Every city has a Hauptbahnhof, which means ‘central station,’ where all these systems come together. Cities in Germany are also very pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly, with many protected bike lanes, sidewalks and bridges designed for their use. Autobahns (highways) connect most cities in Germany, and these highways are unique in the world for not having a speed limit. You can drive as fast as you want on certain stretches of the autobahn, owing to the extremely high standard of driver’s education in Germany. Getting your driver's license is notoriously difficult and time-consuming here, and it can cost up to $4,000 between test fees and courses. Finally, Germany has several major airports that connect the country to the rest of the world, with major hubs in the cities of Frankfurt and Munich.
It felt great! Compared to New York City’s subway and buses, these systems in Germany run more frequently and tend to be more reliable. The stations are cleaner and feel safer. Occasionally there are interruptions, but because there are so many options, there is almost always an easy workaround. I’ve found that many locals tend to complain about the trains being late or canceled (which does happen from time to time), but relative to the chaos of New York City, it’s not that bad. Europe does have its unique challenges though; for example, WWII-era unexploded bombs are frequently discovered in the ground during construction projects, and entire sections of railroads need to be closed for days while the bomb is safely removed.
