Tips and tours for explorers and travellers
Frankfurt am Main City Guide
Frankfurt am Main pairs Continental Europe's dominant financial skyline and global transit hubs with historic cider taverns along the Main river and thirty-nine world-class museums on its famous Museumsufer bank.
- Country
- Germany
- Language
- German
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Plug
- type C/F
- Time zone
- Europe/Berlin
- Emergency
- 112 and 110
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Dialling code
- +49
The stops
Things to do in Frankfurt am Main
Frankfurt keeps two cities in one skyline: glass banking towers and a rebuilt medieval core fifteen minutes apart. The landmarks sit in that strip along the Main, from Römerberg and the Kaiserdom to Goethe's birthplace, the Alte Oper and the Eiserner Steg over to the Städel on Museumsufer.
Goethestrasse, Louis Vuitton
Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof
Jewish Museum
Westhafen Tower
Liebieghaus
Städel
Eiserner Steg
Römer (townhall)
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Weather & crowds
Best time to visit
Visit in May, June, or September for optimal outdoor temperatures and riverbank dining without trade fair pricing. Avoid major trade fair windows in October unless attending, as room rates surge across all districts.
Winter
Nov–Feb-1–9°C/ 31–48°F
Few visitorsOccasional rain
- Christmas markets
- Short daylight hours
- Chilly weather
Don't miss
Frankfurter Weihnachtsmarkt
Spring
Mar–May2–20°C/ 35–69°F
Getting busierOccasional rain
- Mild weather
- Green parks
- Variable spring rain
Don't miss
Frühjahrs-Dippemess
Summer
Jun–Aug12–26°C/ 54–79°F
BusyWet
- Riverbank outdoor life
- Urban heat waves
- Humidity
Don't miss
Museumsuferfest
Autumn
Sep–Oct7–21°C/ 44–69°F
Peak seasonOccasional rain
- Crisp air
- Autumn culture
- Major hotel price surges
Don't miss
Frankfurter Buchmesse
Transport
How to get to & around Frankfurt am Main
Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
| S-Bahn S8 / S9 | 12–15 mins | €6.90 |
|---|---|---|
| Official Airport Taxi | 20–30 mins | ~€40.00 |
Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (HHN)
| Flibco Express Bus | 2h 10m | €18.99 |
|---|
Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof
| Pedestrian / U-Bahn | 5–10 mins | €0.00 |
|---|
U-Bahn & Tram
Dense urban rail netSingle ride costs €3.80; short trips cost €2.35. Purchase via RMVgo app or platform vending machines prior to boarding. Dense network with late-night weekend services.
Walking
Compact city coreThe historic Altstadt, Museumsufer, and main commercial avenues are flat and easily navigated on foot. Pedestrian bridges seamlessly connect north and south riverbanks.
Taxi & Rideshare
Costly short tripsBase tariff of €4.00 plus €2.40 per kilometer. Highly useful late at night, but heavy inner-city traffic renders public rail significantly faster during business hours.
Rental Car
Severe parking & ZTLCentral zones require a green environmental badge (Umweltplakette). Parking garage rates exceed €4/hour, and central streets suffer severe rush-hour gridlock.
Public transit (U-Bahn, S-Bahn, and Trams) combined with walking is the fastest, cheapest, and most convenient way to navigate Frankfurt am Main.
Budget
How much does it cost to visit Frankfurt am Main?
Frankfurt is a moderate-to-expensive European commercial city. Daily leisure budgets average €70 to €160 per person, with accommodation prices fluctuating drastically based on the trade fair calendar.
| Espresso / Cappuccino (Café) | €2.80–€4.50 |
|---|---|
| Traditional Tavern Meal | €12.00–€18.00 |
| Local Draught Beer / Apfelwein | €3.50–€5.50 |
| Single Transit Ticket (Zone 5000) | €2.35–€3.80 |
| Taxi Ride across Centre (3-5 km) | €12.00–€18.00 |
| Bakery Snack / Sandwich | €1.50–€4.50 |
| Supermarket Mineral Water (1.5L) | €0.50–€1.20 |
Cash or card?
Card payment is accepted at most hotels and retail stores, but traditional cider taverns, market stalls, and small bakeries frequently enforce cash-only rules or €10 card minimums. Always carry €20–€30 in cash.
Where to stay
Where to stay in Frankfurt am Main
Altstadt & Innenstadt
First-time visits, walkableLocated directly adjacent to Römerberg, Frankfurt Cathedral, and high-street shopping districts. Highly pedestrianized with rapid rail links, though hotel pricing remains consistently at a premium.
Sachsenhausen-Nord
Nightlife, dining, cultureSituated on the south bank of the Main river. Renowned for traditional apple cider taverns and the Museumsufer. Vibrant evening atmosphere within short walking distance of downtown.
Westend-Süd
Quiet luxury, businessCharacterized by 19th-century architecture, tree-lined residential avenues, and proximity to the Palmengarten botanical gardens. Highly serene at night, commanding upper-tier accommodation rates.
Bahnhofsviertel
Budget, transit connectionPositioned directly east of the Central Station. Offers dense transit connectivity and international dining, but streetscapes host visible drug use and red-light venues requiring late-night vigilance.
The tours
Frankfurt am Main, one story at a time
€72 hours
Take a walk through Helenopolis, today known as Frankfurt am Main
Michaela Scheiner- Audio
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€72.5 hours
From old town to skyscrapers: A self-guided tour through Frankfurt am Main
Stefano Navarro- Audio
- Quizzes
- Multiplayer
- Free eSIM
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Word of mouth
What travellers say
Safety
Is Frankfurt am Main safe?
Frankfurt am Main is safe for visitors, with violent crime against tourists being exceptionally rare. Security concerns are geographically concentrated in the Bahnhofsviertel district directly surrounding Central Station.
Bahnhofsviertel Caution
Streets such as Taunusstraße, Niddastraße, and Elbestraße host open drug scenes and adult venues. Keep personal belongings secure and avoid walking alone through dark side streets late at night.
Hauptbahnhof Pickpocketing
Frankfurt Hbf platforms and crowded S-Bahn airport trains experience elevated pickpocket activity. Keep luggage in sight at all times and ensure daypacks are zipped closed in crowded vestibules.
Park & Grilling Rules
Drinking alcohol in public parks is legal, but open fires and wild grilling outside designated zones carry strict municipal fines starting at €120 enforced by the Stadtpolizei.
Bike Lane Compliance
Do not walk or stand on red-painted bike paths on sidewalks. Cyclists maintain legal right-of-way, travel at high speeds, and will aggressively sound bells at pedestrians obstructing paths.
Good to know
Good to know
Sunday Retail Shutdown
Federal law mandates that standard retail shops and supermarkets close completely on Sundays. Essential travel stores at Hauptbahnhof and Frankfurt Airport remain open.
Ebbelwoi Tavern Etiquette
Traditional Sachsenhausen cider taverns utilize communal seating at long wooden tables. Cider is poured from grey stoneware pitchers (Bembel) into diamond-patterned glasses (Geripptes).
SaTOURday Free Museum Access
On the final Saturday of every month (excluding August and December), admission to most municipal museums across the city is completely free under the city's SaTOURday initiative.
Worth reading
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Read moreQuestions
Frankfurt am Main FAQ
Yes. Municipal tap water supplied by Mainova strictly meets all federal standards set by the German Drinking Water Regulation, making it safe to drink directly from the tap throughout the city.
Take S-Bahn line S8 or S9 from Terminal 1 Regionalbahnhof directly to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof or Hauptwache. The ride takes 12–15 minutes and costs €6.90 for an adult single ticket.
The City of Frankfurt levies a Tourism Tax of €2.00 per person per night across all accommodation types, applicable to both leisure and business stays.
Yes. The 1-Day Frankfurt Card (€13.00) covers all city and airport transit while providing up to 50% discounts at 26 museums. Because a standard airport return costs €13.80, visiting one museum yields immediate net savings.
No. Regular retail shops and supermarkets close on Sundays under federal closing laws. Travel convenience stores, bakeries, and pharmacies located inside Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof and Frankfurt Airport remain open.