Aachen travel guide

Aachen Tourism | Aachen Guide

You're Going to Love Aachen

With a population of 265,208, Aachen is a must-see destination in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Aachen has to offer.

Where to Eat in Aachen

Mitte is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in Aachen. These include popular favourites such as Pippin - die kleine Gastronomie (Hubertusstr. 43), Lammerskötter (Kapellenstraße 2) and Aposto Aachen (Kapuzinergraben 19). If you’re looking for affordable options, BURGERHEART AACHEN (Kapuzinergraben 12) and UPTOWN SKY LOUNGE & RESTAURANT im Innside Aachen (Sandkaulstraße 20) are great picks.

When to visit Aachen

Aachen in February
Estimated hotel price
$133
1 night at 3-star hotel
Aachen in February
Estimated hotel price
$133
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Aachen

Plane

Although Aachen doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Düsseldorf Airport (DUS), which is located 74 km from Aachen.

Train

Deutsche Bahn is the most popular train carrier serving Aachen, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Aachen to Cologne takes 0h 23m and costs around $38 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Hamburg, expect to pay about $17 for a 3h 30m trip. Located 5 km from the city centre, Aachen Eilendorf is the busiest station in Aachen. Another popular train station is Aachen Hauptbahnhof, located 1.1 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Aachen is to pick up a car hire from Frankfurt am Main, which is about 198 km from Aachen. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Europcar, among others, in Frankfurt am Main.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Aachen, including FlixBus, Regiojet and BlaBlaBus. From Brussels, the bus ride to Aachen takes 257 km and will cost you around $17. From Frankfurt am Main, the ticket costs about $17 for a journey of 257 km. The most popular bus station is Aachen, located 1.0 km from the city centre of Aachen. Aachen Wilmersdorfer Str. is also a commonly used station, and is 4 km from the city centre.

Plane

Although Aachen doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Düsseldorf Airport (DUS), which is located 74 km from Aachen.

Train

Deutsche Bahn is the most popular train carrier serving Aachen, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Aachen to Cologne takes 0h 23m and costs around $38 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Hamburg, expect to pay about $17 for a 3h 30m trip. Located 5 km from the city centre, Aachen Eilendorf is the busiest station in Aachen. Another popular train station is Aachen Hauptbahnhof, located 1.1 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Aachen is to pick up a car hire from Frankfurt am Main, which is about 198 km from Aachen. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Europcar, among others, in Frankfurt am Main.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Aachen, including FlixBus, Regiojet and BlaBlaBus. From Brussels, the bus ride to Aachen takes 257 km and will cost you around $17. From Frankfurt am Main, the ticket costs about $17 for a journey of 257 km. The most popular bus station is Aachen, located 1.0 km from the city centre of Aachen. Aachen Wilmersdorfer Str. is also a commonly used station, and is 4 km from the city centre.

Airports near Aachen

Airlines serving Aachen

Lufthansa
Good (4,701 reviews)
KLM
Good (848 reviews)
SWISS
Good (954 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,590 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,594 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,267 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (491 reviews)
Air France
Good (981 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,601 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,116 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,960 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,435 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,947 reviews)
Finnair
Good (862 reviews)
LOT
Good (681 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (923 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,168 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (819 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (833 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (405 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Aachen

From 5-star hotels such as the Parkhotel Quellenhof Aachen to great affordable options like the Hotel 3 Könige, Aachen offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $128 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $237 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include B&b Hotel Aachen City-Ost and B&B Hotel Aachen-Hbf. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Aachen, with prices from $29 to $213 per night. Mitte is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Aachen are about 30% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Aachen

Most booked hotels in Aachen

Art Hotel Superior
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
$133+
Novotel Aachen City
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
$142+
Parkhotel Quellenhof Aachen
5 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
$196+
Leonardo Hotel Aachen
4 stars
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
$133+
a&o Aachen Hauptbahnhof
2 stars
Good (7.1, Good reviews)
$29+
Hotel Krone Aachen City - Eurogress
3 stars
Okay (5, Okay reviews)
$71+

Hiring a car in Aachen

Expect to pay $2.96 per litre in Aachen (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $35.46 and $47.28. The most frequently booked car type in Aachen is Intermediate (Volkswagen T-Cross or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Hyundai i10 or similar) is, on average, 43% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Expect to pay $2.96 per litre in Aachen (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $35.46 and $47.28. The most frequently booked car type in Aachen is Intermediate (Volkswagen T-Cross or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Hyundai i10 or similar) is, on average, 43% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.