I'm heading to Europe in two weeks to crash my husband's business trip. We'll have the weekends, and I have five days to sight see while he is busy with his conference. I've got most of my day trips planned out, but I've had "Black Forest" listed for one day, and can't quite figure it out. Our hotel is in Basel, Switzerland, so I'll be coming and going from Basel the same day. I've searched this forum, and read what I can in guidebooks, but the Black Forest doesn't seem to warrant a lot of discussion. I'm dependent on trains and buses for travel, and while I realize the sights are best seen by car, I'm not comfortable driving in a foreign country without someone to help with directions.

Heading to Baden-Baden doesn't interest me. Seeing large cuckoo clocks does. I'm leaning towards heading to Triberg - it looks like I can take an ICE train to Offenburg in an hour, and then a regional train down to triberg for another 45 minutes. I was also intrigued with freiburg, which is a short train ride, but then I can't figure out how to get from Freiburg to Triberg without going up to Offenburg. And then, is there somewhere else to stop along the way back, or maybe going a different way back? Two hours is about my cutoff for transit each way, but I'm willing to stretch it a bit if its worthwhile. Is triberg where I should head for cuckoo clocks, or can someone recommend somewhere else more accessible via public transit? And yes, I know that cuckoo clocks are the ultimate in tourism. But I've been to Germany on six trips before, and never been to this area and never seen the giant cuckoo clocks, and well, I kind of love that I get to take day trips that are all about me and what I want, and not having to accommodate my husband, kids, mother-in-law, or friends as I have on previous trips.

Any help is appreciated.

Freiburg is a nice nice city but if heading to Black Forest take the train from Offenburg or from Freiburg - for schedules check www.bahn.de/en - German Railways web site for schedules and buying tickets online - at a discount often depending on type of train - but never a problem buying as you go along.

You can do a circle tour like I did from Freiburg - take train to Titisee - popular walking place around lovely lake and then take train to Danaueschinen - lovely old town near source of Danube River and then train to Triberg and Offenburg for trains back to Basel. Again I did this trip in one easy day - leave Triberg for last if want to carry huge cuckoo clock bag to Basel. Check these sites for help on Black Forest train lines - www.ricksteves.com and BETS-European Rail Experts. Most of those are regional trains that best bought at station - Triberg to Offenburg to Basel however is via faster trains and could have discounts. Look at map of Bavarian train lines and see how this lovely circle tour goes.

Thanks, PalenQ. I had considered Titisee, but I read some negative thoughts on it - can't remember where, but ended up crossing it off my list. And Danauschinen hadn't even been on my radar. I'll take a look at both of them.

I'm also having a hard time figuring out if there is a bus service in Triberg, that can take me to the two cuckoo clock houses that are on the outskirts of the town, but in opposite directions of each other. If anyone knows, and can point me towards a link, I would be grateful.

Well I think German Railways has a plan where you can have a taxi waiting at any station and to maximize time you may want to have a taxi shuttle you around. I'd check web sites of two stores to see it they have info or an email question option to ask. Triberg is small so there may be some intercity buses passing those places but could be infrequent. Titisee gets a bad rap by being too popular - you can bypass that and just go to other city - lovely ride thru Black Forest.

You might consider renting a car for your Black Forest day(s) given your special interest and not be dependent on train schedules and get say a Michelin Green Guide to Germany which outlines driving tours or other guide.