Public transport in Konstanz

[PTR 444]

Just wanted to ask on here if any of you have any knowledge or experience of public transport within Konstanz, Germany? I’m planning on visiting in early December to see a relative and would be interested to find out more about the local bus and rail networks in terms of routes, ticketing and passenger experience.

The Whiz app and Google Maps give me an idea of the routes which serve the area, although it would be even better if there was a detailed network map available. One peculiarity I have found is that there are two routes numbered 4/13 and 13/4 which appear to take the same circular route to the north of town, although from my judgement these could be separate clockwise and anti-clockwise variants.

 

[rvdborgt]

You can find more information here:

Fahrplan - Bus - Busfahrplan und Verbindungsauskunft Stadtbus Konstanz

Finden Sie die passende Busverbindung: Übersicht aller Buslinien der Stadtwerke Konstanz, sowie der Liniennetzplan & Busfahrpläne zum Download

www.stadtwerke-konstanz.de

Scroll down a bit for the "Liniennetzplan Konstanz".

 

[PTR 444]

You can find more information here:

Fahrplan - Bus - Busfahrplan und Verbindungsauskunft Stadtbus Konstanz

Finden Sie die passende Busverbindung: Übersicht aller Buslinien der Stadtwerke Konstanz, sowie der Liniennetzplan & Busfahrpläne zum Download

www.stadtwerke-konstanz.de

Scroll down a bit for the "Liniennetzplan Konstanz".

Thank you. This is really helpful

 

[Richard Scott]

Just wanted to ask on here if any of you have any knowledge or experience of public transport within Konstanz, Germany? I’m planning on visiting in early December to see a relative and would be interested to find out more about the local bus and rail networks in terms of routes, ticketing and passenger experience.

The Whiz app and Google Maps give me an idea of the routes which serve the area, although it would be even better if there was a detailed network map available. One peculiarity I have found is that there are two routes numbered 4/13 and 13/4 which appear to take the same circular route to the north of town, although from my judgement these could be separate clockwise and anti-clockwise variants.

I have used the bus in Konstanz as hotel issues bus passes to guests. The two routes you mention are effectively the opposite of each other but not sure they're circular, as such, memory vague! Do remember that bus stops by hotel you had to be careful as bus into town went from either stop depending on the route so was easy to go in wrong direction!

 

[rg177]

As mentioned above, hotels will give you free passes for the bus.

I spent nearly a week staying in the Ibis and found the buses to the station to be punctual and very handy.

 

[dutchflyer]

As this city sits on the border DE-CH you may have to deal with the 2 national systems.
As about anywhere in DE it is part of a VerkehrsVerbund- I think here VHB, which covers the whole region, both local train and bus.
It is in the Land of Baden-Württemberg, so these tickets also apply-the 1 day landesticket for 24€, mo-fr from 9.00. aches as far out as Karlsruhe-Mannheim-Stutgart-Ulm.
The adjoining Swiss region also has a Verkehrsverbund-OstWind, with its own zonal fares and the usual quite high pricing in CHF.
There is also a BodenSeePass-for 1 or 3 days, multi-national, in 3 zones, that covers the whole area around the lake-with the usual challenge to fo around the lake-quite well possible but needs an early star and careful planning.
A simple google will directly lead to the resp. sites.
As such the town is not that big so that citybuses are useful only for trips to suburbia.

 

[EAD]

I used to live there as a student in the early 2000s and went back again a couple of years ago. Think most things have been covered - it is a very good network for the size of the town and the locals like their "Red Arnold". Essentially the routes do a loop around the old town iteself - if you look at the bridge over the Rhine as the buses come in from Petershausen, then there is a road junction and one way leads to Laube, Schnetztor and back round to the Station along the lake (so clockwise), while other routes go round this the other way (anti-clockwise). What that does mean is you essentially walk the old town and hop on your bus a the most convenient stop on those roads.

They also offer a good service to places nearby that are popular like Insel Mainau and the most frequent route, 1, takes you straight to the ferry in Staad for the trip over to Meersburg. 9A/B/C is for the University on the hill. Don't forget as well that you can easily get out and about locally by train/regional bus if you want to visit nearby towns.

 

[PTR 444]

Our trip is all booked! The plan is to fly out from Heathrow on December 1st, catching the 17:30 British Airways flight to Zurich arriving 20:20 local time. From there, we intend to catch the next xx16 or xx46 IR75 train from Zurich Flughafen to Konstanz, before walking to our Airbnb in the city centre.

We intend to stay until December 7th, so was wondering if there are any nice places in Germany reachable by train in a day. Connectivity appears quite limited as judging by the Whiz app, the only frequent service appears to be a 2tph RB service to Engen, a mere 25 miles away, and a 1tph RE service to Karlsruhe via Offenburg. To travel to larger places such as Freiburg, Stuttgart and Munich all take over two hours (Freiburg is a longer journey despite only being half as far as Konstanz to Stuttgart), therefore depending on our exact plans may not give us enough time to make the most of these places in a day.

On the other hand, rail provision into Switzerland is much more generous with 2tph to Lucerne via Zurich, 1tph to Herisau, 2tph to Weinfelden and various more S-Bahn services on the other side of the border in Kreuzlingen. This makes a day trip into Switzerland, Austria or even Liechtenstein feasible by train, although I am aware that any day trips south of the border would require more logistical planning around how much cash we take since Switzerland does not use the Euro. As far as I am aware, all listed countries are in the Schengen so border crossings shouldn't be an issue.

 

[davetheguard]

was wondering if there are any nice places in Germany reachable by train in a day

Lindau is an enjoyable day trip. It's a beautiful old town, on an island in Lake Constance, connected to the mainland by a rail causeway.

 

[Hadrian]

Karlsruhe is well worth a visit for anyone interested in the excellent tram-train network.

 

[30907]

Places to visit:
St Gallen (historic, plus centre of a NG network - there is a day ticket (9-Uhr-Tageskarte called Ostwind) which might be worth it.
https://shop.ostwind.ch/
https://www.bodensee-ticket.com/en/
mentioned upthread is probably a better bet, covering parts of all 3 countries.
Both cover a number of mountain railways, if you get good weather.

 

[johncrossley]

although I am aware that any day trips south of the border would require more logistical planning around how much cash we take since Switzerland does not use the Euro

What are you planning to use cash for in Switzerland that isn't possible to pay by card?

 

[DanielB]

What are you planning to use cash for in Switzerland that isn't possible to pay by card?

I'd think PTR 444 is trying to avoid additional costs for paying by card in foreign currency. Those may be significant depending on the bank.

Definitely something to take into account in Switzerland to avoid making your visit more expensive than it already is. On my last visit I paid small purchases cash for example, or by creditcard as it had the lowest surcharge. But for higher amounts using my bank card was cheaper.

 

[johncrossley]

I'd think PTR 444 is trying to avoid additional costs for paying by card in foreign currency. Those may be significant depending on the bank.

Definitely something to take into account in Switzerland to avoid making your visit more expensive than it already is. On my last visit I paid small purchases cash for example, or by creditcard as it had the lowest surcharge. But for higher amounts using my bank card was cheaper.

For someone living in the UK, both the Euro and Swiss Franc are foreign currencies. Cards are available that convert at the Interbank exchange rate without surcharges.

 

[Foxhunter]

was wondering if there are any nice places in Germany reachable by train in a day.

Lindau is an enjoyable day trip. It's a beautiful old town, on an island in Lake Constance, connected to the mainland by a rail causeway.

Indeed, I stayed on Lindau Insel for a few days in October and found it a pleasant little tourist trap; the railway station has lived through a lot but has managed to stay in a remarkably original state. If you're into transport related stuff I can recommend the Zeppelin Museum at Friedrichshafen; I was impressed with how they presented the story, and the kids science section was one of the best I've seen (still waiting for the day I become a grown up).

From Konstanz it looks like the catamaran is quickest to Friedrichshafen; the train from Konstanz is 2 changes if you take the short connection to the harbour station next to the museum, otherwise it is walk from the main station. From there you can connect by train or ferry to Lindau.

Maybe do a circular trip and come back along the southern i.e. Swiss shore.

[Edit] Spelling correction.

 

[Richard Scott]

I'd think PTR 444 is trying to avoid additional costs for paying by card in foreign currency. Those may be significant depending on the bank.

Definitely something to take into account in Switzerland to avoid making your visit more expensive than it already is. On my last visit I paid small purchases cash for example, or by creditcard as it had the lowest surcharge. But for higher amounts using my bank card was cheaper.

Always pay by card, you may pay a surcharge but more than made up for by better exchange rate.

 

[DanielB]

Always pay by card, you may pay a surcharge but more than made up for by better exchange rate.

Apparently UK banks offer better rates than Dutch banks then. Did a quick calculation: with my bank's rates payments of a few Swiss Francs are cheaper cash than by card. (Based on exchanging in advance however, withdrawing in Switzerland is actually more expensive)

For someone living in the UK, both the Euro and Swiss Franc are foreign currencies. Cards are available that convert at the Interbank exchange rate without surcharges.

He mentioned "taking cash", I'd read that as exchanging money in advance.

 

[PTR 444]

Always pay by card, you may pay a surcharge but more than made up for by better exchange rate.

I’m with Nationwide on a debit card, therefore I would pay 2.99% of the transaction amount for card purchases and cash withdrawals made in a foreign country.

 

[johncrossley]

Apparently UK banks offer better rates than Dutch banks then. Did a quick calculation: with my bank's rates payments of a few Swiss Francs are cheaper cash than by card. (Based on exchanging in advance however, withdrawing in Switzerland is actually more expensive)

Revolut is available to customers living in the Netherlands and probably all other EU countries.. So you can use that if your usual bank isn't cheap. Not all British banks are good for foreign transactions, so it is necessary to choose carefully.

He mentioned "taking cash", I'd read that as exchanging money in advance.

You need cash in Germany because lots of places don't accept cards.

I’m with Nationwide on a debit card, therefore I would pay 2.99% of the transaction amount for card purchases and cash withdrawals made in a foreign country.

I used to have a Nationwide account when they offered fee free international transactions. There is no longer any point in having a Nationwide account so I closed it.

 

[PTR 444]

Might be a big ask with the time and money we have, but would it also be possible to incorporate a cable car trip during our stay?

 

[Richard Scott]

I’m with Nationwide on a debit card, therefore I would pay 2.99% of the transaction amount for card purchases and cash withdrawals made in a foreign country.

Chances are with a credit card that exchange rate is more than 3% greater than you'll get for cash exchanges so not worth bothering with cash.

 

[PTR 444]

Chances are with a credit card that exchange rate is more than 3% greater than you'll get for cash exchanges so not worth bothering with cash.

Although this ignores the fact that many places in Germany do not accept card.

 

[AlbertBeale]

Revolut is available to customers living in the Netherlands and probably all other EU countries.. So you can use that if your usual bank isn't cheap. Not all British banks are good for foreign transactions, so it is necessary to choose carefully.



You need cash in Germany because lots of places don't accept cards.



I used to have a Nationwide account when they offered fee free international transactions. There is no longer any point in having a Nationwide account so I closed it.

I think the Nationwide credit card is now fee-free for foreign currency transactions - it used to give you this perk in a limited way, based on a proportion of your total spending on the card; but now it's just fee-free abroad anyway.

Chances are with a credit card that exchange rate is more than 3% greater than you'll get for cash exchanges so not worth bothering with cash.

Yes - card charges, even where they exist, are generally better. Even the best-rate currency exchanges I've found in London almost always [it various depending on current currency volatility, local competition, demand, etc] load more than 3% on the "real" rate - and often considerably more. Unless the currency concerned is about to go up against the £ before your trip, you're better off limiting your use of cash abroad where possible/convenient.

 

[philg999]

UK banks in general give absolutely terrible FX rates - it helps pay for ‘free banking’. (Dutch banks actually are much better but then we pay a monthly fee to have a bank account). However Revolut and Wise give the best - provided you don’t use them at the weekend when an extra 1% spread is charged. Credit cards will charge a higher markup than debit cards plus if you draw out cash then you have to start paying interest from the day you withdraw it.

 

[Richard Scott]

Although this ignores the fact that many places in Germany do not accept card.

Thought it was in relation to Switzerland? Germany used to be difficult to use a card in but recently not found that an issue as almost everywhere in Germany seems to accept them now.

 

[Watershed]

Our trip is all booked! The plan is to fly out from Heathrow on December 1st, catching the 17:30 British Airways flight to Zurich arriving 20:20 local time. From there, we intend to catch the next xx16 or xx46 IR75 train from Zurich Flughafen to Konstanz, before walking to our Airbnb in the city centre.

We intend to stay until December 7th, so was wondering if there are any nice places in Germany reachable by train in a day. Connectivity appears quite limited as judging by the Whiz app, the only frequent service appears to be a 2tph RB service to Engen, a mere 25 miles away, and a 1tph RE service to Karlsruhe via Offenburg. To travel to larger places such as Freiburg, Stuttgart and Munich all take over two hours (Freiburg is a longer journey despite only being half as far as Konstanz to Stuttgart), therefore depending on our exact plans may not give us enough time to make the most of these places in a day.

On the other hand, rail provision into Switzerland is much more generous with 2tph to Lucerne via Zurich, 1tph to Herisau, 2tph to Weinfelden and various more S-Bahn services on the other side of the border in Kreuzlingen. This makes a day trip into Switzerland, Austria or even Liechtenstein feasible by train, although I am aware that any day trips south of the border would require more logistical planning around how much cash we take since Switzerland does not use the Euro. As far as I am aware, all listed countries are in the Schengen so border crossings shouldn't be an issue.

I don't think there is any need to bring cash for the Swiss part of the trip. The vast majority of places will take card. Germany is a little different and cash is more popular there, even after Covid. But of course they use the Euro, which is "inter-available" (as it were) across many countries.

For any card transactions, it's worthwhile getting a debit card that doesn't charge a fee for foreign transactions. There are plenty out there but if I had to recommend one, it would be Starling, as they seem to be just about the only bank that have unlimited 0% transactions (most banks place a monthly limit on how much can be paid without a fee), including for cash withdrawals.

Of course you need to remember to always select 'pay in local currency' (CHF/EUR) if asked, to avoid unfavourable exchange rates being applied.

 

[rvdborgt]

Of course you need to remember to always select 'pay in local currency' (CHF/EUR) if asked, to avoid unfavourable exchange rates being applied.

And stay away from any Euronet branded ATMs. Look for a bank's ATM instead. Although some banks in Germany have also started to charge for cash withdrawals, e.g. the Reisebank often found at railway stations. My favourite though is the Volksbank, who have note selection and where you can often get a large stack of fivers without any fees.

 

[Cloud Strife]

And stay away from any Euronet branded ATMs. Look for a bank's ATM instead. Although some banks in Germany have also started to charge for cash withdrawals, e.g. the Reisebank often found at railway stations. My favourite though is the Volksbank, who have note selection and where you can often get a large stack of fivers without any fees.

Yes, this has become a real plague in recent years, especially in the Czech Republic.

 

[Foxhunter]

Might be a big ask with the time and money we have, but would it also be possible to incorporate a cable car trip during our stay?

It likely is a big ask. If you want big cable cars my guess is that you need to go to Switzerland. Whatever else Switzerland is noted for, low prices isn't one of them.

But fwiw I'll offer the suggestion of a long day out using a Swiss Travel Pass (? check name) which is a kind of one day All Line Rover. Maybe with an early start you can do Konstanz - Luzern, cable car to Pilatus or the cable car to Rigi Kaltbad from Weggis (this one is included in the ticket I think). Then head up the old Gotthard route to Goeschenen, shuttle train to Andermatt, and then over to Chur, keep heading north and finish with the S Bahn along the lake shore to Konstanz. I won't try describing the climb out of Andermatt, it has to be experienced to be believed. But enjoyment of train travel is a pre-requisit for this itinerary.

 

[johncrossley]

But fwiw I'll offer the suggestion of a long day out using a Swiss Travel Pass (? check name) which is a kind of one day All Line Rover.

I presume you are talking about the Saver Day Pass. Early December was mentioned. The fares obtained for the first few days of December just now, following this link

Connection | SBB

www.sbb.ch

are 61 to 88 CHF, depending on the day. Booking at short notice usually means the highest fare. Tomorrow it is 119 CHF. The lowest fare is 52 CHF and the earliest such fare is on 30 December.