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Nuremberg Trams: Useful Lines and How to Ride

By The Travel FieldbookPublished on Updated on 4 min read
A tram in Nuremberg.
A tram on the streets of Nuremberg. (Smiley.toerist · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Edited)

Nuremberg’s regular trams serve destinations beyond the Old Town, including Tiergarten zoo and the Documentation Centre at the former Nazi Party Rally Grounds. Match the line number with the destination display before boarding, and have your ticket ready: buying it and validating it are separate steps for some paper tickets.

When a tram is useful

Yes, Nuremberg has a local tram network, but walking is the default for the compact Old Town. From Hauptbahnhof, the main railway station, to St Lawrence’s Church (Lorenzkirche), the walk is about 650 metres and takes about 9 minutes. It brings you into the southern Old Town without a tram connection.

Trams become useful for an outing to Tiergarten zoo or the Documentation Centre, both outside the historic centre. These are destination journeys rather than a way to hop between the central sights. Hallertor is another useful arrival point, on the western Old Town edge beside the River Pegnitz.

Hauptbahnhof is a convenient starting point for an outing after arriving by train. The line number matters as much as the place name on the front of the tram: the same interchange serves several destinations.

A VAG GT6N tram on line 5 at Nuremberg Central Station.
A Nuremberg tram on line 5 beside Nuremberg Central Station.
ET4010 · CC BY 4.0 · Edited

Lines and stops for visitors

LineDestination displayBoard atAlight atServesTram journey time
5TiergartenHauptbahnhof*TiergartenNuremberg zoo—
8Doku-ZentrumHauptbahnhofDoku-ZentrumDocumentation Centre; rally grounds—
4Am WegfeldPlärrerHallertorWestern Old Town edge—
*Line 5’s construction diversion affects the station journey; see the service warning below.

For line 8 towards Doku-Zentrum, use the surface stop on Bahnhofsplatz at Hauptbahnhof. This is also the regular boarding location for line 5 towards Tiergarten, but the temporary diversion changes that journey. Doku-Zentrum brings you to the museum examining the Nazi Party rallies and their setting, rather than to an Old Town attraction.

Name
Hauptbahnhof tram stop
Location
Bahnhofspl., Nürnberg Maps
Essential fact
The tram interchange outside Nuremberg’s main railway station.

From Plärrer, line 4 towards Am Wegfeld serves Hallertor, where you can enter the western Old Town near the river. Plärrer is a useful landmark for changing between the underground and surface services.

Name
Plärrer tram stop
Location
Mitte, Nuremberg Maps
Essential fact
A tram and underground interchange at the south-western edge of Nuremberg’s Old Town.

For the same destinations, line 11 from Hauptbahnhof to Tiergarten takes about 15 minutes, and bus 36 from Plärrer to Hallertor takes about 3 minutes. Allow extra time to reach the stop and wait before boarding.

Inside an Avenio tram, keep the door area clear once you have boarded so other passengers can get on and off.

The passenger interior of a Siemens Avenio tram in Nuremberg.
Inside a Siemens Avenio tram in Nuremberg.
HerrMay · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Edited

Service patterns and the line 5 diversion

Line / departure dayRunsDaytime intervalEvening intervalFirst / last from HauptbahnhofOvernight tram
4Daily10 minutes20 minutes—No
5Daily, including public holidays————
8: Monday–SaturdayDailyAbout 10 minutesAbout 20 minutes04:48 / 00:23No
8: Sunday / public holidayDailyAbout 10 minutesAbout 20 minutes05:48 / 23:43No
Line 8 departure times are towards Doku-Zentrum; intervals describe lines 4 and 8.

Visit the rally grounds earlier in the day if you want time to explore and return by tram. For a late outward trip on line 8, arrange your return separately.

Buying and using a ticket

You can pay for a Nuremberg tram through NürnbergMOBIL, VGN Fahrplan & Tickets or a VAG ticket machine. Choose the journey type first, then follow the validation rules for the ticket you buy.

Tickets and where to buy them

Adult ticketFareValidity / limitConditions
Standard single€3.9090 minutesOne direction
Short-distance€2.10; online €1.90Up to 4 tram stopsNo transfers or interruptions

The standard single allows transfers and interruptions, but not returns or round trips. Complete the journey within its validity period. Its area covers Nuremberg, Fürth and Stein, and within that area, VGN tickets cover trams, buses, the underground (U-Bahn), S-Bahn suburban trains and regional trains.

  • NürnbergMOBIL: Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal; registered users can also use SEPA direct debit or Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Payment availability varies by ticket or service.
  • VGN Fahrplan & Tickets: direct debit, credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
  • VAG stop and station machines: cash, debit cards (girocard/EC) and credit cards.

At a machine, choose the local VGN ticket rather than a long-distance railway fare. Select your destination before paying so you buy the ticket for the journey you intend to make.

Ticket machines in the concourse of Nuremberg Central Station.
The machines are located in the station concourse.
Reinhold Möller Ermell · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Edited

Boarding, validation and inspections

Leave time at the stop to complete the purchase before the tram arrives. If you are using a phone, open the ticket itself rather than relying on the payment confirmation. Keep it handy throughout the journey.

A VAG Siemens Avenio tram running on line 1 at Nuremberg Central Station.
A Siemens Avenio tram on line 1 at Nuremberg Central Station.
ET4010 · CC BY 4.0 · Edited

Do

  • Buy before boarding: regular trams have no onboard ticket sales.
  • Use a VAG machine single as issued; it is already validated. Stamp advance-purchased paper tickets at a ticket-stamping machine before starting the journey.
  • Buy a mobile single before boarding. It is valid immediately, with no separate activation.
  • Show the fully legible live mobile ticket on the named traveller’s device, together with official photo ID, when requested.

Don’t

  • Wait until the tram journey has started to buy a mobile ticket.
  • Treat an unstamped advance paper ticket as ready for travel.
  • Use a screenshot or printout as proof of a mobile ticket, or pass it to another traveller.

Sources & fact-checking

Checks against the sources below cover: services and fares and charges.

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