Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof — Local services in Frankfurt

Frankfurt (Main) hbf is enormous, but that's because it's the central hub of Germany's entire rail network - so it's an easy city to reach by train.

There are hourly trains to every other major city in Germany.

Despite its size Frankfurt (Main) hbf is also a comparatively easy station to use.

That’s because it is a terminus station- so all long-distance trains arrive at the one level and have step-free access to the main concourse and exits.

As a result making connections between long distance trains involves simply walking from one gleis (platform/track) to another.

However, if you will be changing trains and don’t have heavy luggage etc. - then it can be quicker to use the subway that connects the platforms.

This subway is likely to be behind you when you step off a train – the main concourse will be ahead of you.

Use the paper departure (Abfahrt) sheets on each platform, to find out which platform/gleis that the train you will be connecting into, will be departing from.

All the station's main facilities - the ticket offices, reservation desks, food/drink outlets are on the main concourse - so are on the same level as the main line platforms/gleis.

This central concourse also has step free access to/from the street.

The S-Bahn trains to the city centre.

The gleis (platforms/tracks) used by the local S-Bahn trains to the city centre and to the flughafen/airport are at a lower level.

Follow the green ‘S’ signs on the main concourse.

There is also step-free access to these platforms by escalators and lifts.

Something to watch out for is that the S-Bahn departures are NOT listed on the main departure boards - they are shown on screens above the entrance down to the S-Bahn platforms.

The U-bahn station can be accessed from an entrance at the end of the main hall, which leads off from the centre of the concourse and connects into the main street exits at the front of...

Signage is misleading snd extremely problematic - do not rely on it unless you want to miss your train.

The large main electronic board which is supposed to show departing trains is 2/3 broken. The 1/3 of the space that more or less functions did not show all trains when I was there on the 24th March 2025 but only a few of them so it is best to go to the entrance of the DB lounge where a functioning electronic display shows departing trains in proper sequence.

The choice of retail shops and f&b venues is strange. There is a very large book store and news agent (in a day and age 90% of people read the news on their phones and order books online).

There is not a single coffee shop with a large proper espresso machine Or baristas and no high quality pastry or chocolate shop.

There are many food and drink venues but they are all small or very small which means they also have very small kitchens where they can basically only heat up items so do not expect a culinary journey here.

Last and unfortunately least it is not particularly clean (especially compared to train stations in cities in Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Switzerland, Denmark and practically anywhere else in Europe) and some members of the public who seem like characters from Victor Hugo's novel "Le.Miserables" congregate around the station and walk around it (I guess out of sheer boredom).

One man who is clearly homeless carried an aroma that makes me think he had not showered for many months.

I hope the local authority provides showers and clean clothes for these poor and homeless people because the stench can...

Do NOT come here at night!! It is extremely sketchy and dirty. Very few sitting areas, which are overtaken by unhoused people as makeshift beds. It felt so unsafe.

Had a long layover here, and are planning to never come again. I know Frankfurt has security problems, but I was truly not expecting this type of place from a German main train station.

We were constantly approached by people asking for money/weird favors. Lots of people that are either under the influence of substances or consuming them openly, or sometimes both at the same time.There is a McDonald’s that is open 23 hours a day, but it is also filthy, loud, and crowded. There are a lot of security officers inside the McDonald’s and outside on the station, but it seems like the situation is out of their hands. I cannot blame the situation on the staff of the station because it seems representative of greater systematical issues.

With the state of the station, and considering the importance of this Hbf, why not keep the DB lounge open 24 hours? There needs to be at least one safe spot at such a location. Want to try leaving the station for a safer or cleaner place nearby? Goodluck. The streets in the area stench of urine.

One star for the security officers and policemen, another star for the clean-ish 1€ restrooms. The...