I am going to Maastricht for the Andre Rieu concerts in July and have 3 nights to fill before the first concert and would like to visit Trier. We fly in to Maastricht but I am having trouble trying to find information on trains or buses from Maastricht to Trier. Does anyone have any information/guidance that will help?

Look at Google maps.
http://bit.ly/UacRfG

Google isn't very good at planning train journeys.

There are rather faster train routes than it shows, changing at Liege and Luxembourg, but still taking about 4 hours - much of it waiting for the next connection.

You MIGHT find buses from Luxembourg station that don't require waiting around: I'm sure I've seen them, but don't know where on the web they're hiding - or whether they're still running.

By and large, though, touring around the area where France, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium and Holland meet by public transport isn't terribly easy. Trains and buses just weren't planned for casual border hopping.

You'll be better hiring a car or limiting your travel to Holland.

...but if you want to use trains, www.bahn.de

Rent a car. It is a two hour drive and the car is probably cheaper too. You can see a lot more of the general area with a car too, including going out to Margraten if that appeals.

Public transport is not brilliant in that corner of the Netherlands. Train to Luxembourg city takes a minimum of 3.5 hours and then you have to get to Trier.

If you rent the car at Maastricht Aachen airport you don't have the hassle of the bus into Maastricht either.

Thanks everyone for all the info. I think it will have to be a hire car when we arrive at the airport in Maastricht. It sounds like there are some nice places to visit en route to Trier!