In addition to having the busiest train station, Frankfurt also boasts one of the busiest airports in Europe. Virtually all of the world's major airlines use the Frankfurt Airport (Fraport) and maintain a counter and office there. The Frankfurt Airport seems to be in a constant state of construction and expansion. Indeed, over the past few years, the facility has undergone a major refurbishment that today makes it more attractive and more efficient for both regular passengers and business travelers. Sparkling high-end shops can now be found across from souvenir and sundries shops. Eateries to suit various tastes are spread all around the terminals, as are numerous cafés, bars and even a Hooters. There is also a post office with late and early opening hours, a raft of bank counters for exchanging money and for carrying out basic transactions, and a last-minute travel market. One of the best kept secrets is the Tegut Supermarket (Terminal 1, Area C, Level 1), which offers reasonably priced foodstuffs. The latest Fraport project is a super-sleek hotel that sits atop the high-speed rail terminal. The Frankfurt Airport has two terminals. Terminal 1 is dominated by Lufthansa and the airlines in the Star Alliance. Terminal 2, with its ultra-modern architecture, hosts many international carriers and features an excellent visitors terrace for plane spotters. The two terminals are connected via an elevated tram. To save yourself some time and possible aggravation, be sure to ask your travel agent to write your departure terminal on your ticket envelope so that you know which building to go to before you begin your trip to the airport. You can also check this online at www.frankfurt-airport.de Parking at the airport terminal can be expensive: 4 euros an hour, 25 euros per day. But you can save up to 53% on the weekly rates if you book ahead of time over the website, or if you choose to park in an outlying lot and take advantage of shuttle bus service.
If you don't have access to a car, you can get to and from the airport a number of ways. Three S-Bahn lines run to the airport. One of them, the S21, runs only between the main train station (Frankfurter Hauptbahnhof) and the airport (Frankfurter Flughafen). You can catch this S-Bahn on the airport's upper level, where all the long-distance trains operate. The other S-Bahns going to the airport (S8 and S9) can be boarded at any of the many stops along these lines. The high-speed rail station that serves DB (Deutsche Bundesbahn) trains traveling throughout Germany can be very convenient if you or your visitors are coming from, or traveling to, a distant location. Catch these trains at the upper level of the main train station in Frankfurt or at the ICE train station at the airport. There are also buses that travel from various points in the Rhein-Main area directly to the airport. Plus, Lufthansa ticket-holders can avail themselves of the Airport Bus, which takes you to Heidelberg and Strasbourg. You can catch this Airport Bus at Terminal 1. Of course, if you're not on a tight budget, you can just take a taxi, which is generally the fastest way to the Frankfurt Airport - except during heavy rush hours. The average fare from the airport to downtown Frankfurt is about 40 euros.

(Photo: Fraport AG)