joan

Hi there!
I've gotten lots of help planning, but am stumped as to whether to pre-book train travel for the leg of our journey from Riquewihr to Cochem on a Thursday in September.

I know we probably must take taxi to Colmar, then the shortest route looks like:
Train Colmar to Strasbourg,
Train Strasbourg to Saarbrucken Hbf,
Train Saarbrucken to Cochem.

The first leg is all France, the second connects France to Germany, the third brings us to our destination.

Should I book these legs in advance? No one site will book them all for me. Will I spend more if I wait til day of travel? Traveling at the end of September, so about 6 weeks from now. All help appreciated!

PalenQ

The French one is a TER train with no need to book early - no real savings - seat reservations not required - just buy ticket in Colmar

Depending on the connection some German portions are whole on regional trains or IC trains and not ICE trains - ICE trains are involved in some rail links and you can get a discount by booking in advance but then are pegged into that specific train - and as you are going short distances on ICE trains the full fare may be about what a discounted fare would be.

Check www.bahn.de/en - the German Railways official site and see what full fare is vs discounted fare - if not much savings just wait to Colmar and Offenburg (where you change to German trains) and buy walk up tickets -you will IME always be able to get on trains - have no fear of those type trains selling out.

For lots of general info on German trains check www.seat61.com - great info on discounted tickets; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

And Riquwehr does have a train station out of town with service to Colmar in case you want to start there - bop down to the Riquwehr station a day before maybe and ask all about tickets, etc - train info counters IME are usually very helpful and will print everything out.

The 10:05 or so train seems to be the fastest connection at 5 hours flat - some take longer.

joan

A train station in Riquewihr? I am so surprised to hear that, because I am taking the train from Switzerland to get there - and was told I'd have to end my train journey at Colmar and taxi (since it will be a Sunday) to Riquewihr...

Thanks for the other suggestions too PalenQ! Your insight has been extremely helpful (i've got my Swiss Transfer and half price card and the other trains are mostly lined up now).

PalenQ

Well there was a station in Riquewihr but maybe now it is only buses as www.bahn.de/en doesn't show one - so driving to Colmar may not be needed.

Andrew

A quick check of www.bahn.com shows a one-connection train trip from Colmar to Luxembourg City and then Luxembourg City on to Cochem - leaves at 6:43am though. It's not necessarily the fastest trip but the easiest with one connection - and both seem to be regional trains, so no need to book anything in advance.

PalenQ

I didn't see that one - did not start looking that early - and if they have to pack up get to Colmar it may be too early for most but a good option if an early bird - lots of daytime left once you get to Cochem.

Andrew

If the alternative to getting up early is a more complicated train ride including some reserved tickets I might need to buy early to get a good price...I'd be taking that early train myself. The taxi from Colmar should make it easy. Colmar isn't a huge train station.

PalenQ

What trains demand reservations? The ones I looked it do not - no German train en route demands them and French trains are TER trains that also don't require them. So what did I miss?

When bahn.de says 'subject to reservation' it means you can reserve but don't have to - mandatory reservations say exact that "subject to compulsory reservations"

Well that's my take anyway - maybe things have changed recently but TMK only ICE Sprinter trains in Germany - which are few and far between - basically for business types on the Frankfurt-Hamburg axis early in the morning and late in afternoon require reservations before boarding.

Again things may change but I have not heard that (but always possible!)

Andrew

Sorry, I misspoke - I'm aware that reservations aren't required on the IC/ICE trains; I never paid for reservations on them myself.

What I meant was that these are regional trains without reserved seats so no advanced purchase should be required to get a discount. That takes some of the uncertainty out of the decision. I thought my meaning was clear.

PalenQ

the Luxembourg route may be cheaper as I see on bahn.de the regular fare is about 100 euros Colmar to Cochem via Germany - 86 on a discounted basis it seems - does not give French train pricing but may be cheaper yes.

neckervd

Riquewihr poste dp 6.20 - Colmar 6.50/7.07 - Strasbourg 7.39/8.01 - Saarbruecken 9.46/10.19 - Cochem ar 12.18

Riquewihr poste dp 9.25 - Colmar 9.55/10.06 - Strasbourg 10.37/10.52 - Offenburg 11.22/11.30 - Mannheim 12.23/12.39 - Koblenz 14.11/14.17 - Cochem ar 15.06

Riquewihr poste dp 13.15 - Colmar 13.45/14.04 - Luxemburg 16.48/17.26 - Cochem ar 19.18

Riquewihr poste dp 15.25 - Colmar 15.55/17.07 - Luxemburg 19.48/ 20.26 - Cochem ar 22.18

PalenQ

If you go via Luxembourg you may want to throw your bags in a station locker and look around this pleasant town for a few hours - bisected by a deep gorge physically it is very impressive but otherwise rather unremarkable but very nice. Plus you experience another country - the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg! There are hourly rail links from Luxembourg to Cochem via Trier.

joan

Neckervd, your post makes me very curious - are these train itineraries, beginning in Riquewihr? I am not seeing these options on the db bahn website...
Thanks!

PalenQ, good idea but we don't want to get in after 5 PM to our vacation rental in Cochem...

PalenQ

poste - usually means post office and that means a bus to Colmar I would think - again riquewihr does not appear in train searches so I think that train line may not be buses only - better actually because the train station there is a ways out of town - the poste must be right in the heart of town.

neckervd

There are tons of daily buses between Riquewihr and Colmar (and vice versa). I mentioned only those which are in connection with trains to Cochem.

Christina

The train station near Riquewihr closed in 2011 (it was gare Ribeauville, several km away) when they put in the TGV service Rhin-Rhone.

The bus from Colmar makes a couple stops, one is the Poste (post office) which is several blocks from city hall, in the center of town.

The bus line to Colmar is no. 106, you can get schedules here http://www.haut-rhin.fr/horaires-des...s-des-bus.html

joan

Thanks to all! Aha! Buses!

I checked the "horaires" list and if I am seeing correctly there is no bus service on Sundays, correct? We are arriving into Colmar via train from Basel on a Sunday, I believe the word is Dimanche, oui? The pdf file shows the key for days as " LMaMeJVS " which leaves out Sunday...we will have to take a taxi upon arrival.

But we can use the bus 106 on a Thursday to get us back to Colmar for the train.

Adventures ahead!

neckervd

Timetables:
http://www.haut-rhin.fr/horaires-des...s-des-bus.html
ligne 106
http://www.ter.sncf.com/alsace/depliant/recherche

neckervd

You are right: there is no bus on Sundays. I didn't realize it, sorry!
For legs like Riquewihr - Strasbourg, you may also check http://www.vialsace.eu/

PalenQ

Are you looking around Colmar itself at all - if not consider spending some time there - maybe stay there the night before that early train since it looks like no bus can get you there in time for 6:43 departure - but I assume you will be spending some time there but if not this is one cute little town - check out the Little Venice area and the copy of the Statue of Liberty erected at one entrance of the town - the original Statue of Liberty was cast here and sent to New Jersey piece by piece where it still stands.