Monday, May 4, 2009

Take the Train to the City and Beyond




Eppsteiners appreciate their direct train connection to Frankfurt's city center. S2 trains leave every half hour throughout the day, every fifteen minutes during peak hours.

To continue on to almost any European city, get off the train at Frankfurt's Hauptbahnhof. Berlin, Brussels, Paris, and Amsterdam are all four-hour direct train rides away. We've even taken the night train to Venice (Venedig) from there. Check out the current schedule with the Deutsche Bahn (German Railway). To return to Eppstein from the main train station, go to the underground S-Bahn track #103 (S2-direction Niedernhausen); trains leave at :22 and :52.

To arrive in the middle of the city, get out at Hauptwache,

the second stop after Frankfurt's Hauptbahnhof. Café Hauptwache, a baroque building originally built in 1729 as Frankfurt's main police station, is just above.

So is Kaufhof, an American-style department store where you can find most everything and enjoy a panoramic view of Frankfurt from the rooftop. From here, you are within walking distance of most Frankfurt sites (e.g., the Alte Oper, the Römer). To return to Eppstein from Hauptwache, go to the S-Bahn track #3; trains leave at :18 and :48.

Train schedule: The trains from Eppstein in the direction of Frankfurt leave at 11 and 41 minutes past the hour and go through Frankfurt to Dietzenbach During the peak hours, trains stop at :26 and :56 as well, but end at Frankfurt's main train station. You can check the train schedule on the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV) website or stop by the RMV counter in Eppstein's main train station. You can also call 01805/768 46 36.

Purchasing tickets: If more than one person is going into the city, it makes sense to buy a group day ticket for 14.60 euros. With a day ticket, unlimited travel within Frankfurt is included. Buy tickets from the machine on Platform 1--punch in "Gruppentageskarte" for group day ticket, "50" for Frankfurt, then "1" for "via Hofheim." One-way single tickets are € 3.90 each. If you buy a one-way ticket, you'll need to buy your return ticket in Frankfurt--punch in "Einzelfahrt" for "one-way," "6620" for Eppstein and again "1" for "via Hofheim."

S-Bahn map: Click here

BEWARE of purchasing the BahnCard if you are taking a longer trip and the DB agent recommends getting one to receive a discount. It automatically renews unless you write a letter to the DB. If you are only in the country temporarily, keep this in mind; if you don't, you'll end up paying a collection agency (Universum Inkasso) for the never requested renewed card because you'll get the notice after the deadline! For my experience and contact info in case this has already happened to you, click here.

Unfortunately, you cannot park at the Eppstein train station (P+R parking lot) anymore unless you can make it to Frankfurt and back in four hours. 

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