Hahn is a hamlet in Rhineland Palatinate, Germany, best known for its international airport served by budget carriers. Though the airport is advertised as a way to get to Frankfurt, Hahn is actually about halfway between Frankfurt and Luxembourg—over 100 km from each.
Understand
Hahn is in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, about 100 km west of Frankfurt. The village of Hahn is somewhat overshadowed by its airport, Frankfurt-Hahn, used by many budget flights as an entry point to the region. The village is not easily reached from the airport by foot, since it is on the other side of the runway from the terminal. The hamlet next to the terminal building is Lautzenhausen.
While Hahn's main claim to fame is indeed the airport, its name is also somewhat funny to people who speak German, as Hahn is the German word for a rooster. Sadly unlike the towns of Dull and Boring, there are no efforts as of 2017 to have a town twinning with Chicken, Alaska.
Get in
By plane
- Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (IATA: HHN), 49.948333°, 7.264167°. This airport is a destination for low-cost airlines: the largest is Ryanair. For marketing reasons, the airport calls itself "Frankfurt-Hahn", even though it is closer to the centre of Luxembourg than the centre of the bustling city of Frankfurt more than 100 km away, around 90 minutes by bus! Unlike almost all major German airports, Hahn is not connected directly to the railway system. There has been talk of rebuilding a line that once went all the way to the airport, but this has been postponed numerous times due to budget problems. Don't hold your breath.
The modern (though basic) terminal has various shops and bars. There are a couple of hotels nearby. Several major car rental companies have outlets here.
Ryanair flies to numerous European destinations from the airport: London Stansted Airport and Riga in Latvia are examples.
By bus
See also: Intercity buses in Germany
The bus companies DB Rhein-Nahe Bus (dead link: January 2023), DB Rhein-Mosel (dead link: January 2023) and Flibco operate direct services to Hahn airport from cities in the region, including Frankfurt, Mainz, Luxembourg, Heidelberg, Koblenz, Trier, Metz, etc. Intermezoo Lines operates buses to/from Hahn and places in the Saarland including Saarbrücken. The operators, routes and timings change constantly so check the company's site for up-to-date listings. The official website of the airport keeps track of the buses, but in a somewhat non-intuitive manner. Click on the city name and you will get a pop up window with the line that serves said connection.
The bus from Frankfurt Airport can be full (as it goes from the centre of Frankfurt and makes a stop at Frankfurt Airport Terminal 1), especially when time is close to popular Ryanair flights to Italy. If you have big bags, the baggage compartment of your bus can be full, too. Allow plenty of time if going from Frankfurt airport to Hahn airport for a connecting flight. Frankfurt's main airport (IATA: FRA) and Frankfurt - Hahn are 2 hours apart.
By car
Hahn is located along the B-327, a short distance from the B-50/E-42 between Bernkastel-Kues and Kirchberg; a 30-km, 20-minute drive from the Rheinböllen junction of the A61.
With a good quality road from the A61, Hahn can be easier to reach from many parts of Germany than Frankfurt Airport, as there is less chance of major traffic congestion. There can be issues in the winter as, due to its position in the Hunsrück, there can be heavy snowfalls.
If you are just picking up or dropping off someone at the airport there is a covered parking area near the airport terminal at €4 an hour and an open one that is 5 minutes free. For long stay prices range from €39 to €59 a week. It is a little bit of a walk up hill from P2 and quite a hike from P3. P4 is further away and a little more expensive but has a shuttle bus to and from the terminal. In the winter make sure you are dressed for a walk outside and have snow and ice scrapers in the car and if you are fortunate to have one, program you car heater for just before your return.
By train
Traben-Trarbach is 9 km away and has a train station which allows for easy access to the rest of Germany. The reactivation of the railway line that used to connect to Hahn has been put off repeatedly and may well never come to fruition.
Get around
Both the airport and the hamlet of Hahn are small enough to allow you to walk everywhere.
See
There is an outside observation area on the first floor of the main terminal for plane spotters and those wanting to see people arriving across the apron.
Do
- Golf-Club Hahn e.V, Golf Allee 1/Gebäude 671, 49.945089°, 7.281271°, +49 6543 509560. 9 hole golf course
- Kartbahn Hunsrückring Hahn, Gebäude 1003, 49.959061°, 7.289747°, +49 6543 509950, hrh-racingteam@hunsrueckring.de. Summer: W-Su 10:00-19:00; winter: F-Su from 10:00; closed during January. Go-karting
Buy
Eat
The airport has a number of fast-food options plus a reasonable restaurant land side. For better selection of restaurants the nearby village of Sohren has a few more options.
- Bohr-Insel, An der Kreisstraße 2, Lautzenhausen, 49.931009°, 7.277046°, +49 6543 501943.
- Buena Vista Hawks, Gebäude (building) 1411, 49.934829°, 7.26638°, +49 6543 980330.
Drink
No liquids may be carried past security control in containers larger than 100 ml, so your options are either to bring in an empty bottle or buy drinks airside. There are two convenience-goods kiosks selling drinks (inter alia), two cafes, a bakery and a McDonald's at the airport.
Sleep
- B&B Hotel Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, 49.945255°, 7.270024°, +49 6543 81800.
- Landhotel Airport Inn, Buechenbeurener Street 11, Lautzenhausen (10 mins. walk from airport building), 49.936873°, 7.274321°, +49 6543 504510.
Go next
- Bacharach in the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is less than 50 km drive.
- Mainz the historic city and state capital of Rhineland-Palatinate.
- Trier the oldest city in Germany with a number of Roman remains, in the Moselle Valley.
- Deutsches Eck, Koblenz where the Mosel River meets the Rhine River.
- Kröv, 27 km (30 minutes driving) away, is the site of the grave of Baldur von Schirach, head of the Hitler Youth from 1931 to 1940.