Frankfurt Airport to Hauptbahnhoff

Bryan,

If you are at the Frankfurt Airport going to Hbf. take S-8 or S-9 with the terminous opposite of Wiesbaden. Wiesbaden as terminous is for the Airport, take the S8 or S9 in the opposite direction, should be on S-Bahnsteig 103, don't know the terminous name.

Both the S8 and the S9 go from the Frankfurt Flughafen Regionalbahnhof to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof. They both leave from track 1 (Regio 1). The direction (Richtung) will be either Offenbach or Hanau. Most of the S-Bahns go through the underground (tief) station at the Hbf; a few come into the ground level. If you go through the tief Bahnhof, you'll be underground with no visual reference, so watch for the name. It's the third station after the airport. The previous station is "Frankfurt Niederrad".

The Regionalbahnhof is under the bus building across the access road from Terminal 1. You can get to it via stairs from just inside the streetside wall of the main hall. If you come in on Lufthansa, or on some Alliance airlines, you will come into Terminal 1. Most US flag airlines use Terminal 2. If you come into Terminal 2 (D or E concourses), you will need to get to Terminal 1. There is a bus to Terminal 1 from outside Terminal 2, on the access road. You can also take the Skyline from the top floor of Terminal 2 to the top of Terminal 1. Follow the signs.

A single trip ticket (Einzelfahrkarte) for a single adult is €3,80. It will get you to the Hauptbahnhof and then to anywhere in the downtown area on any mode of transport, as long as you go directly there (no roundabout or backtracking). For unlimited rides in the downtown area after you get there, there is a Preisstufe 4 Gruppentageskarte, €14,30 for up to five people.

If you arrive at Terminal 2, it is easiest to take the Monorail or Skytrain to Terminal 1. Follow the signs that say "Regional Train station" that lead to the escalators going downstairs. Once downstairs, look for Arrival Hall B. The escalators to the train staion are right there. Go down and you will see the ticket machines. Buy a group ticket for Frankfurt as Lee suggested. There is a button that says "Gruppen Karte Frankfurt", so no need to bother with destination numbers which often gets folks confused. It costs 14.30 and is valid all day for up to 5 people. The RMV ticket machines will take bills up to 20 euro, but not credit cards. You do not have to validate your tickets in Frankfurt, just keep them with you.

There are electronic signs saying when the next train to Frankfurt is and which track. There are signs over the stairways saying which track or tracks are below. With your ticket you can take the S-8, S-9 or the regional trains going on to Frankfurt. The electronic signs will guide you. Also ask other people or airport employees if you are not sure. Announcements are made in German and in English at the airport.

Some of the trains come into the Hauptbahnhof above ground, like the Regional trains or the S-9 and this is their end station. Everyone will get off. The S-8 goes underground and thus you will know that you are there.

so just to verify, the Preisstufe 4 Gruppentageskarte ticket for E 14.30 will get me and my travel partner from the airport to downtown hpt and the metro use all day? thats what i was looking for.

Yes, that is correct. It is good all day long on all forms of transportation in Frankfurt, as well as your trip into Frankfurt. In Frankfurt, this includes S-bahns, U-bahns, Trams (strassenbahns that run on tracks above ground, my favorite form of transport to sightsee in the city) and buses.