There are 5 ways to get from Frankfurt am Main to Karlsruhe by train, bus, rideshare or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Recommended option
Train • 1h 8m
Cheapest option
Rideshare • 1h 39m
3 alternative options
Train via Heidelberg • 2h 28m
Bus • 2h 30m
Drive • 1h 15m
Frankfurt am Main to Karlsruhe by train
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Frankfurt am Main to Karlsruhe is to rideshare which costs €4 - €11 and takes 1h 39m.
The fastest way to get from Frankfurt am Main to Karlsruhe is to train which takes 1h 8m and costs €10 - €45.
Yes, there is a direct bus departing from Frankfurt central train station station and arriving at Karlsruhe central train station station. Services depart hourly, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 2h 30m.
Yes, there is a direct train departing from Frankfurt(Main)Hbf and arriving at Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof. Services depart hourly, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 1h 8m.
The distance between Frankfurt am Main and Karlsruhe is 138 km. The road distance is 139.9 km.
The best way to get from Frankfurt am Main to Karlsruhe without a car is to train which takes 1h 8m and costs €10 - €45.
The train from Frankfurt(Main)Hbf to Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof takes 1h 8m including transfers and departs hourly.
Frankfurt am Main to Karlsruhe bus services, operated by FlixBus, depart from Frankfurt central train station.
Frankfurt am Main to Karlsruhe train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity-Express, depart from Frankfurt(Main)Hbf station.
The best way to get from Frankfurt am Main to Karlsruhe is to train which takes 1h 8m and costs €10 - €45. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs €11 - €35 and takes 2h 30m.
- Distance: 137.5 km
- Duration: 1h 8m
What companies run services between Frankfurt am Main, Germany and Karlsruhe, Germany?
Deutsche Bahn Intercity-Express operates a train from Frankfurt(Main)Hbf to Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof hourly. Tickets cost €34 - €39 and the journey takes 1h 8m. Four other operators also service this route. Alternatively, FlixBus operates a bus from Frankfurt central train station to Karlsruhe central train station hourly. Tickets cost €14 - €20 and the journey takes 2h 30m. Six other operators also service this route.
German rail company Deutsche Bahn is known for its efficient and comfortable service. It offers many different types of rail transportation, including ICE or Intercity-Express for high-speed services between major cities and regions, IC (InterCity) for long-distance trains, RE (Regional Express) trains that connect regions and cities, and the S-Bahn rapid transit service. There are two main tickets on offer: the Flexpreis that has full flexibility, and the Sparpreis which is the cheaper, advanced fare (bookings usually open 6 months in advance for domestic tickets).
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 0180 6 99 66 33
- Website
- bahn.de
Train from Frankfurt(Main)Hbf to Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 8m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €34 - €39
- Website
- https://www.bahn.com/en
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The national railway company of Switzerland, Swiss Railways operates trains throughout the country and adjacent European nations including Germany, France, Italy and Austria. Tickets are sold in two classes - First and Second - with most long-distance trains offering a bistro car serving beverages and snacks. Individual tickets can be bought easily at stands, while a variety of travel passes are on offer to suit different travel needs.
Contact Details
- Phone
- +41 848 44 66 88
- Website
- sbb.ch
Train from Frankfurt(Main)Hbf to Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 17m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €45 - €85
- Website
- https://www.sbb.ch/en
- Phone
- 0621 8301200
- Website
- suewex.de
Train from Frankfurt(Main)Hbf to Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 15m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €23 - €35
- Schedules at
- suewex.de
- Phone
- +49 1807 123 99 123
- info@flixbus.de
- Website
- flixtrain.de
Train from Frankfurt to Karlsruhe Central Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €10 - €15
- Website
- https://www.flixtrain.com/
- Phone
- +43 (0)5 1717
- Website
- fahrplan.oebb.at
Train from Frankfurt(Main)Hbf to Karlsruhe Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 7m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €29 - €45
- Website
- http://fahrplan.oebb.at/bin/query.exe/en?revia=yes&existOptimizePrice=1&country=overseas&initialAvail=ON&S={fromName}&Z={toName}&start=1
Deutsche Bahn’s regional network is made up of IRE (Interregio-Express), RE (Regional-Express), RB (Regionalbahn) and S-Bahn trains. Ticket prices are fixed and there’s no seat reservations – just turn up, buy a ticket and jump on the next train. All regional trains depart regularly and connect to local and long-distance services.
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- bahn.de
Train from Frankfurt(Main)Hbf to HD-Pfaffengrund/Wieblingen
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 13m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €15 - €22
- Website
- https://www.bahn.com/en
Train from HD-Pfaffengrund/Wieblingen to Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof
- Ave. Duration
- 53 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €12 - €17
- Website
- https://www.bahn.com/en
One of Europe’s leading bus companies, Flixbus serves 2000+ destinations in 29 countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands and Croatia and into Scandinavia and eastern Europe, as well as some US cities. Coaches have toilets, free WiFi and power outlets, plus snacks and drinks for purchase on board. Flixbus is a good choice for the budget-conscious traveller; purchase tickets in advance for the cheapest fares (note: there is no option to reserve a seat in advance).
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- flixbus.fr
Bus from Frankfurt central train station to Karlsruhe central train station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 30m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €14 - €20
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
Frequently asked questions
As the bus subsidiary of French railway SNCF, Ouibus offers eco-friendly coaches serving 35 French cities and 10 European cities at affordable fares. Ouibus journeys are safe and comfortable, with the four-star coaches offering power outlets, restrooms and WiFi. All Ouibus stations are located close to town centres for easy access to public transport. Getting on one of the 130 daily journeys is easy - electronic travel documents include your ticket and a personalised mini-guide with handy information.
Contact Details
- Phone
- +33 1 71 53 01 80
- Website
- blablacar.co.uk
Bus from Frankfurt - Main Bus station to Karlsruhe
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €15 - €22
- Website
- https://www.blablacar.co.uk/
- Phone
- +371 67214512
- info@ecolines.lv
- Website
- ecolines.net
Bus from Frankfurt to Karlsruhe
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 3m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- €23 - €35
- Schedules at
- ecolines.net
- Phone
- +387 61 265 850
- usoraturs@gmail.com
- Website
- usora-turs.com
Bus from Frankfurt to Karlsruhe
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 59m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Schedules at
- usora-turs.com
- Phone
- 48/796 473 308
- biuro@autokarpolska.com.pl
- Website
- autokarpolska.com.pl
Bus from Frankfurt am Main to Karlsruhe
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- €18 - €25
- Schedules at
- autokarpolska.com.pl
- Phone
- +389 75 209 209
- hakkomerc@gmail.com
- Website
- hakbus.org
Bus from Frankfurt(Main)Hbf to Karlsruhe
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 48m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Schedules at
- hakbus.org
- Phone
- 045 119 284
- info@vectortravelgroup.com
- Website
- vectortravelgroup.com
Bus from Frankfurt to Karlsruhe
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 45m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €12
- Schedules at
- vectortravelgroup.com
- Phone
- +3 318 576 2228
- Website
- blablacar.com
Rideshare from Frankfurt to Karlsruhe
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 39m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €4 - €11
- Schedules at
- blablacar.com
Want to know more about travelling around Germany
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
More Questions & Answers
Frankfurt am Main to Karlsruhe bus services, operated by FlixBus, arrive at Karlsruhe central train station.
Frankfurt am Main to Karlsruhe train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity-Express, arrive at Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof station.
Yes, the driving distance between Frankfurt am Main to Karlsruhe is 140 km. It takes approximately 1h 15m to drive from Frankfurt am Main to Karlsruhe.
Book your Frankfurt am Main to Karlsruhe train tickets online with Omio and FlixBus.
Book your Frankfurt am Main to Karlsruhe bus tickets online with FlixBus and Omio.
There are 635+ hotels available in Karlsruhe. Prices start at €46 per night.