Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

Situated on the river Main, Frankfurt is the financial and transportation center of Germany and the largest financial center in continental Europe. It is seat of the European Central Bank, the German Federal Bank, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the Frankfurt Trade Fair, as well as several large commercial banks.

Frankfurt’s public transport system, including the underground (U-Bahn), trams, buses, as well as regional trains (S-Bahn), is accessible by a single, regional ticket thanks to an integrated tariff agreement overseen by the region’s tariff organization RMV. Frankfurt is a member of the RMV. The S-Bahn, connecting the suburbs of the surrounding Rhein-Main Region to Frankfurt’s center, runs on electric power and travels at speeds up to 140 km/hr. Trains run at a frequency of every 15 to 30 minutes. Frankfurt has prioritized the development of its tram network, based on the public’s preference of rail systems (undergrounds and streetcars) over buses.

Although most major routes are served by rail, buses also play an important role in Frankfurt, often as feeder routes to the rail-based services and to ensure service coverage throughout the city. The city seeks to accommodate bicycle travel, with many streets in the center designated “bicycle streets,” where bikes have priority over motor vehicles. The city is developing the bike network by improving cycle lanes and creating new cycle routes. Frankfurt is partner in the “bike&business-Network”. Frankfurt is served by the nationwide “Call-a-Bike” public bicycle system operated by Deutsche Bahn. These bikes can be found at rail stations and at major intersections, and their self-locking mechanism can be released remotely by placing a phone call to a central dispatching service. Many city departments and city-owned companies were provided in 2010 with e-bikes (pedelecs) for official use.

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