Sascha Faber, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Aachen

Charlemagne's cathedral and hot springs

Aachen is a city on the Belgian and Dutch border that Charlemagne made his main residence around the year 800. His Palatine Chapel is now the core of Aachen Cathedral, which holds his marble throne and a golden shrine and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Around it are a compact old town, a town hall on the site of his palace, fountains with warm spring water and bakeries selling Printen, a local spiced gingerbread. A large technical university gives the city a young feel. Cologne is under an hour away by train, so Aachen works as a day trip or as a stop between Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

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City in Germany

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$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

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Safety: 8.2

General Safety:	8
Health & medical:	9
Accessibility:	7
Tap water:	9

Read details

4/5

English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions. Most signage and info are in English, especially around the university and main sights. Older locals may prefer German, but you’ll get by easily.

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Last update: 22 Oct 2026

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Aachen Summary

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Strong in historic architecture and thermal baths. Visit the famous cathedral, explore medieval streets, relax in spa complexes and enjoy cafés around lively squares.

Place score

7.2

Best at:

Historic sites

Walkable

Religious sites

Cycling

Festivals

Personal score

Suited for

👶 8

Families

🧓 8

Seniors

🛡️ 9

Travel Beginners

🐕 9

With dogs

Germany – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	230 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type C , Type F Type C: Type F: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Euro (EUR) £1 ≈ €1.19
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cards are widely accepted, especially in urban areas, but small establishments may prefer cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is common in restaurants, typically 5-10%. For taxis, it is customary to round up to the nearest euro. Tipping in cash is more common than adding it to card payments.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is allowed in most parts of Germany, especially in beer gardens and public events, but some local regulations may restrict it in specific areas.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited indoors in public places such as restaurants, trains, and buses. Designated smoking areas are available outside many buildings.

Oktoberfest (September)	Huge crowds in Munich. Expect high hotel rates and crowded transport.
Christmas (December)	Christmas markets are popular, expect crowded cities and higher prices.
Labour Day (May)	Many shops are closed, and there are celebrations throughout the country.

Emergency contact:	Police: 110, Emergency Number: 112 (Fire, Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, Free Now, myTaxi
Other:	Germany is well-equipped for tourists, with good public transport and high-quality facilities. However, be prepared for language barriers in some rural areas.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Aachen, Germany

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Feb

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Mar

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Apr

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May

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Jun

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Jul

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Aug

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Sep

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Oct

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Nov

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Dec

High season:	June - Aug., Dec.
Shoulder season:	April - May, Sep. - Oct.
Crowdedness:	5 (Moderate tourist numbers)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Aachen Christmas Market runs from late November to 23 December, the main reason for winter visits

CHIO Aachen, the world's biggest equestrian show, takes place in July; hotels fill up and prices rise

Don't miss

⛪ Visit Aachen Cathedral, Charlemagne's royal chapel
🏺 Explore the Aachen Cathedral Treasury's medieval treasures
🏛️ Tour the historic Aachen Town Hall and its frescoes
💧 Relax at Elisenbrunnen and taste famous mineral water
🛍️ Walk through Aachen's lively Marktplatz and markets
🖼️ Discover modern art at Ludwig Forum for International Art

You've been here?

Why travel to Aachen?

Aachen Cathedral is the reason most visitors come. It began as the Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne and its octagonal core dates from around the year 800. Inside, the upper gallery has his marble throne, which is usually seen on a guided tour. The cathedral treasury holds goldwork from the Carolingian period and later. It was inscribed in the first years of the UNESCO list. The old town around the cathedral is small and mostly pedestrian. The Rathaus is built on the foundations of Charlemagne's palace and faces the market square with its fountain. Warm spring water has made Aachen a spa town since Roman times. Visitors can taste the water at the Elisenbrunnen colonnade or soak at the Carolus Thermen spa. Beyond the sights the city has its own food tradition, with Printen as the best-known treat. The university gives it a lively student scene and the Christmas market in the old town draws visitors in December. The city is a good base for crossing into the Netherlands or Belgium, with Maastricht and Liège both within a short train ride. One day covers the cathedral, the old town and a spa visit. A second day leaves room for the border region.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Aachen Cathedral
2 Ponttor
3 Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum
4 Aachen Town Hall
5 Elisenbrunnen
6 Carolus Thermen
7 RWTH Aachen University

🎡Places for activities

1 Couven-Museum
2 Theater Aachen
3 Centre Charlemagne
4 Burg Frankenberg

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 GrenzRouten: Dreiländerpunkt;Grenzlinie Neutral-Moresnet 1815-1919
2 Wandern im Aachener Wald
3 Westpark
4 Wurm
5 Kaiser-Friedrich-Park
6 Stadtgarten

🛍️Shopping

1 Galeria Kaufhof
2 Aquis Plaza
3 Der Printen Graf
4 Elisengalerie

🎈Events

Aachen Christmas Market
CHIO Equestrian Festival
Aachen September Special
Karneval (Carnival)
RWTH University events
Aachen Jazz Festival
European Heritage Days
Spring Fair
Wine Festival
Open-air concerts at Katschhof

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Use one of five Park and Ride lots and take the bus.
Night express buses run at weekends and on holidays from Elisenbrunnen at 01:30, 02:30 and 03:30.
Maastricht in the Netherlands is reachable by RE18 train or bus line 350 for a day trip.
The tripoint where Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands meet is on the Vaalserberg just outside Aachen.

How to travel to Aachen

Trains are the easiest way to reach Aachen. The main station is served by ICE trains from Cologne and Brussels and the fastest ICE from Cologne takes about 36 minutes, with about 60 connections a day. RE18 trains run directly via Heerlen to Maastricht in the Netherlands and bus line 350 also goes there. The closest airport is Maastricht Aachen Airport, about 27 km away. Liège Airport is about 60 km away and Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) about 85 km. Düsseldorf Airport (DUS) is about 99 km away and Brussels Airport about 140 km. Trains from Cologne and Brussels are the usual onward connection. By car, the A4 comes in from Cologne and the A44 from Düsseldorf, with the border to Belgium and the Netherlands only a few minutes away. The city is easy to reach by car and has many car parks.

Access summary

From Düsseldorf Airport (DUS): Direct/connecting trains to Aachen about 1.5–2 h.
From Cologne (Köln): Frequent direct trains to Aachen about 35–60 min.
From Brussels: High-speed and regional trains to Aachen roughly 1–1.5 h.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Aachen

Most visitors stay in the old town or just inside the Alleenring, where hotels of all sizes are within walking distance of the cathedral, the Elisenbrunnen and the shopping streets. The area around the main station has chain hotels and is the most convenient choice if you arrive by train. Boutique hotels and guesthouses are scattered through the old town and the quieter districts to the south. The Carolus Thermen spa has hotels close by, which suits you if a spa visit is the main plan. Holiday apartments are available in the centre and near the university. Rooms fill up during the Christmas market in late November and December and during the big horse show (CHIO) in July. Weekdays are busy with business and university visitors. Because Cologne and Maastricht are close by train, staying there is an option if Aachen is full.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

a&o Aachen Hauptbahnhof

8.0

Novotel Aachen City Hotel

8.5

Leonardo Hotel Aachen

8.4

INNSiDE Aachen

8.7

Mercure Hotel Aachen Am Dom

8.9

Hampton by Hilton Aachen Tivoli

8.4

ibis Aachen Marschiertor - Aix la Chapelle

8.5

Aquis Grana City Hotel

8.6

Best Western Plus Hotel Regence

8.9

Art Hotel Superior

8.4

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Aachen

The old town is compact and sits inside a ring road called the Alleenring. Walking from the Alleenring to the cathedral takes 10 to 15 minutes while the main station is on the edge of the centre. Buses cover the outer districts and the university.

Walking:
The cathedral, the Rathaus, the Elisenbrunnen and most museums and cafés are within a few minutes of each other. The streets are mostly paved with stones and some are on a slope.

Buses:
ASEAG runs the city buses. The Naveo app shows connections and sells tickets while the movA app also covers e-scooters, hire e-bikes and car sharing. Late night buses run at weekends.

Trains:
The euregiobahn trains link the city with nearby towns and Aachen West, Schanz and Rothe Erde stations serve areas near the centre and the east.

Car:
A car isn't needed for the sights. The city has many car parks and five Park and Ride lots with bus connections to the Alleenring.

Food in Aachen

Food in Aachen is Rhenish and also shaped by the Belgian and Dutch border, so you find hearty German dishes, Belgian-style chips and waffles and a good number of international restaurants. Bakeries, cafés and supermarkets in the centre make self-catering easy. Vegetarian dishes are common in cafés and less so in traditional taverns.

Printen:
A hard, spiced gingerbread, sold plain or covered in chocolate. The name Aachener Printen is protected and bakeries and shops in the old town sell it in boxes.

Reisfladen:
A tart with a sweet rice filling, a traditional cake in Aachen and the Rhineland. Many bakeries sell it by the slice.

Sauerbraten:
Rhenish Sauerbraten is beef marinated for days in vinegar and spices, usually served with red cabbage and dumplings. The sauce often has raisins in it.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-7 %

Daily expenses in Aachen are around 7% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-3 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to EUR) is 3% better than in recent years. That means travelling now costs around the same compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£58	£123	£331
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£19	£49	£113
🍝 Food per day	£28	£61	£174
🚕 Transportation per day	£12	£13	£44

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£25
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£12.50
🍟 Fast food combo	£9
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£9.50
☕ Cappuccino	£2.90
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£3.60

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£3
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£26
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£1.50

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£12.50
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£50
🤧 Cold medication	£6
💇 Basic haircut	£14

Safety information overview

General safety

Aachen is very safe for visitors. Pickpockets can operate in crowds at the Christmas market and around the main station. Streets around the station and some parts of the centre can feel rougher late at night. Bike theft is common, so use a good lock.

Health & Medical

Medical care is excellent, with a large university hospital and several other clinics in the city and pharmacies throughout the centre. No special vaccinations are needed for a visit. The emergency number is 112 and it works across the EU.

Accessibility

The old town is compact but has cobblestones and some slopes. Buses and the main station are mostly step-free. Historic buildings and the cathedral gallery have stairs, while the Elisenbrunnen and the main squares are flat and easy to reach.

Tap water

Tap water in Aachen is safe to drink and monitored under strict German rules. It's moderately hard, which leaves limescale but doesn't affect safety. Restaurants usually serve bottled water, so ask for tap water if you prefer it.