Germany
 

We're planning a 2 week trip to Germany in mid-September. Thinking of going to Berlin, Moselle Valley, Luxembourg, Strasbourg, Munich. We will explore neighboring towns as well. Does this sound doable in 2 weeks? Should we begin our trip in Berlin? Fly home to NY from Munich? Is train the best way to get from town to town? Any areas we should add? Skip? Any suggestions/ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Train is the best way to get between cities - big cities like Berlin, Munich, etc where cars are not much use. If doing that much travel by train check out the German Railpass (Twin if two traveling together) as if doing a handful of trips can be as cheap as discounted tickets (www.bahn.de/en - gthe German Railways website has all the fares) and with a pass you can hop any train anytime with very few exceptions.

For lots of great stuff on German trains check these IMO superb sites - www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com (great info on discounted tickets that are a good way if only doing a few train trips.

For the Mosel Valley I recommend (and many others too) Cochem as the city of your dreams base - superb train service and from there you can explore by public transit both the Mosel and the nearby Rhine - taking K-D boats thru the best of the Rhine - the fabled Rhine Gorge - take the boats from Rudesheim (whose train station is steps from the K-D boat dock) to Koblenz and get a train from there back to Cochem.

k-d.com for boat schedules - German Railpass faully valid on the boats too.

Near Cochem take a train to Moselkern and then either walk a fes miles uphill thru lovely forests to Burg Eltz or take a mini-bus or taxi cab.

Into biking - the Mosel is one of Europe's primo biking venues - rentals abound in Cochem - bike along the bike paths that hug the river the whole way thru the awesome Mosel Valley.

Cochem:

https://www.google.com/search?q=coch...w=1455&bih=978

Hi cos8mati,

I do think you've got quite a lot of stops in just a little time -- you'll be moving about every 2 nights or so. Remember that you lose about half a day of "outside" time with every move because of the chores of packing up and checking out, then checking in and unpacking again. Also remember that two nights in a place only gives you one full day -- and that's only long enough to see the major sights. I don't think you'll have time to explore, discover, and experience your stops for yourself.

Yes, trains are the way to go -- you'll be moving with mostly locals, so even your transportation will be "European" and educational. You'll see how teens treat the elderly, how families interact, how strangers interact with each. Prime people-watching time. In addition, you'll be able to relax, visit the bar car or snack car, use the toilet, read, nap, chat, and/or meet your neighbors. It's really a great way to travel.

Also, of course, using the trains is more green -- yaaay! You may be happy to help preserve the beauty you came over to see.

Have fun as you plan!

s

Train or car depends on where you will spend how much time. If you are mostly in larger cities train makes more sense. If you are staying in just 2 large "anchor" cities and a lot of countryside in between them IMHO driving makes more sense. (We driven that entire route (including keeping a car in a hotel in Munich because it was the middle of our 3 week trip).

But I should mention that you really have a lot of places listed for only 2 weeks. I would probably drop Luxembourg and give yourself more time in the countryside/small towns.

Thank you all so much. Seems consensus is "too many places and not enough time". Besides dropping Luxembourg, what else should I eliminate? Should we forget Munich? I want to spend enough time to experience the area and not just have a fleeting memory spending time packing and unpacking.

Does Berlin, Strasbourg and Moselle Valley sound like a better itinerary? Should we fly into Berlin and home from Frankfurt? Thanks again. Appreciate train info and links as well.

Love being able to bike on bike paths with awesome view. Being green is important. Great advice.

If you decide to take trains, be sure to reserve your seats via
http://www.bahn.com/i/view/GBR/en/
If you don't do this, you may end up having to stand in the aisle or not get seats together. If you travel by ICE, you can pull up a map of the train to pick your seats. Remember that space for luggage is limited and that it is not considered rude in the German culture for people to crowd up when boarding trains, buses, trams and subways. Be prepared to elbow on with the mob. :D

Haven't booked flights yet so there is some flexibility. Assuming we will have 14 full days in Germany, does this itinerary sound like it will give us a good amount of time to experience the various cities on our list - 4 days in Berlin, 2 days in Strasbourg, 6 days Mosel Valley/Rhine and 2 days in Munich? More/less days in any of these areas? Haven't checked out train schedule and hours to get from place to place so we may need to modify.

Munich looks pretty far from Rhine so are we better off 5 days Mosel/Rhine and 3 in Munich to allow for travel time between those two areas?

Strasbourg looks like a fabulous city with French and German influence. Is 2 days good tor that area?

Haven't checked out train schedule and hours to get from place to place so we may need to modify.>

Munich is about 4 hours tops by high-speed ICE train from Mainxz, on the Rhine and near the Rhine Gorge.

It sounds like you will hit the Oktoberfest crowd in Munich with your proposed itinerary. Hotel rooms are pretty expensive. You might want to see about a room in Munich before firming up your plans. Or consider starting in Munich and ending in Berlin...

Have a great trip!!!

((B))

Hi again,

Yes, biking the countryside over here is absolutely wonderful -- surrounded by hills and trees, meeting the occasional cow or horse, cycling through small villages.

I think you can bike one or two days along the Moselle or the Rhine -- it might take some research to find a bike rental and some fun trails.

If you want to stay in a small town than Munich for a day or two, you could come to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, about 90 minutes south of Munich. There are great bike trails! Or, from Munich you could bike around one or two of the lakes. You can take the bikes on the train for an additional fee, then bike back to your start point.

Have fun as you plan!

s

Hi. Thank you for your great ideas/suggestions. We will bike along trails in Moselle/Rhine but we aren't avid bikers. Will probably do more walking than anything. Will look into starting in Munich instead of Berlin. Anything else you can think of would be great. Thanks again.

Another issue is Berlin marathon is September 28 which will also raise room prices. Seems almost a tossup - issues on either end.

Will probably do more walking than anything>

Don't miss the lovely walk from Moselkern up to Burg Eltz, one of Germany's most famous castle - not long ago gracing the back of the 500 deutsche mark note before the euro. Short train ride from Cochem or a nice short enough bike ride to Moselkern, about 10 miles I think down stream from Cochem - if basing on the Rhine (those towns though nice do not nearly measure up to the awesome beauty of the Mosel and Cochem IMO) - take a train to Koblenz and change to a train to Moselkern or from Koblenz take a K-D boat to Moselkern (dep Koblenz around 9 am) and take train back - again railpasses valid on the boat as well as trains).

Don't miss Marksburg Castle, hovering right over a K-D boat dock - about the only castle on the Rhine not reduced to ruins by Napoleon or other marauding army thru the centuries:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Mark...w=1455&bih=978

http://www.marksburg.de/english/frame.htm

As Marksburg is near the end of the best part of the Rhine trip here hop a train from it to Koblenz or wherever - train station also right below the castle.

We were in Strasbourg for 5 nights (4 days), 2 for Strasbourg, one for Colmar and one to visit the charming small wine towns in between. You can see the area in less but then would have to pick carefully - definitely drop Colmar and perhaps not the small wine villages.

I say keep Colmar in as to me it is one of the nicest small cities in France - and would make a great base from which to explore by car or public trains or buses the string of wine towns along the Alsace Wine Strasse north of town.

Colmar to me was exceptional as was Strasbourg. Try to do both. Strasbourg those you could spend several great days there to me also can be seen enough for the average tourist in one full day.

Moselle Valley, Luxembourg,>

don't miss Trier, on the Mosel between Koblenz and Luzembourg - one of Europe's very oldest cities and one with the most intact Roman relics north of the Alps - and the Karl Marx House where the economist-philosopher was born - now a study center and museum.

at least make Trier a few hour stop between the Mosel Valley and Luxembourg.

https://www.google.com/search?q=trie...w=1455&bih=978

these images of Trier highlight the Porta Negra, a Roman town gate that was the Gateway to the eastern part of the Holy Roman Empire, Trier I believe being the capital of the western part of the Holy Roman Empire.

And a Roman temple now a basilica and other Roman relics like a stadium make Trier a very unique place.