Getting Around Aachen: An Overview
Aachen is Germany's westernmost major city, sitting right on the borders with Belgium and the Netherlands in the Meuse–Rhine Euroregion. That border position shapes how visitors arrive and move around: the city is well connected by rail and bus to its neighbours, but within the city itself the transport mix is simpler than in most large German cities. The old town is compact and best explored on foot, while the wider city is served by a bus network and a handful of local train stations. There is no tram, U-Bahn or S-Bahn network here.
Walking
The old town is the heart of any visit, and it is best explored on foot. Orientation signs are placed all around the centre to help you find your way. Outside the centre, though, Aachen is a fairly large city, so walking alone will not cover everything you might want to see.
Buses
Aachen has a city bus system operated by ASEAG, which includes a few night bus lines. Most buses converge on the central bus station, the Bushof, near the city centre. You can buy tickets directly from the bus driver.
On arrival, it is worth visiting the ASEAG Customer-Centre opposite the main bus station. There you can pick up timetables for all bus routes run by the company and speak to an adviser. Note that timetables for services run by other operators are not available there — for example, the number 50 to Maastricht or the number 66 to Monschau.
Trains Within the City
Aachen does not have a tram, U-Bahn or S-Bahn network like many other large German cities, but it is still possible to travel through the city by train. The euregio-Bahn is a local line that stops at Aachen West (not far from RWTH Aachen University), Aachen-Schanz, Aachen Hauptbahnhof (the most convenient for the city centre) and Aachen-Rothe Erde. Ticket machines are available at all stations.
For arrivals by rail, Aachen Hauptbahnhof is the main railway station and the most convenient choice, since it is served by all trains going to and through Aachen regardless of destination and is closest to the city centre. The city also has four minor stations: Aachen Rothe Erde, Aachen Schanz, Aachen West and Aachen Eilendorf.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are readily available on the streets as well as at fixed locations, such as near Aachen Hauptbahnhof station, Aachen Rothe Erde station and in Pontstraße. The same conditions as in the rest of Germany apply. Aachen is also served by the ride-hailing company Uber.
Bikes, E-Scooters and Car-Sharing
Cycling is increasingly popular in Aachen, and there are a number of bike routes, though the terrain is hilly and the city is not the most bike-friendly in Germany. As in other German cities, some bike thefts have been reported, so reasonable caution is advised. Secure bike parking is possible at the "fahrrad station" near the central train station, where you can also rent a bike.
Several e-scooter rental systems, such as Tier and Voi, operate in Aachen in a similar fashion to other German cities.
Driving in the city centre is largely blocked to car traffic, and parking can get expensive, especially in the centre. A car can come in handy in the outskirts. The car-sharing company Cambio has numerous stations in Aachen and also offers stations in many other German and Belgian cities.
Getting In from the Airport
Aachen shares Maastricht-Aachen airport (MST) with Maastricht. It lies outside the city centre, in the Netherlands, and is connected to only a limited number of international destinations, served by budget carriers. Public transport to and from that airport is only possible via the city of Maastricht.
The nearest major international airports are Düsseldorf (DUS) and Cologne-Bonn (CGN). Both can be reached by train — via the Düsseldorf and Cologne central stations respectively — or by car in about an hour. Brussels (BRU) is another major airport within close proximity, reachable by train with a change in Liège, Leuven/Louvain, or Brussels.
Several smaller airports lie within reasonable distance: Weeze (NRN) in Germany, Eindhoven (EIN) in the Netherlands, and Brussels South Charleroi (CRL) in Belgium. All three are bases for low-cost airlines and can be reached by car in roughly an hour and a half, or by lengthy train journeys with several changes. Liège (Lüttich) airport (LGG) in Belgium is about 45 minutes away by car and has some charter flights. Antwerp airport (ANR), also in Belgium, requires about a 90-minute car ride.
If none of the nearby airports are feasible or affordable, Frankfurt (FRA), Germany's main hub, has a direct ICE connection and offers a number of trains to Aachen with one interchange or less. For some airports, the Rail&Fly programme offered by German railways together with several airlines might be an option.
Arriving by Train or Long-Distance Bus
Eurostar and ICE trains connect Aachen internationally with Liège, Brussels and Paris. ICE trains also provide direct connections from Frankfurt via Cologne, daily connections from Berlin via Hanover, and occasional connections to Hamburg. Flixtrain also serves the city. Local trains from Liège run every hour — make sure you get one of the trains run by Belgian Railways that go via Verviers, since the Arriva trains via Maastricht take considerably longer. Regionalexpress trains from Siegen via Cologne and from Hamm via Düsseldorf run every half hour. Regional trains from Maastricht serve Aachen via Heerlen, Landgraaf and Herzogenrath. Nightjet, ÖBB's sleeper train, runs from Brussels via Aachen to Vienna, Munich and Innsbruck.
If you are travelling throughout the Aachen-Liège-Maastricht triangle, a Euregioticket day ticket is available that covers most local trains and buses in the region; more information is available from SNCB, NS and AVV.
Long-distance and regional buses are operated by several companies. Arriva runs from Maastricht and Heerlen, with bus line 350 from Maastricht serving Aachen frequently and passing through Margraten and Vaals, and bus line 44 running between Heerlen and Aachen. Both lines call at various stops in Aachen, including Aachen Hauptbahnhof. Flixbus operates several national and international connections, arriving at the stop at Henricistraße. Sindbad operates international services to Poland and Ukraine. Depending on the operator, buses call at different locations: the bus stop at Aachen Hauptbahnhof, directly beside the main train station; the bus station at Henricistraße, north-west of the city centre; or the bus station at Wilmersdorfer Straße, east of the city centre.