Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, usually just "Frankfurt Hbf," is one of the busiest railway junctions in Germany and a hub for the ICE high-speed network, which means most journeys across the country pass through it at some point, even if you're not stopping. The main things to know: it's a dead-end terminus rather than a through station, it has its own direct airport link, and for some destinations in the city centre, changing at a different stop can actually be quicker. Here's the detail.
Layout and orientation
Frankfurt Hbf is built as a Kopfbahnhof, a dead-end terminus where most long-distance trains arrive and then reverse direction to continue their journey, rather than running straight through. The main above-ground platforms (numbered roughly 1 to 24) fan out from the grand 19th-century head-house; a separate lower level, reached by escalator, holds platforms for S-Bahn services running through a tunnel beneath the city. Because of the terminus layout, some ICE services that are travelling through Frankfurt rather than starting or ending there use different platforms or stop only briefly while reversing — worth double-checking the platform on the departure board rather than assuming it matches an earlier leg of the same train.
Which operators and destinations
Frankfurt Hbf is a core node of Germany's ICE (InterCityExpress) network, with frequent high-speed services to Cologne, Munich, Berlin, Hamburg and Stuttgart, plus international connections toward Brussels, Paris and Switzerland. Regional RE and RB trains, along with the S-Bahn, handle shorter hops around Hesse. Many German intercity and regional trains, unlike France's TGV or Spain's AVE, don't require a seat reservation, though booking one on a busy ICE is still sensible for guaranteed seating. See our route guides for Frankfurt to Berlin, Frankfurt to Munich and Frankfurt to Cologne, three of the busiest ICE corridors out of the station.
S-Bahn to the airport
Frankfurt Airport, one of Europe's largest hubs, is a short hop from the Hauptbahnhof: S-Bahn lines S8 and S9 run directly to the airport's regional station in roughly 11–15 minutes, departing frequently through the day. Long-distance ICE and IC trains also serve the airport directly at its separate long-distance station (Fernbahnhof), useful if you're connecting straight from an ICE journey onto a flight without going into the city at all. See our Frankfurt airport transport guide for the full comparison.
The Hauptwache alternative
Frankfurt Hbf sits a little way from the true city centre, and for destinations right in the middle of town — the Altstadt, the main shopping streets, the Römer — changing onto the S-Bahn or U-Bahn one stop to Hauptwache, a major underground interchange in the heart of the city, can actually be quicker than walking from the Hauptbahnhof itself. It's a useful thing to know if your accommodation or plans are centred on the old town rather than around the station, which sits in a somewhat less polished area. See our Frankfurt public transport guide for the U-Bahn, S-Bahn and RMV zone system.
Luggage storage
Coin and card-operated lockers (Schließfächer) are available at Frankfurt Hbf in a range of sizes, typically located in the station's side halls or near the main concourse. As with most large German stations, there isn't always a large staffed left-luggage counter, so lockers are the standard option — arrive with a card or coins ready, and check current signage, since exact locations can shift with ongoing station works. Our general guide to left luggage at train stations covers how this typically works.
Food worth having
Frankfurt Hbf's food offering is practical rather than a destination in itself: a good spread of bakeries (a proper German Brezel or a coffee from one of the station bakery chains is a reliable quick option), sandwich and sausage stands, and a supermarket for stocking up before a longer journey. It doesn't have the standout food-hall draw of Milan or Rome's stations, but it covers the basics well and reliably, including options open outside normal shopping hours, which is useful given how many trains pass through late or early.
Changing trains here
Because Frankfurt Hbf is a terminus where many ICE services reverse direction, connections here can be reasonably generous in scheduled time even when the platforms are close, since the train itself needs a few minutes to change ends. Even so, treat 15–20 minutes as a sensible minimum for a same-station change with luggage, and more if your connecting platform is on the far side of the station or on the lower S-Bahn level, which requires escalators or lifts down from the main hall. Announcements and departure boards are generally reliable for last-minute platform confirmation, and if a delay does cost you a connection, see our guide to what happens next.
Accessibility and quirks
The station has lifts and step-free routes between the main hall, the upper platforms and the lower S-Bahn level, and Deutsche Bahn's mobility service can be booked in advance for boarding assistance. One quirk worth knowing: because platforms are numbered in one continuous sequence rather than grouped clearly by direction, it's easy to end up walking further than necessary along the head-house before finding your platform — checking the platform number against the overhead board as you enter, rather than after walking partway down, saves time. The area immediately around the station has a somewhat rougher reputation after dark than central Frankfurt generally, worth bearing in mind if you're arriving late at night with luggage.
Frequently asked questions
Is Frankfurt Hbf a through station or a dead end?
It's a dead-end terminus (a Kopfbahnhof). Most long-distance trains arrive and then reverse direction to continue, so double-check your platform against the live departure board rather than assuming continuity from an earlier leg.
How do I get from Frankfurt Hbf to the airport?
S-Bahn lines S8 and S9 run directly to Frankfurt Airport's regional station in around 11–15 minutes. Long-distance ICE and IC trains also call at the airport's separate long-distance station.
Should I get off at Frankfurt Hbf or Hauptwache for the city centre?
For the old town and central shopping streets, changing onto the S-Bahn or U-Bahn to Hauptwache, one stop from the Hauptbahnhof, can be quicker than walking from the main station.
Do German ICE trains require a seat reservation?
No, not generally — unlike France's TGV or Spain's AVE, most German ICE and regional trains don't require one, though booking a seat is still sensible on busy routes for guaranteed seating.
Sources and further reading:
- Station facilities and services: Deutsche Bahn (DB).
- S-Bahn and airport connections: Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV).
- Practical station navigation: The Man in Seat 61.