Smac2

We arrive Frankfurt airport 7:30am and want to take the 10:58 Ice to Berlin. First: is this enough time to get through customs and to the Ice station? Second: what is the least stressful and fastest way to get from the airport to the Frankfurt (main) Hbf? We are purchasing the rail passes and will make advanced reservations. Thank you.

lavandula

Hi, the main wait will be immigration, not customs, which is usually unattended when I go through. I think you won't have a problem making the 10:58 train, that's ample time. The easiest way to the Hauptbahnhof is by train. It only takes about 10 minutes to Frankfurt proper. There is a station on the levels below the airport and it's all well-signposted. Check to see if your train stops at the airport as well so then you won't have to change at the Hauptbahnhof.

Lavandula

adrienne

You can travel from the Frankfurt airport to Berlin with 1 stop.

An advanced purchase ticket is as little as E39 and can be booked on line with seat reservations and printed at home.

If you want to leave from the main Frankfurt train station you can do that as well. You buy your ticket on the train station platform.

There's virtually no customs in Frankfurt. There is passport control which doesn't take much time.

<< Ice station >>

I don't know what the Ice station is. Sorry.

lavandula

I think the OP means ICE (Inter-City Express). It's a kind of high-speed train service. In this case s/he means Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof.

Incidentally the Main bit means it's on the river Main, not that it's the main station (to eliminate confusion).

Lavandula

adrienne

LOL I know what an ICE train is but I never heard a train station called an ice station! I thought the OP was looking for ice for drinks at the airport!

And I know about the Main bit. My "main" meant major, as in Hbf, not Main.

greg

Is your rail pass the kind that lets you ride any DB trains including almost all ICE trains at any time? Then you don't need decide on any specific way to get to Berlin. After validating you pass at DB ticket window, find out what is the next available itinerary to Berlin. It can be via Leipzig, Hannover, etc. There are a few ICE sprinter trains with compulsory reservation, but there are only are few of them on this line during the rush hours. You can check by looking at www.bahn.com to see if you see "R" on that train. Unless it is a compulsory reservation train, you need a seat reservation if you are traveling at the same time the business people travel - early mornings and late afternoons. One time I made a seat reservation, I got a seat in the only populated area of a car when the rest of the car was practically empty. As long as I am traveling mid-day and not during major holidays, I have not made any reservations ever since.