Free WiFi at Munich International Airport

FMG, the Munich Airport operating company, has launched a new service: Effective immediately, passengers and airport visitors can surf the internet using the airport's WLAN for up to 30 minutes with no fees. Users of notebook computers and WLAN-enabled handheld devices, from tablets to mobile phones, are now just a few clicks away from reading e-mails and checking their favorite websites in the waiting areas of both terminals as well as the Munich Airport Center. 

The new free service is based on the existing Deutsche Telekom HotSpot service at the airport. Here's how it works: Users who wants to go online with their own devices simply launch a browser. A start-up page will then open with a link to the registration page, where the user can enter the access code. This code is then sent as a text message to the user's mobile telephone. As soon as the code is entered in the HotSpot portal, the user will have full internet access. 

The free service can be accessed by a given user once a day and terminates after 30 minutes. When the free 30-minute period ends, a single click opens the regular HotSpot portal, where additional time can be purchased by credit card. The price for each additional hour of online time is €4.95.

How smartphones are changing air travel

According to SITA/Air Transport World's 2011 Passenger Self-Service Survey, airline passenger use of smartphones has doubled in the past year, making it now 54%. Not only that, but 74% of business and first class passengers had a smartphone on them at the time of data collection. The survey questioned 2,457 air passengers from 70 countries and 73 airlines.

In an article from The Press, they state that the CEO of SITA, Francesco Violante, is calling this type of smartphone enthusiastic traveler the "mobile-centric passenger". These fliers expect "personal and timely communication from airlines, airports and other providers of travel-related services."

The data collected by the survey shows that passengers aren't just using their smartphone for work and personal reasons, but also for travel. For example, 31% of passengers have used a smartphone to check-in for their flight and 17% had used mobile boarding passes. While this percentage may not seem huge, it is most likely because not all airports and airlines are using technology to its fullest capability yet. In fact, 73% of survey respondents said they would like to use mobile boarding passes.

Airports aren't ignoring this data, as plans for 2014 show, including 97% of airports planning to offer web check-in, 89% planning to offer mobile check-in, 87% planning to offer bar-coded boarding passes for mobiles, and 63% planning to allow fliers to print luggage tags at kiosks.

While technology isn't going to change air travel overnight, it is certainly on its way to altering the way people travel and fly. Only time will tell what else technology has in store for the future of travel.

Courtesy of Gadling.com

Musical Leipzig

From Johann Sebastian Bach to Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, and a veritable orchestra of maestros who have been born, or have lived or died in Leipzig through the centuries, this small but stately city in Germany’s north-west Saxony is rightfully anchored at the epicenter of Europe’s rich cultural history.

Leipzig commemorates and celebrates its musical heritage with passion. The city will mark the 800th anniversary of the world-famous St. Thomas Boys Choir, Church and School in 2012 and the 200th birthday of Richard Wagner in 2013, making the next two years a fascinating time to visit.

In 2012, the city will also unveil the new Leipzig Music Trail, a three-mile walking route connecting the city’s most significant historical sites with distinctive stainless steel ground markers identifying each attraction.

The recently opened Bach-Museum on St. Thomas Square is a highlight of the new trail, exhibiting a treasure trove of hand-penned scores, original manuscripts, precious instruments and priceless memorabilia from the life and works of Bach. Tip: The touch screen interactive display in the Research Laboratory adds a contemporary edge to the classical music artifacts.

Bach was cantor of the neighboring St. Thomas Church for 27 years and is buried under the main altar. Note: The St. Thomas Boys Choir performs occasional concerts in the church, but you can also hear them sing on Fridays at 6 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and at Sunday services.

Another must-see in the city is Mendelssohn House, the only remaining private home of the great composer Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, which has been painstakingly restored to what it looked like when he lived there in 1845.

The acclaimed Gewandhaus Concert Hall and Leipzig Opera vie for attention on either side of central Augustusplatz, while the Schumann House on Inselstrasse is one of the city’s architectural gems.

If you start confusing Beethoven with Bach and Mozart with Mendelssohn, take a break from the music scene with a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts on Katherinenstrasse. Children will love Leipzig Zoo (www.zoo-leipzig.de) which recently opened Gondwanaland, Europe’s largest tropical hall.

The most stylish shopping arcade in Leipzig is Maedler-Passage where you’ll find upscale designer stores such as Aigner, Mont Blanc and Wempe.

The historical Auerbachs Keller in the same arcade is worth dining at just to see the dramatic cellar decorated with scenes of Faust by Goethe, who was a regular at the tavern when he was a student in Leipzig from 1765 to 1768. End your evening with a drink in one of the city’s lively pub alleys, Kleine Fleischergasse or Barfussgasse, which are short walks away.

For a more sophisticated evening, Falco Bar, Lounge and Restaurant at The Westin Leipzig Hotel on Gerberstrasse is positioned on the 27th floor, hundreds of feet above the city, with panoramic views of the skyline. The bar serves an array of aged whiskeys, digestifs and cocktails, and the sleek restaurant has two Michelin stars to its name.

Tip: Stadtpfeiffer in the Gewandhaus is another highly recommended restaurant with one Michelin star and a great place to dine before a concert. For a slice of history with fine food, reserve a table at Niemanns Tresor, set in a former private bank near St. Thomas Church.

One of the best late-night bars in Leipzig is Chocolate, on Gottschedstrasse. It’s also a popular restaurant but really comes alive after 10 p.m. when the city’s party crowd hits the bar and disco. Note: The bar specializes in coffee, cocoa and chocolate drinks, hence the name, but be warned, it’s also a smoker’s bar.

Hotel Fuerstenhof

Built in 1770 as a private residence for Karl Eberhard Lohr, a respectable banker and city councilor, this elegant mansion is now one of the best luxury hotels in Leipzig.

On Troendlinring, a five-minute walk from the city’s historical center, Hotel Fuerstenhof bears all the hallmarks of its patrician heritage while delivering a contemporary and stylish guest experience.

The entrance lobby has a country-house feel with sink-into sofas and armchairs, fresh flowers and a whisper-quiet ambiance, along with a polite and efficient check-in staff to whisk you through the formalities and up to your room.

Note: There are no irons/boards in the rooms and the TVs are outdated, but General Manager Jorg Muller (joerg.mueller@luxurycollection.com; 011-49-341-140-4608) says new flat-screen TVs are being installed in all 92 guest rooms this summer.

The Fuerstenhof’s six larger and more luxurious Executive Suites (Nos. 102-104 and 202-204) are the most requested premium accommodations, and all the suites (on floors 1-4 with room numbers ending 02-04) overlook the hotel square and have the best views of the historical center.

The Wintergarden bar, with its Tiffany-inspired glass ceiling, makes for a cozy pre-dinner cocktail before dinner in Restaurant Villers where up-and-coming Head Chef Till Weiss is a contender for his first Michelin star with interesting dishes like sturgeon rillette with fennel honey and lobster confit with champagne risotto. 

For a more casual bistro-style meal, opt for Vinothek 1770 with its 140 wine selections.


Check out more pictures from my visit to Leipzig below!


Chris Weike

FIFA Women's World Cup Germany 2011™

As of today, the U.S. Woman's Soccer Team have qualified for the finals of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2011™ against Japan! While we keep our fingers crossed for Abby Wambach and her team to win the cup on July 17th in Frankfurt, it is time to take a look at some of the cities they've played in throughout this tournament.

Berlin, Wolfsburg, Dresden - Welcome Visitors After the Games

Berlin is the city where the opening game was held on June 26th, and Germany’s capital. It boasts trendy hangouts, non-stop entertainment, world-class shopping and is a must visit when it comes to history, cultural sites and architecture. The famous Kurfuerstendamm shopping mile invites visitors to join the celebrations of its 125th anniversary through October 2011.

The young town of Wolfsburg, set between the Harz mountains and the Lueneburg Heath region, has been shaped by the automotive industry as it is the home of Volkswagen. Each year two million visitors are attracted to the world’s biggest automotive factory, exhibition center, and theme park "Autostadt". The U.S. Women's Soccer Team beat Sweden here in the game on July 6th.

Dresden is a gemstone among the host cities and famous for its Church of Our Lady, the Green Vault, and the Zwinger palace with the Old Masters Picture Gallery and the world’s largest porcelain collection. But, Dresden is a hot tip for party animals, too, with more than 150 bars, clubs, trendy venues and a dynamic party scene. The U.S. team played here against Korea DPR and Brazil.


For more information on the FIFA Women's World Cup Germany 2011™, please see our friends at the German National Tourist Board.

Lufthansa Wins Best Transatlantic Airline Award

Since Lufthansa is one of our top preferred airlines, we though we'd share this article with you. Don't forget to call us for your holiday flights - on Lufthansa of course.


More than 18.8 million travelers from more than 100 countries have voted Lufthansa as the Best Transatlantic Airline in the customer product and service quality categories in the 2011 Skytrax World Airline Awards, the world’s largest passenger poll in the aviation industry. Furthermore SWISS, member of the Lufthansa Group, was named Best Airline Western Europe, with Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines rounding out the top three spots.


“Travelers flying between the Americas and Europe have acknowledged Lufthansa’s high-quality service as the best in its class. This award demonstrates our customers’ appreciation and recognition of our efforts to provide premium service at a consistently high level,” said Jürgen Siebenrock, Vice President The Americas. “We are continuing to invest in dedicated products and services for our customers around the world, such as the launch of the Airbus A380, renovated lounges and new cabin interiors in all classes,” he added.


As one of Europe’s leading network carriers across the Atlantic, Lufthansa serves 21 destinations in North America (17 in the United States and four in Canada), the backbone of Lufthansa’s longhaul operations. On routes across the North Atlantic, Lufthansa has re-introduced FlyNet, a broadband wireless internet connection onboard. By the end of this year the service will be available on the majority of all intercontinental flights.


Lufthansa serves six destinations in South America. In October 2010, Lufthansa began five weekly flights from Frankfurt to Bogotá operated by an Airbus A340. The latest South American addition to Lufthansa’s network will be Rio de Janeiro with a new non-stop service from Frankfurt, launching on 30 October 2011. Flights to Brazil’s second-largest city, after Sao Paolo, will be operated five times weekly with an Airbus A340.


Visit Nonstop Travel

FIFA Women's World Cup, Germany, June 26 - July 17, 2011

Nonstop Travel wants to alert travelers to Europe, especially ardent soccer fans on their way to the Women's World Cup Soccer in Germany, that Eurail Passes continue to offer great value for money and provide tremendous flexibility in planning itineraries for travel throughout Europe.

Germany, its people known for their hospitality and love of soccer, is ready to welcome FIFA World Cup fans and to introduce travelers to its excellent railway infrastructure. Germany has a staggering 47,200 km (27,300 miles) of railway tracks available to Eurail Pass holders.

The FIFA Women's World Cup Soccer is recognized as the most important international competition in women's soccer.Germany will be hosting the games from June 26 to July 17, 2011. Deutsche Bahn (the German Railway Company), is offering complimentary local public transport on the days when matches are played.

For those wishing to combine a soccer match with a European rail adventure, a Eurail Pass could be the perfect travel solution for long distance travel within Germany and beyond. The Eurail Select Pass allows you to "select" three to five adjoining countries, whereas the Eurail Global Pass is valid for travel through most European countries.

Traveling by rail remains a relaxing, comfortable and convenient way of travel, enabling passengers to enjoy the diverse landscapes, cultures and European sights. More than 427,000 overseas travelers experienced the ease of getting around Europe with Eurail Passes in 2010.

Germany is one of the largest countries in Europe. Considering that the various soccer matches are being held at sports arenas across the entire nation, it is easy to combine a trip to the games with some additional sightseeing in the area by using a rail pass. Or of course to take advantage of your Eurail Pass to include a rail trip to the neighboring countries.

www.nonstoptravel.net 

Question of the month: Cell Phone & Money in Germany

Today we received the following question from a loyal client and we thought we publish this, as many clients do have questions about these topics:

I can't believe it's one month away...I am preparing now so I have a few Qs.

In the past, my parents had a rented cell phone sent to them prior to their departure and activated with their current number. I read that cell phones can be rented at major airports and prepaid. What have people done? I'd like a phone for emergencies and for use in Germany to contact family and friends for planning purposes, not chitchatting. Can you recommend something?

Last time we went two years ago we had trouble using a Visa card or getting cash from ATMs. I found most places in smaller cities didn't take US cards and most preferred cash or only took cash ie-Gasthauser. Are traveler's checks still used? Should we purchase Euros before we leave? Pleases advise.

Our Answer:

My recommendation in regards of the cell phone rental is getting one upon touchdown. Either a sim card or a phone including sim card. Both options are available for prepay, so there are no contracts or anything binding involved. Obviously they would get a phone number for Germany. They can pick up one of those packages at any phone provider’s store and they can conveniently recharged (money) at any gas station. T-Mobile, Vodafone and O2 are the main player in Germany.

If you need a data-plan while travelling in Germany you have the choice of an internet stick for your laptop, which will cost you about € 60 plus a daily usage fee of approximately €4 on the days you are using the internet. The data-plan for your phone can also be added. Simyo offers no contract plans for as low as €10 per month, which allows to surf the web on your smart phone. You will need to pre-order the sim card and pay before arrival in Germany. Both alternatives do not have any binding contracts, so you only pay as you go.

Traveler’s checks are not a very common way to get money any longer, although banks and the postal offices still exchange them for cash, you will find it hard to use them in stores or restaurants. The most common way to get cash over there is using your debit card with your pin. Any ATM will take your card and allow withdraws of up to € 300 daily. There is a nominal fee from your US Bank, but it’s somewhere between $2 and $5 for each withdrawal, which is by far less expensive than using your credit card for cash withdrawal. Your credit card will be excepted in major restaurants, gas stations and some larger department stores, but you are right, Germany prefers CASH.

Please email us your questions in regards to travel to Germany and we will answer them for you! info@nonstoptravel.net & www.nonstoptravel.net