kaush

We (4 adults and 2 toddlers) are planning to visit Strasbourg and Colmar from Sept 14th to 18th. We'll get in from Paris late on the friday and will likely leave early on tuesday.

We are planning to stay in an apartment in Colmar (mainly because we can't find an apartment that fit our needs in Strasbourg in-city).

Wanted to know - is the train commute between Colmar and Strasbourg easy and simple? It is supposed to be 35 minutes and twice every hour ..

My brother and his wife are coming over from London; they have a two year old and we have a 4 year old ..we want to keep things as simple as we can (I am thinking we'll end up traveling to Strasbourg on two of those three days ...).

Thanks!

kerouac

Yes, it is simple -- just a commuter train, no special fares (except for children), no reservations, tickets out of a machine.

Loco2

Yep as kerouac said! The trains depart at 21mins and 51mins past the hour and take a half hour. bon voyage!

Rastaguytoday

I think you'll love Colmar.

I went there as part of a 6 week rambling around Western Europe. I planned to stay one night and ended up spending five nights there.

Lovely town, lots of small canals, a little Venice.

There are some videos of Colmar on YouTube, so check it out.

kaush

Thanks a ton for your replies!

I'll certainly check out the videos on YouTube. I liked the pictures that I saw of both Colmar and Strasbourg (The villages nearby seem quite interesting too).

kerouac

Side trips: see if you can get to Obernai, Mont Sainte Odile and Haut Koenigsborg.

ira

Hi Kaush,

Your kids might like

The butterfly and stork sanctuary (Hunawihr)

If you've travelling with young children we suggest you visit the butterfly
sanctuary. Next door there is also a protective sanctuary for storks (the bird is
the symbol of Alsace).

Butterfly Sanctuary
Opening times:
10.00 to 18.00
Jardins des papillons exotiques vivants
route de Ribeauvillé
68150 Hunawihr
Phone : 03 89 73 33 33
Fax : 03 89 73 88 87
Email : [email protected]
Website : www.jardinsdespapillons.fr

IIRC, you can take the bus from Colmar to Kientzheim (note the first e) and on to Hunawihr

kaush

Thanks a ton Kerouac. Mont Sainte Odile looks spectacular. And I hadn't even heard of it before

kaush

Thanks Ira! My son does love butterflies.

I didn't know about this either! I always learn something new here

kaush

Kerouac and others:

There doesn't seem to be enough information about how to get to Mont Sainte Odile on the guidebooks or on the net. Is driving the only way to get there?

As far as I can make out, the only way to get to Oerbani through public transport will be to take a train from Strasbourg and then change it in another location. Mont Sainte Odile is a ways from Obernai ..so it feels like driving is the only logical option. But would like to know what else (if anything) makes sense.

It looks really intriguing. I am not averse to driving up there .. the whole region looks picturesque. But with two families staying over on the Colmar side, it is logistically a bit more complicated.

ira

Hi K,

>Mont Sainte Odile is a ways from Obernai ..so it feels like driving is the only logical option.<

AFAIK it is.

nytraveler

Frankly I would rent a car and not have to depend on the train. Much easier with 2 little ones and the stuff they will need - and it will make it easier to see the small towns on the wine road in between C and S - as well as the butterflies and the stork sanctuary (fascinating - we just fell on it and spent a couple of hours).

One of the benefits of driving: serendipity. Another: not having to wait for a train with kids that have turned tired and cranky.