My basic question is this itinerary possible without renting a car?

My husband and I (late 30's early 40's) are going to Germany for a friend's wedding in Emden. This friend put us in a hotel in Sudbrookmerland, I believe because it is close to his home. Is it possible to be in this area without a car? It looks fairly rural. We know some German words but are far from fluent, so I am somewhat concerned with our ability to navigate the train system.

After the wedding, we will be enjoying a little vacation (2 weeks total). From Sudbrookmerland, heading to Hamburg (2 days) then Wernigerode (3 days) to see the "Brocken" and finally to Amsterdam for a couple of days before we head home, all by train.

So is this itinerary possible without renting a car?

Definitely -no place in Germany is without good public transit - go to www.bahn.de/en to see if train service exists -if not you'll have to take a bus to the nearest rail station.

for lots on German trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Book long-distance trains early for a sweet discount. You are not traveling enough on trains to even consider any railpass.

There are hourly buses from Südbrookmerland to Emden Hbf. Look up the timetables on www.bahn.com (as point of departure you have to enter the name of the village in Südbrookmerland you are staying in, e.g. Abelitz). The rest of your trip is easily done by public transport. Buy your long distance tickes (ad least Werningerode - Amsterdam, for the rest you should double check the local train opportunities for more flexibility) in advance - walk up prices are not budget friendly.

And in the meantime I've remembered the existence of a narrow-gauge railway in the Harz region: www.harzbahn.de/brockenbahn.php.

"...heading to Hamburg (2 days) then Wernigerode (3 days) to see the "Brocken" and finally to Amsterdam."

The towns of Wernigerode, Goslar and other Harz towns are interesting but seeing the Brocken may be a minor let-down.

Bremen is a really nice place to visit on the way to Hamburg if you have time.

Trains: You might want to travel from Emden to Hamburg on a Niedersachsen Ticket, one of the regional day passes, and only €27 total for two. Stop over in Bremen on the way if you like (you will change trains there anyway, and the Bremen station has lockers for your bags.) The regional trains that you will use with the Nds Ticket will take only a little longer than the high-speed trains. You can buy the Niedersachsen ticket from a machine in Emden - pre-purchase is unnecessary and not advised (non-refundable.)

The towns of Wernigerode, Goslar and other Harz towns>

I really like Celle too.

Steam trains still go to Brocken.

Thank you all for the responses. I definitely feel better about not renting a car. Special thanks for the savings tips of the right train tickets to buy!