Best ways to get to Mainz in 2025 – by public transport and by car

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Table of Contents:

When to travel to Mainz

How to get to Mainz

How to get to Mainz from Frankfurt

Where to stay in Mainz

What to see & do in Mainz

Where to go from Mainz

When to travel to Mainz

Mainz is a picturesque old town located in the Rhineland-Palatinate region. The views of Mainz impress from the first sight – colorful houses, cobbled squares, cathedrals, fountains – all the attractions look like from a fairy tale. The architecture of the town largely refers to the Middle Ages. In Mainz, a lot of examples of traditional German architecture have been preserved, so it is difficult to find a better place to get acquainted with the traditions of Germany.

You can visit Mainz any season of the year as the climate is quite mild here. Springs, summers and autumns are more colorful than winter, but picturesque Christmas fairs brighten it up. If you want to travel along the Moselle River and see other great attractions at the Moselle Valley, I recommend choosing summer as river navigation is available only during the warm period of the year. I travelled a lot around Germany and I can say that south-western regions are incredible at any time of the year as the local climate is mild and the countryside is truly diverse.

How to get to Mainz

How to get to Mainz from Frankfurt

By train: Direct trains run between Frankfurt and Mainz up to 6-7 times a day. The travel time is only half an hour. Departure is from Frankfurt Main Train Station. The fare is approximately 15-16 euros for a seat in the second class. You can check the current timetable and purchase tickets on the Raileurope service. I use Raileurope regularly to check out the current train timetable. It is a very convenient service for using, because I can compare different routes and duration of the train journey; it also has many other useful options.

By renting a car: at Frankfurt Airport you can rent a car for travelling at your own pace around Germany. During your trip you may try the excellent quality of German roads (autobahns). The other advantage is that there is no need to depend on public transport schedules.

⇒To rent a car, you need only a few documents – a passport, an international driver’s license and a bank card to pay for the services. You can book a car in advance via various online services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings and other similar ones. The travel time from Frankfurt to Mainz is about 40 minutes. The cities are connected with highways # B43 and # A60 (see on the map). I have travelled from Frankfurt along the local highways and I can say they are very convenient and it is often the fastest way to get to the desired destination.

Where to stay in Mainz

Mainz has a number of different accommodation options, as it is attractive from a touristic point of view, and it is also the “gate” of the Rhineland-Palatinate region, where many natural and architectural attractions are situated. Based on my research, you can stay in Mainz in hotels of various star categories, apartments, guest houses, vacation homes and even hostels.

Atrium Hotel Mainz 4* – the hotel is located in a quiet area of the town, 7 km from the center. It offers a swimming pool, a gym, a restaurant and a bar. You can stay in rooms and apartments of various categories. Breakfast is included in the price. Wi-Fi is free of charge. Private parking is possible on site at an additional cost. The front desk serves guests 24/7;

Best Western Hotel Mainz 4* – this chain hotel is located in the town center and offers its guests a gym and a restaurant. The train station is within walking distance from the hotel. Guests can stay in rooms of various categories, including family rooms. Depending on the type of room, breakfast may be included or paid separately. All rooms are also equipped with a coffee pot or a kettle. Wired internet is available in public areas and it is free of charge. Free private parking is possible on site. The front desk is open 24 hours a day and provides luggage storage services;

AC Hotel by Marriott Mainz 4* – this boutique hotel is located in the very center and close to the railway station. The hotel features a restaurant and a bar. Guests can stay in standard, superior and deluxe rooms. Depending on the type of room, breakfast may be included in the price or paid separately. In addition, all rooms are equipped with a coffee pot or a kettle. Public parking is available nearby at an additional cost. The front desk is open 24/7 and provides currency exchange services;

Hotel Hammer-Mainz Hauptbahnhof 3* – the hotel is located in the town center, 100 m from the railway station. It offers a sauna, a restaurant and a bar. You can stay in the rooms of various categories. Depending on the type of room, breakfast may be included in the price or paid separately. Wi-Fi is free of charge. Public parking is available nearby at an additional cost. The front desk is open 24 hours a day and provides luggage storage services;

Hotel INNdependence 3* – the hotel is located in a quiet, peaceful place, close to the public transport stops, from where you can directly reach the center of Mainz. There is a bar on site. Guests can stay in rooms of various categories, including family rooms. Wi-Fi is free of charge. Private parking is available on site. The front desk provides luggage storage services. This option will suit best for you if you want to stay out of town center and its noise.

What to see & do in Mainz

Mainz is a town full of architectural and historical attractions. The old town of Mainz may impress you with old cathedrals, “gingerbread” houses, cobbled streets and squares. The old town is called Altstadt here; this is the place where the most of Mainz attractions is situated. If you are interested in architecture as much as I am, do not miss to stroll around this area.

Most often, tourists start exploring the town from the central square, which is also called the Market Square. Here you can see the most beautiful houses of the 18th century. Unusual painted facades, bright colors, sloping roofs – all these features give the special vibes of the old town. There is also a medieval Marktbrunnen fountain, which is older than any building on the square.

Being on the main square of Mainz, pay attention to the Cathedral of St. Martin, which is located behind the first row of “gingerbread” houses. The cathedral is truly huge and has a number of features of Romanesque architecture. The cathedral is crowned with an impressive Gothic church which has a carved bell tower. The interior of the cathedral is rather restrained, with the exception of a luxurious late Gothic altar.

At the town center, on Augustiner street, there is also another great attraction – it is a Church of St. Augustine. The facades of the building are very unusual. This building impresses with its massiveness and rococo architecture, and the facades which are decorated with columns and sculptures at the entrance. Inside, the church has marble and gilded finishes, as well as a painted ceiling. I found out some useful information for planning your visit:

• The church is open daily from 09.00 to 17.00.
• I would recommend  seeing not only the external decoration of the building, but also the interior, because it will amaze you with its exquisite elements.

On Liebfraueenplatz square you can find the Gutenberg Museum, which is one of the main attractions in the town. The unique baroque façade with a turret immediately grabs your attention. The museum of Gutenberg is devoted to the inventor of the book printer. Most of the exhibitions tell visitors about the evolution of typographic art. After some research, I discovered the following practical information:

• The museum is open daily from 09.00 to 17.00
• The entrance ticket costs 5 euros

Finally, I recommend looking at Kirschgarten Square where you can see the very old part of the town with its wonderful half-timbered houses. This square has existed since the 14th century and it is the oldest part of it. The area has absolutely amazing vibes, surrounded with old low-rise houses and decorated with a small fountain with a copy of the Madonna.

Where to go from Mainz

Other important towns in the Rhineland-Palatinate region are Koblenz and Trier. This is where travelers usually go after visiting Mainz. The region is also famous for the picturesque Moselle Valley, where you can find romantic castles and palaces. They are located on the banks of Moselle River, so the road is quite picturesque. The distance between Mainz and Koblenz is 100 km (see on the map); the distance between Mainz and Trier is 150 km (see on the map). There are no direct trains to Koblenz or Trier from Mainz though, only options with changes.

In case you don`t want to travel so far away from Mainz, you can choose to visit such a well-known mineral resort as Wiesbaden, which is situated only 15 km from Mainz. Wiesbaden is a beautiful town with 25 thermal springs, which make it a popular destination for those travelers who prefer to spend their time in various thermae and spa areas for relaxing. By the way, many locals prefer to spend their holiday on thermal resorts instead of sea resorts. I also visited some thermal spas in Germany and can definitely recommend such a nice activity to try.

You can get Wiesbaden from Mainz by train. Trains in this direction run every 15 minutes during the day. The travel time is only 15 minutes. For instance, you can visit one of the thermal complexes in Wiesbaden and then return to Mainz; or you can move to Wiesbaden from Mainz to enjoy more time at the resort. The suitable option is up to you.

Julia Mam

Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…