Worst German Airports and Train Stations

Munich HBF

The central train station of Munich isn’t exactly central. Luckily, the cozy bed and breakfast I had booked when staying in Munich was a short walk away from the train station, but this isn’t near the attractions that bring many visitors to Munich. It is connected to the subway system, which is heavily guarded by scary looking police who pick tourists out of a crowd to make sure they have purchased the correct tickets. Options for food aren’t very good at this station, and the staff weren’t too helpful answering questions. The actual center of Munich is beautiful, and a few stops away on the subway brought the price of my B&B down significantly.

Cologne Train Station

My worst experience of a train station in Germany was in Cologne. Both coming and going, I encountered staff members who couldn’t be less interested in helping the thousands of people who pass through the station each day. Even worse than lack of interest was false information I was given at the ticket desk and information booths, which delayed my travel to Paris by several hours. Do your research before arriving to the Cologne train station, or risk being lost in a sea of other travelers who have been fed misinformation.

Berlin Shonefeld

Flughafen Berlin-Schonefeld airport is located 18km outside of the center of the city of Berlin. I almost missed my flight because of the inefficiency of the trains to reach this location. Having to change lines multiple times because of construction delays, once I arrived at the airport, it was quite a walk (or run!) to check in on time. As a hub for EasyJet airways, there doesn’t seem to be much emphasis on service at this airport. Options for food and drink are scarce, but be sure to get something before boarding a budget airline as options onboard are unappealing and expensive.

Friedrichshafen Airport

Friedrichshafen airport in the south of Germany is reachable for travelers on a budget as Ryanair frequently offers very low fares to this destination. In true Ryanair fashion, there is nothing endearing about this airport or the location. It is on a train line, but the train isn’t too frequent and you’ll almost certainly need to change to reach your destination of choice. This airport was a budget way for me to reach Munich, but I wouldn’t take the same route again in the future.

Frankfurt Hahn

If you’re planning on going to Frankfurt, and you’re tempted by a cheap Ryanair fare, there’s a reason why. Frankfurt Hahn is nowhere near Frankfurt, and not especially easy to reach via typically efficient German rail. On a recent trip to the area, I wound up completely abandoning my flight at Frankfurt Hahn and booking another from the very pleasant, main Frankfurt airport. This is a typical example of how Ryanair keeps fares low, and brings travelers miles away from their destination, cutting into precious vacation time.

Bremen Airport

Maybe there is a theme in this list against airports served by Ryanair, but Bremen airport has made the cut as well. Some passengers with long layovers have left the Ryanair terminal, and found more comfort and services elsewhere. While the airport is safe and clean, there also isn’t anything comfortable or luxurious about it. If you’re looking for some comfort to accompany your travel, many consider the best airport in Germany (and some say, in Europe!) to be Munich, in the southern region of Bavaria.