Day trips · Frankfurt · Germany
7 best day trips from Frankfurt
Where to go when you want a day away from Frankfurt, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Frankfurt is Heidelberg (About 1 hour by train). The closest option is Darmstadt, about 30 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 7
- Closest
- Darmstadt (30 km)
- Most popular
- Heidelberg
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heidelberg | 90 km | About 1 hour by train | Intercity or regional train, sometimes via Mannheim | First-timers, Couples, Culture |
| Rüdesheim and the Rhine Gorge | 65 km | About 1 hour 10 minutes by train | Regional train along the Rhine to Rüdesheim | Couples, First-timers, Culture |
| Mainz | 40 km | About 35 minutes by S-Bahn | S-Bahn S8 via the airport, or regional train | Culture, Food lovers |
| Würzburg | 120 km | About 1 hour 10 minutes by ICE | ICE from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof | Culture, Couples |
| Marburg | 95 km | About 1 hour by train | Regional or Intercity train | Culture, Quiet stays |
| Darmstadt | 30 km | About 20 minutes by train | Regional train or S-Bahn | Culture, Quiet stays |
| Saalburg Roman Fort | 30 km | About 45 minutes by train and bus | S-Bahn to Bad Homburg, then bus | Families, Culture |
The day trips
90 km · About 1 hour by train
1.Heidelberg
Germany's oldest university town has a red sandstone castle ruin above the Neckar, the Old Bridge and a long pedestrian main street; the Philosophers' Walk across the river gives the classic view.
- Getting there
- Intercity or regional train, sometimes via Mannheim
- Best for
- First-timers, Couples, Culture
65 km · About 1 hour 10 minutes by train
2.Rüdesheim and the Rhine Gorge
Rüdesheim's wine lanes and cable car to the Niederwald Monument mark the start of the UNESCO-listed Rhine Gorge; boats continue past castles and the Loreley rock towards St. Goar and Koblenz.
- Getting there
- Regional train along the Rhine to Rüdesheim
- Best for
- Couples, First-timers, Culture
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40 km · About 35 minutes by S-Bahn
3.Mainz
Mainz on the Rhine has a red sandstone Romanesque cathedral, the Gutenberg Museum devoted to the inventor of movable-type printing, and St. Stephan's Church with stained glass by Marc Chagall.
- Getting there
- S-Bahn S8 via the airport, or regional train
- Best for
- Culture, Food lovers
120 km · About 1 hour 10 minutes by ICE
4.Würzburg
The UNESCO-listed Würzburg Residence has Tiepolo's ceiling fresco above its grand staircase, and the Old Main Bridge, lined with statues, is where locals drink Franconian wine at sunset.
- Getting there
- ICE from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof
- Best for
- Culture, Couples
95 km · About 1 hour by train
5.Marburg
A hilly university town with half-timbered houses climbing to a landgrave's castle and the early Gothic St. Elizabeth's Church; the Brothers Grimm studied here.
- Getting there
- Regional or Intercity train
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays
30 km · About 20 minutes by train
6.Darmstadt
The Mathildenhöhe artists' colony, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has Art Nouveau houses, the Wedding Tower and a Russian Orthodox chapel with golden domes.
- Getting there
- Regional train or S-Bahn
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays
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30 km · About 45 minutes by train and bus
7.Saalburg Roman Fort
A reconstructed Roman fort on the Limes frontier in the Taunus hills, with a museum of Roman finds and forest trails along the line of the old border wall.
- Getting there
- S-Bahn to Bad Homburg, then bus
- Best for
- Families, Culture
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Frankfurt?
Heidelberg. Germany's oldest university town has a red sandstone castle ruin above the Neckar, the Old Bridge and a long pedestrian main street; the Philosophers' Walk across the river gives the classic view.
+How long does it take to get from Frankfurt to Heidelberg?
About 1 hour by train — Intercity or regional train, sometimes via Mannheim, about 90 km.
+How long does it take to get from Frankfurt to Rüdesheim and the Rhine Gorge?
About 1 hour 10 minutes by train — Regional train along the Rhine to Rüdesheim, about 65 km.