help with train from Bamberg to Cochem
 

We are going to Germany in 3 weeks & plan to travel by train. I've been studying our destinations in Germany & checking out train connections etc. on DB Bahn. Plan to use the Bayern Tickets to get around in Bavaria. It looks to be fairly inexpensive with reasonable length journeys. However I have run into a brick wall. Going from Bamberg to Cochem is horrible. Am I missing something? Looking at a Schones-Wochenende Ticket (travel all over on Sunday) it will be about 8 hours travel time. If we book regular fare it will be about 79 Euro & still take about 5 1/2 hours. Seems really expensive & a long journey with lots of changes. I would certainly appreciate some help & suggestions with this.

Well the quickest you can go I see is about 4 h 45 minutes with three changes of train - full price is 79 euros - discounted tickets available a month out on a dummy try were 39 euros - 47 euros depending on train and routing (p.p. 2nd kl)

Are you traveling on many other inter-city trains where things like the Bavarian Ticket are not an option - if so check the German Twin Railpass which lets you hop on any train anytime - the more days you buy the cheaper it is - to somewhere I think per unlimited travel day are about 20$ a day p.p. and you can ride all the fast trains - unlike regional passes and the weekend ticket.

anyway for tons of great info on German trains check www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.om and www.seat61.com - the latter give good info on discounted tickets.

I am sure there are no faster or cheaper ways by train than that.

You don't miss something.
Bamberg-Cochem is an awkward connection as it's two towns at the edges of the country with no direct highspeed line.
bahn.com shows most connections with 2-3 changes, and 5-6 hrs is as fast as it gets.
Though you can get saver fares which do not restrict you to regional trains (like the Schönes-Wochenende Ticket does) for 29-39 euros.

I took the train from Cochem to Rothenburg ob der Tauber on a Sunday last year. It was a long trip - three changes I think - but it wasn't so bad.

I see now on a couple of Sunday dates in September a train at 9:25a with two changes getting you from Bamberg to Cochem in 4:41. Some saver fares as low as 29 Euros. That's about the duration of the train I took with one fewer change. Both connections on that one are only six minutes, so you will have to hustle. I had a number of tight connections like that too but made all of them. I would check to see if there are trains after the ones you would be scheduled on in case you miss the connection and have to take the next train.

No, you can go with fewer changes and more cheaply. Bamberg to Cochem - 2 changes; Wurzburg and Koblenz, in about 4:41 hrs.

The Saver fare, bookable online, starts at 29 Euros for Sept 26 (3 weeks from today).

Details - all from www.bahn.com using Bamberg and Cochem as travel points;

Bamberg Sa, 26.09.15 dep 09:25 2 RE 58302 Direction: Würzburg Hbf

Würzburg Sa, 26.09.15 arr 10:20 11

Transfer time 6 min.

Würzburg Sa, 26.09.15 dep 10:26 6 IC 2024 Direction: Hamburg-Altona

Koblenz Sa, 26.09.15 arr 13:11 3

Transfer time 6 min.

Koblenz Sa, 26.09.15 dep 13:17 9 RB 12114 Direction: Trier Hbf

Cochem Sa, 26.09.15 arr 14:06 2


SUMMARY WITH PRICE
Bamberg Sa, 26.09.15 dep 09:25 4:41 2 RE, IC, RB 29,00 EUR  
Cochem Sa, 26.09.15 arr 14:06

Thank you so much for trying to help me. Interested in Saver Fare, but for the life of me I can't find how much it initially costs to buy the Saver Fare. Don't you buy that & then you are eligible to book using that fare? Oct. 4 is the date that we want to go from Bamberg to Cochem.

No, it's just like buying an airfare. If it's available at 29 Euros, just buy the ticket at that price. As the cheaper fares sell out closer to departure (as they tend to do), fares will go up - may stills see more expensive saver fares even closer to departure. If you are sure this is when you want to travel, I would buy it now.

Login (setup a Bahn account), add the ticket to your cart or whatever, pay with your credit card. I think you have to bring that credit card with you to show as proof, however. And I always printed out my tickets. Some people claim you can show your ticket on a phone or a tablet, but I was never sure about that, so I didn't. I don't see any point in picking up my tickets in Germany later - rather have them now, printed out and with me.


Just understand the restrictions of the saver fare: no cancellation. I think you can change it for a fee that, in the case of a 29 Euro fare, may be half of the fare, not sure.

FYI, you don't actually need reservations on any of the trains (they cost a few Euros extra). If you are willing to hop on a train that is reserved and risk finding two empty seats together that aren't reserved already for your portion of the train journey, you don't have to buy reservations. Otherwise, you can stand or sit in the dining car. I don't think I paid for any reservations when I trained across Germany in 2014 but I was also solo so much easier to find one unreserved seat. Two together is harder.

I can't thank this group enough for helping me understand that I can book a Saver Fare for so much less. Andrew, thank you for clarifying how to use Saver Fare. Our hotel is already reserved for the night in Bamberg & now I am so happy to see that we can continue on to Cochem for 29 Euro each instead of the 75 Euro that I thought it was going to be. That was about to make me sick. I am all set up with DB Bahn & next I am going to book the 8:38 train with only 2 changes & arriving at 14:06.

The rest of our trip will be in the area of Bavaria & I plan to use the Bayern ticket for those & just buy them at the train station at the location. We can buy them the day before so we aren't under any time & pressure constraints. Correct? We are four traveling together so the Bayern ticket seems to be a bargain.

Again, thank you, thank you!

Sueks: "I am going to book the 8:38 train with only 2 changes & arriving at 14:06."

I see you have a 6-minute change of train in Koblenz. Do not worry if your train to Koblenz is late or if you don't make that RB train for whatever reason. You CAN take ANY of the regional trains to Cochem that same day with your Saver Fare ticket. The one train you must be on is the IC train from Würzburg to Koblenz.

SUGGESTION: Since you're in Koblenz that day, catch a train 10 minutes south to tour Marksburg Castle in Braubach. Stow bags at Koblenz station in a locker - then it's only 10 minutes to Braubach. A mini-group ticket costs €18.50 round trip for 2-5 adults. Marksburg is a rare one - a castle that has stood undestroyed for about 800 years:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ubach_2012.jpg

Braubach is picture-perfect:
http://djtravel.homestead.com/files/...hotel_1610.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4143/4...d7071291_b.jpg

Then move on to Koblenz and Cochem whenever you like.

Yes - you can buy those Bayern Tickets the day before for convenience, just be careful to buy for the correct date, and understand that the ticket is non-refundable. I usually buy the morning of so that I can make last minute changes (illness, weather, etc.)

OOOH - there's a wine festival in Braubach on 10/4 - how fun is that? Street music, food and wine stands, parade (usually) at 2 pm.

See photos: http://fischer-braubach.blogspot.com...ken-viele.html

http://mobil.rhein-zeitung.de/cms_me...t_2013_030.jpg

I hiked to Burg Eltz last April from the Moselkern train station. The hike (about 45 min each way) was easy and pretty - not amazing - but the castle outside is fantastic. Inside, the tour was a bit dry. I'll bet the hike is much prettier when the fall colors are out - maybe not quite when you arrive?

Oh, oh, I want to go to Marksburg Castle. Can't do everything but I want to stay in Braubach that night & enjoy the festival. Think I'd rather do that than Bamberg. Checked booking.com and of course Braubach is all booked up. Probably only 2 or 3 places in town anyway.

However, we are going to be in Cochem 4 nights. How about we catch the train back to Marksburg Castle one morning? I haven't begun the research on that train area...since you guys are so smart, please tell me about it. And Andrew we do have plans to do Burg Eltz while we are staying in Cochem & of course the castle situated above Cochem.

Hi sueks,

So glad you've now got a handle on how to use the DB for your trip! I think you'll have a great time & will enjoy the rail travel.

Just to clarify a few things --

Yes, you have to bring a credit card to show to the conductor to verify you are the person who bought the ticket. However, it doesn't have to be the same cc that you used to buy the ticket; during the purchase process, you can designate another cc to use as your identity. I always do this because I use one card to purchase travel things, but when I'm actually travelling, that cc is tucked into a waist wallet.

Secondly, yes, you can use your smart phone to display your ticket. Just download the DB app, then log in to it using your DB registration information. Then download the ticket. You don't need to be connected to display the ticket; once downloaded, it stays on your phone like a saved document. You can also tell it to notify you of changes or delays, etc.

Have fun as you plan!

s

When you get the ticket, enter the number of people in your party. 1 person is 29E, 2 are 48, 3 is 67

"How about we catch the train back to Marksburg Castle one morning?"

Of course this is possible too. 4 adults can use one VRM mini-group ticket at €18.50 for Cochem-Braubach-Cochem. But it will take about 3 hours round trip.

But if you're planning to pull into the Rhine area on Saturday, then you should by all means stay in or or near Braubach on SATURDAY, as there's a torch and lantern procession in the evening, followed by fireworks, and of course lots of wine and music. This schedule in German lays it all out:

http://www.winzerfest.braubach.de/html/programm.html

Don't be deterred by booking.com. Try the Pensionkeller in Braubach, which I think is off the booking grid.)

http://www.pension-felsenkeller.de/uk/

Try staying Koblenz near the station - rooms are available there for the 4th at the GHotel and Hohenstaufen - if you can't find anything in Braubach - like I said, it's only a 10-minute train ride to Braubach.

Sorry, not enough coffee yet, that's the PENSION FELSENKELLER in Braubach.

Again, thanks for more indepth info on DB. Also the train near Cochem. After we get home from church I will continue on with my excitement of seeing if I can book anything in Braubach. I will check out that Pension. I need to see if it's near train station etc. I can't imagine being able to find lodging at this late date. We would need lodging (2 rooms, 4 people) for Saturday night, Oct. 3.

One more big thank you travel friends!

"I can't imagine being able to find lodging at this late date. We would need lodging (2 rooms, 4 people) for Saturday night, Oct. 3."

Maybe not but worth a try. Check the Pension of course - it is in town and an easy walk from the station like everything else that's in town in Braubach, a very small town indeed, one where the locals often do things as they were done 30 years ago, without booking.com, etc. - but there ARE places available in Koblenz for sure as of now.

This place with 2 doubles in Braubach, also off the booking grid, has 3 rooms and is right in town as well. €49 double with breakfast. Click on "kontakt" for email:

http://www.metz-braubach.de/html/bilder.html

Fax or email a request to the off-grid Goldenen Schlüssel, also in Braubach - http://www.zum-goldenen-schluessel.de/

Fax: (02627) 10 274
eMail: [email protected]

Thanks Fussgaenger, I emailed Pension Felsenkeller this morning and they don't have an available rooms. I just now emailed Metz-Braubach & Zum Goldenen. I really would love to stay at Zum Goldenen (the one with the wonderful looking beer garden.) Thanks again. Cross your fingers.

I'd spent 2 nights on the Rhine - maybe take the K-D boats - best view of both sides of river plus commentary - docks at Braubach for Marksburg - the only castle on the Rhine Gorge not decimated by marauding troops throughout the ages (Burg Eltz on the Mosel too).

You may find hotels more likely to book Friday and Saturday rather than just Saturday and many come here for the weekend I think. the Brubach side of the Rhine is more quiet - the western flanks have a mainline railroad and main road running through them - only a sideline railway and lesser traveled road on the eastern side.

If you drive more than 15 minutes or so up or down the Mosel you will encounter a wine festival there - at this time of year:

http://www.mosel-weinfeste.de/mosel_weinfeste.htm

Cochem's is on Sep 20 - a bit early for you I guess. But one about daily it seems though they start petering out in late September.