emmitt

After investigating how to get to Rome from Frankfurt Airport (airline or train), have decided best to take the train since I will be on a stand-by situation from Chicago. (Airline companion pass with United)

Can anyone tell me how to connect to a train from Frankfurt Airport to Rome?

I would fly but since I am stand-by and not sure when I will arrive, can't make a reservation and probably would be too expensive at the last minute....unless anyone has a thought on that situation.

Any info would be appreciated.

111op

Does flying standby mean that you won't even know which day you'll arrive in Frankfurt?

I guess that's possible, but wouldn't you have to go between home and airport possibly back and forth?

I ask, since if you can be sure that you'll arrive on a certain date, an option is to stay overnight and catch a flight the next day.

Singletail

There may very well be cheapo flight options between Frankfurt and Rome..if there are, the frequent poster who secretly wears his Eastern Airlines Stewardess wings and recommends that everyone fly everywhere will soon tell you about the possibilities.

Otherwise, the train station (there are two of them..one for local services and one for more long distance runs) located in the airport complex with ticket offices. You may very well have to change in the city of Frankfurt itself and again along the way...but the rail option is easy to find if that is what you finally decide to do.

emmitt

Dear 111op:

Stand-by means it literally could take me a couple of days to get to Frankfurt. Companion pass travel means you are the last one to get on-board and flights are overbooked...if I don't get out one day, then I have to wait until the next day and see what happens.

111op

Thanks, emmitt, for answering. That's a tough one. But this will top the thread for you.

emmitt

I'm still waiting for the secret Eastern Airlines "stewardess" to reply.

111op

I've a guess as to whom Singletail is referring, but it's not like I've been here long enough to really know what various people's likes and biases are.

ira

Hi emmitt,

Go to http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

There is a train station at the airport.

emmitt

Thank you Ira.....amazes me how people know all this stuff. I have been recommending this site to friends and call it priceless.

flanneruk

You might find it's easier to get the train to Cologne airport, then take the German Wings cheapo to Rome.

emmitt

Singletail: Can you give me really good directions about the train to Rome from the airport? Do you catch the train right there and do you know if you have to make reservations?

emmitt

Oops......I meant Ira....but, Singletail, if you know also.

ira

Hi emmitt,

It is a 14 hr trip. The best way would be the night train at 18:53.

What time do you arrive? You might want to go into Frankfurt.

Yu can buy your tickets at http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

A map of the terminal area showing the train station is at http://www.worldairportguide.com/airports/fra/fra.asp

emmitt

Thanks Ira!

picapica

The train from Franfurt to Rome is really a wonderful trip.

In Frankfurt, getting to the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) where most of the international trains leave in Frankfurt, from the airport is easy and shouldn't cost you very much (10-15Euro) if you go by train - there is a station in the airport. You will take an S-Bahn. It's a bit of a hike into town, so if you go by taxi and will cost you at least 32Euro.

Most of the signs in the Frankfurt airport and the main trainstation are multi-lingual and tourist info will speak English (as will many Germans). The downside is that you may need to book in advance if you want a sleeping compartment on the train. If you take a daytrain (not necessarily a bad idea, the view is incredible) you may not need a reservation. It will be more difficult if your arrival coincides with a German holiday period.

If you are stuck in Franfurt for a day and are looking for something to do- don't despair! Frankfurt is an amazing city with a lot to see and do. Their museums alone are first rate and well worth an afternoon (my favorites include the Jewish museums, the modern art museum, and the creepy Senkenberg natural history museum - very 19th cent. explorer) For food, checkout the Laumer Cafe (Alfred Hitchcock had coffee here) for tea & cake or breakfast , in Sachsenhausen (south of the Main River) , The Adolf Wagner (prepare for meat and apfelwein), or the Metropol (excellent fresh food) near the Dom (cathedral) downtown. And of course there is tons of shopping along the main tourist street, Zeil. All of these are just a block or two from a subway exit. The main lines are the U6/U7 and the U1, U2, U3 that intersect the downtown area. A Frankfurt subway map (which you can pick up in the airport) makes the city easy to navigate and and exploring the city on foot is an excellent way to get rid of your jetlag. Have a great trip!

jend

My husband and I just did the same thing on Delta out of Atlant - we arrived in Munich, Germany. From there, we easily purchased tickets to Italy on the Eurorail. It was around $250 Euros total for the two of us in firsta class. You can purchase your tickets when you arrive in Frankfurt -do not worry about purchasing them ahead of time. Most trains leave for Rome around 10:00 -11:00 Germany time and include one or two tranfers in Northern Italy. The ride through the Bavarian Alps and Austria was gorgeous and well worth the 9 hour train ride All of the trains have a restaraunt on board and the trains are nice.

emmitt

Dear Picapica and Jend:

Thank you so much for the info....sounds great!

Bill_I

Just some hints. Is your companion pass only good from Chicago directly to Frankfurt? If not, we have gotten good results flying on stand-by from Chicago to Washington/Dulles & then Dulles to where ever in Europe. Have always been able to get to Europe from Dulles. (also if Chicago to Dulles is booked, can also fly into Reagan & catch a cab from there to Dulles.) If open end destination, you could try flying to Paris, or Brussels, or even one of the lesser used aiports that United might fly into. It then may take you longer to get to Rome, but atleast you are in Europe & on a train, instead of sitting another day at the airport in Chicago.

ben_haines_london

travel options from frankfurt to rome


The reference library of a city near you may have the Thomas Cook European Timetable. Table 73 shows services thus

Frankfurt airport 0753, Basel 1046 to 1110, Milan 1635 to 1700, Rome 2133
Frankfurt airport 0953, Basel 1246 to 1310, Milan 1835 to 1900, Rome 2330
Frankfurt airport 1050, Basel 1346 to 1404, Milan 1925 to 2000, Rome 0030
Frankfurt airport 1853, Mannheim 1924 to 1935, Basel 2146 to 2204, Rome 0950
Frankfurt airport about 2215, local train leaves 4 to 6 times hourly and takes 15 minutes, Frankfurt main station 2247, Milan 0745 to 0800, Rome 1230.

Nearly all amongst the day trains have restaurant cars or buffet cars, and the night trains have 6 berth couchettes and 3 and sleepers in second class, and 2 and 1 berth sleepers in first class. Also, the 2204 has 2 berth sleepers, and the 2247 has 4 berth couchettes, in second class. On arrival at Frankfurt airport you can go to the distant train station and book seats for the whole trip and berths for night trains, except for rush period nights early June to late September and Friday nights. But even those nights you may well find a berth free.

The basic fare second class one way is 170 euros. To that you add 2 euros for day travel, and by night 13 for a 6-berth couchette 40 for a three berth sleeper, and 50 for a second class double sleeper. This is not cheap. So you may want to look now at pages for no-frills flights thus.

Germanwings from Cologne-Bonn, 90 minutes by train north of Frankfurt International, to Rome. http://www.germanwings.de, www29.germanwings.com/en/10/2057_3015.html

Hapag Lloyd Express from Cologne-Bonn to Rome Ciampino. http://www.hl-express.de.

V-Bird from Rome to Neiderrhein, near Dusseldorf, 2 hours by train from Frankfurt International. www.v-bird.com

Ryanair from Frankfurt Hahn, 2 hours from Frankfurt International, to Rome. www.ryanair.com

When you have reviewed these you can note fares. I see that V-Bird charge 70 euros single in late June. When you have your standby place you can hurry to book a plane at any time five hours or more from reaching Frankfurt International. You just print out their acknowledgement and PIN number, and use it to leave Germany.

[email protected]

emmitt

Bill and Ben Haines:

WOW! Thanks for the great info.