Bus or train from Frankfurt to Gelsenkirchen

[zlzfire]

I am flying into Frankfurt the night of the 11th and need to get to Gelsenkirchen for the game on the 12th. Has anybody booked anything yet that could help me out? Anybody heard prices or times? Bus OR train would be great.

Thanks
Zak

[Frankie Boy]

I am flying into Frankfurt the night of the 11th and need to get to Gelsenkirchen for the game on the 12th. Has anybody booked anything yet that could help me out? Anybody heard prices or times? Bus OR train would be great.

Thanks
Zak

The game is at 6, I believe-I arrive on the 10th, my wife on the morning of the 11th-we are basing in Heidelberg for the tournament, and will leave Heidelberg early AM to take the three hour train ride to Gelsenkirchen.

I think that if you get a room at the airport and train over the next day, you should be OK.

[Shibb]

I don't know why you would consider a bus unless it's much cheaper. The trains are affordable, reliable and relatively fast. It should be simple to get there, I think I posted train schedules in another thread from Frankfurt to Gelsenkirchen but if you like I can repost them here. You can choose to stay in Frankfurt on the 11th or go up to the Dortmund/Dusseldorf/Gelsenkirchen area and stay up there, or pick someplace in between (Cologne, perhaps?). You have a lot of options and it's an easy trip. But unless the bus is saving you substantial money and you need that then I'd go with the trains.

[Frankie Boy]

I don't know why you would consider a bus unless it's much cheaper. The trains are affordable, reliable and relatively fast. It should be simple to get there, I think I posted train schedules in another thread from Frankfurt to Gelsenkirchen but if you like I can repost them here. You can choose to stay in Frankfurt on the 11th or go up to the Dortmund/Dusseldorf/Gelsenkirchen area and stay up there, or pick someplace in between (Cologne, perhaps?). You have a lot of options and it's an easy trip. But unless the bus is saving you substantial money and you need that then I'd go with the trains.

By the way, the train schedules are on the Deutsche Bahn web site (www.db.com)

[The Magpie]

I am flying into Frankfurt the night of the 11th and need to get to Gelsenkirchen for the game on the 12th. Has anybody booked anything yet that could help me out? Anybody heard prices or times? Bus OR train would be great.

Thanks
Zak

You can catch a train from the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (main train station) that departs at 9:30AM on Monday, June 12th that goes direct to Gelsenkirchen, arriving at 11:49AM. One way cost is 73 Euros ($87).

[RichardL]

By the way, the train schedules are on the Deutsche Bahn web site (www.db.com)
www.bahn.de
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en (english)

www.db.com is Deutsche Bank :)

[Frankie Boy]

www.bahn.de
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en (english)

www.db.com is Deutsche Bank :)

I stand corrected :)

[zlzfire]

You can catch a train from the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (main train station) that departs at 9:30AM on Monday, June 12th that goes direct to Gelsenkirchen, arriving at 11:49AM. One way cost is 73 Euros ($87).

Do you know how far the train station is from the airport? I am just asking because I pretty much need all my flights/connections to be on-time for me to make the match.

[Shibb]

Do you know how far the train station is from the airport? I am just asking because I pretty much need all my flights/connections to be on-time for me to make the match.

There are two train stations at the Frankfurt Airport. One is only for long distance trains, the other is primarily for local trains. In other words you can walk from your flight to the train.

[zlzfire]

There are two train stations at the Frankfurt Airport. One is only for long distance trains, the other is primarily for local trains. In other words you can walk from your flight to the train.

Thanks. Last but not least, distance from gelsen. trainstop to stadium/pubs/fellow US supporters?

[Shibb]

Thanks. Last but not least, distance from gelsen. trainstop to stadium/pubs/fellow US supporters?

I thought that was few minutes by foot, but may be misremembering.

[The Magpie]

Do you know how far the train station is from the airport? I am just asking because I pretty much need all my flights/connections to be on-time for me to make the match.

As was mentioned previously, there's a train station at the airport where you can catch an S-Bahn train to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, travel time taking about 12 minutes.

Just FYI, but the rail option I mentioned earlier is just one option for service to Gelsenkirchen from Frankfurt. You could conceivably catch a train leaving Frankfurt at 2:00PM and still get to the game in time.

The Magpie

[NBlue]

You could conceivably catch a train leaving Frankfurt at 2:00PM and still get to the game in time.

The Magpie


Maybe -- I don't think you'd make it. My flight arrives in Frankfurt at 7:30am on the 12th and I am scared shitless that I will not make it to Gelsenkirchen in time (I have to stop at Dusseldorf to drop my bags at the hotel on the way). If you are taking a train from FRA, I'd try to leave by noon, at the latest, to make sure you get to the match.

[MikeLastort2]

I am flying into Frankfurt the night of the 11th and need to get to Gelsenkirchen for the game on the 12th. Has anybody booked anything yet that could help me out? Anybody heard prices or times? Bus OR train would be great.

Thanks
Zak

Take the train or rent a car.

There's no need to use the bus. In fact, there's not really a European equivalent to Greyhound since the rail systems cover the continent very thoroughly. About the only buses your going to see are those of the tourist variety.

[RichardL]

Really, just click on the link and have a look for yourself. It's very easy.

you just put in your start point, destination, and time of travel and it works everything out for you. It'll even tell you which platform the trains leave from. There's also none of the check-in nonsense that exists at some American stations - you just go directly to the platform and get on the train when it arrives.

As a rule of thumb though, the journey takes about 3 three hours (from 2:47 to 3:12).

There are trains for that day at

07:22
07:36
08:02
08:17
08:36
09:02
09:22
09:39
10:02
10:17
10:36
11:02
11:22
11:32
12:02
12:17
12:37
13:02
13:22
13:22
14:02

...all of which will get you to Gelsenkirchen station with at least an hour to spare (and clearly, most with several hours to spare).
You'll need to change trains, either 1,2,3 or 4 times depending on which train you take.


http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en
try it. It's a very good site.

[localhost]

NBlue, that should do it for you:
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en?ld=212.18&seqnr=4&ident=ok.0357042.1143201538&OK#focus

check the 2nd entry for 64 Euros and click on "details for selection". I have included a 1h stopover in Düsseldorf, should be enough for just dropping your bags. Negative: you have to change trains in Cologne, but you can't avoid it.

64 Euros is not cheap, but way cheaper than a rental car + gas (which is very expensive in germany)

edit: or maybe this one if 8:09 is too early
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en?ld=212.18&seqnr=2&ident=80.02220442.1143202753&OK#focus
no need to change trains between FF and Dusseldorf + a more generous stopover at D'dorf. with 90 minutes