Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Plane -- The nearest regional airport is Nürnberg; from there it's a 2-hour train ride to Rothenburg.

By Train -- You can reach Rothenburg via a daily train from Frankfurt (trip time: 3 hr.), from Hamburg (trip time: 5 1/2 hr.), or from Berlin (trip time: 7 hr.). Rothenburg lies on the Steinach-Rothenburg rail line, with frequent connections to all major German cities, including Nürnberg and Stuttgart. For information, call tel. 01805/996633.

By Bus -- Regular long-distance buses service Rothenburg from Frankfurt, Würzburg, Augsburg, and Munich, as well as Füssen. For information and reservations, call the Frankfurt number (tel. 069/790-3261 in Frankfurt). Regional bus service is provided by OVF Omnibusverkehr Franken GmbH, Nelson-Mandela-Platz 18, D-90159 Nürnberg (tel. 0911/430570).

By Car -- Access by car is via the minor road south from Creglingen or by the A7 Autobahn on the Würzburg-Ulm run.

Visitor Information

Contact Rothenburg Tourismus Service, Marktplatz (tel. 09861/404800). November to April, it's open Monday to Friday 9am to noon and 1 to 5pm, and Saturday 10am to 1pm; May to October, it's open Monday to Friday 9am to noon and 1 to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 3pm.

Special Events

The cultural event of the year is the Meistertrunk festival, held May 13 to May 16; it celebrates the entire history of the town, with more than 1,000 participants in costume. Concerts, historical exhibitions, a parade, and a play about the Burgermeister Nusch's wager are the festival's highlights. The play is also staged in July and October. For details, contact the visitor information office.