In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Germany
Konstanz
Give Konstanz 2 nights: one full day for the old town and harbour, one for a lake crossing or Reichenau. Skip it as a rushed Zurich add-on.
Konstanz sits on the German-Swiss border where the Rhine leaves Lake Constance, and its old town survived WWII intact. It is a compact, walkable base for the lake: boats, the car ferry to Meersburg, and Swiss trains from the station. Two nights covers the centre and one lake day; three lets you add Reichenau and Mainau. Prices run above the German average because Switzerland is a 10-minute walk away.
- Country
- Germany
- Best months
- May–Sep; Dec for the Christmas market
- Avoid
- Nov (grey, few events); peak-August weekends for hotel prices
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Card acceptance has improved but some bakeries, bars and small restaurants are still cash only.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telekom, Vodafone and O2 are the networks; Aldi Talk, Lidl Connect and congstar resell them cheaply in supermarkets and electronics shops.
- Emergency
- Fire and ambulance 112 · Police 110
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US devices need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Round up or add 5–10%; say the total you want to pay as you hand over money or card.; Bar and café: Round up to the nearest euro.; Taxi: Round up by €1–2.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night, optional.; Free walking tour: €10–15 per person.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere. Restaurants usually sell bottled water; fizzy (mit Kohlensäure) is the default, ask for 'still' or 'ohne'.
- Toilets
- Station toilets cost €0.50–1.50 (Rail&Fresh WC); restaurant toilets are for customers; the 'WC' at motorway rest stops takes coins and gives a voucher.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €3–4.50 |
| Döner kebab | €6–9 |
| Main dish in a mid-range restaurant | €16–24 |
| Beer, 0.5 l in a beer garden | €4.50–6 |
| Bus single ride / day ticket | €2.10 / €4.00 (check) |
| Bike rental, per day | €12 or less |
| Museum entry | €3–4; Sea Life about €16.50 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ZRH · Zurich Airport
- Direct train to Konstanz about once an hour, 1–1.5 h; the closest useful airport.
- FDH · Friedrichshafen Airport
- About 2 h by train; faster in summer via the catamaran from Friedrichshafen harbour.
- STR · Stuttgart Airport
- About 2.5–3 h by train.
Typical fares
- Zurich Airport → Konstanz, direct train
- about 1 h 20 min, hourly (check fare)
- Meersburg → Konstanz, car ferry
- 15 min, several times an hour (check fare)
- Konstanz → Friedrichshafen, catamaran
- about 1 h, hourly 06:00–19:00 (check fare)about 1 h, hourly 6:00 AM–7:00 PM (check fare)
Get around
The old town is pedestrian and walkable end to end in about 20 minutes. Buses cover the districts and the Hörnle beach; a single ride is about €2.10 and a day ticket about €4.00 (2026 estimate, check current fares). Bikes rent near the station for about €12 a day or less. Taxis wait at the Hauptbahnhof. Boats and the Meersburg car ferry leave from the harbour.
See and do
Known for
- Konstanz Minster and its tower view
- Imperia statue at the harbour
- Lake Constance boat and ferry links
- Niederburg old town lanes
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Meersburg | Car ferry from Konstanz harbour, 15 min, several times an hour | About 30 min |
| Reichenau | Bus or train to the island, then walk between the churches | About 45 min |
| Friedrichshafen | Catamaran from the harbour, about 1 h, hourly 06:00–19:00Catamaran from the harbour, about 1 h, hourly 6:00 AM–7:00 PM | About 1 h 15 min |
| Überlingen | Boat, about 1.5 h, or train with a change | 1.5–2 h |
| Stein am Rhein | Train with a change in Kreuzlingen/Schaffhausen, or boat down the Rhine | 1–2 h |
| Mainau flower island | Boat from the harbour, short crossing | About 30 min |
Sleep
- Old town (Altstadt) and Marktstätte
- Walk to everything; book early for summer weekends.
- Niederburg
- Quietest old-town lanes, 700-year-old houses, still central.
- Petershausen
- North of the Rhine, near the train station side; cheaper rooms, 10–15 min walk to the centre.
- Near the Hauptbahnhof
- Best for one-night stops and early trains to Zurich.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hallohallo |
| Thank you | Dankedanke |
| Please | Bittebitte |
| How much is it? | Wie viel kostet das?vee feel kostet das |
| Can I pay by card? | Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?kan ikh mit karte tsah-len |
| Where is the toilet? | Wo ist die Toilette?vo ist dee toy-let-te |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Firm handshake with eye contact; 'Guten Tag' or 'Hallo'; avoid: Hugs with people you have just met
- Names: Herr / Frau plus surname until invited to use first names; avoid: Using 'du' with officials or older strangers
- Punctuality: Arrive on time for tours, dinners and appointments; avoid: Being more than 5–10 minutes late without a message
- Queues and rules: Follow signs, wait at red lights, sort rubbish; avoid: Walking in cycle lanes
- Conversation: Direct and factual; people say what they mean; avoid: Taking directness as rudeness, or joking about the Nazi era
- Home visit: Bring flowers (odd number, not red roses) or wine; shoes off if the hosts do; avoid: Arriving early
- Paying: Say the total including tip as you pay; avoid: Leaving coins on the table and walking off
Scams and watch-outs
- Switzerland is a short walk away: carry your passport or ID, and expect Swiss prices in Kreuzlingen.
- Konstanz restaurants cost more than other German cities — budget roughly €2 extra per main dish.
- In summer, lakeside restaurants fill up in the evening; book or eat early.
- The Konzil building has been under restoration at times: check before planning a visit.
- The Meersburg car ferry runs through the night but thins to hourly after midnight.
Very safe for a city of its size. The real risks are pickpockets in the summer crowds at the harbour, bicycles in the pedestrian zone, and cold water in the Rhine and lake — swim near the Hörnle beach, not mid-river.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Konstanz yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Konstanz Minster and its tower view
- Imperia statue at the harbour
- Lake Constance boat and ferry links
- Niederburg old town lanes
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Konstanz official city and tourism site: www.konstanz.de/
- Bodensee Schifffahrt (lake boats): www.bsb.de/
- Wikivoyage: Konstanz, revision 5259758 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5259758
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Konstanz
Zu dieser Adresse, bitte
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Konstanz; the US and UK have consulates-general in Munich, most others in Berlin. Swiss border formalities apply in Kreuzlingen.
Switzerland is a short walk away: carry ID.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/konstanz). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.