Freiburg Transportation

From: Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

ABOVE: A tram follows the Bächle water channels in the Altstadt.

Arriving and departing

Train: Freiburg is on the north-south Intercity Express (ICE) rail line between Frankfurt am Main and Basel, Switzerland. Train connections are fast and frequent; see Rail Europe's German rail map and plan your trip with the Deutsche Bahn journey planner.

Airplane: EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg is 55 minutes from the city by airport bus (up to 15 daily, depending on the time of year). During the peak season, it offers more than 480 flights a week to 50+ destinations, including capitals such as Berlin, London, Paris, Madrid, Amsterdam, Brussels, Copenhagen, and Reykjavik.

The nearest intercontinental gateway airports are Frankfurt am Main and Zürich, which have good train connections to Freiburg.

Car: Freiburg im Breisgau is on the No. 5 Autobahn between Karlsruhe and Basel. Get directions and maps with ViaMichelin's interactive journey planner.

River vessel: Rhine cruises often include port calls at Breisach am Rhein, which is a short trip from Freiburg by commuter train or tour bus.

Local transportation

Tram, bus, and commuter rail: Freiburg has an an extensive and incredibly well-integrated network of trams, buses, and commuter-rail lines such as the Breisgau S-Bahn. The region's 17 transportation companies have banded together to create a system in which one ticket will get you anywhere in the region.

For more information, including maps and timetables, see the English-language VAG transit site or the German-only RVF regional transportation authority. You can buy printed maps, tickets, and transit souvenirs (including official tram drivers' neckties) in the VAG-pluspunkt Freiburg office, which is located at Salzstrasse 3.

Bicycle: Although bikes aren't allowed in the city center, they're useful for excursions, and there are more than 450 km (300 miles) of bike paths outside the Altstadt. You can rent a two-wheeler at the Bicyle Station and Mobility Station next to the main railroad station, which also has parking for 1,000 bikes. (Other bike parking lots are scattered around the city.)

Taxi: You can get a cab at the train station, and several firms (including ROLLIMOBIL, 0761/28 35 58) offer wheelchair taxis.

Cablecars: Small aerial gondolas of the Schlossbergbahn connect the Stadtgarten or city park with the Dattler Restaurant and the Burghaldering, 80 meters above the city center. (The system was shut down for maintenance during our most recent visit.) In the suburbs, the Schauinslandbahn offers 20-minute, 3.6-km aerial cablecar rides to the Bergwelt Schauinsland, where you can climb up an observation tower, go hiking, or enjoy attractions such as skiing, a wildlife park, and the world's longest accessible rope bridge.

Parking

Most of the Altstadt is a pedestrian zone, and I'd suggest parking your car and forgetting about it until you leave town. The city operates 16 parking garages between the railroad station and the Schlossberg, plus special parking facilities for handicapped drivers. For locations, see the official city map (the printed map is easier to use than the online version) or--better yet--get directions and parking instructions from your hotel's reception desk before you arrive.

Next page: Freiburg tourist information

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