Frankfurt, Germany Travel Guide
About Getting Around Attractions Hotels Eats Essentials & Practicals
Frankfurt’s Metro System
Hauptbahnhof Train Station in Frankfurt
HAUPTBAHNHOF METRO & TRAIN STATION
Notes: the main train or rail station is the Hauptbahnhof. This station is located in the southwest section of Frankfurt’s city center. It’s commonly referred to as Frankfurt Main Train Station or Bahnhof by the locals.
Entrance to the Bahnhof Train Station
DEUTSCHE BAHN
Site: www.bahn.de
Travel information, ticket reservations, and seat information has handicap services. The website has a section for handicap services.
Ph: 01805/996633 outside Germany or within Germany, the phone number is 11861
Schedule & Wheelchair Use Info: http://www.vgf-ffm.de/de/seite-nicht-gefunden/
Hauptbahnhof trains and platforms in Frankfurt
TYPES OF TRAINS
U Bahn: means underground. The U Bahn’s boundaries reach out only to the boundaries of the Frankfurt AM district, meaning, city center or downtown.
S Bahn: means subterranean. These lines go a bit further out than the U Bahn and are commuter trains. You’d take the S Bahn to the Frankfurt airport, or, Flughafen.
R.E.: means regional express and is an above ground train. The RE is a regional train. So, if you want to go to Dillenburg, you would take the RE train. The RE train costs more since you’re going a further distance.
Ticket kiosks at the Bahnhof Station
TICKET PURCHASE & PROCESS
There are numerous kiosks in the Bahnhof and every stop. They have a white and silver face with a green border and are called Fahrkarten.
The ticket selection can be a bit complicated. In the Bahnhof station, tickets can be purchased in a ticket center called “DB,” which is easily found by the large red letters in front and above the entrance to the entrance of the center. You can buy either local tickets inside Frankfurt city or regional.
Ticket kiosk at the Bahnhof Station
The kiosks list stops in alphabetical order in the white section. To the right in the silver section, you’ll see a ticket monitor or screen displaying transactions and underneath, a set of flags. The flags denote language selection. Press the British flag for English. Underneath are the numeric selection pads, which you’ll use to enter your numeric destination choice from the list in the white section, and coin slots and then your choice of adult or child tickets. Below the type of tickets are the final selections. The final selection choices below the adult and child figures start with a set of red buttons. About 6 rows below are another set of red buttons, both displaying “Einzelfahrt Frankfurt” or Einzelfahrt with the airplane.
If your stop is within the Frankfurt city, then find your destination in the white section, use the number code next to your listing, enter that number with the number pad to the right, then choose the second set of red buttons. If you’re an adult, press the Einzelfahrt Frankfurt selection in the 7th row under the adult column.
If your destination is not listed on the kiosk, check your metro map to see which line goes to your stop. Then, check the end destination or end point and purchase a ticket.
Option 50 is Frankfurt AM general. It’s a general ticket allowing you to use the metro to go anywhere in the city and hop from connection to connection. Enter 50 and choose the Einzelfahrt Frankfurt ticket type (red button, seventh row, left). There are numerous kiosks in the Bahnhof and every stop. They have a white and silver face with a green border and are called Fahrkarten.
The ticket selection can be a bit complicated. In the Bahnhof station, tickets can be purchased in a ticket center called “DB,” which is easily found by the large red letters in front and above the entrance to the entrance of the center. You can buy either local tickets inside Frankfurt city or regional.
The kiosks list stops in alphabetical order in the white section. To the right in the silver section, you’ll see a ticket monitor or screen displaying transactions and underneath, a set of flags. The flags denote language selection. Press the British flag for English. Underneath are the numeric selection pads, which you’ll use to enter your numeric destination choice from the list in the white section, and coin slots and then your choice of adult or child tickets. Below the type of tickets are the final selections. The final selection choices below the adult and child figures start with a set of red buttons. About 6 rows below are another set of red buttons, both displaying “Einzelfahrt Frankfurt” or Einzelfahrt with the airplane.
Gap between train station platform and train
If your stop is within the Frankfurt city, then find your destination in the white section, use the number code next to your listing, enter that number with the number pad to the right, then choose the second set of red buttons. If you’re an adult, press the Einzelfahrt Frankfurt selection in the 7th row under the adult column.
If your destination is not listed on the kiosk, check your metro map to see which line goes to your stop. Then, check the end destination or end point and purchase a ticket.
Option 50 is Frankfurt AM general. It’s a general ticket allowing you to use the metro to go anywhere in the city and hop from connection to connection. Enter 50 and choose the Einzelfahrt Frankfurt ticket type (red button, seventh row, left).
COST
General tickets within Franfurt AM cost 2,20 eur. Tickets to suburban areas such as Dillenburg cost 12,50 eur. S Bahn to the airport 3,50 eur.
To take the U Bahn, you must go down a level. The lifts in the Bahnhof have the lines of the metros listed on them to help you determine which elevator to use. So, read carefully. Or, if you can, go down the escalator if you’re adventurous. Escalators in the station are wide so your wheelchair can fit.
Hauptbahnhof train lines and destinations
METRO MAPS & LINES
Make sure you get one at your hotel. They are invaluable.
The metro lines are color-coded and have assigned line numbers. Stops/destinations are either listed on the kiosks or can be reached by determining the end points of the metro lines or major stations.
Hauptbahnhof train lines and destinations
For instance, if you’re coming from Industrielhof/Neue Borse back to the Hauptbahnhof, take the U 6, dark blue line with a destination to Hauptwache, which is a major station. (The end of the line for this line going south, however, is Frankfurt OST.) Hauptwache is a main stop. You don’t want to get off here. You will get off at Bockenheimer, then transfer to the U 4 pink line to Hauptbahnhof. The cost would be 2 – 2,20 eur.
Wheelchair accessibility in the Hauptbahnhof trains
ACCESSIBILITY
There are lifts and escalators at the stops. However, the doorways to the trains have a bit of a divider in the middle of each doorway and there is approximately five feet of clearance between the divider poles and the door frame. There’s also a bit of a gap – maybe 3 – 4 in – from the concrete waiting area to the train. The train entrance is also higher than the platform – about 2 to 3 inches.
Link for routes: http://urbanrail.net/eu/ffm/frankfrt.htm