Frankfurt Airport to the City Centre: S-Bahn, Taxi and Bus

Frankfurt Airport is 12 km south-west of the city centre, and the S-Bahn makes it one of the quickest airport-to-city trips in Europe: 11 to 15 minutes to the main station, 20 to the shopping streets. This guide covers the trains, the tickets, the taxis, the night, and how each hotel district on this site connects to the centre.

The S-Bahn

Lines S8 and S9 leave from the regional station (Regionalbahnhof) under Terminal 1, reached by escalators from the arrivals level. Both run east to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (main station) in 11 to 15 minutes, then through the city-centre tunnel with stops at Taunusanlage (banking district), Hauptwache (Zeil shopping street), Konstablerwache and Ostendstrasse before continuing to Offenbach and Hanau. Each line runs every 15 minutes through the day, so a train leaves the airport roughly every 7 to 8 minutes. Gateway Gardens is the first stop towards the city; in the other direction both lines serve Kelsterbach, Rüsselsheim, Mainz and Wiesbaden. Regional trains and a few ICEs also stop at the regional station for the main station, but the S-Bahn is the simple choice.

Terminal 3 has no railway station. Passengers from Terminal 3 ride the SkyLine to Terminal 1 (8 to 10 minutes, or 20 by replacement bus) and go down to the platforms, or take the X77 bus to Gateway Gardens and change to the S-Bahn there. Our Terminal 3 guide explains the options.

Tickets

Frankfurt Airport has its own RMV fare level for journeys into the city, priced a little above a standard Frankfurt single, so a ticket bought for the city does not cover the airport leg. Buy at the RMV machines on the platforms (cards accepted) or in the RMV or DB Navigator apps, and validate paper tickets before boarding if the machine did not date-stamp them. There are no barriers, so it is easy to board without a ticket and expensive to be caught: the fine is €60. A group of up to five travelling together on a day ticket is usually cheaper than five singles, and guests of the IntercityHotel Frankfurt Airport Terminal 3 travel free with the hotel’s FreeCityTicket.

Taxis and transfers

Taxis wait at the arrivals level of Terminal 1 and outside Terminal 3. The ride to the main station or the Old Town takes about 20 minutes outside the peaks and costs around €35 to €45 on the meter; the A5 and the Westkreuz slow it in the evening rush. Ride-hailing apps operate at both terminals with marked pick-up points. Fixed-price transfers booked in advance cost about the same and are worth it for a late-night arrival with a family.

Buses

Regional buses serve both terminals, but for the city centre the S-Bahn is faster than any bus. Long-distance coaches (FlixBus and others) leave from the coach stops at Terminal 1 for other German and European cities, and the Flibco bus to Frankfurt-Hahn Airport leaves from the main station, not from here; our Frankfurt versus Hahn guide explains why that matters.

At night

The S8 and S9 run until about 1:00 am on weekdays and around the clock on Friday and Saturday nights and before public holidays. Between the last train and the first at about 4:00 am on a weekday, the night bus network covers the airport from the Terminal 1 bus station, and a taxi is the practical fallback. The night-flight ban means there are few arrivals after 11:00 pm to need it.

Hotels and the city

The four Terminal 1 walkway hotels, Sheraton, Marriott, Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn, are five to ten minutes from the S-Bahn platforms, so a city evening is the same 20 minutes each way. Gateway Gardens has its own station, one stop from the airport and about 12 minutes from the main station, which puts the Hyatt Place, Hampton, Moxy and their neighbours as close to the city as the terminal hotels. The NH Frankfurt Airport in Kelsterbach and the Steigenberger Airport Hotel Frankfurt in the forest need a shuttle or taxi to a station first. Our layover guide works out how many hours you need for the Old Town and back.

Tips

Board the S-Bahn at the airport towards Hauptbahnhof, not Wiesbaden; the platforms are labelled by direction. If you are heading for the Zeil or the Römer, stay on past the main station to Hauptwache. Keep your ticket until you leave the station, and remember that the airport fare level applies on the way back too.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the S-Bahn take from Frankfurt Airport to the city?

The S8 and S9 from the regional station under Terminal 1 reach Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof in 11 to 15 minutes, then continue through the city-centre tunnel to Taunusanlage, Hauptwache, Konstablerwache and Ostendstrasse, about 20 minutes to the shopping streets. Trains run every 15 minutes on each line, so every 7 to 8 minutes combined through the day.

How much is a taxi from Frankfurt Airport to the city centre?

Around €35 to €45 by meter for the 12 to 15 km ride, taking about 20 minutes outside rush hour and longer on the A5 in the evening peak. Taxis wait outside arrivals at Terminal 1 and Terminal 3; fixed-price airport transfers can be booked in advance.

Is Frankfurt Airport in the city fare zone?

The airport has its own RMV fare level for trips into Frankfurt, a little above the standard city single. Buy a ticket from the RMV machines on the platform or in the RMV or DB apps before boarding; there are no barriers, and inspectors fine passengers without a valid ticket.

Information last verified: September 11, 2026