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EuropeGermanyBaden-Wurttemberg

Karlsruhe

Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany · Europe

About Karlsruhe

Karlsruhe is worth a stop: 15 minutes from Ettlingen, 29km from Altes Schloss Hohenbaden.

Karlsruhe is a city located in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. With a population of 283,799, it is an important destination in Europe.

On a road trip, Karlsruhe sits in Germany, where you drive on the right. It's in the Europe/Berlin time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Karlsruhe to your route.

About Karlsruhe

Karlsruhe ( KARLZ-roo-ə; US also KARLSS-; German: [ˈkaʁlsˌʁuːə] ; South Franconian: Kallsruh) is the third-largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg, after its capital Stuttgart and Mannheim, and the 22nd-largest city in the nation, with 308,436 inhabitants. It is also a former capital of Baden, a

Read more historic region named after Hohenbaden Castle in the city of Baden-Baden. Located on the right bank of the Rhine (Upper Rhine) near the French border, between the Mannheim-Ludwigshafen conurbation to the north and Strasbourg to the south, Karlsruhe is Germany's legal center, being home to the Federal Constitutional Court, the Federal Court of Justice and the Public Prosecutor General. Karlsruhe was the capital of the Margraviate of Baden-Durlach (Durlach: 1565–1718; Karlsruhe: 1718–1771), the Margraviate of Baden (1771–1803), the Electorate of Baden (1803–1806), the Grand Duchy of Baden (1806–1918), and the Republic of Baden (1918–1945). Its most remarkable building is Karlsruhe Palace, which was built in 1715. It contains the Baden State Museum, the large cultural, art and regional history museum of the Baden region of Baden-Württemberg. There are nine institutions of higher education in the city, most notably the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport is the second-busiest airport in Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart Airport, and the 17th-busiest airport in Germany.

Read more on Wikipedia

Where to Stay in Karlsruhe

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best things to do in Karlsruhe?

Karlsruhe offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.

How do I plan a road trip to Karlsruhe?

Plan your road trip to Karlsruhe with Plan Your Road Trips! Add Karlsruhe as a destination, and we'll help you find the best route and discover more amazing places along the way.

Where is Karlsruhe located?

Karlsruhe is located in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, Europe. The coordinates are 49.0094 latitude, 8.4044 longitude.

What is the population of Karlsruhe?

Karlsruhe has a population of approximately 283,799 people, making it a city in Germany.

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Quick Information

Population
283,799
Continent
Europe
Country
Germany
Region
Baden-Wurttemberg
Timezone
Europe/Berlin
Coordinates
49.0094, 8.4044

Emergency & Services

Essential numbers in Germany

Police
110
Ambulance
112
Fire
112
All emergencies
112
Driving side
right

ADAC roadside assistance: +49 89 22 22 22. No general speed limit on some autobahn sections but advisory 130 km/h.

Full driving guide for Germany

Tags

EuropeGermanyBaden-WurttembergCity

Worth the detour from Karlsruhe

8 notable places within an hour's drive.

castle

Altes Schloss Hohenbaden

Ruined twelfth-century castle walls crown a forested ridge above spa town Baden-Baden with sweeping Rhine valley views.

29 km · about 35 min drive

landmark

Baden-Baden

An elegant spa town at the edge of the Black Forest, famed for its thermal baths, casino, and the Festspielhaus concert hall.

30 km · about 35 min drive

landmark

Maulbronn Monastery

The best-preserved medieval Cistercian monastery complex north of the Alps, a tranquil UNESCO ensemble of Gothic cloisters.

30 km · about 35 min drive

museum

Technik Museum Speyer

Sister museum to Sinsheim featuring a Boeing 747, submarine, and extensive collection of vintage and classic automobiles.

34 km · about 40 min drive

cathedral

Speyer Cathedral

The world's largest surviving Romanesque church, this imperial cathedral holds the tombs of eight German emperors and kings.

34 km · about 40 min drive

landmark

Hunspach

Immaculate northern-Alsace village of white half-timbered farmhouses with curved bull's-eye window panes, voted France's favourite village in 2020 yet still bypassed by the Colmar crowds.

34 km · about 40 min drive

racetrack

Hockenheimring

German Grand Prix circuit in the Rhine Valley with a museum, driving experiences, and regular track day events.

37 km · about 45 min drive

castle

Trifels Castle

A red-sandstone imperial fortress crowning a Palatinate Forest crag once held the crown jewels and Richard the Lionheart.

37 km · about 45 min drive

Driving roads near Karlsruhe

  • 39 kmDeutsche WeinstraßeGermany's oldest wine route winds 85 km past vineyards, almond blossoms and half-timbered villages through the Palatinate.
  • 46 kmSchwarzwaldhochstrasse (Black Forest High Road)The B500 ridge road runs 60 km from Baden-Baden to Freudenstadt through dense pine forest, passing the Mummelsee lake and spa towns, with sweeping viewpoints over the Rhine plain.
  • 48 kmSchwarzwaldhochstraßeThe Black Forest High Road climbs the B500 past pine ridges, moorland lakes and panoramic pull-offs from Baden-Baden to Freudenstadt.
  • 54 kmSolituderennenA 11.4km road circuit through the forest west of Stuttgart that drew 300,000 spectators to Grand Prix races in the 1960s. The public roads still run the old lap past Schloss Solitude, and the course is entirely drivable today.

Driving in Germany

Drives on
the right
Petrol
~€1.78/litre
Motorway tolls
None

When to drive here

April to October

Nearby Destinations

Other places to explore near Karlsruhe.

Ettlingen

🇩🇪 Germany

8 km awayPop. 38,578

Rheinstetten

🇩🇪 Germany

8 km awayPop. 20,378

Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen

🇩🇪 Germany

9 km awayPop. 15,189

Weingarten

🇩🇪 Germany

10 km awayPop. 9,556

Hagenbach

🇩🇪 Germany

11 km awayPop. 5,495

Wörth am Rhein

🇩🇪 Germany

11 km away

Neuburg

🇩🇪 Germany

12 km awayPop. 2,549

Jöhlingen

🇩🇪 Germany

13 km away

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Data sources:GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)•Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)•Mapbox•Photography: George Lawrence