Heidelberg Transportation

Getting There

Air

Heidelberg is approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Frankfurt, which is where the most convenient international airport is located.

Frankfurt am Main International Airport +49 69 6900 http://www.franfurt-airport.com/

The Frankfurt Airport provides domestic and international service from airlines including:

Air Berlin (http://www.airberlin.com/) Air Canada (http://www.aircanada.com/) Air China (http://www.airchina.com/) Air France (http://www.airfrance.com/) American Airlines (http://www.aa.com/) British Airways (http://'www.british-airways.com/) Continental Airlines (http://www.continental.com/) Delta Air Lines (http://www.delta.com/) Lufthansa (http://www.Lufthansa.de/) Singapore Airlines (http://www.singaporeair.com/) US Airways (http://www.usairways.com/) Vietnam Airlines (http://www.vietnamairlines.com/)

From the Airport

Train: A train leaves directly from the Frankfurt Airport. You will have to switch trains at the Frankfurt main station or Mannheim in order to get to the Heidelberg main station (Hauptbahnhof). The trip can take anywhere from 45-80 minutes.

Bus: The Lufthansa Bus leaves from Terminal 1 outside Hall B and provides service to Heidelberg every hour during peak times. The trip takes around 75 minutes and stops at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, which is located about 5 minutes from the city center.

Taxi: Metered taxis are always available at the airport, however this is an expensive transport option when heading to Heidelberg as the trip takes about 60 minutes.

Car Rentals: Alamo (+49 69 690 7 2360 / http://www.alamo.co.uk/) Avis (+49 69 690 3 2631 / http://www.avis.de/) Budget (+49 69 6907 4440 / http://www.budget.de/) Europcar (+49 69 697 9 7112 / http://www.europcar.de/) Hertz (+49 69 690 59 3244 / http://www.hertz.de/) Sixt (+49 69 697 00742 / http://www.e-sixt.de/)

Train

Rail passes: If your visit to Heidelberg is only part of a larger trip, it may be cheaper to buy a rail pass than point-to-point tickets. For non-European citizens, there are a range of passes available, depending on whether you are visiting only Germany or other countries in Europe as well. Information about the different passes and train travel in Europe can be found at http://www.europrail.net/. Europeans can buy an Interrail pass instead—it is cheaper to buy one in your own country, so call your local train station for more information.

Most major train routes will stop in nearby Mannheim, where you will be able to catch a regional train that will take you to Heidelberg in about 15 minutes. Heidelberg's main station (Hauptbahnhof) is about a 10-minute tram ride fro the city center. Check out Deutsche Bahn (http://www.bahn.de/) for more Germany rail information.

Bus

Eurolines (http://www.eurolines.com/) is the popular bus service that runs throughout much of Europe with regular stops in numerous German cities.

Deutsche Touring (http://www.deutsche-touring.com/) offers bus service throughout Germany and coordinates with the railroad to reach various cities.

Car

The closest Autobahns to Heidelberg are the A5 and A6. A656 runs right into the center of the city. However, you have to be careful driving around the city center due to the large amount of one way streets. Even though the Old Town is inaccessible for cars, there are plenty of reasonably priced parking garages in the surrounding area.

Getting Around

Public Transport

Heidelberg's city center is fairly small. However to reach the city center from the train station or from some other part of town, it is highly recommended to use Heidelberg's efficient public transport. VRN (http://www.vrn.de/) runs the public transportation in Heidelberg via bus and train. A stop to remember is the Bismarckplatz, where the Old Town and also the longest European pedestrian zone (1.6 km / 1 mi) begins. From there, you are also connected to most of the buses and trams. On weekends, a night bus (Moonliner) is also available from various destinations. For one-time-only travelers, the city is divided in zones (combs). Depending on how far you travel, the fare increases. Fares start at EUR2.10 up to EUR8 one-way. 1-day-passes start at EUR5.

Since 2003, Heidelberg is also connected to the S-Bahn which offers convenient connection to the outskirts of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Frankfurt and Würzburg.

Taxi

Taxis are also available throughout much of the city. However, it might be difficult in certain parts of the city to hail a cab in the street. To be on the save side, simply call one of the numbers below and you will be picked up within 10-15 minutes.

Taxi Direkt (+49 6221 - 73 90 90 / http://www.taxihdirekt.de/) Taxizentrale Heidelberg (+49 6221 30 20 30 / http://www.taxizentrale-heidelberg.de/)

Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Plane -- The nearest major airport is Frankfurt, with a direct bus link to Heidelberg. The shuttle bus between Frankfurt and Heidelberg costs 20€ ($32) per person. Call tel. 0621/651620 for shuttle information.

By Train -- Heidelberg's Hauptbahnhof is an important railroad station, lying on the Mannheim line, with frequent service to both regional towns and major cities. From Frankfurt, 56 trains arrive per day (trip time: 1 hr.); from Stuttgart, 35 trains (trip time: 45 min.). Travel time to and from Munich is about 3 1/2 hours. For information, call tel. 01805/996633.

By Bus -- Regional bus service is provided by BRN Busverkehr Rhein-Neckar at Heidelberg (tel. 06221/60620).

By Car -- Motorists should take the A5 Autobahn from the north or south.

Visitor Information

Contact Tourist-Information, Willy-Brandt-Platz 1 (tel. 06221/19433). It's open April to October Monday to Saturday 9am to 7pm, and Sunday 10am to 6pm; and November to March Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm. Here, visitors can purchase a Heidelberg Card, which provides discounts on attractions and free use of public transportation. Cards valid for any consecutive 2-day period cost 14€ ($22) per person; cards valid for any consecutive 4-day period go for 21€ ($34) per person. A family card is available as well. Valid for two adults and two children 15 and under for any consecutive 2-day period, it sells for 28€ ($45) and carries the same provisions.

Getting Around

Heidelberg is crisscrossed with a network of trams and buses, many of which intersect at the Bismarckplatz in the town center. Bus nos. 41 and 42 travel frequently between the railway station and the Universitätsplatz. The Altstadt stretches on either side of the Hauptstrasse between the Bismarckplatz and the Universitätsplatz. Bus or tram fares cost 2.20€ ($3.50) for a single ride.