Aachen travel guide

Aachen Tourism | Aachen Guide

You're Going to Love Aachen

With a population of 265,208, Aachen is a must-see destination in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Aachen has to offer.

Where to Eat in Aachen

Mitte is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Aachen. These include popular favorites such as Pippin - die kleine Gastronomie (Hubertusstr. 43), Lammerskötter (Kapellenstraße 2) and Aposto Aachen (Kapuzinergraben 19). If you’re looking for affordable options, BURGERHEART AACHEN (Kapuzinergraben 12) and UPTOWN SKY LOUNGE & RESTAURANT im Innside Aachen (Sandkaulstraße 20) are great picks.

When to visit Aachen

Aachen in March
Estimated hotel price
$84
1 night at 3-star hotel
Aachen in March
Estimated hotel price
$84
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Aachen

Plane

Although Aachen doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Düsseldorf Airport (DUS), which is located 46 miles from Aachen.

Train

Eurostar is the most popular train carrier serving Aachen, followed by Deutsche Bahn. The train journey from Aachen to Cologne takes 0h 23m and costs around $25 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Hannover, expect to pay about $14 for a 2h 53m trip. Located 3 miles from the city center, Aachen Eilendorf is the busiest station in Aachen. Another popular train station is Aachen Hauptbahnhof, located 0.7 miles from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Aachen is to pick up a car rental from Frankfurt am Main, which is about 123 miles from Aachen. You’ll find branches of Europcar and Ok Mobility, among others, in Frankfurt am Main.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Aachen, including FlixBus, Regiojet and BlaBlaBus. From Brussels, the bus ride to Aachen takes 160 miles and will cost you around $11. From Frankfurt am Main, the ticket costs about $11 for a journey of 160 miles. The most popular bus station is Aachen, located 0.6 miles from downtown Aachen. Aachen Wilmersdorfer Str. is also a commonly used station, and is 2 miles from the city center.

Plane

Although Aachen doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Düsseldorf Airport (DUS), which is located 46 miles from Aachen.

Train

Eurostar is the most popular train carrier serving Aachen, followed by Deutsche Bahn. The train journey from Aachen to Cologne takes 0h 23m and costs around $25 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Hannover, expect to pay about $14 for a 2h 53m trip. Located 3 miles from the city center, Aachen Eilendorf is the busiest station in Aachen. Another popular train station is Aachen Hauptbahnhof, located 0.7 miles from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Aachen is to pick up a car rental from Frankfurt am Main, which is about 123 miles from Aachen. You’ll find branches of Europcar and Ok Mobility, among others, in Frankfurt am Main.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Aachen, including FlixBus, Regiojet and BlaBlaBus. From Brussels, the bus ride to Aachen takes 160 miles and will cost you around $11. From Frankfurt am Main, the ticket costs about $11 for a journey of 160 miles. The most popular bus station is Aachen, located 0.6 miles from downtown Aachen. Aachen Wilmersdorfer Str. is also a commonly used station, and is 2 miles from the city center.

Airports near Aachen

Airlines serving Aachen

Lufthansa
Good (4,697 reviews)
KLM
Good (846 reviews)
SWISS
Good (954 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,585 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,598 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,269 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (491 reviews)
Air France
Good (981 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,599 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,116 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,958 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,437 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,936 reviews)
Finnair
Good (863 reviews)
LOT
Good (681 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (923 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,170 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (820 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (833 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (405 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Aachen

Average rates range from around $85 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $158 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include B&b Hotel Aachen City-Ost and B&B Hotel Aachen-Hbf. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Aachen, with prices from $19 to $141 per night. Mitte is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Aachen are about 30% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Aachen

Most booked hotels in Aachen

Art Hotel Superior
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 3590 reviews)
$88+
Novotel Aachen City
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, 3210 reviews)
$94+
Parkhotel Quellenhof Aachen
5 stars
Excellent (8.2, 2776 reviews)
$130+
Leonardo Hotel Aachen
4 stars
Good (7.9, 4114 reviews)
$88+
B&B Hotel Aachen-Würselen
2 stars
Good (7.5, 1695 reviews)
$67+
Hotel h4 easy
3 stars
Good (7.4, 140 reviews)
$65+

Renting a car in Aachen

Renting a car in Aachen costs $56 per day, on average, or $168 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 27% more expensive than at Duesseldorf Intl.

Expect to pay $7.42 per gallon in Aachen (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $89.03 and $118.71. Compact (Opel Astra or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Aachen, while also 70% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Aachen costs $56 per day, on average, or $168 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 27% more expensive than at Duesseldorf Intl.

Expect to pay $7.42 per gallon in Aachen (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $89.03 and $118.71. Compact (Opel Astra or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Aachen, while also 70% cheaper than other types, on average.