Strasbourg: know before you go

Strasbourg's airport is Strasbourg-Entzheim (SXB), southwest of the centre. A TER shuttle train links the airport station to Gare de Strasbourg in about 8 minutes, up to 5 times an hour, and a covered walkway joins the terminal to the platform. Buy the combined train and tram ticket at the CTS machine in the terminal, or a TER-only ticket at the station platform. Gare de Strasbourg sits just outside the Grande Île, a short walk from Place Kléber. Taxis and on-demand shuttles also serve the terminal, but the train is the fastest option.

Strasbourg is small enough to walk, and most of the historic core is pedestrian or lightly trafficked. The Grande Île, Petite France, and the Krutenau sit within a few hundred metres of one another, and the Neustadt begins just north of the water, so all of those legs are walkable. The European quarter and the Parc de l'Orangerie are further northeast and want a tram. The CTS tram covers the longer legs, and line D runs across the Rhine to Kehl in Germany. Buy a ticket before boarding; validate at the platform reader for trams and inside the vehicle on buses. If you drive, leave the car at a park-and-ride on the tram network.

Strasbourg adds a tourist tax (taxe de séjour) to overnight stays, and the accommodation collects it and shows it on the bill. It is charged per person per night, and the amount depends on the property's category and star rating. Expect it on top of the room rate at hotels and on Airbnb-style rentals.

Strasbourg is safe to walk around day and night, and the main risk is opportunistic theft in crowds. Pickpockets work the Christmas market crush and the area around the cathedral, so keep wallets and phones in front pockets and never leave a bag on a chair back. The city centre is well lit and busy into the evening. Emergency numbers are the national ones, covered in the France country guide.

Strasbourg's tap water is safe to drink, so bring a bottle and refill it as you walk. In summer, heat waves can push temperatures past 35°C, so walk in the morning and drink more water than usual. Pharmacies are marked by a green cross, and duty pharmacies cover nights and Sundays on rotation.

French is the language you will hear most, and English is common in the tourist core. Strasbourg is the capital of Alsace, where Alsatian, a Germanic dialect, is still spoken by part of the population, and you may catch it in market greetings. A bonjour when you enter a shop and a merci when you leave go a long way. German is handy near the border but not required.

The centre is flat, which helps, but the Grande Île and Petite France have cobbled lanes, uneven paving, and narrow passages that are slow going with a stroller or a wheelchair. Trams board level with the platform and are the easier way to cover the longer legs. The Christmas market publishes a dedicated map for visitors with reduced mobility.

Strasbourg follows the national holiday calendar, with two Alsace-Moselle extras that catch visitors out: Good Friday and 26 December are public holidays here while much of France works. Shops, banks, and some museums close on those days, so check opening hours, especially around Christmas.

Book early for December, when the Christmas market fills hotels months ahead, and book anything with a timed slot. The cathedral's astronomical clock parade sells tickets only on the day, so arrive before noon for the 12:00 film and the 12:30 parade. The platform is a separate paid climb of 330 steps. The European Parliament offers free public visits, while the Council of Europe's Palace of Europe is a working building with limited public access. The Musée Alsacien is closed for renovation until 2028.