Trying to plan ahead so any know if card payments are common at hostels in Germany or cash is king?
Stayed in a chain hostel in Hamburg and a smaller one in Freiburg - both took card no problem. But a guest next to me had trouble because their prepaid card got declined. Best to have a physical Visa or Mastercard that works with chip and PIN. Germany isn’t as card-friendly as the Netherlands or Scandinavia, so having some cash as backup is still smart.
My hostel in Cologne took cards, but charged a 3% fee on top. They didn’t mention it until I tapped my card. When I asked why, they said “bank fees” - not uncommon in Germany. If you’re planning ahead, I’d say bring at least €150-200 in cash for check-ins, just in case, especially if you're staying in smaller towns.
Trying to plan ahead so any know if card payments are common at hostels in Germany or cash is king?
In Berlin, I booked through Hostelworld and paid a deposit online, but when I arrived they said the balance had to be paid in cash. Apparently the booking system and payment system aren’t always linked. Lucky I had €100 on me, or I would’ve had to find an ATM at 10pm. Since then, I always message ahead to ask if card is accepted at check-in.
Trying to plan ahead so any know if card payments are common at hostels in Germany or cash is king?
Most hostels in Germany do accept cards, but it’s definitely not universal. I stayed at 5 different hostels last month between Berlin, Leipzig, and Munich - 3 took cards at check-in, the other 2 were cash-only or said the machine was “temporarily not working.” So yeah, you’ll run into places that still prefer cash, especially the smaller, older hostels or family-run ones.