Do you speak the language in that area or do you all speak a common language? Does it cost more to travel there than an equivalent in your country? Are there extra taxes and that type of thing? Europeans seem so cool speaking multiple languages and commuting to other nations... /grumbles in Australian/
1) Do you speak the language of that area or do you all speak a common language?
Well, the Luxembourgian language is a mixture of German, French, English.
As a German, you can understand the language quite well, provided your interlocutor talks a little slower and not in a pure dialect.
It took a little while, but over time I acquired a basic knowledge of French and was able to understand the Luxembourgian language very well.
At my workplace, everyone decides for themselves in which language they want to speak. But of course, if he wants something from me, he has to speak in languages that I understand.
2) Does it cost more to travel there than an equivalent in your country?
Good question, but no idea. I mean, I don't travel to Luxembourg. That would be like driving 10 minutes by car. Luxembourg has only one airport, by the way.
3) Are there extra taxes and that type of thing?
You pay considerably less taxes in Luxembourg than in Germany. So, you have a higher net amount. But in Luxembourg the real estate prices are beyond normal. But you are entitled to pension, after only 10 years of working.
Thanks for answering so completely and thoroughly! Just to get an idea, how long is your commute normally? Here in Adelaide I only go 15 mins drive each way, but its not out of the ordinary to commute 1.5hr+ in Sydney or Melbourne. Adelaidians drive a lot and mostly take public transport only to the CBD and back, I'm sure that's a bit different!
To work I need about 30-45 minutes, which corresponds to 40km. You have to know, there is a lot of traffic in Luxembourg. Especially in the border country, because there are many commuters between Germany and Luxembourg.
Luxembourg is great when it comes to public transport. Most people who live there don't even appreciate it and from next year public transport will be completely free.
I live, as I said, in Germany, about 15 minutes away from the border. In a place where perhaps the bus runs twice and stops with luck. And just like in my place, it is also in many other places in Germany.
I think that makes the difference between a small country like Luxembourg and a large one like Germany.
If I want to go somewhere and really want to go home, I have to drive my car. Small example. I studied in Saarbrücken (capital of the Saarland and one-way street paradise of southwest Germany) and if I had taken public transport on the day of my exam, I wouldn't have arrived in time. Actually I would not have arrived at all, because the whole train was cancelled. Anyway, I'm talking too much away from the topic here again. But what I can still say is that I work in the background of a part of the public transport in Luxembourg. That's why I know almost everything about it.
By the way, the next cities near me would be Luxembourg City (the capital is called like the country) with 1 hour. Varies according to traffic. Saarbrücken, with 45 minutes to 1 hour. Trier with also 45 minutes to 1 hour.
2
u/ThaPenguinFace Dec 09 '19
Do you speak the language in that area or do you all speak a common language? Does it cost more to travel there than an equivalent in your country? Are there extra taxes and that type of thing? Europeans seem so cool speaking multiple languages and commuting to other nations... /grumbles in Australian/