We have an ICE train booked from Koln to Frankfurt Airport which arrives at 9:15. We'd like to see Frankfurt before our plane back to US that evening at 5:00 pm. My question is, how much time will it realistically take to get from ICE station back to town? Recommended things to do / eat in that short period of time? Also, recommendations for (if any) to store our luggage? I read the airport has luggage storage, but I assume that will eat up more time. Please advise! Thank you for your suggestions-
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
9222 posts
If you come in at 09:15, you can leave your bags at the airport luggage storage and then go to the Regional station under Terminal 1, and catch the S-8 or S-9 into the city. The S-bahn only takes 12-13 min. to get to the Hauptwache, which is the 6th stop from the airport. Get a group day ticket from the RMV ticket machines. They are valid on all forms of transport and good all day.
It is too bad you didn't book your train to go to the main station instead of the airport, but it is probably too late to change it.
So, you should be in Frankfurt by 10:00-10:15 and for a flight back to the US, and including time to go retrieve your luggage, I would head back to the airport by 13:30. You can catch your S-8 or S-9 back to the airport from the Hauptwache or the Konstablerwache stop.
That gives you 3 hours to explore. If you get off at the Hauptwache, you are a 5 min. walk from the Römer, the new Alt Stadt, the Main River, the Karmeliter Cloister, the Kaiserdom, Alte Nikolai church and St. Leonards church.
What day will this be? There are Farmers markets downtown on Thur. Fri. and Sat. and the Kleinmarkthalle is open every day but Sun. What are your interests? Churches, history, Jewish Heritage, Holy Roman Empire, museums, or are you foodies? There may be a fest here, depending on when you will be here.
Things to eat? Frankfurt Grüne Sosse, Frankfurt Schnitzel, Frankfurters Wurstchen, Frankfurter Kranz or Rippchen with Kraut.
Posted by
OP
USA
2 posts
Thank you so much!! These are just the tips we were searching for, much appreciated! We will be there on Monday 7/31, is this a fest day? That would be the best! We are foodies and just want to do a little of everything that we could squeeze in for a couple of hours. Didn't want to drag around luggage, so that is why we just did train to airport. Wonder if we could maybe even just check in to flight super early and leave luggage with them? Probably not, but would save even a little more time
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10608 posts
Ms. Jo is a wealth of information. My suggestion since you are foodies is to make sure you eat something with green sauce, which Ms. Jo mentioned in German. It is a specialty there and I get it every time I’m in Frankfurt. I’ll be there again in December and I can’t wait to dig into a schnitzel with green sauce!
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
9222 posts
Sadly no festivals on the 31st in Frankfurt and no farmers markets on Mondays. Do go to the Kleinmarkthalle.
Depending on your airline, you might be able to check in your bags early. If it is Lufthansa, they have check-in right by the long distance train station. Otherwise, this just uses up some more time going to the check in counters. The luggage storage charges 9.50€ per bag. It is usually pretty quick. Pay when you get back, with your credit card.
Posted by
Vancouver, WA
522 posts
If you want to make the most of your limited time, visit the Frankfurt on Foot website and find the info on "Layover Tours". Ms. Jo, who provided the excellent info above, runs this company. I don't know if her tour will fit your time frame but it would be worth checking. We booked with her on a short Frankfurt visit last fall and saw/learned SO much more than we could have on our own.