Arriving at Frankfurt Airport in the morning, looking for a small, charming town, easy to get to by train. Will be spending the night, then on to Vienna. Thanks!

I'd definitely recommend Heidelberg. Don't recall it being much more than 1 hour by train from Frankfurt, and it's absolutely charming. Beautiful castle and great pedestrian-only street in the middle of the "old town". Check out www.e-heidelberg.com for further info. Good luck and have fun!

Sue, <BR>Consider Assmannshausen on the banks of the Rhine just above Rudesheim (Assmannshausen is less touristy that Rudesheim) There are a number of trains running from the airport to Mainz, then Koblenz and south along the east bank of the Rhine to Assmannshausen. <BR>Duration is about two hours or less. <BR>Check the website http.bahn.hafas.de/bin/query/exe/en <BR>for schedules and routing. <BR>Take a look at the website <BR>www.assmannshausen.mittelrhein.net for information on hotels, particularly the Hotel Cafe-Post

Sue, Not taking anything away from Silke's recommendation Heidelburg, it is definitely a great place, but having said that, Wes has a good spot in Assmanshausen. We have done exactly that and stayed at the Hotel Cafe' Post and would easily choose it again. <BR> <BR>Nice way to start your trip.

I agree with Wes...Assmanshausen..(?)..It is a very nice quaint place to hang out in for a few hours..a day..a week...or a month...and frankly I am looking forward to returning there when I can..

Hi, Sue. <BR> <BR>I think you should consider taking the train southeast (in the direction of Vienna!) instead of northwest (Assmannshausen) for your first night. Heidelberg isn't on your route, and is a big place. A'hausen (apparently some kind of Mecca that Fodorites kneel toward atop their Fodor's prayer rugs) is 1.3 hours in the wrong direction by train! Head instead to Gemünden am Main or thereabouts, a small town near Würzburg on the Main River and on the main train line to Würzburg and beyond. It'll take you around 1.5 hours from the airport, and you'll save a good deal of travel time over a stay in A'hausen. <BR> <BR>Here's a small pension with a quiet location that will pick you up at the station and charge you about $15: <BR> <BR>http://mitglied.tripod.de/PensionWeigand/ <BR> <BR>The main page has a picture of the town, known as the "town of 3 rivers". Click on "Gemünden stellt sich vor" for some more pictures of the town. There are one or two more places listed at <BR> www.gemuenden-a-main.de/links2.html#Gastronomie <BR> <BR>Hope this helps you save a little time. If it saves you enough, stop in Würzburg and taxi out to the magnificent Residenz Palace in Würzburg (a must-see for this region!) on the money you saved by not staying in A'hausen at the Post. <BR> <BR>http://www.wuerzburg.de/tourismus/se...idenz_eng.html <BR> <BR>Russ

We flew into Frankfurt, went downstairs to the train station with trains going in all directions and went to Weisbaden which we enjoyed. Very easy. Not sure if it is on your route. Enjoy your travels. <BR>Belle

Russ, your comment about the Fodorite's "Mecca" was uncalled for and truly shows exactly what kind of thoughtful guy you must be. We've got your number. <BR> <BR>She was looking for IDEAS, not personal opinions. If you want to help, do so, but you don't have to be so critical of someone else helping out. <BR> <BR>Wurzburg is not a "small, charming town", but there are many choices for them. None of them should be ruled out by us, it's their trip, after all.

I'm going to have to go see this Assmannshausen some day. I'm a prototype Fodorite, and I've never been there. <BR> <BR>I don't have a prayer rug either - - but hey - - with a Pompous Ass logo emblazoned on it - - I smell another idea brewing!! <BR>

The train from the airport would easily take you toward Vienna and you get off wherever looks interesting along the way, though that may be a bit "loose" for you. It would also be very easy to head toward the Rhine area and a small town to relax in before the big city of Vienna. Koblenz is only about an hour away, historical and sort of small. Colgne, while large is also quite close to Frankfurt.

Hi Sue - <BR> <BR>Regensburg is about 3 hours from Frankfurt, but it's right on the main train line between Frankfurt and Vienna, so no backtracking.

<BR>No personal offense intended, Lee. I just find it odd that 3 Fodorites would get on here and send Sue an hour and a half in the wrong direction, and I could only surmise that visiting Assmannshausen amounts to some sort of religious experience if you all think she has that sort of time and money when she's trying to get to Vienna. <BR> <BR>I hope it isn't a violation of some unwritten Fodorite code to poke a little fun at advice that doesn't seem to make any sense. If I'd sent someone the wrong direction (and I'm sure I will, or maybe I already have?) I'd expect the same! But if it is a violation, you've "got my number" and will know where to send my citation. (Dang. There I go again, poking fun...)

Huhuhuhuhuhu. You wrote Assmannshausen. Like, that is where a German Butthead would live. Hhuhuhuhuhuh.

Sue, <BR>go to Würzburg and have a stay there. The train station is nearby the old town and there many little hotels which are not so expensive but very familiar. You should have ao tour trough the "Schloos" of Würzburg in the middle of the, there are wonderful rooms insight. <BR>Enjoy the evennig in a "Weinstube" perhaps the "Bürgerspital" and have a look at the town from the other side of the "Main". <BR>Do not go to Assmanshausen od Heidelberg, where everyone is going but no german will spent more than two hours before runnning away.

Lee wrote....Wurzburg is not a "small, charming town." <BR> <BR>I guess small and charming is in the eye of the beholder because Wuerzburg was the first German town I ever visited and I loved it. Compared to Frankfurt, Munich and so on, Wuerzburg is definitely small and charming. If you want to compare it to something tiny like Bad Wimpfen, then of course it's not small, although I still think it is charming. <BR>Many places near Frankfurt have lots to recommend them. I've been to Heidelberg, Wiesbaden, obviously Wuerzburg, but never to Assmanshausen so I cannot speak of it. I take on good faith that it would be lovely since several well traveled Fodorites (like Wes) recommend it. The first three are all lovely and would make good destinations for you, IMHO. <BR>I think you should compare what everyone says and make your own choice--perhaps dictated by the direction of your train on down to Vienna. Enjoy your trip.