Trains [url=http://www.bahn.de/i/view/GBR/en/index.shtml]]connect Darmstadt to surrounding cities, including [[Frankfurt[/url]], [wiki=35ec7062379a5b1e1743de648e2f3809]Heidelberg[/wiki], [wiki=bd2b145b873049a539012fea08bfa71a]Mannheim[/wiki], [wiki=3496da6c1db0a5223edb1fb4c415a154]Mainz[/wiki], and [wiki=120dc054a31bb4edea0bac70c2fe84a0]Aschaffenburg[/wiki]. Some ICE trains stop at the Darmstadt train station. The S3 S-Bahn line connects Darmstadt and Frankfurt.
For trips from or to the northwest (e.g. Köln, Düsseldorf, Amsterdam) the quickest route is sometimes via Frankfurt Airport, where you can change between ICE trains on the Frankfurt-Köln line and the Airliner bus to or from Darmstadt.
Darmstadt is located about 20 minutes by road from [wiki=f3fb6043dcddb045cdda37d09fb57275]Frankfurt_Airport[/wiki]. For those continuing their journey to Darmstadt by public transport, the Darmstadt Airport Shuttle bus service (AirLiner) is far more convenient than the train. It runs every 30 to 60 minutes 04:00-23:00 and costs €7.60/€5.95 for adults/children. Buy your ticket from the bus driver. The AirLiner ticket is also valid for connecting transport around Darmstadt (RMV zones 40xx).
The AirLiner stops at both terminals of the airport. Look for bay 14 across the street from terminal 1. At terminal 2 the stop is right in front of the terminal. You can download a [url=http://www.heagmobibus.de/site/airliner.html]leaflet with the schedule[/url] from the website of HEAG Mobibus.
On its way to Darmstadt Hauptbahnhof the bus stops at Mina-Rees-Straße and Heinrich-Hertz-Straße. In the opposite direction the bus goes directly from the station to the airport.
The freeways A5 and A67 go by to the eastern end of Darmstadt. Follow the signs to Darmstadt/Griesheim onto the very short A672, which merges into the B26 towards Darmstadt. Expect a traffic jam here in the morning.
You can also reach Darmstadt via the B3 and B26 main roads. The B3 runs in north-south direction, connecting Darmstadt with Frankfurt in the north and Heidelberg in the south. It runs largely parallel to the A5 freeway. The B26 runs east-west and is the main connection to Aschaffenburg.
The inner city is a system of tunnels and one-way roads for passing traffic. This can be a bit confusing.
Darmstadt's public transport is part of the greater Rhine Main area network, Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV) [url=http://www.rmv.de/en/].]Darmstadt and its surroundings are designated as tariff area 40. This area is further subdivided into several zones numbered 40xx, Darmstadt city is zone 4001. Fares vary depending on the number of zones touched.
Tram lines are marked by single-digit numbers. The tram network extends from Darmstadt-Arheilgen in the north to Darmstadt-Eberstadt in the south and beyond to Seeheim-Jugenheim and Alsbach, from Griesheim in the west to Darmstadt-Kranichstein in the northeast. Lines 3, 5, 7/8, and 9 constitute the core network. Lines 1, 2, 4, and 6 reinforce the core network during rush hours. Line 6 is an express line, it skips some of the intermediate stops on its route between Eberstadt and Merck.
Single or double letters mark local bus lines. Main bus lines have single-letter designations and often share routes stops with trams in the inner city. In the evening hours most tram and bus lines operate with a frequency of 30 minutes. At minutes :15 and :45 meet at Luisenplatz for connections. The last of these central transfer stops is at 0:15, except for Fridays and Saturdays with two additional rounds at 1:15 and 2:15.
Overland lines to surrounding towns and villages have three- or four-digit numbers, or two-digit numbers preceded by the letter K. Most of these lines stop at Hauptbahnhof and other stops that they pass on their way through the city.
Besides Hauptbahnhof, several train stops are scattered throughout the city: Wixhausen and Arheilgen in the north serviced by the S3 S-Bahn line, Darmstadt-Süd and Darmstadt-Eberstadt in the south where Regionalbahn trains to and from Heidelberg stop, Darmstadt Nordbahnhof and Darmstadt-Kranichstein on the line to Aschaffenburg, and Darmstadt Ostbahnhof and Darmstadt TU-Lichtwiese on the line to Erbach(Odenwald).
For schedules and fares see the website of [url=http://www.rmv.de/en/]RMV[/url[/url].
It is very easy to get around the city by bike. The bigger streets have bicycle lanes and you're pretty safe on a bike. It's a nice ride to Castle Frankenstein or Grube Prinz von Hessen where you can have a swim.
There is a [url=http://www.bikesurf.org]BikeSurf[/url] project in Darmstadt, which provides bikes free of charge.
relax in the pool, sauna, and spa and enjoy the art nouveau atmosphere.
* A small little zoo hosting 700 animals of 150 species. Always worth a visit.
* Tours for individuals and the general public (ONLY via pre-registration) take place on Friday, 16:30-18:00.
Cost & duration: 1.5-hour tour: € 7.00 per person
Tours for individuals available only via pre-registration at Wissenschaftsstadt Darmstadt Marketing GmbH, on the days listed above.
Tickets can be obtained on the homepage of Wissenschaftsstadt Darmstadt Marketing GmbH under the section "Stadtführungen" or at the Darmstadt Shop, Luisenplatz 5, Darmstadt.
Heinerfest, [url=http://www.darmstaedterheinerfest.de/].] Held once a year at the end of June/beginning of July. The Festival occupies the whole inner city for 4-5 days. It is the largest "Inner City Festival" of Germany.
* Schloßgrabenfest, [url=http://www.schlossgrabenfest.de/[/url].]An annual music festival (usually in May) in the city center. Free entry.
* Darmstädter Dichterschlacht, [url=http://www.dichterschlacht.de/[/url].]One of the best poetry slam series in the country, located in the 'Centralstation Darmstadt' on irregular dates. Check out [http://www.centralstation-darmstadt.de/ht/kalenderindex.html[/url] for dates and tickets.
*Open-air film festival with short films from all over the world. Bring warm clothes, screenings go on till 3 a.m. and August nights can be pretty cold.
*Street theater festival in August.
The Jazzinstitut sponsored by the city of Darmstadt, harbors one of Europe's largest public jazz collections, including books, journals, recordings and photos. They also organize concerts.
Centralstation, [url=http://www.centralstation-darmstadt.de/].]The place to be. The Centralstation is a concert hall, club and lounge during the night and a café and restaurant during the day. Has many events going on.
* Nachtcafé, Carree 4, [url=http://www.n8cafe.de/[/url].]Nightclub, crowd is mainly in its twenties, house music. Only open Friday & Saturday 10pm - 6am
* Schlosskeller, [url=http://www.asta.tu-darmstadt.de/schlosskeller/[/url].]Non-profit bar and disco run by university students in the dungeons of the Darmstadt Castle.
* Level 6, [url=http://www.level-sechs.de/[/url].] (Kasinostr. 60) Cocktail Lounge and Web Lounge und K-60, [url=http://www.k-60.de/[/url].]Billiard, Snooker, Darts, Fussball, Air Hockey. A bistro with 3 TVs and a projector for sports events
* Alternative Center for cheap drinks, music and concerts
* The largest Irish Pub in Darmstadt, with live music on Monday, Wednesdasy, Friday and Saturday. Also, Quiz Night on Tuesday and Karaoke on Thursday. Half price pizzas everybday until 8PM, and Fridays and Saturday cocktails are buy 1 get 1 free.
* Steinbruch-Theater, [http://steinbruch-theater.com/[/url]. Darmstadts biggest Alternativ Club. Monthly Concerts. See it, feel it, love it!
Boathouse (designer clothes, Hügelstraße 71)
* Turkish label for men's fashion; Darmstadt has one of currently only two stores in Germany
Grohe Brauerei, Nieder-Ramstädter-Str.3, Tel: 06151/425255 Fax: 06151/716644, [url=http://www.grohe-gastro.de].] A smaller traditional brewery. It has its own tavern, where you can drink the freshly brewed beer, and eat typical local foods. It is in the Nieder-Ramstädter-Straße 3, and can easily be reached by tram or by foot from the city center. The beer is also available for sale in bottles or barrels. Many locals believe that this is the best beer available in Darmstadt.
* Ratskeller: [http://www.ratskeller-darmstadt.de[/url]. A tavern located in the city center, at the market place, brew their own beer, which is also very tasty. The tavern is in the cellar vault of an older building and has a nice, traditional atmosphere. Everyday (only in winter) between 5.30 and 6.30PM there is the "Schoppestund" It's a happy hour where you can get a freshly brewed beer or dark beer for 1.50 EUR. It's definitely worth a try.
* Rummel Brauerei. The largest in Darmstadt, brews the "Darmstädter" Bier, which is available in many restaurants and taverns in Darmstadt.
Hesse's national drink, apple cider (Apfelwein, or, in the local dialect, "Äbbelwoi"), is very popular here too. It is available in pure form, or blended with sparkling water ("sauer gespritzt") or lemonade ("süß gespritzt"). Foreigners not used to the unusual taste (it is much more sour and less sweet than the cider common in other countries) might want to try the version blended with lemonade first.
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