Why Choose Germany

Germany Tour Packages from India

Germany packages with Bayard start at ₹1,19,999 per person, and it is one of the easiest first trips to Europe: Lufthansa and Air India fly nonstop from Delhi and Mumbai to Frankfurt and Munich in about nine hours, the trains between cities are fast and frequent, and English is spoken everywhere a visitor goes.

Two things worth planning around. The Schengen visa costs €90 and takes fifteen to thirty days, and German applications go through VFS Global not the provider some websites still list. And if you want the Christmas markets or Oktoberfest, both are dated events with months of booking lead time and accommodation that gets scarce early.

Below: what a Germany trip really costs, how to choose between Berlin, Bavaria and the Rhine, when to go, and what the visa involves.

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Germany trip at a glance

 Schengen visa for Germany

Indian passport holders need a short-stay Schengen visa (Type C) to visit Germany. It allows up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across all 29 Schengen countries.

Where to apply

• German applications in India are handled by VFS Global. Some published guidance still names a different provider — it is VFS, and the wrong centre will not accept your file.

• You can submit at any VFS centre in India regardless of where you live. All German Schengen applications are then forwarded to the German Consulate General in Mumbai for the decision.

• Because the decision comes from the same place wherever you submit, appointment availability is what varies — and Delhi and Mumbai slots fill fastest. If you are in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai or Kochi, you may get an earlier date locally than in the metros. We check availability across centres when we plan your dates.

The essentials

• Fee: €90 for adults, €45 for children aged 6–12, free under 6, plus VFS service charges. This rose from €80 in June 2024 and a great deal of published guidance still quotes the old figure.

• Processing: typically 15 to 30 calendar days, counted from when the consulate receives your file rather than when VFS collects it. Apply four to six weeks ahead, and earlier for summer, Oktoberfest or December departures.

• Apply to Germany only if it is your main destination — where you will spend the most nights. On a Central Europe circuit that may be Austria or Czechia instead, and applying to the wrong consulate is a common cause of refusal.

• Insurance: travel insurance with at least €30,000 of medical cover valid across the Schengen area. German missions accept Indian policies only from their list of approved insurers — worth checking before you buy.

• Documents: passport valid six months with two blank pages, application form, Schengen-specification photographs, confirmed return flights, hotel bookings, three to six months of bank statements, an employer or school NOC, and a cover letter with your itinerary. We prepare the itinerary and booking documentation as part of your package.

What changed at the border in 2026

The EU Entry/Exit System became fully operational across all 29 Schengen countries on 10 April 2026. Passports are no longer stamped — on your first entry you are enrolled with a facial image and fingerprints, and entries and exits are recorded automatically. Allow extra time at Frankfurt or Munich on arrival, and note that your 90-in-180 days are now calculated by the system.

And a word about ETIAS

ETIAS is a pre-travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationalities — US, UK, Japanese and similar passports. Indian passport holders are visa-required and still need the full Schengen visa. Anyone offering to sell you an ETIAS for an Indian passport is not helping you.

What a Germany trip costs from India

What moves the price

• Season, more than anything. Oktoberfest in Munich and the December market weeks are separate markets — accommodation in Munich during Oktoberfest costs a multiple of the same room in November.

• How many cities. Germany is large and every additional city means a train leg and a hotel change. Three cities in a week is comfortable; five is a blur.

• Hotel category and location. Central Munich and central Berlin carry a premium, though both cities have excellent public transport, so a well-connected location twenty minutes out is often the better trade.

• Whether you add Austria or Switzerland. Those are different holidays at different budgets rather than upgrades.

• Whether international flights are bundled.

Beyond the package

Budget for the Schengen visa at €90 per adult plus VFS charges, travel insurance from an approved insurer, city tourist taxes added to hotel bills in most German cities, and meals outside your plan. One genuine saving: Deutsche Bahn advance fares are a fraction of walk-up prices, and we book them with your package rather than leaving it to the station.

Choose your Germany trip

Berlin, Dresden & Munich - 7 Days / 6 Nights

Best for history, cities and a first look at Germany

Berlin for the Brandenburg Gate, the Wall memorial, Museum Island and the Reichstag dome; Dresden for the rebuilt baroque old town and the Frauenkirche; Munich for Marienplatz, the Viktualienmarkt and the beer halls. Fast trains between all three, and three genuinely different Germanys in one week — Prussian, Saxon and Bavarian.

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Frankfurt & Munich — 7 Days / 6 Nights

Best for a first European trip with the easiest flight connections

Both cities have nonstop service from India, which makes this the simplest Germany trip to fly. Frankfurt’s Römerberg old town and the Main tower, then south to Munich for the Bavarian half of the country. Heidelberg sits between them and makes an excellent day out — ask us to build it in.

Bavaria & Neuschwanstein — we can build this

Best for the castle, the Alps and the Black Forest

Munich as a base, with a full-day excursion to Neuschwanstein and Linderhof, a day in the Bavarian Alps at Garmisch-Partenkirchen or the Zugspitze, and the option of continuing west to the Black Forest for Triberg and Lake Titisee. This is not a fixed package on this page — tell us it is what you want and we will cost it for your dates.

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Central Europe Circuit - 10 Days / 9 Nights

Best for travellers who want more than one country

Vienna, Salzburg and Hallstatt in Austria, then Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin. Note the visa point: on this itinerary your main destination may be Austria rather than Germany depending on the night split, and we will work out which consulate to apply to before you do.

The two dated trips: Christmas markets and Oktoberfest

German Christmas markets - late November to December

Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt is the oldest and the most famous; Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne, Dresden and Heidelberg all have excellent ones, and a market-focused trip usually strings three or four together by train. Cold, dark by four in the afternoon, mulled wine, and genuinely unlike anything available in India.

This books early. Hotels in the market cities fill from late summer, and the best dates go first. If you are thinking about December, plan it in August.

Oktoberfest - late September to early October, Munich

Sixteen to eighteen days, the largest folk festival in the world, and a completely different Munich from the rest of the year. Worth knowing before you commit: accommodation prices in Munich during the festival are a multiple of normal rates, tables in the big tents are reserved months ahead, and the city is extremely busy. It is a wonderful thing to do and it is not a spontaneous one.

If Oktoberfest is not the point of your trip, travelling in the two weeks before or after gives you Munich at its best without the crush or the pricing.

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When to go

 Berlin

The Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag with its glass dome, the East Side Gallery and the Berlin Wall Memorial, Museum Island, and the Topography of Terror. Berlin does not hide its history, and confronting it properly is the reason to go. Give it three nights.

Munich and Bavaria

Marienplatz and the Glockenspiel, the Viktualienmarkt, the Hofbräuhaus, the English Garden with its river surfers, and the Deutsches Museum. Munich is also the base for Neuschwanstein, Linderhof and the Alps at Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the Zugspitze.

Neuschwanstein

The castle that inspired Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle, on a crag above Hohenschwangau. One practical point most pages leave out: entry is by timed ticket, booked online in advance, and slots sell out in season. Turning up without one usually means seeing the outside only. Book it before you book anything else about your Bavaria days.|

Heidelberg and the Rhine

Heidelberg’s ruined castle above the Neckar and its old town are the most photographed romantic Germany there is, and it is an easy day from Frankfurt. The Rhine Valley between Bingen and Koblenz — castles, vineyards, the Loreley rock — is best seen from the water on a river cruise.

The Black Forest

Triberg’s waterfalls, cuckoo clock workshops, Lake Titisee and Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte where it was invented. Slower and greener than the rest of the itinerary, and a good counterweight to city days.

Practical notes for Indian travellers

Trains

Deutsche Bahn connects everything and the ICE services are fast — Frankfurt to Munich in about three and a half hours, Munich to Berlin in about four. The one thing to know: advance-purchase fares are dramatically cheaper than tickets bought on the day, so these are booked with your package rather than at the station. German trains also have a real reputation for delays on longer routes, so we build buffer into connection times rather than pretending otherwise.

Money and payments

Euros. Germany is noticeably more cash-oriented than most of Western Europe — plenty of smaller restaurants, bakeries and market stalls still prefer cash or do not take foreign cards, so carry some. Cards work fine at hotels and larger shops.

Language and food

German is the language and English is widely spoken in cities and anywhere tourists go. On food, Germany is better for vegetarians than its sausage reputation suggests — Berlin in particular has an excellent vegetarian and vegan scene, and there is good Indian food in Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich. Smaller Bavarian towns are more limited. Tell us about Jain or strict vegetarian requirements at booking.

Sundays

Worth knowing: almost all shops in Germany close on Sundays, including supermarkets. Museums and restaurants open, retail does not. Plan shopping for a weekday and it will not catch you out.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Turning up at Neuschwanstein without a pre-booked timed ticket. In season that means the outside only.

• Budgeting €80 for the Schengen visa. It has been €90 since June 2024.

• Going to the wrong visa provider. German applications in India go through VFS Global.

• Applying through Germany on a Central Europe circuit where Austria or Czechia has more nights.

• Booking Munich in late September without realising Oktoberfest is on, or booking it deliberately and leaving accommodation until August.

• Buying train tickets on the day rather than in advance.

• Planning a Munich to Berlin day trip. It is four hours each way.

• Assuming you can shop on a Sunday.

What’s included in a Bayard Germany package

 Why book Germany with Bayard Vacations

• We get the visa route right — the correct provider, the correct consulate for your itinerary, and appointment availability checked across centres rather than assumed.

• We book Neuschwanstein and other timed tickets in advance, which is the difference between going inside and looking at it from the car park.

• Deutsche Bahn booked at advance fares, with buffer built into connections rather than optimistic timings.

• Straight advice on Oktoberfest and the Christmas markets — including when not to book Munich, and how far ahead December really needs to be planned.

• Pacing built for the people travelling. Three cities in a week works; five does not.

• Honest add-on logic on Austria and Switzerland, including what the visa implications are before you commit.

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Germany package FAQs

Do Indians need a visa for Germany?

Yes. Germany is in the Schengen Area and Indian passport holders need a short-stay Schengen visa (Type C) arranged before travel. It allows up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across all 29 Schengen countries.

Where do I apply for a German Schengen visa in India?

Through VFS Global. Some published guidance still names a different provider — it is VFS, and the wrong centre will not accept your application. You can submit at any VFS centre in India, and all German Schengen files are forwarded to the German Consulate General in Mumbai for the decision.

Does it matter which city I apply from?

Not for the decision, which comes from Mumbai either way. It matters for how quickly you get an appointment — Delhi and Mumbai slots fill fastest, so applicants in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi often get earlier dates locally. We check across centres when planning your dates.

How much does the Schengen visa cost?

€90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6–12, free for under-6s, plus VFS service charges. The fee rose from €80 in June 2024, so a lot of published guidance still quotes the old figure.

How long does the visa take?

Typically 15 to 30 calendar days, counted from when the consulate receives your file rather than when VFS collects it. Apply four to six weeks ahead, and earlier for summer, Oktoberfest or December travel.

Should I apply through Germany if I am visiting other countries too?

Only if Germany is where you will spend the most nights. On a Central Europe circuit that may be Austria or Czechia. Applying to the wrong consulate is a common cause of refusal, and refusals are recorded. We work it out before you apply.

Do I need ETIAS?

No. ETIAS is for visa-exempt nationalities such as US, UK and Japanese passport holders. Indian passport holders are visa-required and still need the full Schengen visa.

What is the new biometric border system?

The EU Entry/Exit System replaced passport stamping across all 29 Schengen countries on 10 April 2026. On your first entry you are registered with a facial image and fingerprints, and entries and exits are recorded automatically. Allow extra time on arrival at Frankfurt or Munich.

Are there direct flights from India to Germany?

Yes. Lufthansa flies nonstop from Delhi and Mumbai to both Frankfurt and Munich, and Air India flies nonstop to Frankfurt, at around eight to nine hours. From Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata the routing is one stop, typically 12 to 15 hours in total.

How much does a Germany trip cost from India?

Our seven-day Germany packages run from ₹1,19,999 per person, and the ten-day Central Europe circuit from ₹2,24,999. Season is the biggest variable — Munich during Oktoberfest and the December market weeks are separate markets from the rest of the year.

How many days do I need in Germany?

Six or seven nights covers two or three cities comfortably. Germany is a large country and every extra city means a train leg and a hotel change — three in a week works, five is a blur. Nine to twelve if you are adding Austria or Switzerland.

Do I need to book Neuschwanstein tickets in advance?

Yes. Entry is by timed ticket booked online, and slots sell out in season. Arriving without one usually means seeing the castle from the outside. We book it when you confirm your package.

When are the Christmas markets and Oktoberfest?

The Christmas markets run from late November through December across Nuremberg, Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne, Dresden and Heidelberg. Oktoberfest runs from late September into the first days of October in Munich. Both book out months ahead — ask us for the exact dates for your year and we will plan around them.

Is Germany good for vegetarians?

Better than its reputation. Berlin has an excellent vegetarian and vegan scene, and there is good Indian food in Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich. Smaller Bavarian towns are more limited. Tell us at booking, particularly for Jain requirements, and we will plan restaurants accordingly.

What is included in a Bayard Germany package?

Hotels in central or well-connected locations, daily breakfast, airport and city transfers, Deutsche Bahn tickets between cities as listed, sightseeing and entrance tickets as specified and booked in advance, and on-trip support. International flights, the Schengen visa fee, insurance, city tourist taxes and personal expenses are separate.

Planning a Germany trip? 
Tell us your city, your dates and who’s travelling. We’ll send back a costed itinerary, book the timed tickets that need booking, and sort out which consulate your Schengen application should go to.

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