Verified intelligence for organisations

Max security COVID-19 intel portal is a unique decision-making tool providing actionable intelligence, exit indicators, daily business-critical updates percountry, travel status, and information about specific regulations.

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Germany

Exit indicators

Travel status

Transportation

International Flights

Domestic Flights

Germany

Exit indicators

Regulations

  • Social distancing of 1.5 meters is compulsory in public. Wearing of face coverings is encouraged but not compulsory on a national level. Since late April. All states require masks or face coverings when using public transportation and in shops.. Individuals not wearing mandatory face masks will be fined depending on the state’s laws, with implementation varying by state. In Berlin, there are no fines for not wearing masks while in Bavaria, fines can range up to EUR 5,000 for store owners whose employees do not wear masks. 
  • Public gatherings of up to ten people, or members of two households have been allowed from June 6. 
  • In Germany, individuals who violate the lockdown rules may be fined up to 10,000 EUR.
  • A number of guidelines and emergency and helpline numbers to assist the population have been introduced. 
  • Large events are prohibited until October 31.
  • Most schools have gradually resumed classes from May 4. 
  • Authorities announced on April 30 the easing of some restrictions. Places of worship, museums, gardens, zoos, playgrounds, and monuments are opened to visitors.
  • Hair salons have been reopened under strict conditions.
  • Shops are permitted to reopen.
  • Based on infection levels, states will decide on their own about a gradual opening of universities, restaurants, bars, hotels, trade fairs, cosmetic studios, brothels, theatres, fitness studios, cinemas and discos all under certain hygiene and distancing concepts, per May 5 reports.
  • On June 13, Thuringia State relaxed several social distancing measures, allowing private celebrations to resume with up to 30 people indoors and 75 people outdoors.
  • Authorities are bringing back local lockdown measures following an outbreak linked to a meatpacking plant in North Rhine-Westphalia. State premier Armin Laschet stated that restrictions have been reintroduced in the Gutersloh district. 
  • The state of Bavaria announced it will authorize COVID-19 tests for all residents regardless of symptoms. The state will sponsor the test if not covered under the public health insurance.
  • The Government has launched a voluntary alert application that will update those who may have been in contact with an infected person, the link for the application can be found here.

Transportation

Transportation Status

  • EU and Schengen area nationals, as well as the UK, may enter Germany without a “valid reason”. Long-term residence holders of third-country nationals may also enter. Others must present an “essential function or need” for their travel in order to be granted entry.
  • Travelers from Spain are allowed to enter Germany as of June 22.
  • The countries impacted by the abovementioned restrictions will be published on the website of the Robert-Koch-Institut. However, the German government has advised all travelers to also check with state government’s for possible additional restrictions.
  • Public transport remains operational at a regular capacity. 
  • High-speed rail travel between France and Germany resumed on May 12, with trains from Frankfurt to Paris via Saarbrucken, and trains from Karlsruhe to Paris via Strasbourg.
  • Germany has extended the warning for nonessential travel to non-EU countries until August 31. 
  • Protective masks are required in all public transport, including airplanes and airports. 
  • As of June 7, Germany and Hungary began lifting travel restrictions for each other’s citizens. German nationals will be allowed to enter Hungary, and Hungarians returning to Hungary from Germany will not need to undergo mandatory quarantine. 
  • The government has additionally advised citizens to not travel to the UK as long as a 14-day quarantine for tourists is in place there and avoid cruises.

Aviation

International flights

  • Lufthansa Airlines announced on June 7 that it will offer passengers a “return-flight guarantee” during  the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline continues to operate from select European destinations at an extremely reduced rate. Most planes have been grounded or converted to cargo planes for medical supplies. From mid-June, Lufthansa will resume flights to 20 destinations. The destinations include Mallorca, Crete, Rhodes, Faro, Venice, Ibiza, and Malaga. Flights will depart from Frankfurt. A mask is required on all Lufthansa flights.
  • Lufthansa will also double its flights from Frankfurt (FRA) to Ljubljana (LJU), Slovenia on July 1. On July 4, the airline will introduce three weekly flights from FRA to Zadar (ZAD), Croatia, and starting July 6, will resume its FRA to Belgrade (BEG), Serbia service. Lufthansa has also announced the resumption of operations out of Munich (MUC) starting July 1. The airline has announced new flight schedules until October and would offer more than 40 percent of its originally planned flight program in July.   
  • Eurowings has extended its basic flight schedule into the month of May, and is operating flights from Cologne, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Munich, and Stuttgart. Masks are obligatory on Eurowings flights. 
  • Germanwings operations have suspended entirely and will not resume after the pandemic.
  • Germany’s major airports remain open and functioning with reduced activity.
  • Berlin-Tegel Airport (TXL) will temporarily suspend operations from June 15 due to the drop in passengers, with the measure agreed upon on May 20. 
  • Condor will resume its summer flight schedule on June 25. The airline will be flying from Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Munich, Hamburg, Hanover, Stuttgart, Leipzig/Halle, and Berlin-Schoenefeld (SXF) to the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Andalusia, Greece, Croatia, Sardinia, Italy, Cyprus, Turkey, and the North Sea island of Sylt as of the end of June.
  • Germany-based airline TUI announced it will resume flights on July 11 to eight destinations. TUI will operate to Crete (HER), Corfu (CFU), Kos (KGS), and Rhodes (RHO) in Greece, and Ibiza (IBZ), Lanzarote (ACE) Palma (PMI), and Tenerife (TFS) in Spain.

Domestic flights

  • Eurowings and Lufthansa both continue to offer limited domestic flights, with some regular services being reduced to once or twice a week.

Logistics

Infrastructure & business continuity

  • Basic infrastructure in Germany continues to operate at a good level. Germany’s healthcare system has managed to cope with the outbreak without being severely strained. The federal system has allowed for the various states to implement measures suited to their needs to cope with the outbreak. 

Availability of basic goods

  • Establishments providing necessities, such as supermarkets and pharmacies, continue to operate. Widespread shortages of goods and commodities have not been reported. 

Hotel operations

  • Hotels have begun to reopen in May-June, although some offer limited capacity or services. Additionally, some states have banned hotels from hosting those arriving from abroad who are required to quarantine.

Security situation

Civil unrest

  • Instances of protests against the restrictions are expected to occur intermittently over the duration of the lockdown. Weekly protests have occurred throughout Germany, with some protests gathering crowds in the thousands. Incidents of localized unrest have been reported, as police forces attempt to disperse crowds. 

Crime

  • Low-level criminal activity, such as vandalism and arson, continue to be recorded despite the restrictions on movement. These incidents carry a latent potential to cause some physical harm to the general public. 
  • Violent crimes, such as physical assaults on individuals in a public space and domestic violence, are expected to persist for the duration of the lockdown. 
  • The threat of scams and thefts of protective medical equipment persists in Germany, given the general uptick in crime witnessed across Europe.   
  • Organized criminal groups have moved their activities to the cyber-sphere. In one notable case, a group attempted to sell millions of non-existent masks to Germany health authorities.

Anti-foreign sentiment

  • The increase in anti-foreign sentiment, especially towards those of Asian descent, recorded in Germany carries the potential for small-scale attacks on establishments linked to the Asian community, such as the stone-throwing at the Chinese Consulate in Berlin on April 10. Further, the potential for assaults on individuals of Asian descent cannot be ruled out.  

Cities

Berlin

  • Berlin is the most affected city in Germany with the highest number of cases.
  • Berlin authorities have made wearing face masks on public transport mandatory from April 27 onwards.
  • Berlin Schonefeld (SXF), remains operational at limited capacity.
  • In Berlin, there have been repeated protests on Saturdays to call for an end to the restrictions. The protests have been attended by both right- and left-wing protesters who said that the lockdown restricted individuals’ rights and helped ‘elites’ and localized unrest has been recorded.
  • Hotels in Berlin have reopened, as of May 25
  •  Demonstrations in Berlin are expected to be permitted from June 4 without any limit on the number of participants.
  • The Berlin-Tegel Airport (TXL) in Berlin, which was slated for closure from mid-June, will reportedly be kept open for service for a few additional months as per June 3 reports.
  • In Berlin, secondary schools resumed operations from April 27, followed by primary schools on May 4. Daycare centers in Berlin will begin regular operations from June 22.
  • Authorities in Berlin have enforced new quarantine measures on individuals entering from abroad, according to which, anyone entering from third-countries and those considered to be high risk, including Sweden, will be subject to a 14-day quarantine. Travelers with a negative COVID-19 test will not be subjected to quarantine.
  • As of June 22, Berlin abolished 13 of its COVID-19 restrictions, although masks and social distancing remain mandatory.
  • Authorities in Berlin have decided to continue easing restrictions, lifting restrictions limiting gatherings in public spaces to five people. Face masks are still required on public transportation.

Cologne

  • Cologne ranks fifth nationally in terms of the number of confirmed cases. 
  • Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) remains operational for cargo flights.

Frankfurt

  • Frankfurt continues to be on lockdown, in line with federal regulations, although measures have begun to be eased. The city is not in the 10 most affected cities by the virus in Germany. 
  • All flight departures at Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA) are currently taking place in Terminal 1.
  • Face masks are mandatory inside the terminal facilities.
  • Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) has opened a COVID-19 test center to help travelers avoid quarantine at their destination.

Hamburg

  • Hamburg is the third most affected city nationwide.
  • Hamburg Airport (HAM) remains operational largely for cargo services and to transport patients.
  • Face masks are compulsory at the Hamburg Airport (HAM) as of May 27.

Munich

  • Munich has the second highest number of cases in Germany. The city remains on lockdown, in line with federal regulations.
  • Masks are required in closed spaces and on all long distance travel in Bavaria, with the restrictions applying to Munich as well.
  • The Munich Airport (MUC) will reportedly resume transatlantic flights in the coming weeks.
  • Lufthansa Airlines resumed its route from Munich to Chicago in the USA on June 2.

Stuttgart

  • Stuttgart is maintaining social distancing measures consistent with federal regulations. The city is not one of the 10 most affected by the virus in Germany. 
  • Eurowings has resumed flights from Stuttgart Airport (STR) after a temporary suspension from April 23.
  • As of July 1, masks must be worn in public transport, shopping malls, medical facilities, and hairdressers.
  • Details of Stuttgart-focused changes to regulations from July 1 can be found here.