Strasbourg to Freiburg by Train
The Change at Offenburg, and a Day-Trip Guide
Strasbourg to Freiburg im Breisgau is a short cross-border trip, but rarely a single train. Most journeys take the regional RS4 from Strasbourg over the Rhine to Kehl and Offenburg, then change for a train south to Freiburg, in around 1 hour 10 minutes at best. In the 2026 timetable a direct TGV runs only occasionally, and at times that do not suit a day trip from Strasbourg.
This guide explains how the journey actually works: the RS4 across the Rhine, the choice at Offenburg between fast ICE and EC trains and slower regional ones, the occasional direct TGV, which tickets cover which part of the trip, and how to plan a day trip in either direction. It ends with optional onward trips into the Black Forest.
The short answer: Take the RS4 regional train from Strasbourg to Offenburg (about half an hour) and change there for Freiburg. With an ICE or EC from Offenburg the whole trip takes around 1 hour 10 minutes. In the 2026 timetable a direct TGV also runs once a day on most days, in the evening from Strasbourg, with a compulsory seat reservation.
Ready to book Strasbourg to Freiburg?
Deutsche Bahn sells journeys between Strasbourg and Freiburg, including the connection at Offenburg; compare departures, because some connect into a fast ICE or EC and others continue on slower regional trains. The occasional direct TGV in the 2026 timetable is an SNCF train with a compulsory seat reservation, sold by SNCF Connect. If you already hold a Deutschlandticket or a Europass, check which part of the journey it covers before you buy.
Leaving Strasbourg on the RS4
Strasbourg-Ville, France · 48.585°N, 7.735°E
Journeys start at Strasbourg's main station, Strasbourg-Ville, a short walk or tram ride from the old town and Petite France. The train you want for Germany is the RS4, a regional service that runs from Strasbourg over the Rhine to Kehl and on to Offenburg. In the 2026 timetable it is run jointly, with SNCF operating on the French side and SWEG on the German side, and the trip to Offenburg takes about half an hour.
In the timetable valid until 12 December 2026, the RS4 runs every half hour on weekdays and hourly on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with some extra trains. Some trains run only between Kehl and Offenburg, so check that your train starts in Strasbourg. The timetable from 13 December 2026 was not yet published when this guide was written.
Strasbourg–Freiburg - At a Glance
- Usual routeRS4 Strasbourg → Kehl → Offenburg, then a train to Freiburg
- Fastest journeyAround 1h 10m with an ICE or EC from Offenburg
- Regional onlyRoughly 1h 20m to 1h 35m
- Direct trainAn occasional TGV in the 2026 timetable, reservation compulsory
- RS4 frequencyEvery 30 min on weekdays, hourly at weekends (to 12 Dec 2026)
- StationsStrasbourg-Ville and Freiburg (Breisgau) Hbf
Direct TGV: Timetable to 12 December 2026
Strasbourg to Freiburg: TGV 9531 from Paris leaves Strasbourg at 19:18 and reaches Freiburg at 20:26, calling at Offenburg, Lahr and Ringsheim/Europa-Park. It runs on most days, with some exceptions.
Freiburg to Strasbourg: TGV 9530 to Paris leaves Freiburg at 06:36 and reaches Strasbourg at 07:40, on weekdays only, with some exceptions.
Good to know: a seat reservation is compulsory on these TGVs. The timetable from 13 December 2026 was not available when this guide was written, so check before you book.
Across the Rhine to Kehl
Kehl, Germany · 48.577°N, 7.807°E
A few minutes out of Strasbourg the RS4 crosses the Rhine into Germany and stops at Kehl, the town facing Strasbourg across the river. Both countries are in the Schengen area, so there is no routine passport control, but identity checks can happen at the border, so carry a passport or national ID card. From Kehl the line runs inland via Appenweier to Offenburg.
Kehl is also where some tickets change. The Europass covers the Strasbourg and Ortenau networks, including Kehl and Offenburg, but not Freiburg. The Deutschlandticket is valid on regional trains within Germany but not for the cross-border trip into Strasbourg. Neither covers ICE, EC or TGV trains.
Changing at Offenburg: ICE, EC or Regional
Offenburg, Germany · 48.477°N, 7.947°E
Offenburg is where most travellers change. It sits on the Rhine Valley line between Karlsruhe and Basel, so there are several ways on to Freiburg. ICE and EC long-distance trains run non-stop to Freiburg and give the fastest overall journeys, around 1 hour 10 minutes from Strasbourg. Regional RE and RB trains call at more towns on the way and take longer, roughly 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes in total, but are covered by regional tickets such as the Deutschlandticket.
Not every RS4 arrival connects neatly into a fast train, so compare a few departures. If you buy a through ticket for one connection, you are generally protected if the first train runs late; if you buy separate tickets for each leg, you are not.
Onward from Offenburg
- ICE or ECFastest, non-stop to Freiburg; long-distance ticket needed
- RE or RBSlower, more stops; valid with regional tickets
- Black Forest RailwayRegional trains east to Gengenbach, Hausach and Triberg (separate trip)
Arriving in Freiburg im Breisgau
Freiburg (Breisgau) Hauptbahnhof, Germany · 47.998°N, 7.841°E
South of Offenburg the line runs down the Rhine Valley between the Black Forest hills to the east and the Rhine plain to the west, reaching Freiburg (Breisgau) Hauptbahnhof on the western edge of the city centre. The old town, with the Münster, the market square and the little Bächle water channels running along the streets, is a short walk or tram ride away.
Engineering works on the Rhine Valley line have closed sections between Offenburg and Freiburg on several weekends in 2026, with replacement buses or diversions, so check your date before travelling, especially at weekends.
From Freiburg Hauptbahnhof
Planning a Day Trip in Either Direction
Strasbourg to Freiburg, or Freiburg to Strasbourg
From Strasbourg, Freiburg makes an easy day trip with the regular connections via Offenburg: leave in the morning, change at Offenburg, and you can be in Freiburg around an hour and a quarter later, with plenty of trains back in the evening. The direct TGV does not help here, because it leaves Strasbourg in the evening.
From Freiburg, the direct TGVs fit a day in Strasbourg better: in the 2026 timetable the weekday morning TGV reaches Strasbourg early, and the evening TGV returns to Freiburg. They need seat reservations and do not run every day, so check both directions for your date; otherwise use the connections via Offenburg.
Quick Tips
Check the RS4 starts in Strasbourg: some trains run only between Kehl and Offenburg.
Weekends are less frequent: the RS4 is hourly on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Know what your ticket covers: the Europass stops at Offenburg and the Deutschlandticket stops at the border.
Into the Black Forest by Train
Separate onward trips from Offenburg or Freiburg
The Black Forest rises just east of the line, and two regional routes make easy additions to a trip. From Offenburg, direct regional trains run up the Black Forest Railway through the Kinzig valley to Triberg in around 40 minutes. From Freiburg, S-Bahn trains climb the Höllental to Titisee in around 40 minutes. These are separate journeys from Offenburg or Freiburg, not part of the Strasbourg to Freiburg trip, so plan and ticket them on their own.
Hotels in Freiburg
Freiburg is compact, so a base in or near the old town keeps the Münster, the market and the trams within walking distance, with the main station a short walk away.
Freiburg - edge of the old town
Freiburg's best-known grand hotel, on the edge of the old town between the station and the Münster, for a special stay.
Freiburg - on the Münsterplatz
A traditional hotel and restaurant on the square beside the Münster, right in the middle of the old town.
Freiburg - at the main station
A practical hotel at Freiburg Hauptbahnhof, handy for early or late trains, with the old town a short walk away.
Hotel links open Booking.com in a new tab.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is there a direct train from Strasbourg to Freiburg?
- Only occasionally. In the 2026 timetable, a TGV from Paris continues from Strasbourg to Freiburg once a day on most days, leaving Strasbourg in the evening, and the return TGV leaves Freiburg early in the morning on weekdays. Seat reservations are compulsory on these TGVs. Most travellers take the regional RS4 train from Strasbourg to Offenburg and change there for a train to Freiburg. Check the timetable for your date.
- How long does the train from Strasbourg to Freiburg take?
- With a change at Offenburg, the fastest journeys take around 1 hour 10 minutes when the onward train is an ICE or EC. Journeys that continue on a regional train take longer, roughly 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes. The occasional direct TGV in the 2026 timetable takes a little over an hour. Times vary by connection, so check the one you plan to take.
- Where do I change trains between Strasbourg and Freiburg?
- At Offenburg. The RS4 regional train runs from Strasbourg over the Rhine to Kehl and on to Offenburg in about half an hour. From Offenburg, ICE and EC trains run non-stop to Freiburg, and regional RE and RB trains stop at more towns on the way.
- How often do trains run from Strasbourg to Offenburg?
- In the timetable valid until 12 December 2026, the RS4 runs every half hour on weekdays and hourly on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with some extra trains. Not every train connects into a fast ICE or EC at Offenburg, so compare connections when you plan.
- Which stations do I use in Strasbourg and Freiburg?
- In Strasbourg, the main station (Strasbourg-Ville), a short walk or tram ride from the old town. In Freiburg, Freiburg (Breisgau) Hauptbahnhof, on the western edge of the city centre, a short walk or tram ride from the Münster and the old town.
- Can I visit Freiburg on a day trip from Strasbourg?
- Yes. With the regular trains via Offenburg, Freiburg is around an hour and a quarter away, so a day trip is practical. The direct TGV is not useful for a day trip from Strasbourg, because it leaves Strasbourg in the evening. Going the other way, from Freiburg to Strasbourg, the 2026 timetable's weekday morning TGV and evening TGV back can suit a day trip, but check that both run on your date.
- Does the Deutschlandticket or the Europass cover Strasbourg to Freiburg?
- Not on its own. The Deutschlandticket is not valid for the cross-border journey into Strasbourg, though it covers regional trains within Germany. The Europass covers the Strasbourg and Ortenau networks, which include Kehl and Offenburg, but not Freiburg. Neither ticket covers ICE, EC or TGV trains. Check the current conditions before you travel.
- Can I use an Interrail pass from Strasbourg to Freiburg?
- Interrail passes cover rail travel in France and Germany, but check that your pass is accepted on the cross-border RS4 regional train before you travel. On the direct TGV a seat reservation is compulsory. Seat reservations are optional on ICE trains within Germany.
- Can I reach the Black Forest by train from Strasbourg?
- Yes, as a separate onward trip. From Offenburg, regional trains run up the Black Forest Railway to Triberg, and from Freiburg, S-Bahn trains run up the Höllental to Titisee. These are additional journeys from Offenburg or Freiburg, not part of the Strasbourg to Freiburg route itself.
- Do I need my passport between Strasbourg and Freiburg?
- France and Germany are both in the Schengen area, so there is no routine passport control, but identity checks can happen at the border. Carry a valid passport or national ID card.
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Strasbourg to Freiburg is a short hop across the Rhine that rewards a little planning: take the RS4 to Offenburg, pick a fast ICE or EC or a cheaper regional train for the last leg, and you are in Freiburg in around an hour and a quarter. Use the occasional direct TGV, where it runs, when its timing suits you, check which part of the trip your ticket covers, and add the Black Forest from Offenburg or Freiburg if you have time.
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