In 2024, the Bonn-Information tour guide team was on duty for Bonn-Information a total of 2,337 times. "We currently have more than 1,400 bookings for 2025," says Birgit Landsberg, Head of Bonn-Information. "Our top sellers are the classic tours of Bonn with a focus on topics such as Beethoven or the Rhine Romanticism, but our political tourism offers in the government district are also in high demand. Particularly popular are tours that also include a visit to the interior, such as the Villa Hammerschmidt or the plenary chamber. Our relatively new formats are also well received - carnival, cherry blossom or the guided tours to the "Hidden Places", such as the crypt of Bonn Cathedral, interest people," Landsberg explains the offer.
The guided tours about the city's political history have experienced a particular boost in the past year. "Increased by the intensive communication for the anniversary year "75 Years of the Basic Law" and especially by the attention on the occasion of the Festival of Democracy on May 24, 2024, the interest of visitors was disproportionately higher than in the previous year," reports Landsberg. The number of bookings for guided tours on the "Path of Democracy" and interior tours of the plenary chamber and Villa Hammerschmidt increased significantly, particularly in the second half of the year. This was another reason to strengthen the team of tour guides. Around 60 people are currently working for Bonn-Information on a freelance basis. Ten more tour guides are currently being trained and will join the team in April 2025.
The red double-decker bus is the "driving force" of Bonn-Information
The total number of participants in Bonn-Information city tours and guided tours in 2024 was 65,421. This was a sharp increase on the previous year, when the total number was 42,514. The undisputed "driving force" in the Bonn-Information portfolio is the red double-decker bus. Willms Touristik GmbH from the Rhein-Sieg district has been running the city tours as a partner of Bonn-Information since 2020 and has recorded high passenger growth every year. "We chauffeured more than 16,000 participants through Bonn by bus in 2024," says Victoria Appelbe, Head of Business Development, with satisfaction. The frequency of the trips has been steadily increased in recent years by the cooperation partner, Willms Touristik, in line with the high demand. "The city tour bus is a great way for 'Bonn newcomers' to get an overview of the city. Many guests also use the practical 'hop on - hop off' principle as an alternative to traditional public transport," says Appelbe.
For 2025, Bonn-Information has now primarily strengthened the already tried and tested offer. For example, the classic city tour "Discover Bonn on foot" will be offered all year round for the first time - every Saturday at 11 am. Another new addition this year is a tour specifically about Ludwig van Beethoven, which the team has designed together with the Beethoven-Haus Bonn. A one-hour tour of the city center is followed by a 30-minute visit to the Beethoven House together with the tour guide.
Visitors can book almost all tours directly online at www.bonnticket.de (opens in a new tab). Alternatively, they can of course also book directly with the Bonn-Information service team in person at Windeckstraße 1, by phone on 0228 - 77 50 00 or by email at bonninformationbonnde. Only the guided tours of the Villa Hammerschmidt or the Post Tower must be booked through the Bonn-Information team.
Bookings for individual groups who would like their own tour guide are accepted by the Bonn Tours department. Arrangements can be made by telephone on 0228 - 77 50 01 or 50 12 or 39 12, alternatively by e-mail to bonntourenbonnde or via the booking form on the homepage.
All information and dates are also available at www.bonn.de/stadttouren (opens in a new tab)