What to pack for Germany in September

UV index of 4.5 sends glare off urban glass and water.

Check ankles and, if there's a dog, paws and ears every night.

Tap water is safe, but minor cuts happen on any city trip.

This country runs on Type C or F. Get one with USB-C so you're not fighting over the single outlet.

Daylight ends by 7 p.m. and phones drain faster in cool weather.

Set it up before you land. Signal drops for long stretches outside cities.

Twelve and a half hours of daylight means packing for both warm afternoons and cool evenings in one bag.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.

Humidity at 71 percent and mild temps mean sweat clings to regular cotton.

One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.

Hotel and cafe wifi is shared with everyone else in the building. A VPN keeps your banking and email to yourself.

International travel means your wallet crosses borders where pickpockets work.

Busy train stations and crowded markets are where bags get lost.

Laundry every five days keeps a small wardrobe rotating through cool weather and 18 km/h winds.

Train noise and crying babies make quiet hours possible on long rides.

Twelve hours of daylight still leaves morning and evening sun in your eyes.

Public transport in Germany runs constantly; hands touch railings all day.

Hotels and cafes have one outlet per room; charge multiple devices at once.

A few phrases go a long way. Ten minutes a day before you leave is plenty.

Border crossings within Europe require your passport checked at random.

Luggage locks matter on overnight trains and in shared guesthouses.

Train compartments stay cold at night when the low drops to 12 degrees Celsius.