Weekend trips by train from Germany: 12 cities

You do not need to fly for a weekend in another city. From Germany's main rail hubs you reach a dozen cities abroad without changing trains – often in four hours or less. You board and arrive in the city centre, skip the trip to the airport and the security queue, and can read, work or watch the landscape on the way. Whether you live in Germany or are already travelling there, here are twelve cities that work especially well for a weekend by train, sorted by departure city: Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin and Hamburg.

The 12 cities at a glance

Journey times: fastest usual direct trains, rounded. Where we cannot give a reliable time, it says "direct trains" – the current journey time is in the timetable.

1. Brussels from Cologne
2. Paris from Cologne, Frankfurt
3. Amsterdam from Cologne, Frankfurt
4. Strasbourg from Frankfurt
5. Basel from Frankfurt
6. Zurich from Munich
7. Salzburg from Munich
8. Innsbruck from Munich
9. Vienna from Munich
10. Prague from Berlin
11. Warsaw from Berlin
12. Copenhagen from Hamburg

Base map: Natural Earth

From Cologne and Frankfurt: Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam

Brussels is the shortest trip abroad on this list from Cologne: about two hours by ICE or by Eurostar^*, formerly Thalys. At its heart is the Grand-Place with its guild houses, plus the comic-strip murals in the old town and chocolate on every corner. Brussels is also a good base for a day trip to Bruges or Ghent.

Paris is about 3.5 hours from Cologne and about four hours from Frankfurt – door to door that is often as fast as flying. A weekend is enough for one big museum, walks through the Marais and Montmartre and an evening on the Seine. Book the Louvre or the Musée d'Orsay with a timed ticket^*, or you will queue for a long time.

Amsterdam has direct ICE trains from Cologne and Frankfurt. They stop at Centraal station on the edge of the old town, from where you walk to the canals. The Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House need timed tickets, the Anne Frank House often weeks ahead.

Brussels trip planDay by day, with map and tips Paris trip planDay by day, with map and tips Amsterdam trip planDay by day, with map and tips

From Frankfurt: Strasbourg and Basel

Strasbourg has direct trains from Frankfurt and suits two days well. The red sandstone cathedral, the half-timbered houses of the Petite France quarter and the canals of the Ill are the classics; the old town on the Grande Île is a UNESCO World Heritage site. In Advent, Strasbourg has one of the best-known Christmas markets in Europe.

Basel sits where Switzerland, Germany and France meet on the Rhine, and it is a city of art: the Kunstmuseum, the Fondation Beyeler on the edge of town and the Museum Tinguely. In summer locals float down the Rhine; in winter the old town around the cathedral is quiet. Basel has direct ICE trains from Frankfurt and Cologne. Keep in mind that Switzerland is considerably more expensive than Germany.

From Munich: Zurich, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Vienna

From Munich you can reach four countries. Salzburg is the closest at about 1.5 hours – almost a day trip, but ideal for a weekend: the old town, Hohensalzburg Fortress, Mozart's birthplace and the Mirabell Gardens. Innsbruck has direct trains from Munich; its old town with the Golden Roof lies right below the Nordkette mountains, which a cable car climbs from the city.

Vienna is about four hours away by Railjet^*. A weekend is enough for St Stephen's Cathedral, the Hofburg, one big museum and a long afternoon in a coffee house; stay three nights if you can. Zurich has direct trains from Munich. The old town lines both banks of the Limmat, and at the end of Bahnhofstrasse begins Lake Zurich.

Salzburg trip planDay by day, with map and tips Vienna trip planDay by day, with map and tips Zurich trip planDay by day, with map and tips

From Berlin and Hamburg: Prague, Warsaw, Copenhagen

The line from Berlin to Prague is one of the most scenic rail journeys in Central Europe: beyond Dresden the Eurocity follows the Elbe through the sandstone mountains of Saxon Switzerland. After about 4.5 hours you arrive at Prague's main station, from where you walk into the old town. Charles Bridge, the castle and Old Town Square are at their best early in the morning.

Warsaw has direct trains from Berlin. Its old town, almost completely destroyed in the Second World War, was rebuilt faithfully and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Add the Royal Route, the Palace of Culture and a young café and restaurant scene.

Copenhagen has direct trains from Hamburg. The Danish capital is made for a weekend by bike: Nyhavn, Rosenborg Castle, the Christianshavn district and the Tivoli amusement park right next to the central station.

Prague trip planDay by day, with map and tips Copenhagen trip planDay by day, with map and tips

Tips for the journey

• Book early: international routes have discounted fares with limited availability. The earlier you book, the more likely you get one. Friday afternoon and Sunday evening trains are the busiest.
• Reserve a seat: on popular routes a reservation saves you from standing. On high-speed trains to France it is included in the ticket.
• Deutschlandticket: Germany's monthly travel pass is valid only on local and regional transport within Germany – not on ICE or Eurocity trains and not abroad.
• Leave on Friday: with an early-afternoon departure you arrive in time for dinner at any destination up to four hours away. For Vienna, Prague or Paris, a long weekend pays off.
• Allow a buffer: delays happen. Do not plan fixed appointments right after arrival.

How YesTrip helps

In YesTrip you choose your city and travel dates and get a day plan with a map that groups the sights by neighbourhood – on a weekend every hour counts. You also see the weather forecast for your travel days and a packing list that matches the weather and tells you whether you need a plug adapter, for example in Switzerland. For almost every city on this list there is a ready-made city plan you can copy, and the map works offline too. Travelling with others? Share the trip and log shared expenses.

* Ad – Partner link: if you book there, we earn a commission. Your price stays the same.