Kassel, located in central Germany, is well-connected and easy to reach by various forms of transportation. Here’s a breakdown of arrival and transport options within the city.
Arrival in Kassel:
By Train: Kassel is served by high-speed trains (ICE), making it accessible from major German cities like Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich. Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe Station is the main railway station, located slightly west of the city center. It's a key stop for long-distance trains. Kassel Hauptbahnhofis the old main station (Hbf). It is closer to the city center but primarily serves regional and local trains.
By Air: The nearest international airport is Frankfurt Airport (FRA), around 200 km away, with regular trains connecting Kassel to the airport in approximately 1.5 hours. Kassel-Calden Airport (KSF) is a small regional airport offering limited flights, mainly within Europe. About 80km noth/west of Kassel is a bigger regional airport in Paderborn/Lippstadt (PAD)
By Car: Kassel is easily reachable by car via the A7 (north-south), A44 (west-east), and A49 motorways. It's well-signposted, and there are ample parking options in the city.
By Bus: Various long-distance bus services (FlixBus, for example) stop in Kassel, typically at the Wilhelmshöhe bus station.
Transport within Kassel:
Kassel has an extensive tram network covering most parts of the city. Major lines (like 1, 3, 4) connect popular spots such as Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe Station, the city center, and Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Buses: There are numerous bus routes complementing the tram network, covering areas not served by trams.
RegioTram: The RegioTram is a hybrid system combining tram and train services. It connects Kassel with surrounding towns, offering a convenient option for both inner-city and regional travel.
Taxis and Ridesharing: Taxis are widely available at train stations, the airport, and popular spots. Ridesharing apps like Uber are available but not as widespread as in larger cities.
Cycling: Kassel is bicycle-friendly, with many dedicated bike lanes. You can rent bikes from local shops or use bike-sharing services available in the city.
Walking:The city center and key attractions are relatively compact, making walking a convenient way to explore.
Jump to:
- Arriving in Kassel
- Driving & Parking
- Airports
- Taxis
- Public Transport
- Bicycles
- Car rental
- Trains
- Intercity buses
- Public transport & Museum cards
Arriving in Kassel
By planeFrom Kassel Airport take bus 100 to Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe station via the city centre every hour on weekdays or every two hours on weekends (40 minutes, €3.80); a taxi costs €30. From Frankfurt airport there are trains to Kassel, taking 1,5 hours. From Hanover airport, S-Bahn trains connect at Hanover Hauptbahnhof to up to three Kassel-bound trains per hour, taking 1,5 hours total. Paderborn-Lippstadt airport has shuttle buses to Paderborn station from where there are trains to Kassel, taking 1,5 hours.
By train
Fast ICE trains stop at Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe, Kassel's most important station, 3,5km west of the city centre. The station has luggage lockers, restaurants and a newsagent; the adjacent shopping centre has a supermarket and some good restaurants. To get to the city centre, hop on trams N°1 or 3 from platform 3. Tickets are available from machines on the platform and on the tram. A taxi ride to the city centre costs about €7. Regional trains terminate at the somewhat desolate Kassel Hauptbahnhof station which has luggage lockers and a handful of shops. Walk 500 metres straight out of the building and you're in the city centre. Regional trains and trams regularly connect Hauptbahnhof with Wilhelmshöhe station in 6 minutes.
By bus
Most intercity and international buses drop passengers off at Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe station.
Driving & Parking
Planners made Kassel very car-friendly in the 1950s, and there are wide roads leading to large car parks in the city centre.Airports
Kassel's airport offers direct flights to documenta partner city Athens during the 2017 festival. From July until October 2017, Kassel also offers direct flights to vacation destinations Fuerteventura, Mallorca, Heraklion, Las Palmas and Hurghada.Kassel-Athens flight schedule
Aegean Airlines has already started to commute between Kassel and Athens. From 29 March until 23 June 2017 there are two direct flights per week. Kassel is not just connected to the documenta festival partner city, but also connected to the turnstile airport of Athens with a variation of vacation destinations like the Aegean islands or Cyprus.
Aegean Airlines schedule, valid until 23 June 2017:
Wednesdays: KSF-ATH 19:10-22:45; ATH-KSF 16:30-18:30
Fridays: KSF-ATH 12:10-15:45; ATH-KSF 09:30-11:30
Taxis
Kassel's taxis are excellent quality. Flagfall is €2, a kilometre is usually €1.80-3.80. There's an extra fee for more than four people or lots of luggage. Waiting costs €30 per hour. It's always best to call a taxi in advance.Public Transport
Kassel is very easy to get around by public transport. Most visitors will probably only need the N°1 and 3 trams that run from the city centre via the Wilhelmshöhe train station to Wilhelmshöhe Park. Trams and buses run roughly between 05:00 and 23:30. You can expect the frequency to be about four per hour on weekdays, and two per hour at weekends, so it's smart to check timetables in advance.Tickets can be bought from machines (which accept coins and banknotes) at the tram stops or on board, and cost €3,00 for a one way trip within the Greater Kassel (“KS+”) area, or €1,80 for a trip of up to four stops. Buying a carnet of five tickets at once for €13,50 is cheaper. A 24-hour 'MultiTicket' costs €6 for a single or €7,80 for a group of five with maximum two adults; purchased after 14:00 on Friday this ticket is valid for the whole weekend. For more information, contact KVG (Kassel Verkehrs-Gesellschaft): tel. +49 180 234 01 80, www.kvg.de. Note that many Kassel hotels offer guests a free 'HotelTicket' public transport ticket.
Bicycles
Cycling around Kassel is a pleasure, and as long as you don't go all the way up to Herkules it's not as hilly as you may fear.Car rental
You won't need a car to get around town, but it's very handy for trips into the surrounding region. The airports near Kassel also offer car rental services.Trains
Deutsche Bahn (DB, German Railways) runs sleek 300km/h highspeed ICE (InterCity Express) trains, EC (EuroCity) and IC (InterCity) trains. Train tickets are considerably cheaper when purchased well in advance; book online at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket. To explore the region, get the excellent-value Hessen-Ticket which allows unlimited bus and regional (RE) train travel for up to five people for one day, for €35 total; the Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket has a similar deal for up to 5 people across all Germany at weekends, this costs €40 for the first traveller plus €4 per additional person. The Quer-durchs-Land Ticket (€44 for one person, additional people €8 each) is the weekday version.Intercity buses
Bus transport within Germany and to other countries has been liberalised in recent years and there are now many affordable connections. Flixbus.de is the main German bus provider and stops at Wilhelmshöhe station, though some services drop passengers at the edge of town.Public transport & Museum cards
Various hotels in the Kassel region offer guests a free 'MeineCardPlus' city ticket, which is valid for the duration of your stay and is valid for free city transport and free or reduced admission to many museums, sights and attractions; see www.meinecardplus.de for details and participating hotels.Many other hotels offer a free 'HotelTicket Alle Gäste' or sell the €8,50 'HotelTicket Einzelgäste', both valid for 48 hours midweek or a full weekend of free public transport in Kassel.
