10 Walkable Airports in Europe You Can Reach on Foot

If you have ever wanted to walk from the airport, these 10 European airports are just minutes away on foot from the city centre.

Forget about expensive taxis or long waits for the bus to arrive.

As long as you are travelling light and do not have much luggage to carry, you can simply get to or from these 10 walkable European airports on foot.

What is a walkable airport?

Before we get to the actual list of 10 European airports that can be reached on foot, it is worth briefly clarifying what “walkable” means, as the definition of the term can vary.

Personally, I think “walkable” is better understood in terms of how accessible an airport is on foot and how quickly it can be reached from the city centre.

Indeed, although many people rely on the straight-line distance between the airport and the city centre to define whether an airport is walkable, I think this is not a particularly useful measure.

Roads rarely run straight, and distance alone does not tell you whether the route follows a dedicated footpath or involves hazardous crossings, or whether it requires walking alongside busy motorways without proper pavements for pedestrians.

Of course, we all have different tolerance levels to walking distance.

Most people would likely agree that a 30-minute walk from the city centre makes an airport walkable, but once this extends to around 1.5 hours on foot, opinions begin to differ, as some may consider the journey too long.

My list of 10 European airports that you can reach on foot therefore includes both those that are only a short walk away and those that require a slightly longer hike, but are still walkable.

Importantly, the list takes into account the distance from the airport to the actual centre of the city it serves, rather than to a random suburb or an entirely different town.

For example, you can easily walk from London City Airport to some destinations in the Docklands, but to say that the airport is walkable from the actual city centre would be quite a stretch.

Last but not least, I have only included airports with scheduled commercial passenger flights, as it would not be a fair comparison to include general aviation airfields or private terminals that may be closer to the city than the main public terminal.

That being said, let’s take a look at the list of 10 walkable European airports!

1. Pisa Airport, Italy

Perhaps the most walkable airport in Europe is Pisa, a major low-cost hub for Ryanair, and also a seasonal destination for many European charter and full-service airlines.

From Pisa Airport, it takes just over 30 minutes on foot to cover the 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles) to reach the Centro Storico – the historic centre – while it is a further 10 minutes’ walk to reach the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

If Pisa is not your final destination and you are heading elsewhere in Tuscany, you can also begin your journey on foot, as Pisa Centrale railway station is only around 20 minutes away from the airport terminal.

2. Bodø, Norway

Bodø Airport is a joint civilian airport and military air base located just above the Arctic Circle in Norway.

The airport is primarily served by SAS Scandinavian Airlines and the regional airline Widerøe, for which Bodø acts as an important regional hub.

For international visitors, Bodø Airport is perhaps best known as the gateway to the Lofoten Islands, an increasingly popular “coolcation” destination.

What makes Bodø Airport so great is its proximity to the city centre, as it is just 1 kilometre (0.6 miles) away, a distance that takes only a 15-minute walk through a quiet residential neighbourhood.

3. Gibraltar, British Overseas Territories

Another great example of a European airport that can easily be reached on foot is Gibraltar Airport, located in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar on the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Spain.

Although Gibraltar Airport is arguably most famous for having a runway that is crossed by an actual road, its location close to the city centre is also notable.

Covering 1.8 kilometres (1.1 miles), it is just a 25-minute walk from Gibraltar Airport to the city centre.

If you are heading to Spain, it takes just 4 minutes on foot to reach the border at La Línea from Gibraltar Airport.

British Airways operates flights from Gibraltar to London Heathrow Airport, while easyJet serves a range of other airports across the United Kingdom.

4. Bremen, Germany

Bremen Airport in north-western Germany is also easily walkable if you prefer to reach the city centre on foot rather than taking a tram or taxi.

The historic centre of Bremen is just 3.3 kilometres (2 miles) away from the local airport of this Hanseatic city, which is about a 45-minute walk.

A variety of airlines, ranging from Lufthansa, KLM, and Turkish Airlines to Ryanair, serve Bremen Airport.

5. Treviso, Italy

Besides Pisa, Italy has a few more airports that are located close to the city centre, and Treviso is another example that is absolutely walkable.

Also referred to as Venice-Treviso Airport by low-cost airlines such as Wizz Air and Ryanair that operate there, it is not close at all to Venice, but it is certainly close to the underrated city of Treviso.

It takes just over 50 minutes on foot to cover the 3.7 kilometres (2.3 miles) from the airport to Treviso’s beautiful historic centre.

6. Corfu, Greece

Besides year-round service from Aegean Airlines, the airport on the Ionian island of Corfu mainly handles seasonal flights during the summer months from airlines across Europe.

During those busy months, there is no need to wait for a taxi or an overcrowded bus, as Corfu Airport is one of Europe’s most walkable airports, with the centre of Corfu Town just 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles) away.

The walk from Corfu Airport to the heart of Corfu Town takes around 35 minutes.

7. Memmingen, Germany

Low-cost airports are often located far from the cities they serve, but this is not always the case, and Memmingen Airport is a great example of that.

Although Memmingen Airport, sometimes also referred to as “Munich West” by airlines such as Ryanair and Wizz Air that fly there, is certainly not close to Munich, it is within easy walking distance of the city centre of Memmingen itself.

The 4.2-kilometre (2.6-mile) walk from Memmingen Airport to the heart of the old town takes about an hour and is actually a very pleasant one to do.

Walking via the village of Memmingerberg, you will even be treated to some picture-perfect views of rural Bavaria, with its rolling hills and churches on your walk from the airport.

8. Billund, Denmark

Another regional airport that is located close to the centre of the town it serves is Billund Airport in Denmark, which is well connected by both low-cost airlines such as Norwegian and Wizz Air, as well as full-service carriers like Air France, Lufthansa, and KLM.

From the arrivals terminal of Billund Airport, it takes just over 50 minutes on foot to cover the 4-kilometre (2.5-mile) distance to the heart of this small town of just over 7,000 inhabitants.

Of course, many people fly to Billund to visit the nearby Legoland Billund theme park, which is even closer to the airport than the town centre, as the entrance to Legoland is just a 35-minute walk away.

9. Geneva, Switzerland

Of all the major European airports, perhaps none is closer to the city it serves than Geneva Airport, making it possible to travel to or from the airport on foot as well.

Geneva Airport, a hub for both easyJet and Swiss International Air Lines and served by almost every major airline in Europe, is around 4.6 kilometres (2.9 miles) away from the Geneva Cornavin railway station and the city centre.

If you want to stretch your legs after a long flight, or need to reach the airport but do not want to pay the relatively expensive fares on Swiss trains, you can get to or from the airport on foot in about an hour.

10. Nice, France

Another major European airport that is walkable is the one serving the city of Nice on the French Riviera.

From Terminal 1 of Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, it is a 6-kilometre (3.7-mile) walk to reach the old town.

However, if your flight departs from Terminal 2 at Nice Airport, the walk takes longer, as it is located a further 1.2 kilometres beyond Terminal 1 on foot.

Nice Airport might be close to the limit of what people still find walkable, but it is certainly doable if you are travelling light.

Besides, almost the entire walk runs along the seaside boulevard, which eventually turns into Nice’s famous Promenade des Anglais as you get closer to the city centre, so you will be treated to some beautiful views over the Mediterranean.

Conclusion

These 10 walkable European airports are close enough to the city centre to be reached on foot without too much effort.

The reasons for choosing to walk to or from the airport will vary from person to person.

For some, the opportunity to stretch their legs after a flight will be welcome, while for budget-conscious travellers, it may be about saving the cost of a bus or taxi fare.

Others may find it simply a great way to kill some time if they have a long wait during their travels, while there are of course just as many people who would never even consider walking to or from the airport.

Whatever the reason for walking to or from the airport, it is certainly possible at a number of airports in Europe.

Have you ever walked to or from an airport, and what was your experience like? Have I missed any other walkable European airports? Feel free to leave a comment!