It is entirely possible to get around by public transport in Bamberg. You don’t need to rent a car to see the main sights in Bamberg, everything is very walkable and streets in the Old Town are narrow too and hard to drive.
So, don your comfortable city shoes and enjoy this gem in Bavaria and for extra comfort. Here is your quick guide for easy navigation.
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A special deal that visitors to Bamberg can enjoy to gain access to the main museums as well as limitless bus travel within Bamberg for three days is the Bamberg Card. You can purchase it here*.
What public transport is there in Bamberg?
Bamberg has an extensive bus network leading out into the various parts of the city from the central bus station (in German: zentraler Omnibusbahnhof, ZOB) right in the center.
The timetable
At the bus station you can find a big digital board which lists the next buses and from which bay they are leaving.
To make sure you get the right bus, I recommend checking the current schedules, which you can do on the official website or through the free VGN app.
Note: There is also free public wifi at the station, though it might be a bit spotty at times. Note that in Germany you always have to accept the terms in your browser to be able to use it.
Depending on where you want to go you can expect a wait time between 15 to 45 minutes. So it definitely is worth checking times in advance, especially if you are travelling on a public holiday or weekend, where buses go even less often.
Where to get local tickets
You can get bus tickets for Bamberg online via the website or the VGN app. If you carry small change, you can also pay for your ticket with the bus driver.
Note that paying in cash with the driver costs a little more than by paying in-app or online. The fare as of Dec 2022 is 2.10 EUR (with the driver) and 1.90 EUR (digital) one way within the city.
You can change buses with that ticket in one direction within 2 hours, so no round way trips are allowed.
If you want to visit areas outside the center or visit nearby cities, I recommend reading up on my guide to safe money with train travel around Bamberg.
You can save a bit of money by using local network tickets instead of regular train tickets with Deutsche Bahn.
Good to know
In Bamberg you can get on the bus at the front or in the middle.
So far nobody has checked me for a ticket upon embarking like in some other towns, but it’s good to have your ticket ready for inspectors coming onto the bus to check for validity of tickets.
To validate your ticket, you need to stamp it on the bus. There are little grey and blue ticket machines by the doors in which you slide the ticket and get a time stamp.
There are a few seats close to the doors that are reserved for disabled or pregnant people, so better take a seat further in the back or make sure to stand up if you do see them get on the bus and offer your seat with a hand wave.
