Germany’s financial hub – Frankfurt business travel guide

Frankfurt is a global financial hub marked by its numerous skyscrapers (some of the only skyscrapers in all of Germany) and is a cultural gem in Germany. This business travel destination offers a unique blend of modernity and history, with a reputation as being a hub for finance, trade and culture. Thanks to Frankfurt being a main hub for Lufthansa, it’s incredibly accessible for business travelers coming by plane.

So now it’s time for you to travel to Frankfurt on business, find out where to get started? 

Frankfurt global financial hub 

Frankfurt is a finance hub thanks to being home to the European Central Bank, many major financial institutions, and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Nestled in southwest Germany, this international business city is known for its position in the international banking industry, serving as a hub to connect with other areas in Germany.

Host to international conferences and events

Frankfurt also serves as a popular destination for international trade fairs, conferences and smaller meetings and events, hosting as many as 60,000 conferences and meetings each year and with 25% of people visiting Frankfurt to go to a conference. The city also hosts large scale events at the Messe Frankfurt, with more than 40 congresses and events held each year in 11 halls. Frankfurt also hosts the large international event, IMEX at the Messe. 

Top places for events

There are many unique venues in Frankfurt to host meetings and events, such as the Alte Oper Concert Hall, a 19th century building that includes a “Great Hall”, one of the most famous venues for meetings and events in Europe. The smaller hall, known as the Mozart Hall, is used more for performances. 

Another popular venue is Romer City Hall, which is also a popular place for tourists due to the large concentration of museums located there, and where many meetings and special events are hosted.

Getting to and around Frankfurt

Nearly 54 million passengers pass through the airport each year thanks to Frankfurt being an important airline hub and place for business travel and tourists.

Traveling to Frankfurt by plane

Flughafen Frankfurt am Main (FRA) is the city’s main airport, and without a doubt one of the busiest in all of Europe. Frankfurt is also well set up for business travelers having its own train station inside the airport, which connects the airport to the city center. The airport is located just 12 kilometers southwest from the city center.

Traveling by train and underground

Traveling by train to Frankfurt is a great idea. Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof train station is well connected with different European cities, featuring high-speed trains that connect with major cities like Paris and Amsterdam. There is a high-speed train (InterCityExpress), which makes travel to and from Frankfurt quite easy. The Rhine-Main S-Bahn are the suburban trains that connect Frankfurt with other surrounding regions and areas. 

Frankfurt’s U-Bahn is one of the best way to get around the city with lines ranging from U1 to U9, and the central hub being at Hauptwache. Business travelers can choose a daily or weekly pass (or even monthly) depending on how long they plan on staying.

Other ways to get around the city

Bicycles are a great way to get around the city thanks to the designated bike lanes and bike-sharing services. With a compact city center, you can easily walk around and explore by foot or access the main business hubs of Altstadt and Innenstadt.

Business culture and etiquette in Frankfurt

Being a financial hub and center for finance, the business environment tends to be more formal. Unlike other European cities, it is common to wear a suit and tie. When you greet business colleagues or potential clients, a handshake is the most appropriate greeting. Professionals will likely address each other using titles and last names, rarely using first names until a more informal relationship is established. 

Make sure you arrive on time to meetings, and are equipped with your business card that also includes your academic qualifications (BA, MA, etc.) as education is important for German business culture. Germans tend to be efficient in meetings and during the work day, but also like their time to disconnect and decompress. This is why it’s a good idea to grab some drinks after work to get to know your clients and colleagues in a more informal setting.

Hotels in Frankfurt: Where to stay

The main business district is Frankfurt am Main where you will find a range of hotels. The city has more than 200 hotels and is home to many of the popular chains such as The Westin, the Hilton and the Radisson, among others. 

Other helpful tips

Germans are generally quite fluent in English, but it can be extra helpful for business to learn a bit of basic German. Some words you might want to learn are:

Weather in Frankfurt

Be sure to bring a coat no matter when you travel to Frankfurt because weather never gets too hot, with average temperatures in the summer being around 23 degrees celsius (73 degrees F) and in the winter temperatures can drop to 3 degrees celsius (37.4 F).

Bleisure time

If you have a little extra time to add on to your trip and you want to mix business with pleasure (bleisure), or you are simply looking for something to do in the evenings, Frankfurt is home to 50 museums, lots of art galleries and theaters. Check out Römerberg square with the Römer City Hall and Cathedral, and then head over to Museum Embankment where you will find the famous Städel Art Institute and Municipal Gallery, as well as a variety of exhibitions. Also, don’t miss the Palmengarten botanical gardens. 

If instead you want to do some shopping, you can visit the Zeil pedestrian street and the outdoor market. If you are looking for high-end stores, then head to Goethestrasse. Parallel to Goethestrasse you will find Kalbacherstrasse, where there are casual cafes, restaurants and tourist shops. 

Dining

Since Frankfurt is such an international city, you will find a lot of diversity in the culinary offer. There are Michelin-starred restaurants and other international specialities from some of the 180 different nationalities calling Frankfurt home. The city offers a range of selections for power lunches or business dinners with a wide variety of rooftop bars and restaurants. Those looking to indulge in local cuisine can go to one of the city’s many traditional apple wine pubs.