Getting Around Kiel
Kiel is a compact, largely flat city on the Baltic coast, and its public transport is built around buses and ferries rather than trains or trams. For a visitor, that means most journeys are short, straightforward, and easy to plan once you know which modes exist and how ticketing works.
Public Transport: Buses and the Förde Ferry
The city's public transport system is based on buses and ferries operated by KVG. This is the backbone of getting around Kiel itself, and it connects the centre with the surrounding districts and the waterfront.
- 1-, 3- and 7-day tickets are available and offer good value for tourists.
- You can purchase tickets using the NAH SH App.
- The group ticket "Kleingruppenkarte ohne Sylt-Bus" is particularly good value: for a flat price, a group of up to five adults (children travel free) can ride all buses and trains across the entire SH-Tarif Network — Schleswig-Holstein plus Hamburg, excluding the island of Sylt. It is valid for unlimited transit starting at 09:00 on Monday to Friday, or from 00:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, until 06:00 the following day.
Note that Kiel's historic tramway network is a thing of the past; today you should plan your trips around buses and ferries rather than rail-based city transport.
Arriving by Train
Kiel Hauptbahnhof sits next to the main bus terminal and across the road from the central shopping district, making it a convenient arrival point. The city is connected to the DB rail system, with regular RE, IC, ICE and EC services to Hamburg and beyond. If you are heading onward to Denmark, transfers can be made in Flensburg or Lübeck to Danish Rail.
Arriving by Bus
Kiel has an intercity bus station, and bus lines run services to or through the city along Auguste-Viktoria-Straße. Long-distance options include a weekly bus travelling via Poland and the Baltic states to Tallinn, Estonia, and a comfortable daily service from Berlin to Kiel via Lübeck (roughly six hours). Further bus operators serve domestic routes.
Arriving by Boat
Kiel is a major ferry terminus. Color Line operates ferries to Oslo, Norway, and Stena Line serves Gothenburg, Sweden. The city is also the endpoint of the Kiel Canal, which links the North Sea to the Baltic and lets ships avoid sailing around Denmark.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis in Kiel are expensive but reliable. They are available around the clock at the main train station (Hauptbahnhof) and can be ordered by phone or app.
- Taxi Kiel: +49 431 680101
- Taxi-Zentrale Kiel-Ost: +49 431 73000
- Apps such as taxi.eu or FreeNow also work well in the city.
Most taxis accept credit cards, but it is worth confirming with the driver before you set off.
Walking and Cycling
Kiel is largely flat and well suited to cycling. The main bicycle hub is the Umsteiger station at the main train station, which offers a 24-hour guarded parking garage and a rental centre for city bikes and e-bikes. A popular cycling route runs from the city centre to Laboe, followed by a ferry crossing to Strande and a return trip to Kiel along the western shore.
For short trips, the bike-sharing system Sprottenflotte is available via the Donkey Republic app. Bikes must be returned to designated stations, and e-bikes and cargo bikes only at specific stations marked in the app. Don't expect high-quality bikes, and bring your own helmet if you want one. Those staying longer, such as exchange students, can rent a bike from Swapfiets on a monthly subscription that includes repairs and theft protection.
E-Scooters
Electric scooters are also available, with Bolt, Lime and Dott operating in the city. Scooters are rented through their respective apps, typically for an activation fee plus a per-minute rate, and various daily or weekly passes for frequent users are offered in the apps.
Canal Ferries
When crossing the Kiel Canal, you can use one of several bridges (the Holtenauer Hochbrücken or Levensauer Hochbrücken) or take a ferry shuttle. The Adler 1 at Kiel-Holtenau is a small ferry that carries only pedestrians and bicycles, while the larger ferries at Landwehr and Sehestedt also carry cars and motorcycles. All canal ferries are free to use for everyone.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Kiel Airport (KEL) in Holtenau, to the north-west, has no commercial service, so most visitors arrive via Hamburg Airport (HAM), about 90 km south of Kiel.
- Hamburg Airport has its own railway connection to Hamburg's Hauptbahnhof, from where there are multiple trains a day to Kiel.
- There is also a shuttle bus service to and from the airport called Kielius.
- Buying both tickets (from and to the airport) at the same time earns a discount, so be sure to hold on to your voucher.
- Students get a discount on the shuttle with a valid ISIC card.
Arriving by Car
Kiel is connected to two Autobahns, the A210 to Rendsburg and the A215, both of which also link to the A7 (part of European road E45). Alternative approaches include the B503 from the north (Dänischenhagen), the B76 from the north-west (Eckernförde) or south-east (Plön), the B404 from the south (Bad Segeberg), the B4/L318 from the south (Neumünster, though the A7/A215 will likely be faster), and the B502 from the north-east (Wisch).