With a population of around 82,000, the historical town of Constance is the largest town on Lake Constance. Today, it is a lively university town offering a wide range of leisure activities for visitors of all ages. This town on the shores of Lake Constance has also managed to preserve its long-standing traditions as a trading and cultural centre to the present day, having also incorporated countless new aspects along the way. On a tour of the old town of Constance, which has remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, this traditional trading town really comes to life. The town's unique location on the shores of Lake Constance and the River Rhine, and its proximity to Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein, make Constance an ideal holiday destination and touring base for excursions in the surrounding region.
Lake Constance
Konstanz is the largest lake in Germany with a surface area of 536 km² and a volume of 48,5 billion m³ of water. At its longest, the lake measures 63 km and at its broadest it measures 14 km between Langenargen (D) and Rorschach (CH). The deepest part of the lake is 254 m between Friedrichshafen (D) and Uttwil (CH).
- German shoreline 173 km
- Swiss shoreline 72 km
- Austrian shoreline 28 km
The Climate
around Lake Constance is mild, consistent and dry. Lake Constance acts as a natural reservoir of warmth, helping to keep the temperature consistent.Travelling by car
- From Stuttgart-Singen take the A 81 and B 33 to Constance
- From Freiburg take the B 31 to Geisingen, then the A 81 and B 33 to Constance
- From Munich-Memmingen-Lindau take the A 96 / B 18 and B 31, then take the Meersburg car and passenger ferry to Constance
- From Ulm-Ravensburg take the B 30, then take the Meersburg car and passenger ferry to Constance
- From Geneva-Zurich take the N 1/N 7 to Constance via Kreuzlingen
Travelling by ferry from Meersburg
The car and passenger ferry between Meersburg and Constance operates a 24-hour service every 15 minutes to 1 hour throughout the year.Travelling by catamaran from Friedrichshafen
The catamaran between Constance and Friedrichshafen operates hourly between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. throughout the year. The trip takes 48 minutes.Travelling by rail
There are direct train services to Constance from Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Offenburg. To get to Constance from Munich, change at Lindau/Radolfzell or Stuttgart. There is an hourly train service to Constance from Zurich (airport) via Weinfelden. For more information on rail services, please call +49 (0) 800 / 1507090.Travelling by air
- From Friedrichshafen (25 km) by car/bus or ferry, or catamaran (40 min.)
- From Zurich (75 km): hourly rail service to Constance (1 hr)
- From Stuttgart (170 km): interurban train service every 20 min. to Stuttgart railway station; regular rail service to Constance (2.5 hrs)
- From Munich (230 km) by rail (5 hrs) or car (3.5 hrs) to Constance
- From Frankfurt/Main (345 km): direct rail service (4.5 hrs) to Constance
Guided Tours
Guided tours of the town, couriers and special themed guided tours can be booked for groups by Tourist-Information Konstanz GmbH in the following languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Japanese. Please contact Christine Furtwängler, phone +49 7531 1330-26 or Email.Guided tours in German for individual travellers are offered every day from April to October.
Special themed guided tours:
- The great sacral heritage
- In the footsteps of the Council
- Walls tell stories
- Walls tell stories
- Guided tours of the Minster
- Guided tours with wine-tasting at the Spitalkellerei
- The Roman excavations
Excursions
Constance's exceptional geographical location on the shores of Lake Constance and the Rhine makes it the ideal base for day excursions. There are a variety of attractive destinations in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein that are ideal for day trips from Constance, either by boat, rail, bicycle, car or on foot.Emergency numbers
- Police 110
- Fire Service 112
- Red Cross/Ambulance 1 92 22
Postal Charges
- Germany: 20 g letter € 0.55, postcards € 0.45
- Europe: 20g letter € 0.70, postcards € 0.65
- Rest of the world: 20g letter/airmail € 1,70, postcards € 1,00
Taxis
- Tel: +49 (0) 7531 2 22 22 or 2 22 23 or 67777 or 66677
- Taxi charges are displayed on the taxi meter and are based on the distance travelled.
Telephones
Long-distance international calls and local calls can be made from most public telephone boxes. International calls can also be made from post offices and hotels.Tipping
Service is usually included in hotel and restaurant charges. However, if you find the service particularly friendly and accommodating, it is also customary to leave an additional tip.Traffic regulations / Speed limits
- In Germany cars drive on the right hand side and overtake on the left.
- 50 km/h in towns
- 100 km/h on country roads
- No speed restrictions on the autobahn (motorway), unless otherwise indicated
Tourist Information
Opening times:
November to March:
Monday to Friday 9.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m.
and 2.00 a.m.- 6.00 p.m.
April to October:
Monday to Friday 9.00 a.m.-6.30 p.m.
Saturday 9.00 a.m.-4.00 p.m.
Sunday 10.00 a.m.-1.00 p.m.
Rooms available in Constance:
Automatic message service +49 / 7531 / 19412
