What's there to do for about 2 hours near the Frankfort, Germany airport?

Question

We're going to Sweden in late January 2007 and have a 4 hour layover at Frankfort. Are there 2 hour taxi tours leaving and returning the airport or something similar that my wife and I could do to pass the time and see a bit of Frankfort?

Answer 1

So far Brendon gave you the best answer! If you want to see Frankfurt go to the local train station beneath terminal 1 (NOT to the long distance station!) and take a S-Bahn to Frankfurt (usually leaving on platform 1, lines S-8 and S-9). Don't get off at the main station (Hauptbahnhof) but stay on the train for 2 more stops till "Hauptwache". It's about a 15min-ride from the airport and trains are running in both directions usually every 15-30 minutes.

What to do there? Walk along the Zeil (pedestrian area with lots of shops), go to the Römer to see the historic town hall, ... You won't have much time, so I leave it to you if there's something of special interest to you; have a look at the official web site (also in english): http://www.frankfurt.de

Your connecting flight from Frankfurt/Germany to Sweden is rather a national flight since both countries are members of the EU: check-in times should be a bit shorter than on real international flights.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, Frankfurt is a bit of a boring city. It is not a typical German city in that it is very modern with skyscrapers everywhere, and looks more like an American city than a European one.

You can catch the ICE train from the airport and be at the main train station in the city center (Hauptbahnhof) in about 10 minutes. From there you can take any S Bahn (subway train) 1 stop to Dom/ Römer, and see probably the only area in Frankfurt worth seeing. It has been beautifully restored to pre-war conditions, and is lovely. Then eat some yummy German bratwurst, drink a Hefeweizen- the best German beer-, and beat it back to the airport. Be careful around the Hauptbahnhof, though, that's where all the junkies hang out!

Answer 3

If Frankfurt's all you have time for... first of all, don't take a taxi from the airport into town, that's far too expensive.  The airport is actually a main regional hub for the local train service, so simply follow the signs in the airport to the S-bahn trains.  Most all of them go from the airport to the Hauptbahnhof (Frankfurt's Main Train Station)... which is definitely the direction you want to go, but not the actual STOP you want to get off at.  That part of town isn't really that nice, nor that interesting.  What you want to do is stay on the train, PAST the Hauptbahnhof stop, to the next stop:  Hauptwache.  The Hauptwache stop is an central underground stop, right at the ACTUAL center of Frankfurt, the Hauptwache.  If you get off there and go up the stairs, you're right in the middle of the skyscrapers, and there are plenty of places to eat and shop around there.  The Zeilgalerie is a narrow, vertical mall right next to the Hauptwache, and if you go up to the top of the Zeilgalerie (there's a restaurant up there, but there's also a public viewing platform), you'll get a really nice panoramic view of downtown Frankfurt, from downtown Frankfurt!  There are even a few cinemas nearby--there's an English-language movie theater about a block up from the Hauptwache called Cinestar Turmpalast on Eschenheimer Strasse, across the street from the Eschenheimer Tower--you can't miss it.  The Hauptwache is also a couple of blocks away from the Romerplatz, which translates to maybe a five-minute walk--the Romerplatz is about the only "old-looking" square in the whole city, since Frankfurt's a pretty modern, non-typical German city.  It's a nice walk, though, with plenty of stores and a few little churches along the way, and the Romer square itself is a nice place to take some of the stereotypical tourist pictures :)  Just make sure to ration out enough time to walk back and get the next S-bahn back to the airport (Flughaven) for your flight, of course.

Answer 4

well a fun thing to do is look around the airport  it is GREAT,,,,,Large, much to see,,,,,you can also take the Fast train right from the airport and go into the city and have a wonderful lunch.....it leaves right from the terminal so you won't get lost....

Answer 5

dude, don't leave the airport.  I live in Germany and travel through the airport in Frankfurt a lot.  It is a pain to get through security and you are not an EU resident I assume, so that gives you two check points to go through.  If you had more time, I would recommend that you come to the town I am stationed at, Wiesbaden.  We are like the Beverly Hills of Germany, with great shopping and restraunts.

Answer 6

Take the train from the airport to the historic city center and walk around have lunch, etc.  There are nice shops and a restaurant that makes the BEST tomato soup.  The train will drop you off right there, it's too easy.  I think it's the Hopf Banhhof in Frankfurt, it's probably a 5-10 minute ride from the airport and the airport station is directly under the airport.  There is also a museum right there... it's the part of Frankfort that wasn't completely destroyed during WWII that was restored...cobbles stone streets, the whole nine yards.  Have fun...I lived in Germany for 5 years and I miss it sooooooooooooooooooooo much!