Germany travel health guide

The data behind Germany's score 77.4/100 · #14 of 30

Eight metrics, scored 0–100 and weighted per the index methodology. Evidence and sources shown per metric.

Can you drink the tap water in Germany? Safe to drink

Yes — German tap water (Leitungswasser) is safe, and about as closely controlled as anything you can drink in the country. It’s governed by the Trinkwasserverordnung (Drinking Water Ordinance), one of Europe’s stricter regimes, and tested constantly. In Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne and everywhere in between you can drink straight from the tap, use ice, brush your teeth and rinse salad without a second thought.

What changes from place to place is taste and hardness, not safety. Munich is a standout: its supply flows from protected springs in the Alpine-foothill Mangfall valley and needs barely any treatment. Much of the north and east, including Berlin, sits on hard, mineral-rich water (kalkhaltig) — perfectly healthy, it just furs up the kettle and can taste a little chalky. None of this is a health concern.

One cultural quirk trips up visitors: ask for tap water in a restaurant and you may get a quizzical look, because Germans overwhelmingly drink bottled sparkling water (mit Kohlensäure) and some places gently steer you towards it. That’s habit and a big bottled-water industry, not a safety signal. Public drinking fountains (Trinkbrunnen) and the Refill movement are expanding in the cities, so bring a reusable bottle. For infant formula the tap is fine almost everywhere; in a very old building, simply run the cold tap for a few seconds first.

Mosquitoes and insect risk in Germany Moderate

Mosquitoes are a minor matter overall, and Germany scores as a low-to-moderate risk. The great majority are harmless native nuisance species (Stechmücken, or Schnaken in the south), worst along the Upper Rhine floodplains around Freiburg, Karlsruhe and Mannheim, where a long-running control programme keeps them in check each summer.

Two things have shifted in recent years. The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) has established small, localised populations in the warm south-west — the Upper Rhine corridor near Freiburg and Heidelberg — and is slowly edging north; it bites by day. Separately, West Nile virus, carried by native Culex mosquitoes, has circulated since around 2018–2019 almost entirely in the east — Berlin, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg — producing a small number of locally-acquired human cases in most late summers.

Keep this in proportion. The risk to a short-stay visitor is low, the great majority of West Nile infections cause no symptoms at all, and there is no malaria and no dengue transmission in Germany. Use a repellent containing DEET or icaridin and cover up at dawn and dusk, particularly near the Rhine wetlands or the eastern lakes in August. No mosquito-borne vaccine is recommended for travellers.

How hot does Germany get in summer? Low

German summers are temperate — Berlin’s July high averages about 25°C — but the climate has an extreme tail. The national record is 41.2°C, set in July 2019 near the Rhine in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 2018, 2019 and 2022 summers all brought severe, prolonged heat.

Geography decides who feels it most. The Rhine valley and south-west (Freiburg, Karlsruhe, Mannheim) is reliably the hottest corner of the country; big cities such as Berlin, Cologne and Frankfurt trap urban heat and stay warm overnight; the north coast and Hamburg are cooler and breezier. Air-conditioning is uncommon in homes and smaller hotels, so a hot spell can be draining indoors.

During a Hitzewelle (heatwave), treat it seriously: drink steadily, stay out of the sun between roughly 1pm and 6pm, shade the flat by day and air it at night, and watch for the signs of heat exhaustion. The national weather service, the DWD (Deutscher Wetterdienst), issues official heat warnings (Hitzewarnungen) district by district — quick to check each morning. Older travellers, infants and anyone with a heart or lung condition are most at risk.

Food and stomach bugs in Germany Low

Food safety is high and stomach upsets are uncommon — Germany’s salmonella rates are among the lower in the EU — so ordinary summer care is all you need. Tap water is safe, ice and salads are fine, and busy places with quick turnover are your friend.

A couple of German specialities do warrant a mention. Mett (or Hackepeter) — seasoned raw minced pork spread on a bread roll — and traditional raw-milk cheeses are generally well controlled, but, as with any raw product, they carry a small extra risk: pregnant travellers and anyone with a weakened immune system may prefer to give them a miss. Everything from a plate of currywurst to a beer-garden Brotzeit is very low risk. Pack a few oral rehydration sachets just in case.

Do you need vaccinations for Germany? Routine (+TBE)

For a standard trip to Germany no special vaccinations are needed — the priority is simply being current on your routine cover: MMR (measles still flares up across Europe, so this is the one to double-check), tetanus-diphtheria-polio, and COVID-19 as advised.

The one genuinely German consideration is tick-borne encephalitis (TBE, or FSME). If you’ll be walking, cycling or camping through forest and grassland in the recognised risk areas — chiefly Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, plus pockets of Hesse, Thuringia and Saxony — the TBE vaccine is worth discussing with a clinician, and you should use repellent and check yourself for ticks regardless. Hepatitis A, typhoid and rabies jabs aren’t needed for ordinary tourism.

Healthcare in Germany: doctors, pharmacies & the EHIC/GHIC Good access

Germany has one of the best-resourced health systems in Europe — around 4.6 doctors per 1,000 people and modern hospitals throughout. For minor problems your first stop is the Apotheke, marked by a red gothic “A”; pharmacists are highly trained and can advise on and dispense a wide range of medicines. Outside opening hours a local rota (Notdienst) always keeps one open — the on-duty address is posted in every pharmacy window and online.

Carry your EHIC if you’re an EU citizen or your GHIC if you’re visiting from the UK; both give access to state healthcare on the same basis as a resident, but neither covers repatriation or private clinics, so travel with insurance as well. When you’d normally see a family doctor (Hausarzt) but the surgery is shut, the non-emergency medical on-call service is reachable on 116117.

For the everyday things — a repeat prescription that’s run dry, a UTI, an infected insect bite, a summer chest infection — an online consultation can be far quicker than finding, registering with and paying a local practice in the middle of a trip.

Emergency numbers in Germany 112

In an emergency dial 112 — free from any phone, anywhere in Germany and across the EU, for ambulance and fire, with English usually available from the operators. For the police, the separate number is 110.

For medical help that’s urgent but not life-threatening, 116117 reaches the on-call doctor service, while 112 is for genuine emergencies. Save both numbers before you travel, and note the address or a nearby landmark — ideally in German — so responders can reach you without delay.

Germany travel health: FAQs

Compare nearby destinations