Our youth hostels in Germany are open for all people, young or old. But our policy is „members only“. Whoever wants to stay in a youth hostel has to be a member of the organisation. This can be the German Youth Hostel association or any other youth hostel organisation abroad. The membership card is the key to stay overnight in about 500 youth hostels in Germany and about 4.000 youth hostels abroad.

If you do not live in Germany, you can become a member of the Youth Hostel Association in your home country. To apply for membership, please contact the Youth Hostel Association in your country. You can find all the national Youth Hostel Associations in the world on hihostels.com at "Hostelling International".

International Guest Card

An international guest who does not hold a membership card can purchase an International Guest Card in place of a membership. The guest is required to buy a welcome stamp for each night of stay at the cost of 3,50 €. When 6 welcome stamps have been collected, the guest card becomes valid in all hostels worldwide or entitles the holder to reduced rates for his stay. Validity is 12 months from the date of issue.

Alternatively, a Guest Card with immediate international validity can be obtained for 18,00 €.

The membership fee has to be paid once a year. For the membership fee please contact the Youth Hostel Association in your country. If you want to purchase an international guest card in Germany, you can buy one for 18,00 Euro or you buy welcome stamps for each night of stay at the cost of 3,50 Euro. When 6 welcome stamps have been collected, the guest card becomes valid in all hostels worldwide or entitles the holder to reduced rates for his stay.

The german youth hostel membership terminates by informing the DJH-Service in written form until September 30 each year. Then the membership ends for this year. For the cancellation condition of foreign membership please contact the Youth Hostel Association in your country.

For the international guest card there are no cancellation conditions. It ends after one year.

Guests are usually accommodated in dormitories. If rooms are available, single and twin bed rooms can be booked. Rooms for exclusive use can be booked for an additional fee.

It is not always possible to accommodate all family members in one room. An early reservation including a note that you are a family is advisable. All youth hostels have common rooms. Rooms for conferences and seminars are also available in most hostels.

Almost all rooms in youth hostels have washing facilities; many rooms now even have ensuite bathrooms. Breakfast and bed linen are included in the price – room service is not: usually, you have to change the sheets yourself.

About 13 hostels in Baden-Wuerttemberg are accessible to wheelchairs.

For the youth hostels in Germany we have the categories: classic, standard, top.

Category classic: In the base category a functional standard with shared bathrooms predominates. The category “cassic” describes youth hostels with practical facilities for basic requirements.

Category “standard”: the equipment is appropriate to current conditions. With a basic technical standard the rooms offer various possibilities for your stay. Some rooms have ensuite bathrooms.

Category “top”: here you find best conditions for your stay. The majority of the rooms have ensuite bathrooms. The hostel offers its guests a lot of space, meeting points, modern facilities and multiple options for “get together” and events. 

Breakfast is always included in the price.  The booking of half board and full board is possible.

Breakfast and dinner will be served in buffet style. For information about lunch and dinner please contact the youth hostel directly. On request you will receive a packed lunch when you go out on day trips.

If you contact the youth hostel teams in time, they can also fulfil extra request regarding vegetarian dishes, special mealtimes, religious or dietary requirements.

Dogs are only allowed in a few youth hostels. A list you can find here. In the youth hostels in Baden-Wuerttemberg dogs are not allowed. Only guide dogs are allowed in a youth hostel.

You can book directly online at www.jugendherberge.de or www.jugendherberge-bw.de  or you can contact the youth hostel directly via phone, E-Mail or DJH-App.

Advanced booking or reservation is highly recommended

There are different prices for junior members, families, groups  or 27 plus members. Please have a look at the price list. Families with a family membership and at least one minor child pay the junior price when staying in a youth hostel. Children under the age of 6 years travelling with a family membership stay free of charge (board and lodging) in Baden-Württemberg. When  travelling with a group children aged 3-5 receive a 50 % price discount. Children under the age of2 years stay free of charge (board and lodging).

There is always something happening in a youth hostel. Rules are necessary for living a good life together because it will bring problems if one person wants to sleep and the other wants to make party. Therefore please respect our house rules. They help to avoid stress.

No. You can stay in a youth hostel no matter how old you are.

When travelling alone young people aged between 14 – 17 years are welcome in a youth hostel. For travellers under 18 years we need the authorisation of the person(s) having parental care over him or her. Children under the age of 14 years are not allowed to travel and stay in a youth hostel alone. At least one adult person has to guide them.

The hostelling movement has always seen itself as a community that brings together people beyond national borders, and that contributes towards tolerance and intercultural understanding by means of youth exchanges and encounter programmes. The by-laws of the German Youth Hostels Association (Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk DJH) stipulate the promotion of youth encounters, healthy living and environmental awareness as part of its purpose.

Youth hostels are accommodations operated by the German youth hostel association or any other foreign youth hostel association. Original youth hostels can be identified by the DJH or Hostelling International Logo. All German youth hostels you can find on the internet page www.jugendherberge.de.

Over 100 years ago, in 1909, a teacher named Richard Schirrmann had the idea of providing low-cost overnight accommodation for young hikers, especially school parties, while he was sheltering from a thunderstorm one night during a school trip with his class. In 1912, the first permanent Youth Hostel was established in Altena in Germany's Sauerland region.