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Germany Planning a Trip Transportation

Getting from Frankfurt to Heidelberg

Heidelberg is a very important travel destination in Germany and is located in the Neckar River valley. It is home to the oldest university in the country. After World War II the city came out almost untouched by the bombs, so it retains the baroque charm of narrow streets and castle ruins.

Frankfurt is the business and financial center of Germany, home to the country’s largest airport. It’s where you’ll most likely land, especially if you arrive from another continent. Frankfurt is a transportation hub, the place where roads and railways meet. The old city center, the Dom and the Iron Bridge are only some of the city’s landmarks.

Summary

Unless you plan to travel from Frankfurt Airport to Heidelberg – where you can catch a bus -, the option for traveling between the two cities is the train. Train tickets are the cheapest option. On the slower trains (1h 45 min) the fare is €16.40 one way. High speed trains are a bit more expensive (€19 one way).

Trains from Frankfurt to Heidelberg

Deutsche Bahn operates various types of trains on the Frankfurt to Heidelberg route. The IC and ICE trains take 55min and the savings fare is €19 one way (standard fare €20 on IC and €27 on ICE). The slower RB trains take 1h 45 min and the standard fare is €16.40 one way. Trains leave Frankfurt about every hour.

>>read more about Train Travel in Germany

Buses from Frankfurt to Heidelberg

If you land at Frankfurt Airport , you can take the Lufthansa Shuttle Bus to Heidelberg. There are departures from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. daily, every half an hour to two hours, depending on the time of the day. The single fare is €22.

>>read more about Bus Travel in Germany

Driving from Frankfurt to Heidelberg

You can rent a car in Frankfurt and drive the 94km to Heidelberg is about 1h (depends on the traffic) on A5.

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Germany Planning a Trip Transportation

Getting from Frankfurt to Munich

Frankfurt is the economical capital of Germany and home to the country’s largest airport, with a lot of connections to the rest of the world. The downtown area and the scenic neighborhoods attract millions of travelers each year.

Munich is mostly known for being home to Oktoberfest, the world’s largest beer party, but the city also has a lot of other things to offer. The architecture and the culture are big parts of the city’s appeal to visitors.

Summary

With no buses connecting Frankfurt to Munich, the cheapest option is the train. Book in advance and you’ll pay €29 (savings fares one way on IC trains).

Flights from Frankfurt to Munich

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is a major international hub, the busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic in the country and connects Germany to the rest of the world. The airport is located 12 km from the city center and is hub for Condor Flugdienst and Lufthansa.

Munich is served by two airports, but the flights to/from Frankfurt land on / depart from Munich International Airport (MUC). It is located 28.5 km from the city center and is hub for Air Berlin, Augsburg Airways, Lufthansa and Air Dolomiti. It is the second busiest airport in the country.

The only company operating direct flights between the two cities is Lufthansa. In mid-June 2012 expect to pay from €78 one way on Lufthansa. A return flight in the same period starts at €159 on the same airline. The same fares apply later in the year, too.

>>book a cheap flight to Munich

Trains from Frankfurt to Munich

Bahn.de operates fast trains (ICE) between Frankfurt and Munich. The travel time is about 3 ½ h. If you book in advance (about a month) the single savings fare is €59 . The standard fare is €95 one way. Trains depart from each station every hour until 1 a.m. And they start around 5 a.m. daily.

The savings fare on the IC trains is €29 and the travel time is similar. If don’t mind traveling in the evening, these are excellent choices to save money and get between the two cities fast.

>>read more about Train travel in Germany

Driving from Frankfurt to Munich

You can rent a car and drive the 400 km (on A3 and A9) between Frankfurt and Munich. Driving in Germany is a delight and you should be able to cover the distance in about 4 h (depending on the traffic).

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Germany Planning a Trip Things to Do Transportation

Getting from Frankfurt to Berlin

Frankfurt is the business and financial center of Germany and an important travel hub in the country, offering connections to the rest of the world. The downtown area is very popular among travelers and its off the beaten track neighborhoods still retain the old charm.

Berlin is a city filled with history, known for the remains of the Wall and home to Branderburg gate.

Both are important and interesting cities and traveling between them is an absolute delight. And there are plenty of choices , depending on your budget.

Summary

The cheapest option for traveling between Frankfurt and Berlin is the bus. The fares start at €33 one way (but they can be higher if you don’t book in advance) and the travel time is 9 h. A more expensive, but much faster – 4 to 5 h – option is the train. Book in advance and you can pay just €59 one way.

Flights from Frankfurt to Berlin

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is a major international hub , located 12 km from the city center. It is hub for Condor Flugdienst and Lufthansa and is the busiest airport by passenger traffic in Germany.

Berlin is served by three airports: Tegel International Airport (TXL), Schönefeld (SXF) and Brandenburg (scheduled to open in June 2012). When the airport opens, Schönefeld is scheduled to close (as of August 2012).

Tegel International Airport (TXL) is the main airport serving Berlin and is located 8 km from the capital city. The airport is hub for Air Berlin and Germania and is the fourth biggest airport in Germany. It is also a focus city for Lufthansa.

Flights between Frankfurt and Berlin are operated by: Air Berlin (Tegel) and Lufthansa (Branderburg, Tegel). The flight time is 1h 15 min.

In mid-June 2012, expect to pay from €71 one way on Air Berlin. Lufthansa charges a slight higher price (€74 one way). Return flights during the same period start at €122 on Lufthansa. By mid-October, expect to pay from €53 one way on Air Berlin and from €102 for a return flight on the same carrier.

>>book a cheap flight to Berlin

Trains from Frankfurt to Berlin

Bahn.de operates trains (ICE and IC) between Frankfurt and Berlin. The travel time is between 4 h and 5 h. Book in advance (about 1 month) and you can find the cheapest fare of €59 one way (savings fares) rather than the standard fare of €118. The fares do depend on the hour of departure and route. Some trains connecting the two cities are direct, while some require a change in Hannover.

>>read more about Train Travel in Germany

Buses from Frankfurt to Berlin

Berlin Linien Bus operates buses between Frankfurt and Berlin and offers the possibility to book the ticket online. Book in advance and you pay only €33 one way between the two cities. The bus leaves Berlin at 7:06 a.m and arrives in Frankfurt 9 hr later. On the way back, catch the bus in Frankfurt at 8 a.m. and by 5 p.m. you’ll be in Berlin. The schedule and prices are here (pdf).

>>read more about Bus Travel in Germany

Driving from Frankfurt to Berlin

Driving in Germany is an absolute delight. The roads are in excellent condition and the drivers obey the rules. Especially if you are not traveling alone, renting a car here can be an excellent way to get from one city to another.

There are several routes to choose from when getting from Frankfurt to Berlin and, if you use Google Maps, you can get accurate traffic information. On the shortest route – 547 km on A4 and A9 – you can cover the distance in about 6 h.

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