The nights are quickly drawing in and one of the year’s greatest transition months is upon us. Here are all the changes coming to Germany in October 2024 that expats should know about.

1. Tag der Deutschen Einheit 2024

What better way to ring in the new month than with a day off work for all! October 3 marks the 35th Reunification Day (Tag der Deutschen Einheit or Wiedervereinigungstag) in Germany.

329 days after the Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) became part of the Bundesrepublik Deutschland on October 3, 1990.

In celebration, employees and schoolchildren in all German federal states have a holiday on October 3. Expect supermarkets and shops to be shut, while most restaurants and bars will remain open. 

Since October 3 falls on a Thursday this year, it is also likely that many will take October 4 off as a “Brückentag” (bridge day) to create a long weekend. It might not be too late to ask your boss!

2. Autumn school holidays staggered throughout October

Children at school in Germany can look forward to another holiday. On October 4, pupils in Bremen and Lower Saxony begin their autumn break (Herbstferien) and in Saxony on October 7. Children in North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Hesse follow on October 14.

Pupils in Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg will begin their break on October 21, in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg on October 28 and finally in Thuringia on October 30.

The length of the holiday also depends on which state your child lives, so it is best to check the specific dates on your child’s school calendar.

3. Online Anmeldung available in Berlin

No more refreshing and refreshing in despair as bots eat up the few available appointments before they are even published: from mid-October, newcomers to Berlin can go online to register themselves in the city and receive their documents by post.

According to the Berlin Senate, the new system will free up time for 50.000 other appointments at the city’s citizens' offices (Bürgerämter).

4. Online payments will be possible with a PAYBACK Karte

From October 1, the PAYBACK Karte bonus card, which can be used in 600 supermarkets and shops, will have a new feature.

Cardholders will be able to use the points collected on their PAYBACK Karte to buy things on the internet. Previously it was only possible to use card points to pay for things in a physical shop. Just like in the shop, customers will be able to pay for products using their points and can use another payment method if their points don’t cover their whole purchase.

Cosmetics and toiletries chain DM will be the first to adopt the new feature, followed by MediaMarkt and Saturn.

5. Winter tyre season begins

Winter tyre season is beginning on October 1 this year. After October 1, vehicles driving on German roads will be obliged to have tyres appropriate for the winter weather which show the Alpine symbol. 

6. New questions will be added to driving theory tests

A heads up for anyone learning to drive too. From October 1, there will be new questions added to Germany’s driving theory test.

This happens twice a year, so if you are preparing to take your test soon, make sure you’re revising with the most up-to-date information.

7. BAfög will be increased

Starting in October, students in Germany will receive 5 percent more money from the BAföG student loan. The BAföG (Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz) financially assists students under the age of 45, including EU citizens and non-EU citizens with valid residence permits.

Since the winter of 2022 / 23, eligible students have received 452 euros per month and an additional 360 euros to pay rent if they do not live with their parents. With the new rates, students will receive 475 euros per month plus the 380 euros rent allowance.

Students under 25 from low-income families are also newly entitled to claim a 1.000 euro payment at the beginning of their studies to buy laptops and books or to fund their move.

8. Updates for trains between Berlin and Paris

On October 16, holidaymakers looking to add a little je ne sais quoi in their travels can reserve seats on the new direct train from Berlin to Paris run by Deutsche Bahn and SNCF.

From December the daytime service will run from the Berlin Hauptbahnhof at 11.54am over Frankfurt, Karlsruhe and Strasbourg and terminate in Paris Gare de L’Est at around 8pm. Tickets start at 59 euros for a one-way journey.

In December 2023, the Berlin-Paris night train was relaunched after a nine-year hiatus. From October 2024, there will also be changes to the night train timetable. Rather than just three times a week, the night train from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Paris via Halle (Saale), Erfurt, Mannheim and Strasbourg, will run every night! Allez!

9. Meteor showers to appear over Germany

During October, two meteor showers grace the skies over Germany: the Draconids and the Orionids. If the weather stays clear, the best chance of seeing the stars shooting past will be during the peak period of October 8 to 9 for the Draconids and October 20 to 21 for the Orionids.

10. The clocks will go back on October 27

It’s that time again! On the last Sunday of October, October 27, Daylight Saving Time will end between 2am and 3am the clocks will go back one hour in Germany.

The sunshine will be scarce, but stollen, Glühwein and twinkling lights are just around the corner.

11. Saints, spooks and silliness on October 31

October 31 is Reformation Day (Reformationstag) in Germany and marks the day that Martin Luther nailed a copy of his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the All Saints' Church in Lutherstadt-Wittenberg and remembers the pivotal change that came about because of it. 

Today, Reformationstag is recognised as a public holiday in several predominately Protestant German federal states: Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia.

Of course, October 31 is also Halloween! Perhaps 2024 is the year to build some neighbourhood friendships and try your hand at Süßes oder Saures?

Thumb image credit: Karolis Kavolelis / Shutterstock.com