Strasbourg Travel Guide

Getting There -- The Strasbourg-Entzheim Airport (Aéroport International Strasbourg; tel. 03-88-64-67-67; www.strasbourg.aeroport.fr), 15km (9 1/3 miles) southwest of the city center, receives daily flights from many European cities, including Paris, London, Rome, Vienna, and Moscow. You can get from the airport to the town center by using shuttle buses and city trams. They run at 40-minute intervals all day long. The one-way cost is 5.10€ ($6.65). Take a shuttle bus to the south side of Strasbourg, to a junction point known as Baggersee. From there, you'll continue to the town center on tram line A. Combined travel time is between 35 and 40 minutes each way. For information, call tel. 03-88-77-70-70.

At least 16 trains a day arrive from Paris's Gare de l'Est (trip time: 4 hr.); the one-way fare is 50€ ($65). For information and schedules, call tel. 36-35 or tel. 08-92-35-35-35 from outside France.

By car, the giant A35 crosses the plain of Alsace, with occasional references to its original name, the N83. It links Strasbourg with Colmar and Mulhouse.

Visitor Information -- The Office de Tourisme is on place de la Cathédrale (tel. 03-88-52-28-28; fax 03-88-52-28-29; www.ot-strasbourg.fr).

Special Events -- Wolf Music, 24 rue de la Mésange (tel. 03-88-32-43-10), arranges ticket sales for two festivals: the Festival of Classical Music (tel. 03-88-15-29-29), for 2 weeks in June, and the Festival de Jazz (tel. 03-88-15-29-29), July 1 to July 3. Both feature international artists and draw large crowds. Ticket prices begin at 19€ ($25) and go on sale in mid-April. The Association Musica (tel. 03-88-23-47-23; www.festival-musica.org) organizes the Festival International des Musiques d'Aujourd'hui. It takes place from the end of September to the first week of October and combines contemporary music concerts with movies and modern opera performances. Tickets are 5.50€ to 16€ ($7.15-$21) and go on sale at the end of June.