Train travel in Germany
Jul 10th, 2012, 09:12 PM
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Train travel in Germany
I received great advise on a trip my husband & I are taking to Germany, through this forum. We are planning to take the train from Bonn to Rudesheim, settle into a hotel, take train to Koblenz and then a boat ride back to Rudesheim.
The next day we plan to take the train to Burg Eltz, then to Cochem, then to Mozelkern and a boat from there to Rudesheim.
We have not decided what we should do the next and final day of our trip. Do you think it would be worth adding the boat ride from Koblenz to Mainz?
Then we will take the train from Rudesheim to the Frankfurt Airport.
What would be the least expensive way to buy our train tickets? Is there a day pass? Is it better to buy a ticket at each train station for each leg of the journey? Is it complicated to figure out the timetables?
Also do you recommend any hotel in Rudesheim? Inexpensive but nice. I have heart issues and cannot walk far so would love to find something close to trains and boats.
Thank you so much. We are excited to see Germany in July. Joyce & Alex
The next day we plan to take the train to Burg Eltz, then to Cochem, then to Mozelkern and a boat from there to Rudesheim.
We have not decided what we should do the next and final day of our trip. Do you think it would be worth adding the boat ride from Koblenz to Mainz?
Then we will take the train from Rudesheim to the Frankfurt Airport.
What would be the least expensive way to buy our train tickets? Is there a day pass? Is it better to buy a ticket at each train station for each leg of the journey? Is it complicated to figure out the timetables?
Also do you recommend any hotel in Rudesheim? Inexpensive but nice. I have heart issues and cannot walk far so would love to find something close to trains and boats.
Thank you so much. We are excited to see Germany in July. Joyce & Alex
Jul 10th, 2012, 09:56 PM
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To look up point to point train fares use the DB site:
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query2.exe/en
If you are not riding trains during morning peak hours, here are the discount day pass options:
http://www.bahn.com/i/view/GBR/en/pr...overview.shtml
Do you know that the Rhine river flows north from Rudesheim to Koblenz direction? Rudesheim to Koblenz in downstream direction is about 4hrs while Koblenz to Rudesheim in upstream direction is more than 6hrs. http://www.kdrhine.com/rhineschedule.htm
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query2.exe/en
If you are not riding trains during morning peak hours, here are the discount day pass options:
http://www.bahn.com/i/view/GBR/en/pr...overview.shtml
Do you know that the Rhine river flows north from Rudesheim to Koblenz direction? Rudesheim to Koblenz in downstream direction is about 4hrs while Koblenz to Rudesheim in upstream direction is more than 6hrs. http://www.kdrhine.com/rhineschedule.htm
Jul 10th, 2012, 10:24 PM
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Regarding your plans for the second day:
- the train station for Burg Eltz is in Moselkern, and from there you have to walk. It is a nice walk, in a small forest, but you say that you can not walk long and have heart problems. I am not sure that this walk is for you.
- then, I suppose (and hope) that you will visit Cochem, not just change the train here. Cochem is a veri picturesque small town on Mosel valley.
- I am not sure that you have time to visit Burg Eltz, Cochem, take the train to Moselkern and boat to Rudesheim in one day. You need time to walk, to enjoy a nice meal, etc..
I recommend to visit (from Rudesheim) the small and pretty village Bacharach. Also, it will be nice to visit St. Goar and the castle.
- the train station for Burg Eltz is in Moselkern, and from there you have to walk. It is a nice walk, in a small forest, but you say that you can not walk long and have heart problems. I am not sure that this walk is for you.
- then, I suppose (and hope) that you will visit Cochem, not just change the train here. Cochem is a veri picturesque small town on Mosel valley.
- I am not sure that you have time to visit Burg Eltz, Cochem, take the train to Moselkern and boat to Rudesheim in one day. You need time to walk, to enjoy a nice meal, etc..
I recommend to visit (from Rudesheim) the small and pretty village Bacharach. Also, it will be nice to visit St. Goar and the castle.
Jul 11th, 2012, 03:29 AM
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Joyce, congrats on your upcoming trip!
Use the following website to figure alternative ways to get up to Burg Eltz (REALLY worth it IMHO).
http://www.burg-eltz.de/e_index.html
Train travel is convenient and easy, just pack lightly!
I second the suggestion to visit Bacharach. I stayed there for two weeks a few years ago. It is a small town with lots of cafes, shops and wine tastings.
Use the following website to figure alternative ways to get up to Burg Eltz (REALLY worth it IMHO).
http://www.burg-eltz.de/e_index.html
Train travel is convenient and easy, just pack lightly!
I second the suggestion to visit Bacharach. I stayed there for two weeks a few years ago. It is a small town with lots of cafes, shops and wine tastings.
Jul 11th, 2012, 03:57 AM
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Not to put a fly in the ointment, but I really didn't care for more than a daytrip to Ruedesheim. It was Tourist-Jammed. If it were me, I'd stay in Bacharach and daytrip from there.
As for regional train tickets, Ruedesheim/Bacharach/Moselkern/Mainz and Cochem all fall within the Rheinland-Pfalz, so this Laenderticket would cover these trips (not Bonn, which falls in Nordrhein-Westphalia).
At the train site of www.bahn.com, a trip from Ruedesheim to Cochem costs 21 Euro per person.
A RP Laenderticket costs 21 Euro for the first person and 4 Euro (or a total of 25 Euro) for two people. However, trips cannot commence until 9am and must be completed by 3am the next morning, and you must use regional trains only (no IC or RC trains, which would not be a problem in this area anyway).
So, yo can save a few Euros on the day you travel to Moselkern and Cochem, using this kind of pass.
As for regional train tickets, Ruedesheim/Bacharach/Moselkern/Mainz and Cochem all fall within the Rheinland-Pfalz, so this Laenderticket would cover these trips (not Bonn, which falls in Nordrhein-Westphalia).
At the train site of www.bahn.com, a trip from Ruedesheim to Cochem costs 21 Euro per person.
A RP Laenderticket costs 21 Euro for the first person and 4 Euro (or a total of 25 Euro) for two people. However, trips cannot commence until 9am and must be completed by 3am the next morning, and you must use regional trains only (no IC or RC trains, which would not be a problem in this area anyway).
So, yo can save a few Euros on the day you travel to Moselkern and Cochem, using this kind of pass.
Jul 11th, 2012, 05:01 AM
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To repeat some important advice - you do not likely have enough time to do Burg Eltz, Cochem, and a boat to Rudesheim in a single day.
I am also concerned about how you plan to reach Burg Eltz, which is a ca. 5 km hike from Moselkern. With your heart condition, you will certainly need to research and examine your options for arriving at the castle using some combination of public transit and a taxi.
I am also concerned about how you plan to reach Burg Eltz, which is a ca. 5 km hike from Moselkern. With your heart condition, you will certainly need to research and examine your options for arriving at the castle using some combination of public transit and a taxi.
Jul 11th, 2012, 09:17 AM
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would be worth adding the boat ride from Koblenz to Mainz>
in any case go the other way - saves over two hours rather than going upstream - most folks find the scenery between Boppard and Rudesheim the finest with the rest rather ho-hum.
for loads of great info on German trains and various things like the Lander Passes which make sense here (do not think they are good on boats but could be as regular train tickets along the Rhine I believe can be used also on the boat on the same stretch - great sites - www.seat61.com; http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id9.html and www.ricksteves.com. buy Lander Tickets at stations - in vending machines or at ticket windows and yes stick to regional trains as they are only valid on those and S-bahns - fine for the area you are railing in.
in any case go the other way - saves over two hours rather than going upstream - most folks find the scenery between Boppard and Rudesheim the finest with the rest rather ho-hum.
for loads of great info on German trains and various things like the Lander Passes which make sense here (do not think they are good on boats but could be as regular train tickets along the Rhine I believe can be used also on the boat on the same stretch - great sites - www.seat61.com; http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id9.html and www.ricksteves.com. buy Lander Tickets at stations - in vending machines or at ticket windows and yes stick to regional trains as they are only valid on those and S-bahns - fine for the area you are railing in.
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