The German government has taken a number of measures aimed at saving energy resources this winter as the country tries to reduce its dependence from Russian gas. In the conditions of the energy crisis, tourists who travel to this European country in the fall will face a number of inconveniences: the German authorities have already sacrificed their comfort and tourism in general for the sake of saving heat. What should Russians and travelers from other countries be prepared for in 2022-2023, Schengenvisainfo explained.
The cities of Germany will plunge into darkness. As targets to reduce gas consumption by two percent have been introduced, tourists visiting Germany this fall or even winter can expect less lighting installed on city buildings and fewer backlit billboards. In particular, public buildings will not be lit after 22:00 pm, while shops are ordered to turn off the lights at night.
In addition, tourists may find that apartments and living quarters will get colder this year. If public spaces are prescribed to be heated up to a maximum of +19°C, then there will be no heat at all in the entrances of houses and similar places. Travelers wishing to visit the gas-heated pool should take into account that the water there will be cold, because. its heating is prohibited. Washing your hands with warm water from the tap will also fail.
Moreover, the country will give priority to the transportation of coal and oil by rail. In other words, tourists wishing to travel by train may have to wait due to a shortage of trains. “We now have a situation with a shortage on the rails. This means that if additional fuel transports are temporarily required, we will have to prioritize,” explained Transport Minister Volker Wissing.
As the German economy minister previously noted, the new rules could save homes, businesses and the public sector up to 10.8 billion euros by 2024. Before the start of the special operation in Ukraine, Germany received 55% of its gas from Russia, but this amount has since been reduced to 35%, and the government intends to completely stop imports. However, this will be difficult for Germany to do. Dependent on Russian gas and oil, the country paid almost 9 billion euros for energy supplies from Russia in March and April alone.
While energy saving measures may be tough, this does not mean that tourists are not welcome in Germany. So, in autumn, from September 17 to October 3, as planned, the Oktoberfest festival will be held. The event brings together beer lovers. It is expected that the festival will receive more than 7 million tourists. Moreover, the two-week program is expected to bring the country more than 1.5 billion euros in tourism revenue. As reported on the Oktoberfest 2022 official website, admission to the festival and beer tents is absolutely free, but the initial price for food and drinks will be 12 euros (720 rubles at the current exchange rate).
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