Getting to Siegen by Bus and Train
Siegen, the county seat of the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, is located in the southeastern part of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and is easily accessible by bus and train.
In addition to a well-developed road network for cars and bicycles, Siegen’s transportation system consists of public transit—including trains, taxis, and buses. The hub of the system is Siegen Central Station—also known as “Siegen ZOB” (Central Bus Station). You can easily check train schedules using Deutsche Bahn’s (DB) travel information service. There are also several Flixbus routes to Siegen.
If you’re traveling to Siegen by train, we recommend theDeutschlandticket. For €63 per month, this ticket allows you to use public transportation throughout Germany for free (excluding ICE and IC trains).
The Deutschlandticket
can be purchased from various transport agencies or directly from Deutsche Bahn (see here). Please note that to purchase it from Deutsche Bahn, you’ll need a bank account with an IBAN and BIC, and it must be SEPA-compliant. Alternatively, you can purchase the ticket via this transit agency and its app using a credit card or PayPal. Enrolled doctoral students automatically receive a Germany Semester Ticket. Further information on how doctoral students can activate their ticket can be found here.
Traveling by Air
For those traveling to Germany by plane, there are four airports that aren't too far from Siegen.
Frankfurt am Main Airport is Germany’s largest commercial airport and the fifth-largest in Europe. There are several transportation options available for traveling from Frankfurt to Siegen.
The most affordable option is to take the bus. The Flixbus, for example, will take you to Siegen in just 2.5 hours. Tickets start at €11.89, and the bus runs two to three times a day.
Train tickets start at €17.90, though prices may vary depending on the route and travel date. Trains run several times a day and will take you to Siegen in 2–2.5 hours.
The fastest (1 hour 50 minutes) and also the most expensive way to get to Siegen is by taxi. There are also companies that specialize in transfer services from Frankfurt Airport. These companies offer more affordable rates compared to regular taxis.
Cologne/Bonn Airport is an international commercial airport located between Bonn (the former federal capital) and Cologne. Cologne/Bonn Airport is served by 23 airlines and was formerly authorized to handle landings by NASA space shuttles.
The fastest and easiest way to get from the airport to Siegen is by train, which takes about 1.5 hours. Tickets start at €12.90, and trains run once an hour, always at xx:18.
A taxi ride is considerably more expensive, but it takes only one hour to reach Siegen, traffic permitting.
Düsseldorf Airport is North Rhine-Westphalia’s largest airport, and a number of different international airlines fly from here to over 100 destinations. At 87 meters, DUS Airport also has the tallest airport control tower in Germany.
The train ride from Düsseldorf to Siegen takes about 2.5 hours, and tickets are available starting at €21.99.
Taking a taxi is also an option, though it’s considerably more expensive and not much, if at all, faster than taking the train.
Dortmund Airport is the third-largest airport in North Rhine-Westphalia and is located 10 km outside of Dortmund. It is situated in the eastern Rhine-Ruhr region, Germany’s largest metropolitan area.
The trip from Dortmund Airport to Siegen takes about 3 hours by train; tickets start at €22.39.
You can also take the Flixbus, but first you’ll need to take the airport shuttle (AirportExpress, 25 minutes nonstop, €10) to Dortmund Central Station, from where the Flixbus then departs for Siegen. The total travel time is about 2 hours.
The fastest—but also the most expensive—way to get to Siegen is by taxi (about 2 hours).
