Getting Around Bremen
Bremen is a compact, visitor-friendly city, and much of what a tourist wants to see can be reached on foot. For everything else, an extensive network of trams and buses, plus taxis, rental bikes and car-sharing, makes it easy to move between the old city, the main railway station and the surrounding districts.
On Foot
Walking is the best way to explore Bremen's old city and its surrounding districts. Much of the area frequented by tourists can comfortably be negotiated on foot, so you can plan your sightseeing around the centre without needing any transport at all.
Trams and Buses
Bremen offers an extensive public transportation network with trams and buses. Trams are known locally as the Straßenbahn, and they connect the main railway station with the downtown area and beyond.
- Public transport maps of Bremen are available in German.
- Night buses and trams, indicated by an "N", run through almost the whole night on Friday/Saturday and Saturday/Sunday, departing at :30 each hour from the central station.
- You can buy tickets on the bus or tram, but it is slightly cheaper to buy a set of four rides, a day pass for individuals or groups, or a weekly pass for individuals.
- On trains, tickets must be purchased before you board.
- Public transportation timetables and ticket fares are available in English.
Regional and Local Trains
Bremen's main railway station, the Hauptbahnhof, is the hub for regular and frequent services connecting the city with the rest of Germany. Most trains are operated by Deutsche Bahn, and even the local trains that are not can be booked through their website.
- To the west lie the cities of Delmenhorst and Oldenburg and the Frisian islands.
- To the east you can travel to Verden, and to the south to Osnabrück.
- Trains also run from the main station to the peripheral areas of Bremen, including twice-hourly services to North Bremen, to Mahndorf via Sebaldsbrück, and to Hemelingen.
Train tickets can be quite expensive unless bought in advance. Sharing a group ticket with other travellers can be the cheapest option, though group tickets are not as cheap as they once were and are almost always valid only on regional trains. An early bird fare on a high-speed connection is often cheaper and less stressful.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are found nearly everywhere and at almost any time, so there is no need to book one in advance. Fares run at roughly €1.25 per kilometre. Be aware that taxi drivers and call centre employees may have difficulty understanding a phone call in English, so it can help to have your destination written down.
- Taxi-Roland, ☏ +49 421 14433
- Taxi-Ruf, ☏ +49 421 14014
Bicycles and Car-Sharing
Bremen is the most bike-friendly city among the biggest German cities, and cycling is a genuine option for getting around. You can rent bicycles at the railway station and at several bike shops in Bremen, though the rental details are available in German only.
If you are a member of the Cambio car-sharing network, whether in Germany or Belgium, you can hire cars in Bremen — the city is the company's headquarters.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Bremen Airport (BRE) lies in the south-west of the town, in the southern borough of Neustadt-Neuenland. Getting from the airport into town is quick, smooth and painless.
- Tram (Straßenbahn) 6 leaves right outside the main terminal building and takes you into downtown every 10 minutes during the day.
- Travel time is about 10 minutes to downtown (Domsheide) and about 16 minutes to the Main Railway Station (Hauptbahnhof).
The airport mostly caters to low-fare and holiday flights, with Ryanair offering by far the most connections across Europe, alongside holiday specialists such as Sundair. There are also a few high-fare business-oriented flights from specific destinations and feeder flights from major hub airports operated by flag carriers. For a smooth intercontinental connection, flying with Star Alliance or SkyTeam into a hub and connecting onward is your best bet. If you are cost conscious, it may work out cheaper to forgo the domestic flight on the last leg and use an air rail alliance such as rail&fly instead — though thanks to the quirky nature of airline pricing, the exact opposite may sometimes be the case.
Further afield, you can also fly to Hamburg and Hannover; both cities have frequent train connections with Bremen.