Getting Around Offenbach
Offenbach sits right next to Frankfurt, and the two cities are so closely linked that most visitors treat Offenbach as an easy extension of a Frankfurt trip. The practical upshot is that you rarely need a car here: the S-Bahn, trams and buses knit the city together, and the same tickets that work in Frankfurt work in Offenbach.
Arriving by Train
If you're coming from elsewhere in Germany, the natural approach is to travel to Frankfurt first and then continue to Offenbach by train, car or taxi. Offenbach has its own Hauptbahnhof (main station), which is served by regional trains — for example, the RB 33 service running in the direction of Hanau.
For reaching the city centre itself, the S-Bahn is usually the better bet. Several lines connect Frankfurt with Offenbach:
- S-Bahn lines S8 and S9, running in the direction of Offenbach Ost or Hanau
- S-Bahn line S2, running in the direction of Offenbach Ost or Dietzenbach
- S-Bahn line S1, running in the direction of Rödermark-Ober-Roden
These are essentially the "underground" rail lines for the Offenbach area — they run through the city and link it directly with Frankfurt's network, so you can hop on in central Frankfurt and step off in Offenbach without changing to a different system.
Trams
Trams also cross the city boundary from Frankfurt. Tram lines 15 and 16 run from Frankfurt in the direction of Offenbach Stadtgrenze, giving you another straightforward way to roll into town above ground.
Buses and Local Public Transport
Within Offenbach itself, the bus service is the workhorse — it gets you just about everywhere you'd want to go in the city. The main hub for both S-Bahn and buses is Marktplatz, so if you're unsure where to start or where to change, head there.
Buying tickets is refreshingly simple:
- Ticket vending machines can be found at most bus stations.
- You can also buy your ticket directly from the bus driver.
- Drivers can sell you 24-hour tickets, group tickets, and tickets valid across the entire RMV network.
Because the tickets are RMV-network tickets, a single purchase can cover buses, S-Bahn and trains together — handy if your day involves bouncing between Offenbach and Frankfurt. To plan a specific journey by bus, S-Bahn or train, the RMV journey planner is the tool to use.
Taxis and Cars
For getting around once you're in the city, though, the bus and rail network is the more practical choice.
Walking
Offenbach's core is compact enough that the bus and S-Bahn network, anchored at Marktplatz, covers the ground a visitor is likely to cover.
Getting In from the Airport
The recommended approach is to fly into Frankfurt and then continue to Offenbach by train, or by car or taxi. The train option means using the S-Bahn lines listed above — S8, S9, S2 or S1 — which connect the Frankfurt area with Offenbach and its eastern districts. Because these are RMV-network services, the same ticketing rules apply, and you can buy what you need from a vending machine or, on the buses, from the driver.
Quick Practical Summary
- Best base for connections: Marktplatz, the main station for S-Bahn and buses.
- From Frankfurt by rail: S8, S9, S2 or S1.
- From Frankfurt by tram: lines 15 and 16 toward Offenbach Stadtgrenze.
- Regional trains: Offenbach Hauptbahnhof, e.g. RB 33 toward Hanau.
- Tickets: vending machines at most bus stations, or buy from the bus driver — 24-hour, group and RMV-network tickets available.
- Trip planning: use the RMV journey planner for bus, S-Bahn and train connections.