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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.

AachenAlfeld, LeineAlsfeldAltenkirchenAltöttingAmbergAmelinghausenAmrumAndechsAnklamAnsbachAschaffenburgAschheimAssmannshausenKonstanz200 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
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

ItemPrice
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)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

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

WhereHowTime
MeersburgCar ferry from Konstanz harbour, 15 min, several times an hourAbout 30 min
ReichenauBus or train to the island, then walk between the churchesAbout 45 min
FriedrichshafenCatamaran from the harbour, about 1 h, hourly 06:00–19:00About 1 h 15 min
ÜberlingenBoat, about 1.5 h, or train with a change1.5–2 h
Stein am RheinTrain with a change in Kreuzlingen/Schaffhausen, or boat down the Rhine1–2 h
Mainau flower islandBoat from the harbour, short crossingAbout 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

EnglishSay or show
HelloHallohallo
Thank youDankedanke
PleaseBittebitte
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.

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)

  • Fire and ambulance112
  • Police110

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.