Part of Business Travel Guides
Quick answer
Reviewed · 4 min read
Frankfurt is one of Europe’s most efficient business stops: the airport is about 12 minutes from the Hauptbahnhof by S-Bahn, and the banking district is compact enough to walk. Book hotels early whenever a Messe Frankfurt fair is on, because rates multiply. In meetings, be punctual to the minute, use titles and surnames, and expect a clear agenda and direct feedback.
Researched and maintained by Empyrean Travel · How we research
- Main airport
- Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Lufthansa’s main hub
- Flight from LAX
- About 11 hours nonstop eastbound; around 12 hours back
- Time vs Los Angeles
- 9 hours ahead; 8 hours for about three weeks in March and one week around early November, when daylight-saving dates differ
- Currency
- Euro (EUR); keep some cash, as not every venue takes cards
- Business districts
- Bankenviertel, Westend, Messe/Europaviertel, Ostend, Eschborn
- Tipping
- Round up 5–10% and tell the server the total as you pay
How do you get from Frankfurt Airport to the city center?
S-Bahn lines S8 and S9 run from the regional station under Terminal 1 to the Hauptbahnhof in about 12 minutes and continue to Hauptwache in the financial core. A taxi takes 20–30 minutes outside rush hour.
The airport also has its own long-distance station, so you can step off a transatlantic flight onto an ICE high-speed train to Cologne, Stuttgart or Munich. Above it, The Squaire and the hotels at Gateway Gardens suit fly-in, fly-out meetings.
Where should business travelers stay in Frankfurt?
The Bankenviertel (banking district) and the adjoining Westend put you among bank towers, law firms and consultancies, within walking distance of the restaurants around the Alte Oper. The Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof has hosted business travelers here since 1876.
Stay near the Messe during a trade fair, or in the Ostend for meetings at the European Central Bank. The blocks right around the Hauptbahnhof (the Bahnhofsviertel) have a visible drug scene, so many companies prefer travelers book elsewhere.
How do you get around Frankfurt for meetings?
Central Frankfurt is compact; the banking district is a 15-minute walk across. U-Bahn, S-Bahn and trams run frequently: buy tickets in the RMV app or at machines before boarding, since inspectors fine riders without one.
For offices in Eschborn, home to Deutsche Börse and many corporate campuses, the S3 and S4 take about 15 minutes from downtown. Taxis wait at the Hauptbahnhof and major hotels.
What should you know about German business etiquette?
Punctuality is respect: arrive five minutes early and expect meetings to start on the dot. Use titles and surnames (Herr Dr. Weber, Frau Schmidt) and the formal Sie until invited to switch, and offer a firm handshake at the start and end.
Germans value preparation, data and directness. Send an agenda in advance, back claims with numbers and don’t read blunt feedback as hostility; decisions follow process, so a polished pitch rarely closes on the spot. Instead of applauding a presentation, people sometimes rap their knuckles on the table. Dark suits remain standard in banking.
When are Frankfurt’s trade fairs and busy periods?
Messe Frankfurt is one of the world’s largest exhibition grounds, and during a major fair hotel rates multiply and rooms vanish across the region. Confirm exact dates on the Messe Frankfurt calendar before planning around the big recurring shows.
Germany also observes Ascension, Whit Monday, Corpus Christi (in Hesse) and German Unity Day on October 3, and many people take summer holidays in July and August.
- Heimtextil (home textiles): January
- Ambiente (consumer goods): February
- Light + Building: March of even-numbered years
- Automechanika (automotive aftermarket): September of even-numbered years
- Frankfurter Buchmesse (Book Fair): October
Which German rules affect visitors to Frankfurt?
Germany runs on rules and timetables, and a few of them affect visitors directly.
- Entry: Germany is in the Schengen Area, and US citizens need no visa for short trips; expect fingerprint and photo registration under the EU’s Entry/Exit System.
- Trade-fair samples: bringing products or equipment to a show? An ATA Carnet can avoid import duties.
- Cash: cards are widely accepted, but some restaurants and bakeries still prefer cash.
- Sundays: shops close by law, except at the airport and main station.
- Power: Type F sockets at 230V.
- Bleisure: apple-wine taverns in Sachsenhausen and the Rheingau wine villages are close enough for an easy bleisure evening or weekend.
Frankfurt business districts and venues
Bankenviertel
City center · Banking & finance
Germany’s financial capital in a few blocks of towers around the Taunusanlage and Opernplatz.
ExploreWestend
City center · Law firms & consultancies
Leafy streets and office towers between the banks and the fairgrounds.
Messe Frankfurt
Europaviertel · Trade fairs & congresses
Vast exhibition grounds with their own rail stops; book hotels months ahead for big fairs.
ExploreOstend
East Frankfurt · European Central Bank
The ECB’s tower overlooks the Main river in a fast-changing district of offices and hotels.
Eschborn
Western suburb · Corporate campuses
Deutsche Börse and many corporate offices, 15 minutes from downtown by S-Bahn.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should I book a hotel for a Frankfurt trade fair?
Do I need a visa for a business trip to Germany?
Can I reach other German cities by train from Frankfurt Airport?
What’s the dress code for meetings in Frankfurt?
Official sources
Rules, fees and schedules change — confirm the latest details at the source before you travel.