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German Train Tickets tips
I will be bringing a big group of friends, 16 or so, adults around 45 year old, to tour Rhine River Valley in May. Could someone suggest the best type of train tickets to get and where to get them?
Day 1: arrival at Frankfurt airport from Hong Kong Check in to hotel in Mainz or Boppard (near train stations because of luggage) Day 2: Tour Mainz Day 3: Cruise on Rhine River and visit lovely small towns Day 4: Tour Mosel River and small towns Day 5: Day trip to Heidelberg Day 6: Day trip to Strasbourg or Rothenberg (not sure which one) Day 7: Train to Berlin With such itinerary, should we get "Adult Weekly" train ticket? How about MainzCardPlus? Also, any phone data card available in the Frankfurt airport after we arrive? Thanks so much in advance. |
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The website says:
From EUR 19 (from EUR 9 on selected routes) per person in 2nd class, incl. seat reservation. From EUR 29 per person in 1st class, incl. seat reservation. These prices are for a single journey. So, this is not exactly what I had in mind. I am not looking for buying 16 tickets each time when we travel on trains, even as short as Mainz to Bingen, which I think only cost like EUR 5 per person. Just hope for some convenience and savings, in some sort of "Pass." Other websites like http://rmv.de/ is helpful, but the more I tried to figure it out, the more confused I get, because there seems to be so many options yet not sure which are applicable to our situation... |
Oh, I just saw this from MichelHuebeli,
The regional day ticket for Rhineland-Palatinate is valid from 09:00 to 03:00 on the following day, all day on weekends, Shrove Monday and on 15 August, on all local trains and transport association services in Rhineland-Palatinate. Price in 2nd class: EUR 24 plus EUR 5 per extra passenger (max. 4). Original name of the offer: Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket Is this the best option for touring of Rhine River Valley and Mosel? Does the rule mean that if I buy these tickets for a Friday 9am, and I can use it until Sunday night, (or the following Monday 3am?), since "all day on weekends" is included? |
I suggest you take a look at seat61.com
Go to the tab for Germany - loads of advice here. If you don't find the information you're looking for, send an email question. He's very obliging and knowledgeable! Di |
In Mainz, the Hotel Konigshof if just across the street from the train station.
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"Does the rule mean that if I buy these tickets for a Friday 9am, and I can use it until Sunday night, (or the following Monday 3am?), since "all day on weekends" is included?
No. It says "all day" - not "all days" or "all weekend". 9 am FRI to 3 am SAT, for example. The R-P ticket is your best bet for day trips on the Rhine and Mosel if you are staying in MAINZ. If you are in Boppard you can use a VRM mini-group ticket for travel within a smaller zone (to Bullay on the Mosel, or south to Oberwesel on the Rhine.) A day trip to Rothenburg from Mainz or Boppard is absurd unless you just want two very long train rides. And the R-P ticket isn't valid for that trip anyway, nor is it valid for Strasbourg France or Heidelberg. Those places lie outside the R-P zone. Suggestion: On the evening of Day 4, move to a town in the Black Forest Area for 3 nights. Many towns (Gengenbach for example) participate in the KONUS program - they give all guests a visitors card that allows you to use all the local trains for FREE. Gengenbach is an old-world walled town similar to Rothenburg on the Black Forest Railway. http://www.blackforest-tourism.com/info/KONUS https://www.black-forest-travel.com/...t-railway.html http://www.thetraveltester.com/gengenbach-germany/ To visit Strasbourg, you could travel for free to Kehl and back to Gengenbach (or other Black Forest base town) at the French border. For the border to Strasbourg and back, 2 adults can buy the Europass Family 24h mini ticket for EUR 10.90 at the Gengenbach train station ticket machine: http://www.ortenaulinie.de/,Lde/Star...opass_24h.html You can use the regional trains from Mainz to get to the Black Forest on a "Day ticket for Germany" or the "Weekend Ticket" - read about those at the DB website. You can buy them at the station in Mainz on the day of travel. |
Thanks! These are great suggestions! I will discuss with the group about what they prefer... There are so much to see! Everything looks wonderful.
A couple of quick questions: Is there a "Maina CardPlus," that allow for unlimited train travel "near" Mainz? If so, what towns are covered with this card? Maybe it was launched a few years ago and no longer available? Also, any suggestion for a good hotel for Boppard, for under US$ 100? |
Is there a "Maina CardPlus,"...
It's €11.95 and worthwhile if you plan to see some museums perhaps. Buy it at the MVG Verkehrscenter office by the train station. Mainz is a mostly walkable town. http://www.touristik-mainz.de/filead...ngen_DE_02.pdf Travel zone is Mainz and Wiesbaden: http://www.strassenbahnfreunde-mainz...nplan_2011.jpg |
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