fast, maybe you need to exercise more.

To be on the safe side, I would count in some 1.000 Euros for the licence. Maybe you won't need it all, maybe you will.

In any case, I would only do my licence if you plan to stay in Germany a bit longer. Hamburg is a city where you don't really need a car - as in most of the big cities and towns in Germany.

And if you do stay longer I would really advise you to learn German! Crying shame you haven't done so already in the last 12 months.

JVH · 2nd July 2009, 10:39

I was in Germany from 2005-2007. Stayed in Bremen and Hamburg. As TheOne® mentioned, you really do not require any driving if your commute is in the cities. The German public transport system is one the best I've come across (comparing with Swiss, Italian and French systems). You also have the fantastc weekend tickets where in you can travel in groups.

Having said that, the autobahn experience is really something. I had taken along my international driving license and drove to meet friends near Stuttgart and Munich. It is a real pleasure I tell ya.

P.S- I think it is high time you learn german. It will be very useful to you specially when you seek your driving license and in dealing with other authorities. This is my personal experience.

praveencr85 · 2nd July 2009, 15:26

@ TheOne®

With Raju's surprise & recession i was not sure about how long my stay here would be, with each passing month we were asked to be ready for going back anytime soon & weekends sacrificed for work.This dilema is the reason why i have not done my license, german language,roaming etc .

@shivapsreddy

Thanks for the inputs, i will be visiting a driving school next week.

@JVH

your right sir, the transport is top class & driving some german beauties is something i dont want to miss before coming back & i recenlty moved to a new apartment next to a BMW mini cooper showroom too tempting it is ...

BWN · 2nd July 2009, 17:25

Hi Praveen,

I was in HH from 2004 to Aug 2008 and never knew we had a bhpian onboard. I think I must have seen you in Airbus.

Well to answer you question, now since you have stayed more than a year, you will have to get it the looong way. And yes, it is expensive and time consuming. Start learning german as it makes a sea of difference while interacting with people. You can talk to some driving schools (Fahrschule)for some customised programs where you can just take practical lessons for 2 to 5 hours(if you drive well) and you can also take the Written exam in english for a higher price.

If its less than a year, you have a golden chance of exchanging you Indian DL for a German DL by just appearing for the written exam. This would be much simpler and easier. Try to apply within your one year of entry.

I used to drive in HH with my indian license for an year and then couldn't take up driving lessons due to workload. I am presently in toulouse and attending the driving classes in french

Good luck

praveencr85 · 2nd July 2009, 18:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by BWN

Hi Praveen,

I was in HH from 2004 to Aug 2008 and never knew we had a bhpian onboard. I think I must have seen you in Airbus.

Well to answer you question, now since you have stayed more than a year, you will have to get it the looong way. And yes, it is expensive and time consuming. Start learning german as it makes a sea of difference while interacting with people. You can talk to some driving schools (Fahrschule)for some customised programs where you can just take practical lessons for 2 to 5 hours(if you drive well) and you can also take the Written exam in english for a higher price.

If its less than a year, you have a golden chance of exchanging you Indian DL for a German DL by just appearing for the written exam. This would be much simpler and easier. Try to apply within your one year of entry.

I used to drive in HH with my indian license for an year and then couldn't take up driving lessons due to workload. I am presently in toulouse and attending the driving classes in french

Good luck

hello BWN sir ,

I still got 1month to complete my full 1 year

, are you sure this is possible ?? I would be grateful if you can confirm me i will right away visit the fahrschule .

Kindly provide some more information on this .Thanks in advance .

BWN · 2nd July 2009, 18:31

You can try this link How To Germany - Driving in Germany. However, you can get more info in "Welcome center" near hauptbahnhof. I perosnally made inquiries about this after 1.5 years though I wasn't much interested. They told me that Indian govt was about to sign a reciprocal agreement with Germany for this.All the best

Autonorm · 2nd July 2009, 18:45

Hi Praveen!
I have been living here in Aachen for a little more than 2 years, enquired quite a few times for the driving lisence here and was told that since I had my Indian DV I had to only drive the minimum no. of hours required (forgot the min. no. of hours now) and if my driving was good enough I could get my DV easily but was told that would still cost around 700-800€ and a normal German DV could easily set you back from anywhere between 1200-1600€, depending on how fast you learn.
You don't need to know very good German to get a German driving lisence, some cities like Munich allow you to take the theory test in English (don't remember if you have to pay extra for it) and I guess this provision is available in many other major cities as well.
The other option that some of my friends here told me, to get a cheap DV, is to get one from Poland <img>

1st July 2009, 21:02	#1
praveencr85 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hamburg, Germany Posts: 75 Thanked: 0 Times	Germany Meet Thread Hi all , I am staying in germany , hamburg its been almost a year now .I have been here all these time witout driving any cars , just drooling on all the beauties i see on road .I did enquire about driving license but every1 suggest to get it through a driving school, language is big prob for me cant convey wat i want easily & to get a license i was told to shell around 1500-2000 euros I am just eager to know are ther any Bhpians in germany wer i can take ther help, meet up ???
	() Thanks $Received Infraction$

1st July 2009, 21:17	#2
simply_sunny001 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: London & Rohtak Posts: 1,340 Thanked: 18 Times View My Garage	Its been an year so you must have learnt a bit of German by now. If not then consider learning german if you going to stay there for long. And Driving License is a neccessity even if you dont have to drive so start preparing for that And the amount you have quoted is totally wrong, so do some research on net regarding license Fees and Driving lessons costs etc. cheers
	() Thanks

1st July 2009, 21:27	#3
pawan_pullarwar BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Pune - Now in Munich, Germany Posts: 778 Thanked: 129 Times	I am staying in Germany, Munich. I drove here Merc and VW on indian License, which is valid for 6 month from the date registeration done. As you are here for almost an year, you can not use Indian driving license. Getting license is tough and it will cost you around 1000 Euro. I can get exact information for getting license tomorrow with my German collegue.
	() Thanks

1st July 2009, 22:32	#4
praveencr85 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hamburg, Germany Posts: 75 Thanked: 0 Times	Note from the Team-BHP Support Staff : Slang and SMS Language are STRICTLY prohibited on Team-BHP. Please type in full and proper English for the benefit of other community members. We advise you to read the Announcements and Board Rules section before proceeding any further. Last edited by GTO : 26th April 2012 at 13:52.
	() Thanks $Received Infraction$

1st July 2009, 22:52	#5
clevermax Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Tvm/Amsterdam Posts: 2,086 Thanked: 2,640 Times View My Garage	I have driven several rented cars in Germany and some other European countries with an Indian License. You also need an IDP in countries like Italy. You should not miss the driving experience through Autobahn. How I miss it now.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 03:00	#6
shivapsreddy BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Nuremberg,Germany Posts: 62 Thanked: 0 Times	I am staying in Nuremberg. For the licence you need to write theory exam and practical one. Theory you can write in English too. If you apply within first three years in Germany you need not take the mandatory 12 practical classes. The number of classes depends on you and your instructor. Some driving schools earn money by making you to take more classes. Ideally the expenditure can be 400 -500 euros. It can be more if you take more classes and need to attempt more than once.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 09:37	#8
navin Team-BHP Support Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 25,199 Thanked: 9,304 Times	TheBrother (Sam Kapasi's to be brother in law) lives in Germany. TheOne however is now in India. Else you can ask Der Alte.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 10:26	#9
TheOne® BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 217 Thanked: 82 Times	Getting a driver's licence in Germany is not cheap. I don't know about the current actual rates anymore but I paid around 1.200 Euros for mine and that was 11 years ago! I trust that shivapsreddy knows more about not having to enroll for the mandatory 12 classes as a foreigner than I. However, there is normally an admission fee that you need to pay - used to be around 300 Euros at my time - that covers the theoretical classes, the "books" and exercises, the exam, the licence etc. I know from my brother that these fees (how much? not sure) still exist. In addition you need to take practical driving classes that you have to pay separately. As already mentioned in this thread the total amount depends on you and your driving abilities. Maybe you are brilliant and can participate in the practical exam very fast, maybe you need to exercise more. To be on the safe side, I would count in some 1.000 Euros for the licence. Maybe you won't need it all, maybe you will. In any case, I would only do my licence if you plan to stay in Germany a bit longer. Hamburg is a city where you don't really need a car - as in most of the big cities and towns in Germany. And if you do stay longer I would really advise you to learn German! Crying shame you haven't done so already in the last 12 months.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 10:39	#10
JVH Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,045 Thanked: 207 Times	I was in Germany from 2005-2007. Stayed in Bremen and Hamburg. As TheOne® mentioned, you really do not require any driving if your commute is in the cities. The German public transport system is one the best I've come across (comparing with Swiss, Italian and French systems). You also have the fantastc weekend tickets where in you can travel in groups. Having said that, the autobahn experience is really something. I had taken along my international driving license and drove to meet friends near Stuttgart and Munich. It is a real pleasure I tell ya. P.S- I think it is high time you learn german. It will be very useful to you specially when you seek your driving license and in dealing with other authorities. This is my personal experience. Last edited by JVH : 2nd July 2009 at 10:43.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 15:26	#11
praveencr85 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hamburg, Germany Posts: 75 Thanked: 0 Times	@ TheOne® With Raju's surprise & recession i was not sure about how long my stay here would be, with each passing month we were asked to be ready for going back anytime soon & weekends sacrificed for work.This dilema is the reason why i have not done my license, german language,roaming etc . @shivapsreddy Thanks for the inputs, i will be visiting a driving school next week. @JVH your right sir, the transport is top class & driving some german beauties is something i dont want to miss before coming back & i recenlty moved to a new apartment next to a BMW mini cooper showroom too tempting it is ...
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 17:25	#12
BWN BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Toulouse Posts: 114 Thanked: Once	Hi Praveen, I was in HH from 2004 to Aug 2008 and never knew we had a bhpian onboard. I think I must have seen you in Airbus. Well to answer you question, now since you have stayed more than a year, you will have to get it the looong way. And yes, it is expensive and time consuming. Start learning german as it makes a sea of difference while interacting with people. You can talk to some driving schools (Fahrschule)for some customised programs where you can just take practical lessons for 2 to 5 hours(if you drive well) and you can also take the Written exam in english for a higher price. If its less than a year, you have a golden chance of exchanging you Indian DL for a German DL by just appearing for the written exam. This would be much simpler and easier. Try to apply within your one year of entry. I used to drive in HH with my indian license for an year and then couldn't take up driving lessons due to workload. I am presently in toulouse and attending the driving classes in french Good luck Last edited by GTO : 26th April 2012 at 13:53. Reason: Quoted post has been deleted
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 18:31	#14
BWN BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Toulouse Posts: 114 Thanked: Once	You can try this link How To Germany - Driving in Germany. However, you can get more info in "Welcome center" near hauptbahnhof. I perosnally made inquiries about this after 1.5 years though I wasn't much interested. They told me that Indian govt was about to sign a reciprocal agreement with Germany for this.All the best
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 18:45	#15
Autonorm BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chandigarh Posts: 83 Thanked: 8 Times	Hi Praveen! I have been living here in Aachen for a little more than 2 years, enquired quite a few times for the driving lisence here and was told that since I had my Indian DV I had to only drive the minimum no. of hours required (forgot the min. no. of hours now) and if my driving was good enough I could get my DV easily but was told that would still cost around 700-800€ and a normal German DV could easily set you back from anywhere between 1200-1600€, depending on how fast you learn. You don't need to know very good German to get a German driving lisence, some cities like Munich allow you to take the theory test in English (don't remember if you have to pay extra for it) and I guess this provision is available in many other major cities as well. The other option that some of my friends here told me, to get a cheap DV, is to get one from Poland <img> Last edited by Autonorm : 2nd July 2009 at 19:04.
	() Thanks