Quick answer: The fastest way from Frankfurt Airport to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof is the S-Bahn (lines S8 and S9) from the Regional Station beneath Terminal 1 — about 11–15 minutes, roughly every 7–8 minutes during the day, for a single RMV ticket of around €6–7. But if Hauptbahnhof isn't actually your destination and you're continuing by train to another German city, you can skip it — and the city centre — entirely by boarding an ICE or IC at the airport's own Fernbahnhof (Long-Distance Station), linked to Terminal 1 by a covered walkway.

Two Ways to Reach — or Bypass — Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof

Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof is Germany's busiest railway station and the main gateway to the city centre for anyone arriving without a car. Unusually, though, Frankfurt Airport (FRA) has two stations of its own, so depending on where you're really headed you have a genuine choice: ride the S-Bahn into Hauptbahnhof itself, or, if Hauptbahnhof is only a change on the way to somewhere else, catch your onward long-distance train directly at the airport and never touch the city at all.

Option A: S-Bahn to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof

The Regional Station (Regionalbahnhof) sits directly beneath Terminal 1, a short walk from arrivals following the signposted "S-Bahn" route. S-Bahn lines S8 and S9 run to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof in about 11–15 minutes and continue on through the centre to Hauptwache and Konstablerwache. Combined, a train leaves roughly every 7–8 minutes during the day, with a reduced hourly service overnight.

A single ticket costs around €6–7 under the regional RMV tariff (about €6.90 in 2026); buy it from the platform machines or the RMV/DB apps before boarding, since there are no ticket barriers but onboard checks are frequent. This is the route to take whenever your actual destination is Frankfurt itself — a hotel, a meeting, or the sights around the old town. For the full rail picture, see our Frankfurt Airport train guide.

Option B: Skip Hauptbahnhof — Board Your Onward Train at the Airport's Fernbahnhof

Frankfurt Airport is one of the few airports anywhere with its own dedicated long-distance railway station. The Fernbahnhof is a separate building connected to Terminal 1 by an enclosed walkway (roughly 5–10 minutes from arrivals), served by ICE and IC high-speed trains running straight across Germany and beyond — Cologne in about an hour, Stuttgart in around 1¼ hours, Munich in roughly 3 hours, plus Hamburg, Berlin, Basel and more.

If your journey continues past Frankfurt, there is no need to ride the S-Bahn into Hauptbahnhof, change platforms and ride back out again — simply board your ICE or IC at the Fernbahnhof and go straight there. Lufthansa passengers can even book the rail leg as part of their flight ticket through AIRail (Lufthansa Express Rail), checking bags through and getting a coordinated connection at the dedicated AIRail Terminal beside the long-distance station.

Which Should You Choose?

  • Going into Frankfurt itself (hotel, meeting, sightseeing near the Hauptbahnhof or downtown): take the S-Bahn to Hauptbahnhof.
  • Continuing straight on to another German or European city by rail (Cologne, Stuttgart, Munich and beyond): go direct from the Fernbahnhof and skip Hauptbahnhof and the city centre altogether.
  • Flying an AIRail itinerary with Lufthansa: your onward train leg is already booked and ticketed — just follow the AIRail signage from Terminal 1.

By Taxi or Private Transfer to Hauptbahnhof

A metered taxi to Hauptbahnhof costs about the same as to the wider city centre — roughly €30–40, taking 20–30 minutes from the ranks outside Terminal 1 or Terminal 3 arrivals. If you would rather have a fixed price and a driver waiting with a name sign, a pre-booked private transfer works just as well and drops you right at the station entrance. For the complete comparison of every option into town, see transportation from Frankfurt Airport to the city centre, or the wider Frankfurt Airport transportation overview.