Observation deck at Nuremberg Airport

Updated: October 2026 – If you want to see aircraft in Franconia, there is no way around the observation deck at Albrecht Dürer Airport Nuremberg. It sits in the middle of the terminal, costs no admission and is reachable by subway from the main station in a quarter of an hour. From up there you look across the apron to the airport’s only runway – and in such a way that the sun is behind you almost all day.

This page shows you what you can realistically expect from the deck, when a visit pays off, how to get there and which viewpoints around the fence you can use as a complement.

A compact airport with just one runway

Nuremberg Airport lies about five kilometers north of the old town, between the districts of Buchenbühl, Kraftshof and Almoshof. It opened at its present location in 1955, and the current passenger terminal with the large observation deck was added in 1981. Since 2014 the airport has carried the added name Albrecht Dürer Airport. It is the second-largest airport in Bavaria but plays in a completely different league from the hub in Munich.

One thing matters most for spotters: there is only one runway, the 10/28. It is 2,700 meters long and runs roughly east–west. The terminal lies south of it, and the apron between terminal and runway. That makes the layout easy to take in like at hardly any other larger German airport – every movement takes place in front of you, no matter which direction is in use.

In 2025 the airport counted about 4.5 million passengers, after about 4.0 million the year before. During the 2026 summer holidays, according to the airport, about 806,000 travelers used it – significantly more than 800,000 for the first time. That is respectable for a regional airport, but it also means there are pauses between the waves. If you visit the deck specifically at peak times, you get much more out of it.

The deck at a glance

The observation deck is on the 2nd upper floor of the public area, between Departure Hall 1 and Departure Hall 2. So you do not go through the security check and need no boarding pass. You get up there by the stairs or by elevator. The deck adjoins the GATE restaurant and is partly covered.

According to the airport’s website the deck is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. You should know two restrictions: during events at the GATE the deck may be closed, and in the winter months the hours may differ. In addition the elevator runs only from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., that is during the restaurant’s opening hours. If you come early in the morning or travel with a stroller or wheelchair, you should factor that in.

Runway direction in use: 28 is the normal case

Aircraft take off and land into the wind. In Nuremberg that means: with a west wind operations run on 28, that is toward the west. Landings then come in from the east over the area at Rathsbergstraße, and takeoffs lift off toward the west. With an east wind operations switch to 10. Because westerly weather patterns dominate in Germany, 28 is the active direction on most days – on any single day, though, that is no guarantee.

The equipment also favors 28: for landings in this direction there is a Category III instrument landing system, which allows approaches even in very poor visibility. For 10 a Category I ILS is available. In fog and low clouds, therefore, a lot speaks for operations on 28.

For the deck the direction matters less than at a runway end, because you have the whole runway in front of you from the side. But it determines where aircraft lift off and touch down – and thus how large they are in your viewfinder.

Configuration	What you see on the deck	Frequency	Complementary spot
Operations on 28	Landings come in from the right, takeoffs roll to the left and lift off in the west	mostly	Rathsbergstraße for approaches, Irrhainstraße for takeoffs
Operations on 10	Landings come in from the left, takeoffs lift off toward the east	with an east wind	Irrhainstraße for approaches, Rathsbergstraße for takeoffs
Little traffic	Apron, handling, occasionally helicopters	between the waves	Break in the terminal or change of spot

How to read wind and runway direction in use correctly before you set off is explained in the guide Understanding the runway direction in use at airports. Why the runway is called “10/28” is covered in the article on runway designations at airports.

Light and photography

The location of the deck is a gift photographically. Because the terminal lies south of the runway, you look north – and the sun is behind you for most of the day. At German observation decks that is not a given. In spring and autumn you have light on the fuselages practically from the morning until the evening. In high summer the sun rises in the northeast and sets in the northwest, and then in the early morning and late evening it comes in low from the side or even slightly from the front and, depending on direction, lights only one side of the aircraft.

At midday the sun stands high and the light turns harsh. For apron shots that is no big problem, but for aircraft in the air the shadows on the fuselages are missing and the pictures look flatter. If you have a choice, plan on the morning or the late afternoon.

For focal length you need two tools: for handling, pushbacks and taxiing traffic right in front of the deck a standard zoom is enough. For takeoffs and landings on the runway, which lies a few hundred meters away, you should plan on about 200 to 400 mm. Which combination suits you is explained in the article Lens for plane spotting, and you will find the matching exposure values in Camera settings for plane spotting.

A word on glass and railings: depending on where you stand on the deck, you shoot over a parapet or through a pane. Look for a free gap if possible or hold the lens close to the glass so no reflections get into the frame. A rubber lens hood helps with that. And on warm days the air shimmers over the asphalt – pictures from the other end of the runway then turn soft, while close subjects stay sharp.

What you get to see in Nuremberg

Nuremberg is not a hub but a leisure and point-to-point airport. That shapes the picture on the apron: lots of Mediterranean and Turkey traffic, low-cost airlines, a few feeders to the big connecting airports and hardly any widebody aircraft.

• Low-cost: Ryanair has been present in Nuremberg for about ten years, has aircraft based in the city and has operated a maintenance hangar at the airport since 2023. On top come Wizz Air and Pegasus Airlines. New in the 2026/27 winter schedule is easyJet with connections to London Gatwick, London Luton, Manchester and Milan.
• Leisure airlines: Corendon Airlines has had a base in Nuremberg since 2019 and has based a second aircraft since May 2026. Marabu Airlines and SunExpress serve Mallorca, Antalya and other sun destinations. Antalya is served several times a day in summer.
• Feeders to the hubs: Lufthansa connects Nuremberg with Frankfurt, KLM with Amsterdam, Air France with Paris Charles de Gaulle and Turkish Airlines with Istanbul.
• Types: Most often you see the Boeing 737-800 and the 737 MAX 8, plus the A320 family with the A320neo and A321neo. On the hub connections regional jets also show up, for example from the Embraer E-Jet family – which type is flying changes with schedule and load.

A special feature is the rescue helicopter Christoph 27, an Airbus H145 with a rescue hoist, based at the airport. Especially in quiet phases it provides movement. Alongside that, general aviation with business jets and light aircraft is active. If you are looking specifically for business aircraft, you will find tips in the article Spotting business jets.

Getting there: subway, car and bike

By subway the deck is hard to beat. Line U2 runs from Nuremberg main station to the terminus Flughafen, and the ride takes about 12 to 13 minutes. From the station you walk straight into the terminal and from there to the stairs or the elevator between the departure halls. Bus lines also run to the airport. At night service is limited, but that does not matter for the deck’s opening hours. You check intervals and connections best in the VGN trip planner.

By car you head for the parking garages directly opposite the terminal. For a short visit that is convenient, but over the day the parking fees add up. If you want to head for the runway ends, you are more flexible by car or by bike: on Irrhainstraße in the west and on Rathsbergstraße in the east lie the viewpoints that the airport itself recommends, and on the north side there is a hiking trailhead parking lot in the forest.

How a good day in Nuremberg goes

What else belongs in your camera bag is listed in the equipment checklist for plane spotting. How to keep your sightings for good is explained in the article Documenting your sightings. If you are brand new, Plane spotting for beginners helps you get started.

Alternative spots around Nuremberg Airport

One advantage of Nuremberg: the airport itself lists several viewpoints in the surrounding area on its website that are suitable for watching and photographing. That brings clarity about where you may stand.

In the west there are two points right on Irrhainstraße: the visitors’ hill and a spot at the west runway end. Both work for aircraft taking off to the west or landing from the west – that is, for takeoffs on 28 and landings on 10. In the east you find a spot at the east runway end on Rathsbergstraße and the Buchenbühler Höhe, a rise that the airport also recommends for a picnic. Here you are in the right place for landings on 28 and takeoffs on 10. On the north side you finally photograph aircraft taking off and landing with the terminal and tower in the background; a parking lot is available in the forest.

Note on light: on the north side you look south and therefore have backlight for much of the day. At the runway ends the lighting depends on the exact position and the time of day – it is best to check the sun position in advance.

For more long-haul and denser traffic a trip south is worthwhile: the visitors’ hill at Munich Airport is about two hours away and offers widebody jets of the Lufthansa Group and many partners of the Star Alliance. You will find similarly relaxed decks in Stuttgart and Leipzig/Halle. If you want to combine a day with aviation history in Bavaria, also plan on the Flugwerft Schleißheim (a Deutsches Museum aviation site) north of Munich. An overview of more destinations is offered by the article The best spotting spots in Germany.

On the deck with kids

The Nuremberg deck is one of the most family-friendly spots in southern Germany. It is free, reachable through the terminal, restrooms and food are close, and the walks from the subway are short. Because the apron lies directly below you, there is something to see even in phases without a takeoff or landing: baggage carts, fuel trucks, pushbacks.

The Sunday tours with a one-hour bus ride across the apron are normally a highlight for families. According to the airport they are currently not taking place until further notice, and the airport publishes new dates on its website. As an alternative, two webcams on the website show the western and eastern part of the apron – with a slight time delay and weather data overlaid. You will find more ideas for outings with kids in the article Plane spotting with kids.

Rules on the deck and at the fence

On the deck the airport operator’s house rules apply. Obey barriers and the staff’s instructions, do not lean over railings and do not let any objects protrude over the parapet. Private photos are no problem, but for commercial shots the airport requires prior authorization on tours – ask if in doubt when you are shooting for a client.

A note on night operations: Nuremberg has no night flight ban, but a night protection zone for noise abatement has applied since 2014. For the deck that is irrelevant, as it closes at 10 p.m. If you want to shoot at night at the runway ends, be considerate of the residents in Buchenbühl and the other neighboring districts. The article Photographing aircraft at night provides tips on the technique.

Conclusion

The observation deck at Albrecht Dürer Airport is not a spot for widebody hunters, but it is one of the most pleasant entry points into plane spotting in Germany. It is free, sits before the security check, is reachable by U2 from the main station in a quarter of an hour and, thanks to its position south of the runway, offers light from behind over almost the whole day.

Its limits lie in the traffic: Nuremberg is a leisure and low-cost airport with waves and pauses. If you keep an eye on the flight schedule, come at peak time and, if needed, move to one of the officially listed runway ends, you still turn a short visit into a full spotting day.