The Bergkirchweih is easy to reach by public transport from Nuremberg, and entirely feasible as a day trip from Munich or Frankfurt. The festival grounds are at An den Kellern, Burgberg, 91054 Erlangen – on the northern hillside of the city, about 20–30 minutes' walk from Erlangen central station.
The short version: take the train to Erlangen and walk or take the shuttle bus. Everything else is more complicated and less enjoyable.
For a full overview of the festival, see our complete Bergkirchweih guide.
By train: the best option from almost everywhere
From Nuremberg
The S1 or S2 S-Bahn runs from Nuremberg Hauptbahnhof (central station) to Erlangen every 20 minutes throughout the day. Journey time: approximately 20 minutes. During the Bergkirchweih, the VGN transport authority runs enhanced services in the evenings, with trains running more frequently between 10:30 pm and 2:00 am.
From Erlangen station, it is a 20–30 minute walk to the festival grounds, following signs for Bergkirchweih. The walk is flat, well-signposted and entirely manageable. Alternatively, take the free Berg-Shuttle bus (see below).
Last train back to Nuremberg: approximately 02:44 from Erlangen station during the festival period. Check the current VGN timetable at vgn.de as exact times are confirmed closer to the festival.
From Munich
There is no direct train from Munich to Erlangen. The fastest route is ICE from Munich Hauptbahnhof to Nuremberg (journey time approximately 1 hour), then S-Bahn S1 to Erlangen (approximately 20 minutes). Total travel time from central Munich: around 1h 30 min. ICE trains run frequently; check times at bahn.de.
A day trip from Munich is fully realistic – leave mid-morning, arrive in Erlangen for the afternoon session, head back on the last train. If you want to stay for the evening and After-Berg, plan to stay overnight in Erlangen or Nuremberg.
From Frankfurt
Take the ICE from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof to Nuremberg (approximately 1h 45 min), then S-Bahn to Erlangen. Total from Frankfurt: around 2h 15 min. Also doable as a long day trip for the most motivated visitors.
From Bamberg
The S1 runs directly from Bamberg to Erlangen in approximately 25 minutes. A very easy connection – Bamberg makes a pleasant base if Erlangen hotels are full.
The Berg-Shuttle: from city centre to festival grounds
During the entire Bergkirchweih period, the Erlanger Stadtwerke (ESTW) operates a dedicated Berg-Shuttle bus between Hugenottenplatz in the city centre and the festival grounds on the Burgberg.
Departure point: Hugenottenplatz, south side (along McDonald's), Calvinstrasse.
Hours: Monday–Friday 16:00–23:45, Saturday 10:00–23:45, Sunday and public holidays 09:00–23:45.
Before 20:00: stops at Bergkirchweih (Essenbacher Strasse, at the foot of Bergstrasse) and Bergkirchweih Ost (Spardorfer Strasse).
After 20:00: Bergkirchweih Ost stop moves to Leo-Hauck-Strasse.
Part of the shuttle route falls within Erlangen's free inner-city zone, meaning some stops can be used at no charge. For simplicity: buy a Bergkirchweih-Ticket (see below) and use all public transport freely throughout the festival period.
The Bergkirchweih-Ticket: best value for public transport
The VGN sells a special Bergkirchweih-Ticket valid for the entire duration of the festival. In 2024 this was priced at around 20.50 euros – valid for up to 6 people (max. 2 adults), covering all public transport in the Erlangen city zone including NightLiner buses. Valid all day on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and the two special festival days (Bergdienstag and Bergdonnerstag); from 9:30 am on other days.
For the 2026 price and exact terms, check vgn.de as the festival approaches. The ticket is available at bus ticket machines, the VGN customer office and on the ESTW buses.
Night services: getting home after midnight
The cellars close at 23:00. The crowd then moves either into the city for the After-Berg or heads for public transport home. The good news: night services run specifically for this.
S-Bahn to Nuremberg: last departure from Erlangen approximately 02:44. Enhanced frequency on the S1 between 22:30 and 02:00 during the festival.
NightLiner N10 (Erlangen – Nuremberg): runs on Friday–Saturday nights and on the opening Thursday night. Departs from Busbahnhof/Großparkplatz – note that after 20:00, Hugenottenplatz and Hauptbahnhof stops are not served. Head to the bus station on Parkplatzstraße instead.
Important: after 20:00, most city buses are rerouted away from the Martin-Luther-Platz area due to crowd management. The NightLiner departure point is at the Busbahnhof/Großparkplatz, a 10-minute walk south of the city centre. Plan this in advance rather than figuring it out at midnight.
By bike
Erlangen is a genuine cycling city and many locals ride to the Berg. Secure supervised bicycle parking is available north and south of Haagstrasse. Additional unsupervised spaces are available at Spardorfer Strasse (south of Bärengarten) and near Leo-Hauck-Strasse.
Important: bicycles and e-scooters are not permitted on the festival grounds themselves. Lock your bike at the designated areas before entering. E-scooters also cannot be parked in the inner-city zone during the festival.
Legal note: the blood alcohol limit for cycling in Germany is 1.6‰ (for relative impairment even lower). Cycling drunk is a criminal offence. Walk the bike home if in doubt.
By car: possible but not recommended
Driving to the Bergkirchweih is technically possible but genuinely inconvenient, especially on weekends. Large sections of the northern old town – including Hauptstrasse, Bayreuther Strasse between Martin-Luther-Platz and Essenbacher Strasse, and parts of Burgbergstrasse – are closed to traffic from around 17:00 on busy evenings. Parking near the grounds is severely restricted.
If you drive, use the Großparkplatz on Parkplatzstraße (behind the main station, Münchener Strasse). Additional overflow parking is at Zollhausplatz (junction of Luitpoldstrasse/Gebbertstrasse) and in front of the Himbeerpalast (junction of Werner-von-Siemens/Mozartstrasse).
From the Großparkplatz: walk to Hugenottenplatz (10 minutes) and take the Berg-Shuttle, or walk directly to the grounds (around 25 minutes total).
The obvious problem: if you drive, you cannot drink. Given that the entire point of the Bergkirchweih involves cold Franconian beer in stone mugs, driving defeats the purpose. Take the train.
Getting there: quick reference
From Nuremberg: S1/S2 S-Bahn every 20 min, approx. 20 min journey. Walk 20–30 min from Erlangen station or take Berg-Shuttle from Hugenottenplatz.
From Munich: ICE to Nuremberg (1h) + S-Bahn to Erlangen (20 min). Total approx. 1h 30 min.
From Frankfurt: ICE to Nuremberg (1h 45 min) + S-Bahn to Erlangen (20 min). Total approx. 2h 15 min.
From Bamberg: S1 direct, approx. 25 min.
Night trains home: last S-Bahn to Nuremberg approx. 02:44. NightLiner N10 on Friday/Saturday nights from Busbahnhof/Großparkplatz.
By car: park at Großparkplatz, Parkplatzstraße. Expect road closures on weekends from 17:00.
