Planning a trip to Frankfurt
Tourist Information Hauptbahnhof, opposite the main entrance of the train station (tel. 069/2123-8800; www.frankfurt-tourismus.de), is open Monday through Friday 8am to 9pm and Saturday through Sunday 9am to 6pm. Tourist Information Römer, Römerberg 27 (tel. 069/2123-8800), in the Altstadt, is open Monday through Friday 9:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday through Sunday 10am to 4pm.
Getting Around
By Foot -- After you arrive in the Altstadt, you can easily get everywhere, including the Museumsufer on the opposite bank of the river, on foot.
By Public Transportation -- A network of modern U-Bahn (subways), Strassenbahn (streetcars), and buses, administered by the RMV (Rhein-Main Verkehrsverbund; tel. 069/19449; www.vgf-ffm.de), links Frankfurt. All forms of public transportation can be used interchangeably at a single price based on fare zones. Tickets are good for 1 hour on routes going in the same direction. Purchase your tickets at ticket counters or from the coin-operated machines found in U-Bahn stations and next to tram and bus stops.The ticket machines have user screens in English to guide you through the process. A one-way single ticket (Einzelfahrkarte) within the city center costs 2.20€ for adults, 1.35€ for children. Saving Money on Transportation -- Two special tickets help you save money on public transportation in Frankfurt: A Tageskarte (day ticket) good for unlimited travel inside Frankfurt’s central zone, costs 5.60€ for adults and 3.35€ for children. You can buy this ticket from the ticket machines. The Frankfurt Card, available at the city’s tourist offices, allows unlimited travel anywhere within the greater Frankfurt area, transport on the airport shuttle bus, a reduction on the tourist office’s sightseeing tour, and half-price admission to many of the city’s museums. The cost is 8.70€ for a 1-day card and 13€ for a 2-day card.
By Taxi -- To call a taxi, dial tel. 069/230001. You can also get a cab at one of the city’s clearly designated taxi stands, or by hailing one on the street (the car’s roof light will be illuminated if it’s available). Taxis charge by the trip and by the number of passengers, without extra surcharges for luggage. The initial charge is 2.50€; each kilometer costs 1.70€.
By Rental Car
The big rental companies each maintain offices at the airport and at central locations throughout Frankfurt. The most reliable are Avis, whose downtown branch is inside the Hauptbahnhof (tel. 069/27997010; www.avis.com), and Hertz, whose offices are in the Hauptbahnhof (tel. 069/230484; www.hertz.com) and at the airport (tel. 069/69593244). Also recommended is Europcar, which maintains offices at the Hauptbahnhof (tel. 069/2429810; www.europcar.com) and at the airport (tel. 069/697970).
Fast Facts
Bookstores -- The best English-language bookstore is British Bookshop, Börsenstrasse 17 (tel. 069/280492; U-Bahn/S-Bahn: Hauptwache). It's open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 7pm and Saturday 9:30am to 6pm.
Currency Exchange -- There are multiple facilities for the exchange of international currencies at the Frankfurt airport.
Dentists & Doctors -- For an English-speaking dentist or doctor, call tel. 069/19292 to arrange an appointment.
Drugstores -- For information about pharmacies open near you, call tel. 069/19292. Otherwise, you can go to Kissel-Apotheke, Mörfelder Landstrasse 235 (tel. 069/68974730).
Emergencies -- Dial tel. 110 for the police; tel. 112 for a fire, first aid, and ambulance; and tel. 069/6607271 for emergency dental service.
Internet Access -- Head for CyberRyder, Tongegasse 31 (tel. 069/91396754; www.cyberyder.de), open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 10pm, Saturday 10am to 10pm, and Sunday noon to 10pm. Internet connections cost 1.60€ for 15 minutes. There are several other Internet cafes in Frankfurt as well; the best place to search for Internet cafes is along Elisabethenstrasse, not far from the Hauptbahnhof in central Frankfurt. Those looking for a Wi-Fi connection will find that many cafes and bars offer free access, most notably Cafe Moloko+ and any Burger King.
Luggage Storage & Lockers -- Lockers can be rented and luggage stored at the Hauptbahnhof.
Post Office -- There's a post office at the Hauptbahnhof (tel. 069/97511004), open Monday to Friday 6:30am to 9pm, Saturday 8am to 6pm, and Sunday and holidays 11am to 6pm.
Safety -- Frankfurt is a relatively safe city, but you should still stay alert at all times. Stay out of the area around the Hauptbahnhof at night, as muggings are frequent. Also be aware of bogus police officers in civilian clothes asking to check your cash. Real officers show a green ID, and never ask about money.
Toilets -- There are many decent public facilities in central Frankfurt, especially in the Altstadt.
Orientation
Most of Frankfurt's sights, nightlife, restaurants, and hotels lie in the Stadtmitte (town center). However, chances are you'll cross the Main River to visit the museums or Apfelwein (apple-wine) taverns in the Sachsenhausen area as well. It is also possible that you'll seek out both restaurants and hotels in the increasingly fashionable Westend. Most of the other areas of Frankfurt probably will not concern you, unless you're hunting for intriguing restaurants in the Nordend (North End) or even nightlife in the Ostend (East End).
You can explore Frankfurt’s compact Altstadt and Innenstadt on foot. Nearly all the main sights lie within the boundaries of the old town walls (which today form a stretch of narrow parkland around the Altstadt) or are just across the river along the Museumsufer (Museum Embankment), where several museums are located along Schaumainkai, the street that runs directly parallel to the river Main.
The Römerberg, in the historic heart of the city, is an ideal place to begin your exploration of Frankfurt. Once the site of Charlemagne's fort, it grew into a prominent marketplace in the Middle Ages. Now, its reconstructed half-timbered houses look out over the animated square. Just east of the Römerberg, the red-sandstone Kaiserdom rises over the foundations of buildings dating back to the Roman times. Although called a "Dom," it isn't technically a cathedral, though it did host the coronation of ten Holy Roman emperors between 1562 and 1792.
The Zeil runs to the north of the Dom/Römerberg area between the twin transportation hubs of Konstablerwache and Hauptwache. Frankfurt's prime shopping district lies in this area, with the MyZeil mall and all the international brands in a pleasant pedestrian zone. The Hauptwache itself, an 18th-centruy baroque guardhouse, stands just a stone's throw from the Börse (stock exchange). The Goethe Haus and Goethe Museum lie a few minutes away by foot to the west of the Dom/Römerberg area. Continuing further west, the skyscrapers of the financial district, jokingly called "Main-hatten," rise out of where the western ramparts stood until the 19th century. The Main Tower with its candy-cane antenna is the only one accessible to the public.
Even further west, and past an admittedly unappealing district that often tarnishes visitor's impressions and should be avoided if possible, stands the Hauptbahnhof. If you're arriving by train, walk down the safer Kaiserstrasse straight in front of the station to get to the financial district and Stadtmitte, or take the U-Bahn two stops to Dom/Römer.
The Main River is south of the Dom/Römerberg area, flowing from east to west. At some point during your stay, you'll want to cross it on one of the pedestrian bridges or the Alte Brücke, which offers a nice view of the entire downtown. A row of no less than eight museums line the south bank between Friedensbrücke and the Eiserner Steg. In the evening, this often overlooked area also draws locals and visitors alike to the Alt-Sachsenhausen district with its congenial apple-wine taverns. Other attractions, like the Frankfurt Zoo and the Palmengarten, lie further afield, but are only a short ride away via the handy U-Bahn.
The Neighborhoods in Brief
Altstadt
The River Main divides Frankfurt. Most of the historic sights and several museums are found in the Altstadt on the north bank. Concentrated in the city center around the Altstadt are hotels, restaurants, and nightlife. The Altstadt contains an even older section referred to as the Innenstadt, or Inner City. The Hauptbahnhof is located at the western edge of the city center. As you walk out of the station, Baselerstrasse is on your right and heads south toward the River Main. You have a choice of streets heading east to the Altstadt: Münchner Strasse leads directly into Theaterplatz, with its opera house; Taunusstrasse goes to three of the major Altstadt squares in the southern part of the city—Goetheplatz, Rathenauplatz, and the Hauptwache.
Westend
The exclusive Westend district, west of the Altstadt, is a residential and embassy quarter. It was the only part of Frankfurt that was not destroyed during the Allied bombing of the city in World War II. The huge, modern Frankfurt Messe (trade-fair convention center) is considered part of the Westend.
MuseumSufer
The embankment (Ufer) along the river’s south side, is the site of many prominent museums, some of them housed in former riverside villas.
Sachsenhausen
This district on the south side of the river, is a popular entertainment quarter filled with Frankfurt’s famous apple-wine taverns.
Street Maps -- Arm yourself with a detailed street map, not the general overview handed out by the tourist office. Maps are sold at most bookstores and news kiosks.
Getting There
By Plane -- Flughafen Frankfurt/Main (tel. 069/6901; www.frankfurt-airport.de) lies 11km (7 miles) from the city center. Europe’s busiest airport and Germany’s major international gateway, this airport serves more than 110 countries worldwide, with direct flights from many U.S. and Canadian cities. The airport has a full array of stores, restaurants, banks, a bus terminal, several car-rental offices, and two railway stations.
The long-distance DB Rail Terminal, conveniently located below the airport, links the airport to cities throughout Germany and neighboring countries. Regional and local trains operate from the Regional Station directly below Terminal 1. What this means is that you can fly into Frankfurt, hop on a train right at the airport, and be on your way to any destination in Germany.
The simplest method for getting into the city from the airport is by S-Bahn (light rail). S8 and S9 trains (direction Offenbach or Hanau) take you directly to Frankfurt’s Hauptbahnhof (main railway station) in about 10 minutes. A one-way ticket costs 4.50€. Tickets are available from the RMV ticket machines.
Buses into the city stop in front of Terminal 1 on the arrivals level and in front of Terminal 2 on Level 2. Some airlines offer special shuttle-bus services to Frankfurt from the airport; check when you purchase your ticket.
A taxi from the airport to the city center costs about 25€ and takes about 20 minutes. Taxis are available in front of the terminals.
By Train -- Frankfurt’s Hauptbahnhof (main train station) is the busiest train station in Europe, with connections to all major German and European cities. Tourist Information Hauptbahnhof, opposite the main entrance (tel. 069/2123-8800), is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 9pm, and Saturday and Sunday until 6pm. For train travel information, contact Deutsche Bahn (tel. 11861; www.bahn.com).
By Car -- The A3 and A5 autobahns intersect near Frankfurt’s airport. The A3 comes in from the Netherlands, Cologne, and Bonn and continues east and south to Munich. The A5 comes from the northeast and continues south to Heidelberg and Basel, Switzerland. From the west, A60 connects with A66, which leads to Frankfurt.
