Travel Tips

• Please be advised: Do not take aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) within 14 days before surgery, as it might significantly increase bleeding during surgery. Your surgery would have to be canceled for your own safety, if this happened. Also, all blood work for the surgery should be done within two weeks of the surgery in your home town. Otherwise, if something is found in your blood work, such as a high white count due to a sinus infection, your surgery would have to be canceled until the condition is successfully treated. If doing the blood work in your home town is not possible, it can be done in Germany.

• Disclaimer: Dr. Bertagnoli's office is happy to call and make reservations for you at the hotel and call a taxi for you, but please be aware that we cannot assume the responsibility of a travel agency. However, we have arranged discounts for the patients at certain facilities and you are encourage to e-mail or call the hotels and taxi.
• Length of Stay: It is recommended a patient arrive in Germany a minimum of 2 days before surgery and one day before admission and remain in Germany five to seven days after discharge. Hospital stay can be from two to ten days, so ask the doctor about your length of stay in the hospital and then add these numbers, when planning your flight.
• Flight Information: You should fly into Munich, Germany. Straubing and Bogen lie one hour by car (two hours by train) northeast of Munich and within 15 minutes of each other. For the journey home we encourage traveling business class, because the seats are more comfortable. Many patients, because of their pain, fly business class both ways.
• Transportation from Munich Airport: We highly recommend the patients use Mr. Peter Hoch's car service for travel to and from the airport. Mr. Hoch, who is very dependable and has worked with Dr. Bertagnoli for many years, speaks English quite well, helps the patients with their luggage, which is very important especially after implantation surgery, and gives our patients a discount. Normally, taxi service to Bogen or Straubing is approximately 160 EUR and he will take you from the airport to Straubing for 100 EUR and to Bogen for 120 EUR. His mobile number is +49 171-645-2359. His e-mail address is peter-hoch (at) web . de. Because his prices are so low, a tip of 10 to 15 EUR is appreciated, but not required. The train is also available from the airport to Straubing or Bogen. There is one transfer and it takes about 2 hours. Cost is about 30 EUR per person.
  

Peter Hoch	Mr. Hoch's Mercedes

• Note: In general we do not recommend renting a car, unless you are willing to pay the very high cost of total auto insurance. Driving on the Autobahn is fun, but if you are not experienced at this, we do not recommend it. The sign posts are very different from those in the US and the traffic fines are very expensive.
• Note: The hospital, where the surgery takes place, can change at the last moment due to events at the hospital. For example, we have had a pile up on the Autobahn and the patients of Dr. Bertagnoli had to be moved from St. Elisabeth's to the Bogen Municipal hospital in order to keep everyone's travel schedule. Both hospitals are medically the same and are not far from each other. This is why Dr. Bertagnoli works at these two hospitals, because this arrangement allows for this type of flexibility.
• Lodging in Straubing for patients going to St. Elisabeth's:
  Click on hotel name to go to the website
  

  Hotel Theresientor
  We recommend Hotel Theresientor for several reasons.

  It is located on the west end of the Stadtplatz (the town square, where many shops and restaurants are). The patients and those traveling with them like the opportunity to shop and eat in local restaurants. It is two kilometers from the hospital. There are no hotels less than 1.5 kilometers from the hospital.

  View of City Square from the Hotel

  The hotel gives a ten percent discount to Dr. Bertagnoli's patients. The hotel is installing electronically controlled beds with varying heights. This is particularly important to lumbar patients, who have difficulty with the normal low height of beds. Therefore, we recommend this hotel and bed for all lumbar patients, where ever the surgery takes place. Room service from one of the best restaurants in the area (zum Geiss, two doors down) is available. A book store is located next door. A DVD player will be installed in your room free of charge at your request. Free wireless Internet is available for laptop users and a free Internet station is located on the first floor (first floor is the one above the ground floor in Europe). The most important reason is last. The patients often form impromptu support groups at our recommended hotels, which patients find very helpful in their time of stress.

• Lodging in Bogen for patients going to the Bogen Municipal Hospital
  Click on hotel name to go to the website

  Hotel am Platzl
  Located on the main street and in the town center about five city blocks from the hospital, which is in easy walking distance and consequently no cab is required. Wireless Internet is free. Laundry service is free. A breakfast room and restaurant is available year round. The hotel is family owned as are all the hotels in Bogen. The people are very friendly, but speak no English, so they have someone else there translate. There is no discount for our patients here, but the cost is normally very low. Expect to pay in cash, which one of the many ATM machines in town can give you EUR even from your US ATM card or credit card.

  Bogen is a small town of 7,000, but has 3 Italian, 1 Greek, 1 Chinese, and 4 German restaurants and beer gardens, all within walking distance of the hotel. The sauerbraten at the restaurant in the Hotel Pension Post at the time of this writing has a taste you cannot get anywhere else and will surprise many Americans with its subtleties. Additionally, they have three very good bakeries and two super market all within walking distance. Plan to pay in cash. There is an ATM one block away at the Deutsche Post, which is the best way to get euros. Also, Sparkasse bank and Reiffeinsbank, which lies between the rail station and hotel, has nice ATM facilities.

• Luxury Accommodations for Bogen and Straubing
  Click on hotel name to go to the website

  Gut Schmelmerhof (GUT means ESTATE in German in this context)
  This four star facility is nestled in the Bavarian Forest region of Rettenbach, 20 minutes from Straubing, 15 minutes from Bogen. Exceptionally gorgeous 700 year old facility. It has been in the Schmelmer family since 1664. Outstanding facility, gorgeous grounds, exquisite Bavarian cuisine, indoor/outdoor pool, saunas, massage, body/facial treatments by appointment. Perfect for peaceful post-op recovery. The Gut-Schmelmerhof is a must see if only for a cappuccino and pastry or better yet, an outstanding meal near the open hearth fireplace. Ask them about special rates for Dr. Bertagnoli's patients. A taxi from Gut Schmelmerhof to the hospital is about 30 EUR per trip.

• Travel Money:
  Do not bring American dollars for exchange; this is too difficult and costly. Do not bring American travelers checks, again, too costly. Credit cards (Visa and Master Card) are generally accepted at larger facilities. American Express is not widely accepted, because of the cost to the vendor. Some smaller restaurants and hotels will accept cash only. International ATM’s (Geldautomat), are available in the airport, and throughout both Straubing and Bogen. The ATM is the best way to get EURs, but make sure your bank's ATM card will work in Germany before leaving. Many European banks will not take US 100 dollar bills, due to world-wide counterfeiting.
• Tipping:
  Unlike America, waiters get a decent salary and so tipping is not necessary, but sometimes expected of Americans, because some have done it the past. If you wish to tip, please do so, but it is not necessary.
• Language:
  German, of course is the native language, Bavarian being the dialect. Most Germans know some English and using some form of creative, impromptu sign language works also. Generally, Germans are very helpful and willing to try, when in doubt, ask a teenager, (or younger), for help, they’re all learning English in school, (starting in Kindergarten or first grade), and its most fresh on their minds. You will find it helpful to bring a German-English dictionary.
• Television:
  Television programs are in German; several English language programs are available (eg CNN). It’s a great idea to bring a DVD player or DVD compatible laptop computer. Bring DVD’s if it’s something you prefer, otherwise a lot of reading material and/or music. Recovery can be very boring at times. And remember to bring power converter(s) for all appliances, if they need it. Most laptop and video camera power supplies work on both European and US power grids, but check with your appliance maker.
• Weather Forecast

Please contact us with any further questions not addressed here.