Frankfurt Central Station to the airport: S-Bahn, taxi or chauffeur?
Frankfurt Central Station and the airport are only a few kilometres apart – and yet your choice of transport decides whether this last leg of your journey is relaxed or rushed. Three options are on the table: the S-Bahn, a taxi from the rank, and a pre-booked chauffeur. Here is the honest comparison.
By S-Bahn: lines S8 and S9
The fastest public connection is the S-Bahn: lines S8 and S9 leave the central station roughly every ten minutes during the day and reach the airport regional station in around 10 to 15 minutes. On price, the S-Bahn is unbeatable.
In practice there are rough edges, though: the regional station sits beneath Terminal 1 – Terminal 2 means continuing on the Sky Line. With two suitcases, hand luggage and children, escalators, lifts and packed trains at rush hour quickly become a stage of their own. And if you need the earliest departure, check the early-morning timetable in advance.
By taxi from the rank
There are almost always taxis waiting outside the central station – for a spontaneous ride it is the most straightforward option. Depending on traffic you reach the terminal in roughly 15 to 25 minutes. The fare follows Frankfurt’s taximeter tariff, which means the final price depends on route, congestion and waiting time, and is only settled when you get out. Our guide to taxi costs at Frankfurt Airport explains exactly how that tariff works.
By chauffeur: predictable to the drop-off
A pre-booked chauffeur combines the speed of the car with full predictability: your driver waits at the central station at the agreed time – on request with a name sign right at the platform – takes your luggage, and brings you without any changes to the drop-off of your terminal. The fixed price is set before the ride, regardless of traffic and time of day.
If your train arrives late, that is no problem: simply give us your train number when booking and we align the pickup with it.
Regional station, long-distance station, drop-off: where you arrive
A detail that surprises many travellers: the airport has two railway stations. S-Bahn and regional trains stop at the regional station beneath Terminal 1, while ICE and long-distance trains use the separate long-distance station – from there it is a few minutes’ walk across walkways to check-in, depending on your airline. Only by car do you arrive directly at your terminal’s drop-off, steps from the counter. With a tight connection or plenty of luggage, that is the decisive difference.
Our recommendation
If you travel alone, with light luggage and no time pressure, the S-Bahn is the sensible choice. As soon as suitcases, children, an early departure or an important meeting enter the picture, the car pays off – and the pre-booked chauffeur beats the taxi wherever predictability matters: set price, set meeting point, a driver who waits for your train. Your quote reaches you within minutes.