Country Information

Public transport within Frankfurt is run by the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund - RMV (tel: (0180) 1768 4636; www.rmv.de). The city has seven underground (U-Bahn), nine tram (S-bahn) and over 40 bus lines, including a weekend night bus service. These are supplemented by a network of city trains (S-Bahn) operated by DeutscheBahn (tel: (0180) 699 6633; www.bahn.de). The Frankfurt Card, available from tourist information offices, gives unlimited use of public transport, including access to the airport. One- and two-day cards are available for individuals and groups.

Taxis are usually beige Mercedes and they can safely be hailed on the street. A tip of 5 to 10% or rounding up of the fare is normally expected. They can also be booked via Taxi Frankfurt (tel: (069) 230 001). Most accept major credit cards.

The pedal-powered Velotaxis also operate between Opera Square and the Main Embankment and offer an up close view of the city.

Driving in the centre of Frankfurt can be stressful, as it requires a good knowledge of the one-way system. It can be heavily congested, especially during rush hours, when it can be even more confusing. Furthermore, German drivers are not known for their patience. The Strassenverkehrsamt, Gutleutstraße 191 (tel: (069) 2124 4734; www.frankfurt.de), provides up-to-date information. Street parking is scarce, metered and pricey. There are numerous covered car parks. Some hotels offer on-site parking.

Drivers generally must be at least 19 years old and have held a full driving licence for at least one year (an International Driving Permit is needed if the national licence is not in roman script). Providers include Avis (tel: (0180) 621 7702; www.avis.de), Budget (tel: (0180) 621 7711; www.budget.de), Hertz (tel: (0180) 633 3535; www.hertz.de) and Sixt (tel: (0180) 625 2525; www.e-sixt.de).

Bicycles can be hired from Call A Bike (tel: (069) 4272 7722; www.callabike-interaktiv.de). Customers telephone the company, give their credit card details and receive an electronic code which unlocks a bike from one of the depots situated at major crossroads throughout the city. Alternatively, a dedicated Call A Bike iPhone and Android app lets customers see where bikes are available and arrange hire via their smartphone without needing to make a call.