Heidelberg is located in southeastern Germany along the Neckar River in the Baden Wurttemberg region, an hour south of Frankfurt. Heidelberg is part of the »Castle Road» of Germany. It is a bustling university town, overlooked by the evocative castle ruins.
Nearby airports Heidelberg
The nearest international airport is Frankfurt Airport (Flughafen) Frankfurt Rhein-Main , 80 km away and accessible in an hour. TLS will take you from Frankfurt airport to your hotel in Heidelberg for € 29 per person one way.
The Lufthansa airport bus runs every hour between the arrival area of Terminal 1 and the Crowne Plaza hotel in Heidelberg. At the time of writing, the bus will cost you 22 euros one way if you have a Lufthansa air ticket.
Ryan Air uses the smaller Frankfurt Hahn airport , 1.5 hours from Heidelberg. Transport to Heidelberg by «BKK Buses»: telephone 01805 – 225287, 16 euros each way.
Discover all the ways to get from Frankfurt to Heidelberg.
Heidelberg HBF – The train station
Heidelberg’s central train station (Hauptbohnhof) is located at Willy-Brandt-Platz 5. You can take buses and taxis from the front of the station. The station is a short walk from the old town, about 25 minutes. In front of the station there is a bus and tram stop. Take any sign indicating “Bismarckplatz” to reach the main street of Heidelberg’s Old Town.
You will find tourist information at a kiosk in front of the train station.
Book a ticket to Heidelberg.
Where to stay
There are many hotels in Heidelberg, so finding a place is not that difficult in the off-season. If you go in the summer, book a room in advance to make sure.
For those who want to stay a while, and for families or groups of friends who want a little space, a self-catering vacation rental might be in order: Heidelberg Vacation Rentals (direct book).
The Heidelberg card
There are three types of Heidelberg cards available: 1 day, 2 days, 4 days and a family option. The card gives you a discount in some shops and cafes, and free entry to some of Heidelberg’s main attractions.
Heidelberg excursion from Frankfurt
Viator offers a half-day tour from Frankfurt that may be of interest if you are staying in that city: Heidelberg Half-Day Trip from Frankfurt (book directly). If you plan your trip between November 23 and December 22, you will also visit the Heidelberg Christmas Markets.
Heidelberg Top Tourist Attractions
- Heidelberg Palace (Schloss) – Heidelberg Castle Ruins have been famous for centuries as romantic ruins, so they have not been fully restored. However, this is one of the most evocative castles you could visit in Europe. Inside is a wonderful Pharmacy museum, as well as the largest wine barrel in the world (a tank with a capacity of 195,000 liters or approximately 51,514 gallons). There is a wine bar inside the palace and a little cafe outside where you can get a drink or eat a light meal (or what passes for one in Germany, anyway). Admission is 2.5 euros at the time of writing.
- University of Heidelberg – The cornerstone of Heidelberg’s “Old University” was established on June 24, 1712. The surrounding area abounds with interesting cafes and shops. There is a very interesting university museum and student prison, where students were incarcerated for minor and fashionable transgressions, such as drinking at night and disturbing the peace. There is a free botanical garden at the University of Heidelberg; Free entrance. Closed on Saturdays.
- The Old Bridge ((Carl Theodor Bridge)) – Elector Karl Theodor built Heidelberg’s first stone bridge, erected between 1786 and 1788. The bridge leads to a well-preserved medieval gate on the side of the city.
- Shopping on der Hauptstrasse – Heidelberg features the longest pedestrian zone in Europe.
- Museums : Being a university city, Heidelberg has many museums to visit, but the most unique might be the Bonsai Museum, the only one of its kind.
Plan a trip to Heidelberg, Germany: the travel planning toolbox
Learn German: It is always a good idea to learn some of the local language in the places you go, especially the ‘polite’ expressions and some words related to food and drink.
German Rail Passes – You can save money on longer train rides, but rail passes are not guaranteed to save you money, you will need to plan your journey to use the pass on longer journeys and pay in cash (or by card). credit) for short careers
