Heidelberg is a fantastic home base for exploring the Rhine-Neckar region of Germany and beyond! Here are the best day trips from Heidelberg that take 90 minutes or less to reach by train. No rental car needed!
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A Note From Claire…
Heidelberg’s central location within the Rhine-Neckar Triangle makes it the perfect starting point for exploring some of the prettiest and most famous cities in the region. But if I’m going to leave gorgeous Heidelberg on a day trip, it needs to be worth my time!
When I plan my day trips, I look for places that are easily accessible by train (i.e. maximum 1 transfer), have enough attractions to keep me occupied for a whole day, and take 90 minutes or less to reach. I used these exact parameters when compiling this list of Heidelberg day trips and every destination has been personally visited and vetted by me.
After you’ve seen the main attractions in the Old Town, hop on the train to visit one of these stunning day trip destinations!
Happy exploring! ~Claire
PS. Heidelberg is a stop along two scenic routes, the Burgenstraße (Castle Road) and the Bergstraße (Mountain Road). If you’re planning a longer trip through Germany and plan on making Heidelberg one of your stops, consider adding other destination from one of these historic routes to your itinerary!
Purchasing Your Train Tickets (3 Options!)
Option 1: Purchasing Tickets Day Of
If your day trip was planned at the last minute or you prefer a more flexible itinerary, you can always book train tickets day-of using the Deutsche Bahn Navigator app (my preference) or at one of the train station’s ticket machines.
To get a rough idea of what your ticket will cost, check the available connections a month before your trip to Heidelberg. Note that regional RE / RB train tickets tend to cost roughly the same no matter when you book them, but that high-speed IC / ICE trains are almost always more expensive when purchased at the last minute.
If purchasing day passes for the local public transportation network (that includes buses, trams, and S-Bahn), you’re fine to do that day-of, too!
Option 2: Germany Ticket (D-Ticket)
Travelers who will be taking multiple day trips from Heidelberg or exploring Germany for more than a week might find it more cost effective to purchase a Germany Ticket.
It costs €63 and lets you ride any regional RE / RB train as well as all public transportation within the country. You don’t need to purchase individual tickets to ride the regional trains, just walk on and have your Germany Ticket ready for inspection!
You can buy this special ticket through the D-Ticket Shop. Select the month you’ll need the ticket for, and make sure to check “Single Ticket Only” at the bottom of the screen to ensure your subscription doesn’t automatically renew for a second month.
Option 3: Baden-Württemberg Ticket
This regional ticket costs €27 for groups up to 5 people and grants you access to the entire regional RE / RB train network plus all forms of public transportation (trams, buses, U- and S-Bahn) within the state of Baden-Württemberg, for 1 day. This type of ticket does NOT cover the high-speed IC / ICE trains.
Of the day trip destinations mentioned in this guide, a Baden-Württemberg ticket can only be used if traveling from Heidelberg to Stuttgart. I figured I’d mention it though since you might have other day trips planned!
Mannheim
Travel time by train: 16 minutes via S-Bahn (public transportation)
Mannheim and Heidelberg are only 15 minutes away via train, but the two cities couldn’t be more different!
Mannheim is incredibly industrial and the city center has been divided into a strict grid system. Instead of giving an exact address for a place, you simply look up the quadrant it’s in on the map (A1, A2, B1, B2, etc.) — that’s how Mannheim got its nickname, “Square City!”
The main attractions within Mannheim are the Baroque Palace and the Jesuit Church. The palace is primarily used as a university building these days, but one wing has been restored and can be toured with an audio guide. The Jesuit Church is a quick walk from the palace and is absolutely stunning. It’s a Baroque church that’s very light and airy inside, with painted panels meant to look like green and red stone.
Neckarsteinach
Travel time by train: 20 minutes via S-Bahn (public transportation)
A stone’s throw from Heidelberg you’ll find the quaint town of Neckarsteinach. As the name suggests, the town was also built on the banks of the Neckar River, so incredible views are guaranteed.
Neckarsteinach is a popular day trip from Heidelberg because it boasts four medieval castle ruins. The best way to see all four castles in a day is to hike the popular “Four Castles Route,” which is a moderately easy loop trail that takes roughly 4.5 hours to complete.
The town itself is quite small and is not “day trip worthy,” in my humble opinion. If you want to see the medieval castles but hiking is not an option for you, consider booking this 3-hour river cruise from Heidelberg to Neckarsteinach instead. The Neckar Valley is unbelievably beautiful from the water, and you’ll still get to see all of the castles (albeit from a distance).
Heppenheim an der Bergstraße
Travel time by train: 35 minutes via RB train
Heppenheim is one of the prettiest German towns you’ve never heard of! Like Heidelberg, Heppenheim is a stop along the Bergstraße, a former Roman trading route.
If half-timbered buildings, picturesque vineyards, and medieval fortresses are your thing, you’re going to love this Heidelberg day trip destination!
There are several fantastic things to do in Heppenheim, but the can’t-miss attractions are Starkenburg Castle (you get an epic view of the Old Town as you walk the vineyard-covered hill up to the old fortress!) and St. Peter’s Church (nicknamed the “Cathedral of the Bergstraße” because it’s massive).
Stuttgart
Travel time by train: 40 – 45 minutes via IC / ICE train
If you live and breathe luxury cars, Stuttgart is a must visit! It’s nicknamed “the cradle of the automobile” and is home to Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.
On your day trip, definitely visit either the Mercedes-Benz Museum or the Porsche Museum. I also think the view from Eugensplatz is phenomenal, and the area around the Schlossplatz is nice to walk around on foot.
Schwetzingen Palace
Travel time by train: 45 minutes via bus
A short bus ride from Heidelberg you’ll find the former summer residence of the Electoral Princes, Schwetzingen Palace. It’s called the “Versailles of the Palatinate,” due to its sprawling footprint, soaring Baroque architecture, and extensive gardens.
You can spend nearly the entire day exploring the palace (which is only accessible on a guided tour, FYI) and its gardens. I actually think the gardens are better than the palace! Hidden within its maze-like network of trails are a temple dedicated to Apollo, a bath house, a Turkish garden, a mosque, a lake, and canals.
I’m sure I’ve missed something, but you get the picture! Since the gardens are so spectacular, I recommend visiting sometime from late spring through early fall.
Speyer
Travel time by train: 50 minutes via S-Bahn (public transportation)
Speyer might be small, but it’s one of the most historically significant cities in Germany. It’s one the “ShUM Cities” (Mainz and Worms are the others) and was a center for Ashkenazi Jewish life in medieval Europe.
Of the three cities I just mentioned, Speyer was the last I visited and it wound up having the most preserved Jewish historic sites of the bunch. A visit to the Judenhof (Jewish Courtyard) is an absolute must! You’ll get to see the remains of the medieval synagogue as well as walk down into the preserved mikveh (ritual women’s bath).
You’ll also have time to see the Speyer Cathedral, which is the largest Romanesque church in Europe, and visit the famous Technik Museum. I normally don’t give a hoot about technology museums, but Speyer’s blew my mind. Just to give you a taste of what to expect, they have entire Lufthansa airplanes suspended multiple stories in the air that you can climb up to and walk around!
Frankfurt am Main
Travel time by train: 55 minutes via ICE train or 1 hour 20 minutes via RB train
Frankfurt gets hate online because the area directly surrounding the main train station is SKETCHY. But so long as you use the public transportation system to travel from the central station to the beautifully reconstructed Old Town, you’re golden.
On a day trip to Frankfurt, be sure to check out the main attractions in the Old Town. Hands down the prettiest part of the entire city is the Römerberg with its colorful half-timbered buildings and 15th century town hall.
I also think admiring the view of the downtown skyline from the Eiserner Steg footbridge is a must, as is a visit to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s birthplace.
Mainz
Travel time by train: 55 minutes via IC / ICE train
If you’re familiar with the life of the printer Johannes Gutenberg, chances are good that you’ve heard of Mainz. Gutenberg was the inventor of the printing press and was born here. The Gutenberg Museum has two (!!!) original Gutenberg bibles on display, plus lots of other books and printing presses that walk you through the history of the printed word in Europe.
Other highlights of a day trip to Mainz include a walk through the Old Town and a visit to St. Martin’s Cathedral. You should also keep an eye out for the gnome-like Mainzelmännchen in the crosswalk lights! The Mainzelmännchen were popular cartoon characters from the area, and they add a touch of whimsy to the everyday crosswalk lights.
If you’d like your day planned for you, be sure to follow my go-to Mainz day trip itinerary!
Worms
Travel time by train: 55 minutes via S-Bahn (public transportation; 1 transfer)
Worms has a fascinating history stretching back hundreds of years. Like Mainz and Speyer, it has one of the oldest Jewish communities in Europe.
During your day trip, I highly recommend visiting the Jewish Cemetery “Holy Sand.” It’s the oldest Jewish cemetery in Europe, with the oldest gravestone within the cemetery dating from 1058 AD. The cemetery is free to enter and is just across the street from a section of the surviving medieval city wall of Worms.
I also suggest visiting Worms’ cathedral — another Romanesque behemoth that will take your breath away — and seeing the Luther monument. It’s the world’s largest monument to the famous Reformer, and the reason it’s here is because Martin Luther refused to renounce his 95 Theses at the Diet of Worms in 1521. He was declared an outlaw, yet the Reformation only spread further after the Diet finished.
Wiesbaden
Travel time by train: 1 hour 20 minutes via IC / ICE train + S-Bahn (1 transfer)
Any time you see a German city with the suffix “-baden,” chances are very high that it has hot springs — and Wiesbaden is no exception! This lovely red-brick city has 26 natural thermal springs, making it a particularly good day trip in the fall and winter.
Other favorite things to do in Wiesbaden include visiting the GORGEOUS Market Church (it’s seriously breathtaking), eating cake at Germany’s oldest Viennese-style cafe, and walking up the Neroberg hill for a fabulous view.
Freiburg im Breisgau
Travel time by train: 90 minutes via FlixTrain train
I did my study abroad semester in Freiburg many moons ago (don’t ask how many, I’ll never tell!) and it’s been one of my favorite places in Germany ever since. It’s a beautiful university city in the heart of the Black Forest that’s known for its laid-back vibe, pretty Old Town, and proximity to amazing hiking trails.
If you’re in Freiburg for just a day, I suggest seeing the Münster (i.e. the cathedral), visiting the Augustiner Museum (amazing artwork displayed in a rebuilt monastery), and eating lunch at the Münstermarkt (a daily market that has THE BEST produce, cheeses, wines, and meats). Freiburg’s local sausage is the “Lange Rote” — it’s the perfect budget-friendly lunch!
Claire’s Tip: Getting from Heidelberg to Freiburg by train can sometimes take longer than the 90-minute travel time listed above; when there’s work on the tracks the high-speed trains have to be rerouted. Check the travel times before your visit so you’re not surprised!
Enjoy Your Day Trip!
There are many more amazing places to visit near Heidelberg, but these are the ones I’ve personally visited and loved. If you’re planning a trip to Heidelberg, know that you can explore the region very easily by train, so don’t feel like you have to spend money on a rental car to see the best that the Rhine-Neckar region has to offer!
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