The Bonn Stadtbahn is a light rail and public transport system serving Bonn, the surrounding Rhein-Sieg district, and parts of Cologne through two interurban lines. Depending on the time of day, four to six lines operate across the network. It is closely linked with the Cologne Stadtbahn, and together the systems are often referred to as the Stadtbahn Rhein-Sieg. Bonn also has a separate tramway network with three lines, and some route sections are shared. The full network totals 125.36 km (77.90 miles), including 95.84 km (59.55 miles) of Stadtbahn and 29.52 km (18.34 miles) of trams. Of the Stadtbahn system, 8.72 km (5.42 miles) run underground, with 12 underground stations. The busiest route is line 66, carrying around 56,000 passengers a day.
| Key | Information |
|---|---|
| System | Bonn Stadtbahn, part of public transport in Bonn, Rhein-Sieg-Kreis, and Cologne |
| Lines in service | Four regular lines, plus two peak-hour lines depending on time of day |
| Regional integration | Connected with the Cologne Stadtbahn via lines 16 and 18 |
| Network length | 125.36 km (77.90 miles) total; 95.84 km (59.55 miles) Stadtbahn and 29.52 km (18.34 miles) tramway |
| Underground section | 8.72 km (5.42 miles) |
| Underground stations | 12 |
| Busiest line | Line 66, about 56,000 passengers daily |
| Fare system | VRS tariff system |
Bonn Metro Map
A visual representation of the Bonn Metro network, showing all lines and stations, can greatly assist passengers in planning their journeys and understanding the system’s layout. Click on the map to enlarge it or download the Bonn Metro map in PDF format.
Lines and Stations
The Bonn Stadtbahn network has six lines in total. Four run on a regular schedule, while two operate only in peak hours. Lines 16 and 18 are coordinated with the Cologne Stadtbahn and use Cologne line numbering. The route network covers 95.84 km (59.55 miles), with 64 stations and stops in Bonn itself and 17 more in Rhein-Sieg-Kreis.
Underground infrastructure is a key part of the system. A total of 8.72 km (5.42 miles) of the Stadtbahn runs below ground, and 12 stations are underground. Much of the network follows former tram and heavy rail alignments rebuilt for city transport, while the only fully new section is the Südbrücke connection used by lines 66 and 68 on southbound trips from Bonn Hauptbahnhof.
Lines
| Station | Details |
|---|---|
| Line 16 | Köln-Niehl-Sebastianstraße – Köln Hauptbahnhof – Rheinuferbahn – Bonn Hauptbahnhof – Stammstrecke – Bad Godesberg. Operated in cooperation with Cologne Stadtbahn. |
| Line 18 | Köln-Thielenbruch – Köln Hauptbahnhof – Brühl – Vorgebirgsbahn – Bonn Hauptbahnhof. Operated in cooperation with Cologne Stadtbahn. |
| Line 63 | Tannenbusch – Rheinuferbahn – Bonn Hauptbahnhof – Stammstrecke – Bad Godesberg. |
| Line 66 | Siegburg – Sankt Augustin – Bonn Hauptbahnhof – Stammstrecke – Südbrücke – Siebengebirgsbahn – Bad Honnef. |
| Line 67 | Siegburg – Sankt Augustin – Bonn Hauptbahnhof – Stammstrecke – Bad Godesberg. Peak line on school days, mornings only. |
| Line 68 | Bornheim – Vorgebirgsbahn – Bonn Hauptbahnhof – Stammstrecke – Südbrücke – Ramersdorf. Peak line with limited weekday service; at weekends it terminates at Bonn Hbf. |
Key stations and junctions
The Stammstrecke, or trunk route, is the central shared section between Bonn Hauptbahnhof and Olof-Palme-Allee. All Stadtbahn lines except line 18 use it, while tram lines do not. Most of this route runs through a tunnel between Hauptbahnhof and Heussallee/Museumsmeile.
Other important stations and junctions include Robert-Schuman-Platz, Rheinaue, and Ramersdorf. Ramersdorf is a three-track underground junction where the Südbrücke route meets the Siebengebirgsbahn. Southbound service continues toward Oberkassel, while the routes toward Beuel split north of the station.
Other key route sections include the Siegburger Bahn, which links Bonn with Siegburg and gained importance after the opening of Siegburg/Bonn ICE station, the Siebengebirgsbahn along the Rhine toward Königswinter and Bad Honnef, and the Vorgebirgsbahn used by line 18. If you are looking for a stations map or stations list, these are the names that matter most for route planning.
Operating Hours and Frequency
The Bonn Stadtbahn operates on a fixed daily timetable from about 4:30 a.m. to about 2:00 a.m. These are the usual operating hours, opening hours, and working hours across the system, though exact opening times, timings today, and closing time can vary by line and day. In practice, the last train depends on the specific route timetable.
| Service detail | Timings |
|---|---|
| Network operating hours | Around 4:30 a.m. to around 2:00 a.m. daily |
| Regular daytime frequency | Usually every 10 minutes on core services |
| Night service frequency | Typically every 20 minutes |
| Weekday service | Most frequent during the day; lower frequency in early mornings and evenings |
| Saturday, Sunday, and public holiday schedule | Some lines run on different timetable patterns |
| Line 67 | Weekdays only, mornings, school days, every 10 minutes |
Here is a quick train schedule overview by line:
- Line 16: every 10 minutes until 8:00 p.m., then every 15 minutes; every 15 minutes on Saturdays; every 30 minutes on Sundays and public holidays until 11:00 a.m., then every 15 minutes.
- Line 18: every 20 minutes on weekdays; every 30 minutes during the day and every 60 minutes at night on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
- Line 63: every 10 minutes Monday to Friday until 8:00 p.m., then every 15 minutes; every 15 minutes on Saturdays and every 30 minutes on Sundays and public holidays.
- Line 66: every 20 minutes from starting time until 8:00 p.m., then every 30 minutes; every 30 minutes on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
- Line 67: weekdays only, every 10 minutes.
- Line 68: every 20 minutes, changing to every 30 minutes on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
Because several lines overlap in central Bonn, the combined frequency is better than it may look from a single route plan. On the busiest shared sections, waiting time is shorter thanks to overlapping services.
Fares, Tickets, and Cards
The Bonn Stadtbahn uses the VRS fare system, which also covers Cologne. For trips within Bonn and Cologne, the fare level is 1b. In most cases, choosing the right ticket comes down to whether you are staying within the city or traveling to neighboring places.
Traveling without a valid ticket, or with an unvalidated one, can lead to a fine of 30€ (about $32).
Single and Multi-Trip Tickets
- Single Ticket: Adult fare for zone 1b is 2.60€ (about $2.81); child fare for ages 6 to 14 is 1.50€ (about $1.62). In zone 1b, the ticket is valid for 90 minutes after validation. You may interrupt the trip and change public transport as long as you continue in the same direction.
- 4 Single Tickets: Valid for four trips within the relevant tariff area. This ticket is available for both adults and children.
Day Tickets
- 1 Day Card: Unlimited travel for one day in the tariff area, valid until 3:00 a.m. the following day. Price: 7.50€ (about $8.11).
- 1 Day Card for 5 People: Unlimited travel for up to five people from 12:09 a.m. until 3:00 a.m. the next day in the ticket zone. Children under 5 travel free, even if the group is larger than five people. Price: 11.10€ (about $12.00).
Welcome Card
The Welcome Card includes unlimited travel on local transport in Bonn and Cologne, plus entry or discounts for more than 40 attractions and 20 museums. It is available as a 1-day pass for 12.30€ (about $13.29) or a 3-day pass for 23.50€ (about $25.38). There is also a group card for two adults and up to four children at 16.40€ (about $17.71) for one day.
Integration with Other Systems
The Bonn Stadtbahn is tightly integrated with the wider regional transport system, especially the Cologne Stadtbahn. Lines 16 and 18 connect directly with Cologne and form part of the broader Stadtbahn Rhein-Sieg network.
Beyond the rail system, SWB operates the city bus network and Taxi Bus services, with connections at major stations. School bus services also link with underground stations and tram stops, and the night bus network serves key Stadtbahn stops when rail service is reduced.
Regional rail is another important part of transportation in Bonn. Bonn Hauptbahnhof connects with the S23 suburban rail line, while the Rheinuferbahn and Vorgebirgsbahn link Bonn with Cologne. Together, these services create a wider city transport and local transport network for Bonn and the surrounding area.
Airport access is also part of this integrated system. Travelers can reach the airport by the SWB SB60 bus from Hauptbahnhof or by Deutsche Bahn services via Cologne, with onward bus, tramway, subway, and rail connections.
Shared fares and coordinated ticket options make regional travel easier, especially for trips between Bonn, Cologne, and other towns in Rhein-Sieg-Kreis.
Airport Connectivity
Cologne-Bonn Konrad Adenauer International Airport sits about 16 km (9.94 miles) from central Bonn. It is a major regional transport hub for both Bonn and Cologne.
There are two main public transport options. The most direct is the SB60 airport bus, which runs between Bonn Hauptbahnhof and the terminal in about 30 minutes. Another option is to use Deutsche Bahn’s S13 line and continue toward central Cologne, where additional tram, underground, and rail connections are available.
For Stadtbahn passengers, Bonn Hauptbahnhof is the key interchange for airport travel. From there, the route is simple and easy to follow.
Useful Tips
It helps to check the schedule today before you travel, especially if you are changing between Stadtbahn, tram, and bus services. A route planner or the official SWB app can make the route much easier to follow.
Ticket validation matters. If you buy your ticket before boarding, make sure it is validated as required before the trip starts. That small step can save you from a fine.
Some sections run underground, while others are at street level or on former rail alignments. If you are carrying luggage, keep your belongings close in busy stations and on crowded trains. It is a simple way to stay safe.
Peak-hour services can be busy on the Stammstrecke and on routes toward Cologne and the wider region. If you are traveling in the rush, allow a little extra running time for transfers.
For visitors, the Stadtbahn is a practical way to get around without a car. It works well for short city trips and for longer journeys into the Rhein-Sieg area.
- Check whether your line is a regular service or a peak-hour service before you travel.
- Use the SWB app for service updates and ticket options.
- Keep your ticket ready for inspection.
- Allow extra time when changing between busy lines.
History
By the mid-1960s, Bonn had rail services run by five different companies. Alongside Deutsche Bundesbahn and the Cologne-Bonn Railway, there were three separate tram operators: the SWB city tram network, the SSB suburban tram lines to Siegburg and Bad Honnef, and the BGM line from Bonn via Bad Godesberg to Mehlem. For a city of around 140,000 people, that fragmented structure was increasingly hard to manage. At the same time, car traffic was rising, and Bonn was under pressure to develop a more modern transport system.
In 1967, Bonn City Council approved a new transport concept that included an underground railway between Bonn and Bad Godesberg. Construction began in October that year. The original plan was later reshaped when the KBE ran into financial trouble at the end of the 1960s. Instead of the earlier expansion concept, the KBE lines were adapted for through services to the Cologne tram network. This led to the development of the Stadtbahnwagen B, which was better suited to rail operation, Cologne tunnel sections, and the load limits of the Rhine bridges.
On 15 June 1972, the city adopted the overall concept Stadtverkehr Bundeshauptstadt Bonn. It defined three axes: A, B, and C. The A axis was completed by 1986, the B axis remained incomplete in the west, and the C axis corresponds to line 61, which was intended to remain a low-floor tram line. Stadtbahn vehicles had already been used on the Siegburg line since 1974, and official Stadtbahn service in Bonn began with the opening of the trunk route on 22 March 1975.
The network kept evolving. The Rheinuferbahn was converted for Stadtbahn use from 1975, and in August 1978 line 16 started running through the trunk tunnel to Bad Godesberg. The first section through the Rheinaue opened on 27 April 1979, and the route was extended over the Südbrücke to Ramersdorf on 5 September 1981, where it connected with the Siebengebirgsbahn. The Bad Godesberg tunnel opened in 1994, replacing the former at-grade single-track section and giving the district a direct underground link to its center and station.
The Siegburg line was rebuilt step by step as a Stadtbahn route and has ended, since 2000, in the lower level of the rebuilt ICE station in Siegburg. The Vorgebirgsbahn conversion began in October 1985, first to Schwadorf and then to Cologne a year later. The Auerberg route includes the oldest surviving part of the former tram network, with almost uninterrupted tram service since 30 June 1906.
Rolling stock changed too. The Cologne-Bonn Stadtbahn was the first deployment area for the Stadtbahnwagen B. Between 1973 and 1993, SWB and SSB acquired 75 B cars in three generations. In 2003, 13 of them were sold to Dortmund and replaced by 15 Bombardier Flexity Swift vehicles.
For sections that were harder to convert to full Stadtbahn standards, the operators also tested low-floor technology. In 1991, SWB received one of the prototypes of the Niederflur-Stadtbahn 2000, though its single-wheel running gear concept did not prove convincing.
Future Expansions
The Bonn Stadtbahn is already a mature system, but several expansion projects are planned to improve coverage and capacity. The city expects only limited further growth of the high-floor Stadtbahn network, while some future routes are intended for tram operation instead.
One priority is higher frequency on busy lines. From 2026, line 67 is planned to run every 10 minutes and replace line 63 on the Heussallee-Stadthalle section. Line 18 is also expected to move to a 10-minute timetable between Cologne and Bonn, although that depends on improvements to several single-track sections. To support this, Bonn has ordered 32 new Stadtbahn vehicles from CAF.
More service increases are planned on the tram network as well. From December 2025, line 61 is expected to run every 5 minutes in peak hours between Bonn Hauptbahnhof and Kopenhagener Straße, with the extra service continuing to the terminus because of population growth in Auerberg.
Several route extensions are also under discussion. The most advanced is the proposed northern extension of line 63 from Tannenbusch via Buschdorf to Nordfriedhof, using a new connection to the former KBE Rhine bank line. Planned stops include Friedlandstraße, Otto-Hahn-Straße, Schlesienstraße, and Friedrich-Wöhler-Straße. A further extension toward Auerberg remains optional.
Another major project is the proposed line 17 between Bonn and Cologne via Niederkassel and Langel. The plan includes a new Rhine crossing, use of existing rail alignments where possible, and a connection to Cologne line 7 at Langel Süd. In the longer term, this route could provide a direct cross-river link and reduce pressure on busy bus services.
There is also a proposal to improve service toward Buschdorf and connect the district better with the existing network. The broad aim is simple: better access for underserved areas and less pressure on heavily used bus routes.
Noteworthy Facts
The Bonn Stadtbahn is compact by light rail standards, but it plays a major regional role. The network includes six Stadtbahn lines and three tram lines, with two Stadtbahn lines linked directly to Cologne.
The system has a route length of 95.84 km (59.55 miles), with 64 stations and stops in Bonn and 17 more in Rhein-Sieg-Kreis. A total of 8.72 km (5.42 miles) runs underground, and 12 stations are below ground.
Lines 16 and 18 connect Bonn directly with Cologne, making the Bonn network part of a wider regional transport structure. The only fully new track section is the crossing over the Südbrücke, used by lines 66 and 68 on southbound trips.
The Stammstrecke between Bonn Hauptbahnhof and Olof-Palme-Allee is the main trunk route. All Stadtbahn lines except line 18 use it, and much of it runs in tunnel.
Modern Stadtbahn service in Bonn began on 22 March 1975. The system grew out of a mix of former tram and heavy rail routes, which still shapes its layout today.
Line 66 is the busiest route, carrying about 56,000 passengers per day.
Exploring Bonn via the Metro
The Bonn Stadtbahn is the city’s metro-style light rail system and one of the easiest ways to explore Bonn and the wider Rhein-Sieg area. It combines Stadtbahn and tram services, with six Stadtbahn lines and three tram lines across the broader network. Two Stadtbahn routes continue into Cologne, which makes the system especially useful for visitors planning more than a short city-center trip.
In total, the network covers 95.84 km (59.55 miles). Bonn itself has 64 stations and stops, plus 17 more in Rhein-Sieg-Kreis. Part of the system runs underground, with 8.72 km (5.42 miles) below ground and 12 underground stations.
Key trunk route and route structure
The core of the network is the Stammstrecke. This trunk route runs for 4.5 km (2.80 miles) between Bonn Hauptbahnhof and Olof-Palme-Allee and is served by all Stadtbahn lines except line 18. The tram lines do not use it. Much of the section runs through a tunnel between Hauptbahnhof and Heussallee/Museumsmeile, opened in 1975 to replace surface tram tracks.
The network also includes a fully new section over the Südbrücke, used by lines 66 and 68 on southbound trips from Bonn Hauptbahnhof toward Ramersdorf and Bad Honnef.
Lines in the Bonn Stadtbahn network
| Station | Details |
|---|---|
| Line 16 | Köln-Niehl-Sebastianstraße – Köln Hauptbahnhof – Rheinuferbahn – Bonn Hauptbahnhof – Stammstrecke – Bad Godesberg. Operated in cooperation with Cologne Stadtbahn. |
| Line 18 | Köln-Thielenbruch – Köln Hauptbahnhof – Brühl – Vorgebirgsbahn – Bonn Hauptbahnhof. Operated in cooperation with Cologne Stadtbahn. |
| Line 63 | Tannenbusch – Rheinuferbahn – Bonn Hauptbahnhof – Stammstrecke – Bad Godesberg. |
| Line 66 | Siegburg – Sankt Augustin – Bonn Hauptbahnhof – Stammstrecke – Südbrücke – Siebengebirgsbahn – Bad Honnef. |
| Line 67 | Siegburg – Sankt Augustin – Bonn Hauptbahnhof – Stammstrecke – Bad Godesberg. Peak line on school days, mornings only. |
| Line 68 | Bornheim – Vorgebirgsbahn – Bonn Hauptbahnhof – Stammstrecke – Südbrücke – Ramersdorf. Peak line with limited weekday service; at weekends it terminates at Bonn Hbf. |
Four lines run regularly, while two are peak-hour services. Thanks to its links with Cologne and the wider Rhein-Sieg network, the Bonn Stadtbahn works well for everyday travel, sightseeing, and regional trips.
Why the Stadtbahn matters for visitors
For visitors, the system is especially practical because it links Bonn Hauptbahnhof, the city center, Bad Godesberg, and key areas near museums and major sights. It is a straightforward way to move around the city without driving.
Several well-known destinations can be reached by rail and a short walk, including Bonn Minster, Beethoven House, and the German National Museum of Contemporary History. The Stadtbahn also connects with bus services, airport transport, and regional rail, so getting around is usually simple once you know your route.