alpen1

Title really sums it up, any input on the best method for getting from Frankfurt to Dusseldorf (actually Monheim am Rhein) on 24/12? Mostly concerned about possible weather delays. Thanks

Scrooge McDuck

Tricky question. If you are concerned about weather delays - train I assume - then you have good chances of having weather related problems on the road as well. If this is your main concern, then I would recommend to pick the train - unless you are a good/experienced driver for winter conditions.

Having that said, winter is usually no problem at Christmas. That is usually an issue after Christmas. But who knows yet if we get problems this year at Christmas.

Aviatrix

I haven't checked, but I can't imagine there being flights between DUS and FRA - considering how close they are. But even if there are flights I don't think it would make sense to fly, especially as it's Monheim rather than Düsseldorf you're travelling to.

It's not clear from your post if you're looking to get to Monheim from FRA (i.e., Frankfurt Airport) or the town of Frankfurt. Either way it looks like a journey of about two hours involving two changes, with the last bit being by bus. See www.bahn.de for timetables.

Going by car may be easier, especially if you have lots of baggage. Germany doesn't generally get very severe winters, and with Christmas Eve being a Monday this year traffic shouldn't be much of a problem as most people will have done their Christmas travelling at the week-end.

What time will you be travelling? Public transport will probably run to a reduced schedule from about mid-day.

alpen1

We fly into FRA on the 23rd to hit the end of their Christmas market (fingers crossed for no flight delays), we'll be staying at the Westin Grand that night then heading out the next morning, I think Christmas lunch is at 2 or so in Monheim, so that's our targeted arrival. Lufthansa has direct flights for $100 USD so we're looking at the cost vs. delay potential comparison. We saw that the rental cars have the option of winter tires, are they required at certain times of the year or they just fit them if you pre reserve them?

Thanks for the link but when I try to put in my trip I get an error that 24/12 is too far away to look up tickets/times.

Aviatrix

You're right, they do still fly from DUS to FRA. I thought it was one of the routes they'd given up and replaced by rail links, but I can see now that I was wrong and they are still running flights.

However, flying between FRA and DUS really makes no sense whatsoever, unless you are connecting to another flight or both your departure point and your destination are right next to the respective airports.

In your case it would make even less sense because Monheim is between Frankfurt and Düsseldorf so you'd be backtracking. DUS (the airport) to Monheim is an hour by public transport, heading back in the direction you came from.

Public transport connections don't tend to change an awful lot from one month to the next, so if you want to check out the public transport connections just enter a random date and that will give you a general idea.

DUS to Monheim can't be booked online (as it's all suburban transport). For the journey from Frankfurt fares start at EUR 19 (non-flexible) for the train portion of the journey (to either Leverkusen or Langenfeld), plus the cost of the bus. Langenfeld to Monheim is only ten minutes by bus so you could probably take a taxi instead.

Flying Lawyer

Right. Railtrack is like this: Frankfurt Airport - Cologne - Langenfeld (for Monheim) - Düsseldorf - Düsseldorf Airport. Flying to DUS and backtracking to Monheim makes no sense at all. Train is by far easier. Depending on the number of pax in the party one could even think about a taxi which should be in the range of 250 Euro from Frankfurt Airport to Monheim.

etch5895

There absolutely are flights between FRA and DUS; I'm booked on one next month! In your case I'd say that taking the train is probably just as quick and probably a little easier. The ICE between FRA and Cologne's Hbf is under 45 minutes, and then however long the regional takes. The train is not going to be cheap, though.

Why am I flying from FRA to DUS you ask? This is FT after all.

MHG

I would not even consider anything but the train to you destination !

Since you are staying at the Grand Westin:
It´s located in downtown Frankfurt a few steps from Konstablerwache S-Bahn stop. It´s 3 stops from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (central station) - no brainer regarding frequencies towards Hauptbahnhof. From Hauptbahnhof you´ll take an ICE-train to Cologne and change there to a local train to Langenfeld.
I recommend to book your train ticket exactly 3 months before your journey because 1) discount tickets won´t be bookable more than 90 days before the trip and 2) the number of discounted ticket around christmas time will be very limited

From Langenfeld station to Monheim you´re best off either taking a taxi or let your host pick you up there. That saves you from dragging luggage into a local bus.
And be aware that public transport schedules on dec 24 usually run like saturdays until noon but afterwards extremely limited or even not at all)

Aviatrix

19 Euro, if they book early enough. I wouldn't call that "not cheap"! :-)

And, as repeatedly pointed out, flying from FRA to DUS to get to Monheim would just be insane. Monheim is two hours north of FRA and one hour south of DUS.

etch5895

That is the non-refundable fare that you throw away if your flight is delayed and you miss the train, no?

Although Christmas time hasn't been too bad weather-wise the past two years, any bad weather around FRA can make this a difficult connection. If everything goes nicely, it should be no problem to catch the train. If.

OP doesn't state where s/he is flying in from. Maybe a direct flight into CGN or DUS would make more sense than Frankfurt?

Aviatrix

It would have to be a very long delay.

The OP is due to fly into FRA the day before, and is staying in the town centre overnight - which is another reason why flying to DUS would make no sense whatsoever. Half an hour to get to the airport, one hour check-in, one hour in the air, one hour on a train going back in the direction they came from.

etch5895

I missed the overnight in Frankfurt part. In that case, the train is the smartest of all options, unless they are looking for segments/miles on *A.

Ironically, my most recent delay in FRA was, you guessed it, one whole day due to weather related problems last winter.

bruce80

But bear in mind that the main timetable change happens shortly before christmas (usually the second weekend in december), so there might be "awful changes" especially when you need to catch a connection. The new timetables are usually published in october, so you might want to check back then.

Aviatrix

Good point, though unlikely to be a problem on this particular itinerary.

Frankfurt to Langenfeld (the nearest train station to Monheim) is a simple and straightforward train journey from Frankfurt to Cologne followed by half an hour on the S-Bahn.

There will always be plenty of trains from Frankfurt to Cologne. There will always be an S-Bahn, probably running at least every half hour. The precise timings may well change in December, but the changes aren't likely to affect the viability of the journey.

If the OP wants the cheapest fare they should, in any event, try to book 92 days in advance (or as close to that as the system will let them - which may mean waiting until the new timetables have been loaded), so there shouldn't be any last-minute surprises.

etch5895

Another point to consider for the OP in all of this...

Around Christmastime, the trains, from the regionals on up to the ICE trains will be packed to capacity. Two Christmases ago I took a regional down to Munich from Nuremberg and came back the next day (the 24th of December). The Nuremberg to Munich train was filled with people standing in the aisle for the entire 1 hour 45 minute trip. The train back on Christmas eve that I boarded as soon as the doors opened along with an unruly mob of Germans, I ended up with one of the very last seats. The train was packed to the gills, Tokyo subway rush hour style for almost the entire trip back up (a scant few got off at Ingolstadt). Even if you have a reserved seat on an ICE, that doesn't mean your car won't have an aisle filled with people camped out on their suitcases, effectively blocking the aisles for the entire trip.

Not trying to scare you, just wanted you to know what you may be in for. There are certain times when it does make more sense and save your sanity to fly.