Frankfurt Budget Tips

Tourist Office

We always recommend visiting a tourist information office at the start of your visit, since they are a great source for ideas and discounts. Frankfurt has two Tourist Information Centers. The office in the Hauptbahnhof (main train station), is open from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

Another office is located at Römerberg 27, near city hall and the cathedral. Opening hours are Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. and weekends and holidays from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Museum Prices and Passes

Frankfurt is known for its great museum scene. Here are prices to some of the most popular sights and museums.

Popular museum prices:

Museum Giersch: The Museum of Regional Art contains works by 19th- and 20th-century artists in the Frankfurt Rhine-Main region.
Prices: €5 (adults); €3 (reduced); free (children under 12)

Architekturmuseum: A trove of architectural history, including a “house within a house” and models from the Stone Age to the present—all housed in an avant-garde villa.
Prices: €7 (adults); €3.50 (reduced)

Deutsches Filmmuseum: All things moving picture await here, from flip books to replica studios to a walk-in camera obscura.
Prices: €5 (adults); €2.50 (reduced); free (children under 6)

Goethehaus: Renowned writer Johann Wolfgang Goethe was born in this 18th-century home, which is furnished with many of the family’s original belongings.
Prices: €5 (adults); €3 (reduced); €8 (family)

Städel: Boticelli and Rembrandt. Monet and Picasso. The impressive collection here holds works from nearly every artistic period in Western history.
Prices: €12 (adults); €10 (reduced); €20 (family); free (children under 12)

Museum Pass

The Frankfurt Card entitles holders to free access to city transportation (including transportation to the airport) as well as up to 50 percent off at certain museums, attractions and shops. Participating attractions include the Städel Museum, the Goethehaus and various tours.

A one-day card costs €8.90 and a two-day card costs €12.90. A group pass, good for up to five people costs €18 for one day and €26 for two days.

Transportation Pass

A day pass for the entire public transportation network costs €6.20 (€3.70 reduced). You can also purchase a group day pass for €9.50, good for unlimited travel for up to five people. For more information on transportation, see our guide to Getting Around Frankfurt.

Senior Discounts

Members of the AARP can obtain discounts on hotels, museums, airfares and car rentals. The AARP can be reached in the United States at 1-888-687-2277 or visited online. Be sure to ask about a discount if you do not see one listed, as some discounts are not advertised.

Student Discounts

The International Student Identity Card, ISIC, the most widely accepted form of student ID, provides discounts on selected sights, accommodations and transportation, and cardholders have access to a 24-hour emergency helpline. In the US call 1-800-223-7986 or visit the ISIC online. Applicants must be degree seekers of a secondary or post-secondary school and must be at least 12 years of age. The card costs US$22 and is valid until the end of the year issued.

For non-students 25 years or younger, the International Youth Card, IYTC, also offers many of the same benefits as the ISIC. The card costs US$22 and is valid for one year from the date issue.

Travelers with student cards, such as ISIC and IYTC qualify for big discounts from travel agencies. Most flights from budget agencies are on major airlines, although peak season deals might be on less reliable chartered aircraft.

Finding a Budget Hotel in Frankfurt

Most of our recommended hotels in Frankfurt are located near the train station, in the gritty (and mostly harmless) red light district, Bahnhofsviertel. These hotels are central and convenient but generally lack charm.

Outer neighborhoods like Nordend and Ostend are still within easy walking distance to city center and home to some interesting hotels (like the swoon-worthy design hotel 25h Goldman in Ostend). For more tips on neighborhoods, best times to travel and what to expect in a Frankfurt hotel, see our Hotel Overview.