Checked baggage has a weight limit. The list below prioritises things that are hard to find or expensive in Germany and leaves out items that only add weight.
Do pack
- All original documents and their translations, in your hand luggage
- Any medication you take, with the prescription translated into English or German
- Glasses, safety shoes or tools of your trade you are used to, if they are light
- Thermal base layers — the German winter is longer than you think
- A few compact, dried spices from home
Do not pack
- Fresh food, meat or dairy products — EU entry rules ban them and they will be confiscated
- Bulky pots, pans and bedding — second-hand items are very cheap in Germany
- A heavy winter coat — better to buy one locally to suit the climate
- Large amounts of undeclared cash — above the legal threshold you must declare it to customs
Note:Photograph all important documents and save them in your own email account. If your luggage is lost, you still have copies to get replacements.
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