page_title: Transport in Germany
hierarchical_section_title: Transport in Germany
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Die Schnellfahrstrecke Köln–Rhein/Main und die parallel verlaufende Autobahn 3 bei Hasenboseroth English: The Cologne-Frankfurt high-speed line and the Autobahn 3 highway run in parallel, near Hasenboseroth
context_page_description: As a densely populated country in a central location in Europe and with a developed economy, Germany has a dense and modern transport infrastructure.
  The first highway system to have been built, the extensive German Autobahn network famously has no general speed limit for light vehicles. The country's most important waterway is the river Rhine. The largest port is that of Hamburg. Frankfurt Airport is a major international airport and European transport hub. Air travel is used for greater distances within Germany but faces competition from the state-owned Deutsche Bahn's rail network. High-speed trains called ICE connect cities for passenger travel with speeds up to 300 km/h. Many German cities have rapid transit systems and public transport is available in most areas. Buses have historically only played a marginal role in long distance passenger service, as all routes directly competing with rail services were technically outlawed by a law dating to 1935. Only in 2012 was this law officially amended and thus a long distance bus market has also emerged in Germany since then.
context_section_description: As a densely populated country in a central location in Europe and with a developed economy, Germany has a dense and modern transport infrastructure.
  The first highway system to have been built, the extensive German Autobahn network famously has no general speed limit for light vehicles (although advisory speed limits are given in most sections today, and there is a blanket 80 km/h limit for trucks). The country's most important waterway is the river Rhine. The largest port is that of Hamburg. Frankfurt Airport is a major international airport and European transport hub. Air travel is used for greater distances within Germany but faces competition from the state-owned Deutsche Bahn's rail network. High-speed trains called ICE connect cities for passenger travel with speeds up to 300 km/h. Many German cities have rapid transit systems and public transport is available in most areas. Buses have historically only played a marginal role in long distance passenger service, as all routes directly competing with rail services were technically outlawed by a law dating to 1935 (during the Nazi era). Only in 2012 was this law officially amended and thus a long distance bus market has also emerged in Germany since then.
  Since German reunification substantial effort has been made to improve and expand transport infrastructure in what was formerly East Germany.
  Verkehrsmittel and Verkehrszeichen - Transportation signs in Germany are available here in German and English.
caption: Cologne–Frankfurt high-speed rail line, running parallel to Bundesautobahn 3
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