Hey gents,
Is it pretty easy to hit the main train station in FRA from the airport? My hotel is right across the street from the main station and I thought it would save me a cab fare to just take the train from the airport if possible.
Thanks
Why don't you call up the hotel and ask them. I would love to help you, but I've never been to Germany. I don't think this board gets that much of traffic.
They're actually built a train staton into the airport...
This is the long-distance one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankfurt_Airport_long-distance_station
This is the regional one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankfurt_Airport_regional_railway_station
If you're going into town next to the main train station in the center of Frankfurt, use the second one (tickets are cheaper).
Very easy. At the airport, look for signs to "Regionalbanhof" "Regional trains." Go to "Fahrkarten" machine to buy a fare card. Press the button with the Union Jack flag so the machine will be in English, then enter 0050 on the keypad for Frankfurt am Main (the main train station, also called Frankfurt Hbf), then press the red button that says "Einzelfahrt" for a one-way ticket (which will cost a little more than 2 euros). Enter your money (the machines take cash/coins, of course) or card (the machines also take either only ATM cards or only credit cards, but unfortunately I forget which one it is). Go to track 1 to catch the train to Frankfurt Hbf. The ride takes about 10 minutes.
joekadet is on target, do buy a ticket, even tho there are only machines at that site. The Germans are, to a Westerner, very, very honest, but they do employ flying teams that, out of the blue, arrive at a station and canvas riders for tickets! Those that do not have them are fined, a substantial hit, on the spot or are arrested and go off to jail! So, buy that ticket.. As opposed to most USA cities, the Europeans have Great public transport systems. Cars there are expensive to buy, hard to insure, $4-5/gallon for petrol (gasoline). Sold by the liter there. Plus, getting a liscense to drive takes knowing how to drive. A detail that seems to have been lost to greed in the good ole' USA! OK, have not visited the clubs for many, many reasons, but not because I cannot speak some German....
flyrod
For a round-trip or all day pass, press the yellow button that says something like "Tageskarte," rather than the red Einzelfahrt button. Also, be sure to keep your ticket with you - they have people who come by randomly to check and make sure you didn't board for free. I assume there's a fine or something if you don't have a ticket. I took several rides when nobody came by, but other rides where I had to show the ticket twice in the span of just a few stops.
Is it pretty easy to hit the main train station in FRA from the airport? My hotel is right across the street from the main station and I thought it would save me a cab fare to just take the train from the airport if possible.
Thanks