The city of Bonn comprises three formerly independent towns (Bonn proper, Bad Godesberg and Beuel), numerous villages and large open spaces (the Kottenforst and Ennert forests in the hills on both banks of the Rhine, the Siegaue meadows at confluence of Sieg and Rhein, the Rheinaue park). The historic centres are compact, pedestrianised, and therefore best explored on foot.

All parts of the city are well served by public transport, consisting of several lines of underground and surface light railway and an extensive network of bus lines. It is organised in a regional transport authority (VRS) that also includes Cologne and the surrounding rural counties. The VRS website contains timetable and fare information, but only its dodgy Java-script timetable is available in English. A more useful on-line timetable information is provided by the Cologne transport authority KVB, but only in German.

The main radio taxi service Bonner Funk-Taxi Zentrale can be reached under the phone number +49-228-555555. The basic fare is DM 3.40 plus DM 4.30 for the first km, DM 1.90/km for the next 5 km and DM 2.20/km for more than 7 km. There are taxi ranks at the main railway stations and many other places in the city.

Scheduled boat trips on the Rhine are provided by Bonner Personen Schiffahrt. Köln-Düsseldorfer offers river cruises.