Public transport-friendly holiday regions in Germany - ÖPNV-freundliche Ferienregionen in Deutschland

This illustrated list collects vacation regions that are particularly suitable for a vacation without a car. These usually should be rural vacation spots the best possible offer in local public transport (ÖPNV) offer by bus and train. Accessibility by train or bus should also be at least halfway acceptable. Regional detailed information in depth can be found in the target articles. This list is intended to simplify the search for recommended destinations throughout Germany.

Please do not list city travel destinations here. These usually have at least one "suitable" public transport offer.

criteria

Border regions in other European countries are also listed here in the margin. The focus, however, is clearly on Germany. It is about holiday and recreation regions away from the metropolitan areas. This list does not have absolutely fixed categories for "public transport-friendly" holiday regions. The basic requirement is a rail connection (in the case of islands also in combination with a ferry) or at least a good public bus connection to the next rail junction. For on-site mobility, public transport should be available on the most important routes at least in Hourly to be available. Depending on the focus of the holiday, this can also be seasonal traffic during the high season. Easy access to public transport in the holiday region is also desirable. In many holiday regions, local or regional public transport can be used very inexpensively and easily with the guest card. Probably the most extensive offer nationwide in this regard is the KONUS guest card in the Black Forest.

aims

rough sorting from north to south:

North Frisian Islands

Amrum and Foehr

View of Dagebüll-Mole: on the left the platform, on the right the ferry to Amrum and Föhr.
In front the railcars, behind the coupled IC through coaches can be seen.

Arrival by train via Niebüll to Dagebüll. The train times are coordinated with the ferry departures. From different parts of Germany there are through coaches via Hamburg Hbf and Hamburg Dammtor, which are detached from the Intercity to Sylt in Niebüll and go to Dagebüll. For example, there is an ICE line with through coaches on the route from Dresden - Berlin - Hamburg - Niebüll - Westerland (Sylt).

The islands of Amrum and Föhr are not car-free, but especially on Amrum you can get along very well without a car. The ferry tariffs for cars are already substantially associated with costs, so that some vacationers leave their car on the mainland. If you don't want to use the island buses locally, you can simply rent a bike on the islands. Compared to Sylt, both islands are particularly popular with a nature-loving audience with an average holiday budget. For example, there is neither a golf course nor an airport on Amrum.

Sylt

Mention of this famous island should not be missing from this list, as it has a good rail connection. However, various vehicles also come to the island via the Hindenburgdamm (in addition to those that are already on the island). The island is therefore well stocked with vehicles, especially in the high season. Due to the high frequency of the island, there is an island-wide bus network with frequent intervals (sometimes even every 15 to 20 minutes): see timetables and further information Website of the Sylter Verkehrsgesellschaft. If you want, you can also use the bike. A cycle route can be found among others. on the route of the old island railway that once connected List to Hörnum via Westerland.

East Frisian Islands

Some of the East Frisian Islands are completely car-free or at least largely. Combined with the often short distances to places, they are ideal as a destination for holidaymakers without their own car. Depending on the size of the island, it makes sense to rent a bike on site. On the islands Spiekeroog and Baltrum even that is superfluous due to the short distances. These are largely "pedestrian islands" (bicycles are not welcome). The cozy Spiekeroog is especially idyllic. Depending on the port on the mainland, the journey is sometimes more, sometimes less often connected with changes. Norddeich / Mole (ferries to Juist and Norderney) and Emden (ferry Borkum) can be reached directly by train. Otherwise you will have to change to the bus.

Baltic region

to reprimand

Is attractive from Sassnitz a hike along the chalk cliffs: view from the Ernst-Moritz-Arndt view.

By far the most vacationers use their own car for a vacation on Rügen. The island is also a destination for a "public transport holiday". Due to the location in the extreme northeast of Germany, the train journey times are longer. But there are z. B. to Binz continuous long-distance trains to the island. Local public transport in the eastern part of the island is relatively usable. In the northern and western areas of the island (including the Wittow peninsula with Cape Arkona), however, the offer is rather thin. If you want to spend your vacation in a classic seaside resort, you can go directly to Binz choose his quarters (long-distance train stop). However, the accommodation prices are already higher here. It is cheaper in Saßnitz, which is also easily accessible by train. However, owns Sassnitz not a sandy beach, but a lively port city. For a cultural and active vacation, however, it is definitely a good location on Rügen (e.g. directly on the Jasmund National Park located). Regarding the overnight prices is Mountains (with accommodation close to the train station) for public transport travelers. It is located in the middle of the island, so that you can make day trips by bus and train almost over the entire island. Between Putbus, Binz, Granitz Hunting Lodge, Sellin, Baabe and Goehren runs the steam-powered small train (750 mm track width) Raging Roland and thus offers a very useful connection and thus a supplement to public transport to the Mönchgut peninsula in the south-east of Rügen.

Bay of Lübeck / Travemünde

The seaside resort belonging to Lübeck Travemünde can be easily reached by train via the remote node Hamburg. Timmendorfer beach and Scharbeutz own stops on the line to Fehmarn.

Travel times to "Lübeck-Travemünde Strand":

  • from Frankfurt am Main 5:27 h
  • from Cologne 5:37 am to 6:24 am
  • from Berlin 3:19 to 3:47 h
  • from Leipzig 5:07 am to 5:09 am
  • from Munich 7:30 a.m. to 8:06 a.m.

Usedom

In order to reach the holiday island, which is located in the very north-east of Germany, the geography usually means that longer train travel times are necessary. On the island itself you can get around with the Usedomer Bäderbahn. For guests of the seaside resorts Ahlbeck, Bansin and Heringsdorf public transport is already at least partially part of the tourist card (for details see www.ubb-online.com).

Saxon Switzerland

Hike to the bastion Rathen: View from the Tiedgeaussicht on Oberrathen with train station. The S-Bahn in the Elbe Valley uses double-deck cars.

In Saxon Switzerland you can easily go on holiday without your own car. The Elbsansteingebirge with its lovely, rugged rock formations is above all a popular hiking region. From the nearest long-distance traffic stop in Dresden main station, the S-Bahn runs every half hour in a good 30 minutes. Eurocity in the direction of Prague even stop directly in Bad Schandau. If you arrive without a car, the best place to stay is in the Elbe Valley near the S-Bahn in Bad Schandau-City center, Rathen, Königstein (Saxon Switzerland) or City of Wehlen. There is a good bus offer on site. Even smaller towns are connected every hour. Furthermore, you can use the passenger boat trip on the Elbe (paddle steamer and the hiking ship from Bad Schandau). The historic tram in the Kirnitzschtal is a special attraction. For detailed information on public transport in the region, see here.

Black Forest

A train of the Höllentalbahn with the classic red double-decker car. Due to the gradients, two locomotives are used. There is a half-hourly service to Titisee.

thanks to the KONUS guest card tourists throughout the Black Forest are very inexpensive and easy to get around by bus and train. This tourist public transport network card is financed from part of the tourist tax that is to be paid anyway. As of June 2019, the KONUS guest card can be viewed as the leading integrated, tourist public transport offer across Germany.

The journey throughout Germany usually takes place via the ICE stop Freiburg Hauptbahnhof. From the east, the region can be reached from Ulm with the regional express on the Danube Valley Railway. Tip: When you arrive in Freiburg, it is best to sit in a double-decker coach at the top and on the right in the direction of travel. So you have beautiful views of the Höllental. Especially the Black Forest has a low mountain range with the Höllentalbahn from Freiburg in Breisgau and the Triple railway Very good public transport to the Schluchsee. The rail offer in the region is complemented by good bus routes. From Titisee For example, a bus line opens up the Feldberg area with good speed.

Accommodation locations: If you arrive without a car, it is best to rent your accommodation in a place on the railway line: Hinterzarten, Titisee (is beautifully located on the lake. However, a lot of day visitors, as very well known), Altglashütten and Bärental (belong to the community Feldberg) or also Schluchsee.

The Bavarian Alps

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Aiming high: round trip to the Zugspitze
Garmisch-Partenkirchen: It's only a few meters on foot from the DB train station to get on the Zugspitzbahn on Olympiastraße

Due to the direct train connection to Munich, Werdenfelser Land can also be reached very quickly by train from Northern Germany. In Munich central station consists inter alia Connection to the "ICE racetracks" Berlin - Munich and Hamburg - Munich. Individual ICE trains even use the Munich - Garmisch - Innsbruck line. Detailed information Regional public transport see here.

Berchtesgadener Land

The train journey takes place as far as Berchtesgaden. There is even an IC every day that goes to Berchtesgaden. Otherwise, you will have to change to local transport at the next long-distance traffic stops in Freilassing or Salzburg. In the region you can use the guest card, among other things. the public bus lines can be used free of charge. Exceptions are tourist bus routes such as the route to the Kehlsteinhaus. The public transport offer can, however, with regard to the bus cycle, e.g. B. not keep up with the Walserbus in Kleinwalsertal. The Berchtesgaden National Park can also be found in the campaign "Destination nature" of the Deutsche Bahn AG.

Oberstdorf

View of Oberstdorf

The holiday resort is located in a wide valley basin at the foot of the Allgäu high Alps. Due to the geographical location, there is no through traffic in the region. Due to the location in the extreme south of Germany away from the fast ICE lines, the train journey times are longer, especially from northern Germany. But there are even some continuous intercity trains to Oberstdorf. The center of Oberstdorf is largely traffic-calmed. Parts of the town center are even pedestrianized. Day guests must park their vehicles in parking spaces on the outskirts. Overnight guests can use the local bus line in the municipality free of charge with the guest card. Many inner-town paths can also be covered on foot in the largely flat valley floor. Excursion destinations such as the Breitachklamm, the Kleinwalsertal but also the Stilllachtal (Kanzelwandbahn) can be easily reached by bus. However, the quality of the bus offer cannot be compared with the offer of the Walserbus in the Kleinwalsertal. The Allgäu is usually approached by holidaymakers in their cars. In particular, day guests come to the region by car due to the expandable public transport offer. The roads in the region are heavily loaded with vehicle traffic, especially on the main days of the visit.

The "Allgäu High Alps" nature reserve can also be found in the campaign "Destination nature" of the Deutsche Bahn AG.

Austria

Kleinwalsertal

View from the Innerkuhgehrenalp into the Kleinwalsertal

Traveling by train is uncomplicated via Oberstdorf possible. There is a good range of buses to and from Oberstdorf train station Kleinwalsertal. With the "Walserbus"There is a very good range of buses across the valley both in winter and in summer. Even on secondary lines there are every half hour. The Walserbus is part of the guest card.

Seefeld in Tyrol

Seefeld in Tirol is known, among other things, as a Nordic ski resort. But there are also opportunities for alpine winter sports. The community is located on a high plateau at an altitude of around 1200 m, with relatively guaranteed snow. The place is on the railway line Munich - Garmisch-Partenkirchen - Innsbruck. Thanks to the direct connection to the long-distance traffic hub in Munich, Seefeld can be reached quickly from Berlin (6:40 to 7:28), for example. Some ICE trains even stop right there. In January 2019 the Seefeld train station was advertised locally as the "highest ICE train station" in the world.

"Railway country" Switzerland

see also Traveling by train in Switzerland.

Lovers of historic, rail-bound mountain railways will find what they are looking for in the Jungfrau region, for example: Article Trails of the Jungfrau region.

Web links

  • www.fahrtziel-natur.de - The DB-Vertriebs GmbH campaign presents 23 natural areas in Germany. There are probably no fixed criteria with which public transport offer a natural recreation region appears there (at least not found as of 06-2019).
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