The 10 cheapest cities in Germany for a weekend trip

The travel experts from Travelcircus have carried out a price analysis of 82 major German cities and filtered out the most budget-friendly ones. The travel costs for two people in March 2024 were compared, specifically:

• Average arrival and return travel costs by train
• Average price for two nights in a double room in a 3-star hotel with breakfast
• four times coffee and cake
• four two-dish dinners plus two cokes and two beers
• Price for a city tour for two people (free in some cities)
• Price for a museum visit (free in some cities)

The top ten cheapest cities at a glance

1st place: Göttingen in Lower Saxony

The lively university town in Lower Saxony impresses with a beautiful medieval old town – including narrow streets, many half-timbered buildings and a historic market square. The famous Gänseliesel fountain, a landmark of the city, is also located there. The female figure of the same name is considered the most kissed girl in the world. Because it is still customary for newly minted doctoral students to hug the figure and present her with a bouquet of flowers.

Cost for two people:

• Train ticket: 166.10 euros
• Hotel: 190.40 euros
• City tour: 18 euros
• Museum: 0.0 euros
• Coffee, cake: 31.73 euros
• Dinner: 76.07
• Total: 467.53 euros

2nd place: Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg

The capital of this southern federal state offers many beautiful sights: from the television tower to the new castle to the Mercedes-Benz and Porsche Museum. If you like shopping, you will get your money’s worth on Königstrasse with its many shops and department stores. Tip: Be sure to stroll through the Calwer Passage with its chic shops, coffee shops and restaurants.

Cost for two people:

• Train ticket: 189.10 euros
• Hotel: 208.80 euros
• City tour: 20 euros
• Museum: 0.0 euros
• Coffee, cake: 37.07 euros
• Dinner: 40.13
• Total: 495.10 euros

3rd place: Herne, North Rhine-Westphalia

Herne is a former mining town with cultural diversity and many green oases. In addition to the LWL Museum of Archeology, a highlight is the park with Strünkede Castle and the Gysenberg Park with a petting zoo, children’s railway, go-kart track and mini golf. Highlight of the year: The Cranger Kirmes, which takes place in August and is considered one of the largest folk festivals in Germany.

Cost for two people:

• Train ticket: 193.80 euros
• Hotel: 191.60 euros
• City tour: 0 euros
• Museum: 12 euros
• Coffee, cake: 22.40 euros
• Dinner: 89.73 euros
• Total: 509.53 euros

4th place: Mühlheim an der Ruhr, North Rhine-Westphalia

The city in the western Ruhr area with around 170,000 inhabitants impresses with its beautiful location on the Ruhr. Popular recreational areas are the MüGa Park and the idyllic water station on the lock island, one of Mühlheim’s attractions. Tip: The art museum in the old post office in the city center is also very nice. In front of it is the colorful Hayek fountain, a kind of walk-in water work of art with a seating area where children can also play.

Cost for two people:

• Train ticket: 201.80 euros
• Hotel: 188.00 euros
• City tour: 24 euros
• Museum: 10 euros
• Coffee, cake: 23.73 euros
• Dinner: 80.27 euros
• Total: 527.80 euros

5th place: Hildesheim, Lower Saxony

Hildesheim is a must for those interested in art and culture. The beautiful medieval city is known for St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Michael’s Church, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Another highlight is the old town with the wonderful half-timbered buildings and the market square. Another highlight: Visitors can enjoy the best view over the city all the way to the Brocken from the tower of St. Andreas Church, the highest church tower in Lower Saxony.

Cost for two people:

• Train ticket: 169.60 euros
• Hotel: 205.00 euros
• City tour: 20 euros
• Museum: 17 euros
• Coffee, cake: 27.20 euros
• Dinner: 92.43 euros
• Total: 531.23 euros

6th place: Hanover, Lower Saxony

The state capital of Lower Saxony is not only known as a trade fair city, but also for its beautiful old town with its many half-timbered buildings. The city’s landmark is the New Town Hall, a magnificent Wilhelmine building from 1913. Above all, Hanover is also considered a green city due to the numerous parks and gardens such as the Eilenriede City Forest and the Herrenhausen Gardens, which are among the most important and best-preserved Baroque gardens in Europe .

Cost for two people:

• Train ticket: 154.60 euros
• Hotel: 235.00 euros
• City tour: 26 euros
• Museum: 10 euros
• Coffee, cake: 28.00 euros
• Dinner: 83.63 euros
• Total: 537.23 euros

7th place: Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia

Industrial charm and culture: Oberhausen has a lot to offer. One of the city’s landmarks is the Gasometer directly on the Rhine-Herne Canal, a former gas storage facility that is now considered one of the most extraordinary exhibition spaces in Europe. Also worth seeing are Vondern Castle, the Eisenheim settlement with its brick houses, one of the oldest workers’ settlements in the city and the Vonderort Revierpark, a green, family-friendly local recreational paradise with a wide range of leisure activities – from mini golf to concerts at the pavilion by the lake in the southern part of the park. Tip: If you want to shop, you can pursue your passion in CentrO, one of the largest shopping centers in Europe.

Cost for two people:

• Train ticket: 209.30 euros
• Hotel: 187.60 euros
• City tour: 18 euros
• Museum: 14 euros
• Coffee, cake: 20.40 euros
• Dinner: 90.40 euros
• Total: 539.70 euros

8th place: Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg

The city in southwest Germany offers cultural diversity. One of the most beautiful sights is Karlsruhe Castle with its extensive castle gardens. For around 200 years it was the seat of the Margraves, Electors and Grand Dukes of Baden. From the castle tower, visitors can also see the fan-shaped layout of the city for which it is known. A highlight for art fans is the famous Center for Art and Media, or ZKM for short, which is housed in a former ammunition factory. There, visitors can experience innovative and interactive media art.

Cost for two people:

• Train ticket: 200.10 euros
• Hotel: 190.80 euros
• City tour: 35.80 euros
• Museum: 16 euros
• Coffee, cake: 30 euros
• Dinner: 67.73 euros
• Total: 540.43 euros

9th place: Salzgitter, Lower Saxony

The deposits of salt and ore shape the history of this industrial city, which was founded in 1942. With large corporations based there such as Salzgitter AG, the city has developed into the third largest industrial location in Lower Saxony. Visitors can find out more about the history of this city in Salder Castle, which houses the city museum. Further highlights: Ringelheim Castle, which was formerly a monastery, the Kniestedt manor house, which is considered the oldest half-timbered house in Salzgitter, and the ruins of Lichtenberg Castle, which was built by Henry the Lion. Tip: From the keep there is a great view of Salzgitter over the Harz to Braunschweig.

Cost for two people:

• Train ticket: 185.10 euros
• Hotel: 235.20 euros
• City tour: 6.00 euros
• Museum: 0.0 euros
• Coffee, cake: 31.60 euros
• Dinner: 87.80 euros
• Total: 545.70 euros

10th place: Hagen, North Rhine-Westphalia

Many people only know this city in North Rhine-Westphalia on the southeastern edge of the Ruhr area because of its distance learning university. But it has much more to offer, for example the diverse museum landscape: from the Brandt-Zwieback Museum to the romantic moated Wertreiben Castle, which houses the archeology museum with finds from 450 million years of development history. Another museum highlight: the LWL open-air museum, which illuminates the history of industrialization on an area of ​​42 hectares. Tip: Art fans should definitely pay a visit to the Osthaus Museum for modern and contemporary art and the Emil Schuhmacher Museum, which was one of the most important expressionists in the second half of the 20th century.

Cost for two people:

• Train ticket: 179.10 euros
• Hotel: 219.00 euros
• City tour: 16.00 euros
• Museum: 16.00 euros
• Coffee, cake: 27.73 euros
• Dinner: 90.53 euros
• Total: 548.37 euros

Düsseldorf is the most expensive city for a weekend trip

This cost analysis showed that Düsseldorf is currently the most expensive city for a weekend trip. This is a weekend for two people 761.13 euros to book. Popular metropolises such as

• Munich with a total of 585.12 euros (28th place)
• Berlin with a total of 617.30 euros (43rd place)
• Hamburg with a total of 684.42 Euro (69th place)
• Cologne with a total of 684.42 euros (70th place)