Frankfurt public transportation.

10 hours stop-over at Frankfurt Main Airport... What to do?

• How far is the city from the airport/ how long is the train ride? Any nice places I can visit that are close by? Is transportation expensive? Also, I don't speak German, so do most people speak English? If I get out of the airport I can leave my checked in luggage in the airport right? I have always flown non-stop before, so I actually don't know how connecting flights work in terms of checked in luggage. Oh... I am flying through Frankfurt because it was the cheapest flight to Ireland. And my Aunt was paying for the ticket. Long layover time though.. but it would be worth it if I am able to go around in Frankfurt for a while, even just to take pictures. Thanks again!

• Answer:

  (Note: All of the info below assumes you are flying with a regular big daddy airline through FRA and are not using budget carriers and switching at HHN.) It is very easy to get into the city from the airport, just go to the train station and take the S-Bahn to the main train station (Hbf, Hauptbahnhof). Travelling time during the day should be around 20 min. Your checked luggage should be checked right through. Walk off the plane with nothing but your hand luggage, go into the city, then return to board your connecting flight. The staff of the airport will (hopefully) put your bags on the right plane. As for when to come back: You should be at the main train station enroute to the airport about 2 hours before departure because you need to go through security again and get your boarding pass for the second leg of your flight. Unfortunately you did not tell us your citizenship, so here is a diagram of the countries whose citizens can enter Germany visa-free. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area#Schengen_visa What to see: You can find lots of information on the two sites http://www.frankfurt.de and http://www.frankfurt-tourismus.de . Most of the sights are around the bridge Eiserner Steg, between the Underground stops Hauptwache, Konstablerwache, Willi-Brandt-Platz and the street Kurt-Schumacher-Strasse.(Click Frankfurt.de - Tourism - Sightseeing -Virtual City Tour.) Info on local public transport can be found at http://www.rmv.de/ and a map of inner city transport lines at http://www.traffiq.de/fm/20/traffiQ_Innenstadtkarte.pdf A one-way ticket to Hbf should be 3,70 EUR, but I recommend that you get the so-called Frankfurt Card for 8,70 EUR (free travel on public transport foe the day within the inner city and to and from the airport plus discounts for museums, free map, etc). There is a selling point for the Frankfurt Card at the airport at Terminal 1: Arrival hall B and a tourist information point at the main train station. Personal recommendation: I really liked the Jewish museum. It is at Untermainkai 14 - 15, not too far from the other sights like Römer. Like you I had a few hours to kill in Frankfurt, despite the museum being quite small I did not regret going there at all. EDIT: Squeaky P, Ireland is not part of Schengen - see the link with the visa-info. I remember meeting a guy from Indonesia who was flying into London via Frankfurt. He had the smart idea to request a stop-over for 3 days because he wanted to see Heidelberg. He was stuck in FRA airport for the full 3 days since he neglected to get a Schengen visa before departure. Like you he assumed that having access to the EU (UK visa) was enough. 2nd EDIT: holders of US-passports can enter visa-free for the purpose of short-term tourism Weather in May will be unpredictable, it can be warm and sunny but also cool and rainy. Expect temps between 60 F and 85 F. Dress in layers (jeans, t-shirt, long-sleeved t-shirt, jacket) and bring an umbrella to be safe. 3rd Edit: The main square with Römer and everything is not very far from main train station, it is a 20-30 min walk from the main train station to the Iron Bridge (=Eiserner Steg). The tour offered to you through the tourist office should have the same highlights as in the Virtual City Tour, so you could see everything on your own. But note that you do not pay the tour guide for showing you the things, you pay for having him/her explaining the things you see. So it could be really worth going on the tour. And seeing as they are motorised chances are high they will take you to some other places too, not just the old city. As for getting to Römer (spell it Roemer if you do not have o-umlaut) from the main train station: Take U 4 or U 5 to either Willi-Brandt-Platz (1 stop)or Dom/Römer (2 stops) - see the blue line at http://www.traffiq.de/fm/20/traffiQ_Innenstadtkarte.pdf . Alternatively there is also tram (or is it a bus?) no. 11 and 12 that go from Hbf to Römer, see the orange line (get off at the 3rd stop). You can also take the S-Bahn from the airport directly into the city without changing at the main train station, all you have to do is use S 8 or S 9 when travelling from the airport into the city and get off at S-Bahn stop Hauptwache (see the green line on the map).