Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is the capital of the German state Hesse. Understand[edit]Wiesbaden is a historic spa city which has catered to people from countries near and far for many centuries, back to the Romans who knew it as "Aquis Mattiacis". Wiesbaden is one of the oldest spa towns in Europe with 26 (today: 14) hot springs. Today it is part of the larger Rhine area and profits from its proximity to the Frankfurt Airport and the business centre of Frankfurt. During peak times (trade fairs, conventions, etc.) a lot of business travellers stay in Wiesbaden instead of in Frankfurt and relax from the busy metropolis in this smaller city with a charming old city.
Get in[edit]Wiesbaden is very well connected by many highways from Frankfurt, Cologne or Mainz. Trains travel frequently and are very enjoyable. Travel times by car are roughly 15 min (from Mainz), 30 min (from Frankfurt), or 2 hr (from Cologne / Köln). From Frankfurt Airport (FRA)[edit]A taxi from Frankfurt Airport (FRA) to Wiesbaden costs around €60, S-Bahn is a much better deal at €4.10 one-way and goes every 15 minutes. No bus service. From the Terminal 1, follow the signs to the regional train station(Frankfurt(Main)Flughafen Regionalbahnhof) which is in the basement of the Airport building. Usually Wiesbaden is the terminal station for the S-Bahn/regional train so you can easily find the correct platform. Note: There are two train stations at the airport; in the basement the regional train station (S-Bahn & fast regional trains) and one for mid-/long-distance (Fernbahnhof) trains. The long-distance train station is a longer walk (about an extra 10 minutes) and has much less frequent service to Wiesbaden. Please see additional notes in the sections below regarding train tickets. From Frankfurt-Hahn airport (HHN)[edit]This airport is located 100 km (60 mi) West of Wiesbaden. A taxi would shoot your Ryanair bargain down, so the recommended option is a bus to Mainz (9 connections per day, 1 hour ride, €13) and from there a S-Bahn or RB to Wiesbaden (3 trains per hour, €2.60). See the timetable HHN–Mainz: [15] There is unfortunately no direct bus HHN-Wiesbaden. Another option is a bus to the actual airport of Frankfurt which has S-Bahn connections to Wiesbaden as well – slightly slower and more expensive. Buying RMV Tickets[edit]Buying your ticket: The new vending machines sell both RMV (local travel network) and DB (long distance) tickets. To buy a ticket e.g. for the S-Bahn, make sure you are in RMV mode. After having named your destination, choose "Einzelfahrt Erwachsene" for a single trip and the screen should display €4.25 if you are at the airport or €8.50 if you are in Frankfurt. Insert € coins or bills. Some machine accept credit card, too. The printed ticket is already validated and you can board the S8 or S9 for Wiesbaden. (S1 from Frankfurt city as well). Don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it! There is also a RMV information desk at the airport's short-distance train station. Single tickets are only valid for immediate travel. Day Tickets are valid from moment of buying to 5 am in the night. Sometimes “Gruppenticket“ is cheaper. But do not forget to write your names and have your documents to verify that it is you. By car[edit]If you start in Frankfurt, take the A66 until Wiesbaden-Erbenheim (Exit 6). Here you follow the signs to Wiesbaden City Center and Wiesbaden Kurhaus. If starting from the Frankfurt Airport follow signs for Wiesbaden, which takes you on the A3 until the Wiesbadener Kreuz, where you switch to the A66 until Exit 6. By train[edit]Frankfurt-Wiesbaden[edit]S-Bahns heading to Wiesbaden are S1, S8 and S9. Slightly faster is VIA's regional train which departs at the Hbf. All these trains cost €7.60, travelling by ICE is more expensive and not faster. If you are travelling in a group, ask for group prices. Get to the train station a few minutes early to allow time to figure out the ticket machine; don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it. On trains marked ICE, you can buy a ticket from the conductor on the train at a slightly higher price. However, in common with most areas in Germany, there are no ticket-sales staff on on local trains (marked S-Bahn, RB, SE or RE) in the RMV tariff area and you must buy your ticket from a machine (or ticket office) before boarding the train. Such trains are patrolled regularly by ticket inspectors, sometimes plain-clothed, but always carrying identification, and you will be fined at least €60 if found without a ticket on a local train. Cologne-Wiesbaden[edit]If you are travelling to or from Cologne (Airport code CGN, also Köln), an unforgettable experience is the ICE high-speed train run. The direct Wiesbaden-Köln ICE reaches a top speed of 300 kph. However, there are only two direct trains a day in both directions; the morning trains depart 6:23, while the evening trains depart 16:45. The journey takes about one hour. There are several other indirect trains available with one connection, the travel times for these is between 1:30 and 2:15. If you are able to buy a ticket three days or more in advance, you will get the best price on long-distance ICE trains with the Sparpreis (Savings Fare). Go online or look for the red ticket machines at any big train station. Click the UK flag for English, then click on Savings Fare. More information and online purchase are available here: [16] If you buy a Sparpreis ticket in the DB Reisezentrum, they charge €5 per Person and direction. Train and Bus Links[edit]Wiesbaden trains and busses operate under the RMV Travel Network (Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund). Full schedule and pricing details are available at [17]. Wiesbaden Bus information can also be found here: [18] The German National railway, Deutsche Bahn, can be found at [19] Get around[edit]Once you are in the city centre it's pretty comfortable to just walk around. There's a main pedestrian area (Fußgängerzone) which is similar to an open-air mall, but more relaxed. Shops line the street and alleys, and it's mostly closed off to cars. Many shops, cafes and restaurants can be found in this area. Be sure to walk around the "Old City" (Altstadt) as well. If you want to go further out of the city centre, you can use the developed bus system. Buses travel frequently and on time. It is possible to buy tickets on the bus, just ask the driver (because of possible language barrier issues, just say the name of the street you want to go to). Your trip will cost you a minimum of €1.60 (adult), but probably no more than €2.60 (one way). There's also a one day ticket, with which you can go wherever you want, available at the ticket machines. See[edit][add listing]
Do[edit][add listing]Visit the Neroberg Lookout – for a great view overlooking Wiesbaden. You can either drive up and park near the top, or take the the Neroberg Mountain Railway (Nerobergbahn) (cable car) up to the top from Nerotal (Street off the end of Taunusstraße and Nerotal). Prices: Adults €2.50 one way, €3.00 up and down, children €1.25 / €1.65. See their flyer for further details (timetable, group fares, etc). Note, the railway is closed from 4th Nov through 1st of April. The lookout place is easily reached by car and is really worth doing. Wiesbaden is famous for its spas. If you like saunaing and wellness you really have to plan one day for relaxing at the Kaiser-Friedrich Therme in the city center. This old spa (clothing free) lets you feel like Caesar with its old roman frescoes and its four saunas, swimming pool and whirlpools. Enjoy it! Visit the "Red Baron" Manfred von Ricthofen's grave. Von Richtofen famously flew a red Fokker Tri-plane in which he made 80 aerial kills during WWI and became the leading fighter pilot of his age in the fledgling "art" of aerial combat. Recent forensic study indicates he was killed by an Australian soldier's rifle shot during a low-level dog fight. Von Richtofen is buried along with other family members in a cemetery in Wiesbaden. As a result of de-emphasizing Germany's militaristic history many locals do not know of von Richtofen's presence in their community. Enter the Sudfriedhof ("Southern") Cemetery on Siegfriedring Strasse. After you enter under the arches turn right on the gravel path. Just past the buildings on the right there is a semi-circlular gravel path that enters the Westhain Section. Follow the path counter-clockwise about 40 yards ( 35 meters ) to the most Northwestern point on the semi-circle (there is a map on the wall under the arched cemetery entrance - although the von Ricthofen family graves are not marked on it). Manfred, Lothar and other family members rest on the left side of the path - commemorated with a large stone family marker and individual stone markers in the ground. Manfred and Lothar both received the highest German military honor of its time - le pour le Merit. Get a Massage [20] - Traditional Thai massage. A bit pricier than Thailand, but 18 € will buy you a half-an-hour back, neck and shoulder massage. Be prepared for a bit of back cracking! They have private "booths" separated only by hanging sheets, but you will find the atmosphere inside quiet and relaxing. It is imperative to tell them beforehand if you have any medical conditions. At the end of your massage they bring you a cup of jasmin tea and a hot cloth for your neck and shoulders which is very refreshing! You are also supplied with a clean set of clothes (loose-fitting pants and a t-shirt) to wear during the massage. See a Movie - Wiesbaden has a wonderful arthouse movie theater called Caligari Filmbühne [21]. It is located at the Marktplatz/Market square in the city centre. The selection is great as they show films from different countries, usually not dubbed (subtitles are hardly known in Germany). Free seating for €5.50 every day. Apart from this real gem, there's only one cinema in Wiesbaden that plays English movies, on Tuesdays. It's one company but they have three buildings across the city. English movies usually play at the one in the city centre ("Hollywood"), just across from the McDonald's opposite Karstadt. Their program is available online [22]. Look out for posters with OV (Original Version) or OmU (Original mit Untertiteln).
See a Play - Wiesbaden offers a number of possibilities to see plays perfomed in English language. While the Staatstheater [23] usually produces plays only in German, you can always check the schedules of the Amelia Earhart Playhouse, the Kryptonite Radio Theater [24], the Wiesbaden English Language Theater (WELT) [25] and the Galli Theater. Rheinsteig – Start from Schloss Biebrich the hike down the Rheingau and Middle Rhine Valley. Buy[edit][add listing]
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Mid-range[edit]
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Contact[edit]Tourist information, Phone: + 49 611 1729 930, Fax: + 49 611 1729 798, E-Mail: [email protected], Adress: Marktplatz 1 Get out[edit]
Rheinhessen (Rhineland-Palatinate): Stay safe[edit]
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