Day trips from Frankfurt

Mainz is almost as close to the airport as Frankfurt, and an interesting city to visit. Wiesbaden is on the opposite side of the river from Mainz, so they are close. With only 12 hours, in which you'll need to reserve time to be back at the terminal and travel, I wouldn't plan to go much further than that. Personally, close to Frankfurt I like Aschafenburg, but it's not as easy to get to.

I'd look for an event or attraction near Mainz and plan on that.

Here's one option - Frankfurt on the fly: A long layover allows for a walking tour of the German city

You are way too far away from Nuremberg, or Strasbourg. I wouldn't even go to Heidelberg.

The Frankfurt Christmas Market is not like the one in Munich. They are all different. Just like the one in Mainz is not like Wiesbaden, nor like Frankfurt. Make sure you are in a city that has other things to see besides the market, especially if the weather is nasty. Have seen a lot of rain at Xmas markets. A city with museums and indoor activities is a good back up plan.

Personally, I would not go any farther away than what is reachable by taxi, just because there are those random, odd train problems. With a departing flight that day, you need to stay a bit closer to the airport. You may also find that you are a lot more tired than expected and that after 2-3 hours walking around a cold Xmas market, you may just want to return to the airport.

Day trip from Frankfurt? In which direction and with how much of a radius? I have been to Rüdesheim, Marburg even though I was staying night then, and most recently to Wiesbaden....all depends on your interest and how desperate you want to see a place/site.

I would suggest also going to Koblenz, Wiesbaden, Bad Ems, Rüdesheim, in spite of the crowds, Heidelberg.

Thanks all!! I think i get the basic picture, here are some summary points.

With a 1 hour travel radius, I estimate I will get a max of 5-6 hours given the need for breaks, food, jet lag issues. Personally my desire is to be more among people and on a high travel ICE route. A small town somewhere in a river valley.

The options i have narrowed to are:
a) Frankfurt walking tour including Sarvana Bhawan. Ms. Jo, i went to your blog through the hyperlink, did not know that there was a Sarvana Bhawan in Frankfurt, my family will kill me if i don't take them there :)

b) Other options I have narrowed down to are Mainz, Weisbaden, Aschaffenburg, and maybe Heidelberg seem like reasonable options. I am no different from a typical tourist and would like to be among people and Heidelburg is really tempting.. as I visited it 1997.

I will probably switch to researching how much time to get through Schengen cross in FRA airport and train times to these destinations, I will have to wait until later this year for winter schedule i suppose.

thanks all if you have any other ideas, please do keep them coming. Couple of interesting links i found in the travel forum, HT Ms. Jo

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/germany/day-trips-from-frankfurt

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/day-trips-from-frankfurt-heidelberg

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/day-trips-from-frankfurt-part-2-budingen

Presumably the two legs are a single ticket, so your bags will remain checked through to Madrid. You have to allow time for Immigration before you can leave the airport. You don't have enough time to go to most of the towns you have named on this list. And if you are late for any reason, the bags will go on to Madrid while you have to buy a walk-up price ticket to follow them. I would not go more than 45 minutes away. Besides Wiesbaden and Mainz (same S-Bahn line as the airport!!!), I see a stop that says Roman Theater (never been .... ) you might look into what that is. Are you going to be asleep on your feet after the first leg of the trip?

Weather may be a factor. Page down to "Fachwerkstrasse" in this discussion:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/baltic-germany-fachwerke-landesgartenschau

You might try searching this board for "Christmas Markets Frankfurt" or something like that.

Hi Tom,

Thanks.. yes bags will be checked up to Madrid. Thanks for a humorous side reply!! Of course, neither my bags are going alone nor am i going to sleep on my feet. :)

Murali

Aschaffenberg or Bundingen Look really interesting in that area

Dan

you are right Dan.. Aschaffenburg looks like it closer than some of the cities.. and fairly accessible from Frankfurt Hbf.

Aschaffenburg is still quite a long way from Frankfurt, do you really want to sit in a train for close to 1.5 hours after getting off your flight from Texas? And then another 1.5 hours to come back to the airport?

I do recommend going someplace closer, either Mainz or Wiesbaden or of course Frankfurt so you can visit Saravan Bhavan. The Christmas markets in all three cities are really nice. Save your family all that travel time.

Done Ms. Jo! Most probably Mainz it will be..