Driving in Germany: licence, roads and tolls

Free motorways, an advisory rather than a limit on parts of the Autobahn, and two rules that catch every visitor.

• The Umweltplakette is required for city low-emission zones in Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Stuttgart and dozens more. It is a windscreen sticker bought once; a hire car normally has one.
• The Rettungsgasse is the law. When traffic stops on a motorway, the left lane moves left and every other lane moves right to leave a corridor down the middle - before the sirens, not when you hear them. Failing to form it is a fine and a licence penalty.
• The unrestricted sections have an advisory 130 km/h. Exceeding it is legal and increases your liability in any accident; the fast lane at 200 km/h is not a myth and closes faster than a visitor expects.
• The alcohol limit is 0.5 g/l, and zero for drivers under 21 or with less than two years' experience.
• Winter tyres are required by conditions, not by date - snow, ice or slush means the alpine symbol on the tyre, whatever the month.