BarbaraAllison7911

Hello folks!

We plan on travelling to Germany and France in fall of 2017. Landing in Frankfurt from Canada, after an overnight flight, not sure if we want to rent a car at the airport or take a train to Cochem and rent a car there. Firstly, after landing, where at the airport can we catch a train and which line would it be? Secondly, we have looked briefly for a car rental in Cochem and can't seem to locate one. Does anyone know if we can rent from the train station and if not, where can we rent one?

Also, I read in some older posts that some type of environmental sticker is required on car rentals in Germany. Is this correct and is it a problem to take the car to France?

We plan on staying in the village of Riqueweir in France. Any comments good or bad about either Cochem or Riqueweir.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

PalenQ

Well for trains to Cochem from Frankfurt Airport check www.bahn.de/en - the German Railways web site - you will usually have to change twice from the airport and no problem at all - changing at Koblenz nearly always.

for lots on German trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com (also lots on the Mosel) and www.ricksteves.com.

I'd consider going from the airport to a nearby town on the Rhine like Mainz - stay the night and rent a car from there.

Lots of trains from the airport to Mainz, a short trip.

joan

We took the train in mid-September last year from Riquewihr to Cochem (stayed four nights in each). We did not have a car, but rented bikes in both places. (Had to walk from Riquewihr to the next village for bikes there PalenQ was invaluable help in arranging the order of our visit and encouraging us to rent bikes and get around on our own.

Loved both towns, they are very different. Riquewihr ancient, tiny, and we had the most unbelievable apartment - right in the center of the main cobblestone street, over top of an ancient wine cellar, called Riesling:
http://i-love-riquewihr.com/o_11-EN.html

And we loved our apartment in Cochem too, because it had a terrace that looks out on the river and has a view of the castle, Apartment Sonnenberg. Cochem was a bit grittier, but was a great base for exploring the area by train and bike:

http://www.booking.com/hotel/de/haus-moselpanorama.html

Fussgaenger

A car is generally unnecessary to get to Cochem or to do day trips from Cochem. Perhaps you have some unusually isolated destinations in mind?? Or perhaps you aren't aware that the German train system and other transport options are exceptionally well developed and efficient. I rented a van once when we traveled with my 75-year-old in-laws in part because we were concerned about their stamina and some of the last-minute room locations that had been forced upon us. (Perhaps you have similar concerns or mobility issues.) Turns out the in-laws packed appropriately and managed just fine - and the car was unnecessary.

Find Cochem on this map and you'll see the Mosel destinations available to you by train:
http://www.vrminfo.de/fileadmin/data...reckennetz.pdf

Two common Mosel destinations, Beilstein and Bernkastel, have no stations; Beilstein is served by bus or boat from Cochem, Bernkastel by train + bus connection.

France and Alsace are a different matter IME. What makes sense to me would be to use the trains for FRA - Cochem - Strasbourg (and for outings from Cochem) and to then pick up a car once you're in Strasbourg.

From FRA, train departures to Cochem from FRA are particularly convenient (and usually inexpensive) for the 7:21, 9:24, and 11:24 departures by RE (regional express) train. The ride takes just over 2 hours. Two adults can do the journey for less than €40 total for most departures and most days of the week, and no advance-purchase is needed (an important point - pre-purchased DB "saver fares" are train-specific and might have to be forfeited if your flight is late.)

A DB saver fare is just the ticket for Cochem to Strasbourg. They sell for €29 each for the trip to the French border at Kehl (if bought well in advance.) A cheap supplemental ticket for Kehl-Strasbourg completes your journey.

BarbaraAllison7911

PalenQ, thanks for your info. To start, I like your comment on your profile "you fell down in Naples, went to the ER!". I will check Mainz out and get back with any questions as Joan feels you are the expert! �� Everyone seems to like the trains. I am not sure of what towns we would like to visit, but in other posts, some say you should visit Luxembourg. So I thought a car would be best, maybe not so much.

BarbaraAllison7911

Joan, we plan om staying a week in both places as a lot of apartments only rent by the week. Do you think that is too much time?

Also, as you felt Cochem was grittier, can you suggest somewhere else, perhaps a town you visited that you loved close by to Cochem? We are open to suggestions. I read that Cochem was very nice so chose it on that basis. I will check out your accommodations and thanks for that.

We too love bicycles and would have no problem renting same. Actually I,have noticed responses to posts from PalenQ and feel,that he would be a good advocate for travelling this area.

BarbaraAllison7911

Fussgaenger, thanks for all the info on these particular destinations. Your train travel information is very detailed. It would seem all responses agree that a car is not necessary, although we have always rented a car in Europe. Wasn't aware that Germany had such a great train system. We do not have mobility issues, just thought it's nice to have a car at ones disposal. I will check out the two towns you suggested, Beilstien and Bernkastel. Are there any other places you can suggest we can see in that area. And what did you mean that France and Alsace are a different matter? I will also check out the map you suggested.

Thanks

BarbaraAllison7911

PalenQ, I have checked the map,and I,like the idea of going to Mainz to rent a car if we go that route. Thanks for that!

Fussgaenger

"Are there any other places you can suggest we can see in that area. And what did you mean that France and Alsace are a different matter? I will also check out the map you suggested."

Day trips from Cochem might include...

TRIER, 45 minutes from Cochem by direct train, €28/2 adults round trip with a "Rheinland-Pfalz Ticket" day pass. Trier sports numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites...
http://www.trier-info.de/english/une...heritage-sites

BURG ELTZ (castle tour), take the train 18 minutes to Moselkern and walk through the woods to this never-destroyed castle:
http://de.best-wallpaper.net/wallpap..._1920x1200.jpg
http://www.bensbauernhof.com/burgeltzfrommoselkern.html

BULLAY, ALF, PUENDERICH, REIL, all small, scenic riverfront towns that are connected by paved bike routes along one of the Mosel's most attractive segments:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...erich_2010.jpg
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/64234594.jpg

"... is it a problem to take the car to France?"
If you rent in Germany and drop off in France, you pay a hefty drop-off fee. If you rent and drop in the same country, no additional fee.

The trains are a very pleasant way to see the Mosel and the rest of Germany for that matter - the Mosel scenery is great and the one who'd otherwise be the driver can relax and enjoy the scenery as well. With the trains, there is no drop-off fee, no insurance, no rental contract, no pick-up or drop-off routines, no gas, no potty stops, no fender-benders, no radar speed traps.

http://www.zughalt.de/wp-content/upl...10/DB11321.jpg

Fussgaenger

About France and the Alsace: I only meant that French train service tends to be less comprehensive than the German system - the rail network makes it trickier to get from one small place to another in France, and a car is often more useful than in Germany.

Fussgaenger

Most people probably have no major problems when they rent, but a significant number of visitors have some quite serious ones with the rental companies. There are dozens of threads on TA like this one that speak to the potential difficulties with rentals in Europe:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...y-Germany.html

travlsolo2

Regarding Cochem....I would never associate the word "grittier" with Cochem. Really?

tasmangirl

Why is Cochem 'grittier'? Both Cochem/Burg Eltz and Riquewhir are high on my bucket list for a 2017 trip.
It looks so delightful online.

BarbaraAllison7911

I certainly appreciate all the feed back. Certainly, all the suggestions regarding places to visit near Cochem. Train information is invaluable, maybe we will look more seriously into this idea as we all know the driver can't enjoy the scenery as the passengers.

I also would like to know how Cochem is grittier and if so, is there a better smaller place to stay in order to visit the area.

Any other places to visit near Riqueweir would be appreciated.

We always have rented, a dozen times in many countries, including twice in Turkey and have never encountered any difficulties but it is always good to be wary. We go through VRBO or Homeaway or Owners Direct.

joan

The reason I wrote "grittier" is because we found Cochem to be more city-like than Riquewihr. The train station was honestly dirty with broken glass in the stairwells etc. Lots more touristy shops (example: an Irish pub blaring rock music - but hey we stopped in for a pint), loads of people taking boat tours departing from the waterfront. This is only as compared to Riquewihr, we would go back to Cochem in a heartbeat and it was a great base. Watching the river traffic from our little terrace was captivating.

If you want smaller, we did bike along those paved pathways to quite a few towns. We found Beilstein utterly charming. But for a whole week, I'd stay in Cochem, as there is much more to see using that as your base. Do go to Burg Eltz, and use the Rick Steves hike to get there from the train station. Pick up a local paper and use the internet to find wine festivals. We rode our bike to one - it wasn't happening, so we turned around and rode into a walnut festival complete with bands and homemade food and wonderful people selling wine by the bottle.

P.S. Could not get to Riquewihr by train - you must train to Colmar and then bus or taxi to Riquewihr. Nearby Ribeauville is also gorgeous - I don't think you can go wrong with any of the villages nearby. Have fun planning!

Melnq8

joan -

Thank you for your comments about Cochem. We'd considered going there for our German Christmas trip this year, but decided otherwise as it's just not convenient to other areas we plan to visit. Now I'm wondering if we'd have even liked it.

Fussgaenger

Cochem gritty??

Older train stations all around Germany are indeed neglected in a way the rest of Germany generally is not. Cochem's station is indeed sad - but IMO not gritty (which implies a bit of danger, maybe a place to pick up illicit drugs...) and neither is the rest of Cochem. Cochem IS old - narrow streets and alleyways, old town walls and towers... maybe one of Germany's most charming old-world destinations in spite of the large number of summertime daytrippers who pass through there. If you're not going now, Melnq8, put it on your list for later - I wouldn't let a few ill-chosen words deter me. Some Cochem photos:

http://www.der-takt.de/typo3temp/_pr...087e83a8d1.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4093/5...5a5d55d3_b.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...hem,_Markt.JPG

http://ks-portfolio.de/wp-content/ga.../cochem-11.jpg

Melnq8

Wow, those are gorgeous Fussgaenger. Not at all 'gritty'.

I know what you mean about old German train stations - we were a bit taken aback by the seemingly abandoned one in Annaberg-Bucholtz last year. The town, however, was lovely.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/melnq8...7665066916516/

BarbaraAllison7911

Thanks folks for all the great information, very much appreciated. Once Imhave made further plans I will get back with more questions. If anyone thinks of anywhere else we should see, just reply feedback!

If we have a few more days to stay, is there a place between Ricqueweir and Cochem you could suggest......in Germany? I have been to Heidelberg and Rothenburg already.

Fussgaenger

If we have a few more days to stay, is there a place between Ricqueweir and Cochem you could suggest......in Germany?

You mean places somewhat similar to those two?? If so, these aren't far from the route you'd take south through Germany and are worth considering:

Ladenburg (near Heidelberg)
Neustadt-an-der-Weinstrasse
Gengenbach (near Offenburg)