Mosel River Valley - Car Needed?
Mar 10th, 2008, 03:54 PM
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Mosel River Valley - Car Needed?
If wishing to spend a few days in the area of Cochem, Beilstein, St. Goar... would a family (2 Adults/2 young teens) need a car? Flying in/out of Frankfurt?
What about a day trip to Heidelberg?
What about a day trip to Heidelberg?
Mar 10th, 2008, 03:57 PM
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You can get to Beilstein with a 1 hr. Boatride from Cochem, frequent departures. Car not needed, really.
Heidelberg was for me much more modern/urban and less impressive than the river towns you mention. I'd explore the Mosel and immediate Rhine instead for just a few days. Bacharach, Braubach (Marksburg Castle) and Boppard comprise the other interesting Rhine towns, IMO. All easily reached by train.
Heidelberg was for me much more modern/urban and less impressive than the river towns you mention. I'd explore the Mosel and immediate Rhine instead for just a few days. Bacharach, Braubach (Marksburg Castle) and Boppard comprise the other interesting Rhine towns, IMO. All easily reached by train.
Mar 10th, 2008, 03:59 PM
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You know there are daypasses (Rheinland-Pfalz tickets) for exploring the area, right? Under 30 Euros for the whole family for a day's worth of travel from about Trier to Bonn to about Mannheim in the south on the RE and RB trains.
Mar 10th, 2008, 04:14 PM
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No... I did not know about the day passes - are they the same thing as the Bayern Ticket (can't remember the German name) we used last summer in Bavaria area? I just started looking and exploring possibilities today. 
I appreciate your help, Russ. I am looking for something with a lot of things to do outdoors and we don't want to jump from city to city w/o getting to immerse in the German culture. We hate crowds, too, but are locked into late June/early July because of mission trip in Hungary the following week. Kids love to hike, bike and enjoy castles - especially ruins, but we also want to be able to sit at a riverside cafe and enjoy a beer and some sausages... Can we have it all?
I threw Heidelberg out there as I went there years ago and loved the castle/ruins but it isn't necessary - it was crowded in July, too.
I appreciate your help, Russ. I am looking for something with a lot of things to do outdoors and we don't want to jump from city to city w/o getting to immerse in the German culture. We hate crowds, too, but are locked into late June/early July because of mission trip in Hungary the following week. Kids love to hike, bike and enjoy castles - especially ruins, but we also want to be able to sit at a riverside cafe and enjoy a beer and some sausages... Can we have it all?
I threw Heidelberg out there as I went there years ago and loved the castle/ruins but it isn't necessary - it was crowded in July, too.
Mar 10th, 2008, 04:25 PM
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"Kids love to hike, bike and enjoy castles - especially ruins, but we also want to be able to sit at a riverside cafe and enjoy a beer and some sausages..."
You might also look at staying in St. Goar. We loved this little 2BR apartment with river view, full kitchen:
http://www.mittelrhein-ferienwohnung...iew/index.html
Owner keeps bikes downstairs for guests. You can bike along the river paths, hike the cliffside trail above St. Goar's train station or up to the Rheinfels castle ruins, and yes, there are some outdoor cafes there as well. Train connections to Bacharach, Boppard, Koblenz are frequent; or ferry across to St. Goarshausen and bike up to Burg Maus (castle with falconry show, no tour) or take the train up to Marksburg Castle in Braubach (very good tour.) These towns experience a good bit of road traffic but aren't generally overwhelmed - they're so small they can't really be overwhelmed.
You might also look at staying in St. Goar. We loved this little 2BR apartment with river view, full kitchen:
http://www.mittelrhein-ferienwohnung...iew/index.html
Owner keeps bikes downstairs for guests. You can bike along the river paths, hike the cliffside trail above St. Goar's train station or up to the Rheinfels castle ruins, and yes, there are some outdoor cafes there as well. Train connections to Bacharach, Boppard, Koblenz are frequent; or ferry across to St. Goarshausen and bike up to Burg Maus (castle with falconry show, no tour) or take the train up to Marksburg Castle in Braubach (very good tour.) These towns experience a good bit of road traffic but aren't generally overwhelmed - they're so small they can't really be overwhelmed.
Mar 10th, 2008, 04:29 PM
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One note: on June 29, the Rhine roads will be closed to accommodate "Tal Total", a family biking/rollerblading event that attracts over 100,000 visitors. You'll want to (try to) reserve now if you'll be there on that weekend, of course.
Mar 10th, 2008, 04:36 PM
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Thanks for that info - that is the weekend we would arrive in the area.
Do the crowds come just for the weekend? It sounds like a load of fun but with jet lag, I don't know that we would be up for it upon arrival - or dealing with the extra crowds.
If leaving the Frankfurt airport via train to the Rhine/Mosel area, would we need to connect through the Main train station? or are they one in the same? I am searching on the db website, but having trouble navigating what I am looking for...
Do the crowds come just for the weekend? It sounds like a load of fun but with jet lag, I don't know that we would be up for it upon arrival - or dealing with the extra crowds.
If leaving the Frankfurt airport via train to the Rhine/Mosel area, would we need to connect through the Main train station? or are they one in the same? I am searching on the db website, but having trouble navigating what I am looking for...
Mar 10th, 2008, 04:52 PM
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Tal Total is a one-day event. There are extra trains running on that Sunday. From FRA you do not go into Frankfurt proper to get to the Rhine Gorge or Mosel. Travel there isn't a problem unless you make the mistake of getting a car. Food and drink stands are set up along the route, but expect cafes to be busy. I remember biking the west bank between St. Goar and Rhens, north of Boppard, at Tal Total a few years ago; a lovely time and an experience I'd recommend.
Mar 10th, 2008, 05:00 PM
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The Mosel River would be a terrific place for a bike ride. We did a wine-tasting trip there a few years ago and I, a hopelessly unathletic couch potato, was so impressed by the bike paths that even I thought "gee this would be fun on a bike". The hills head up steeply from the river bank on one side of the river, so that those of you who like to challenge yourselves can ride uphill and then come bombing down the twisty village roads, while the more sedate among you continue along the flat path.
Mar 10th, 2008, 07:49 PM
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We've taken 2 trips to the Mosel/Rhine region and it is very easy to do by train.
You'll start at the Frankfurt Airport station and if going to the Mosel will most likely need to change trains at Koblenz. You can even wander around Koblenz for awhile. It's got some interesting things to see, expecially the Deutches Eck where the Mosel and Rhine Rivers meet.
Just play around on the DB Bahn site to find all the places you might want to go to.
You'll start at the Frankfurt Airport station and if going to the Mosel will most likely need to change trains at Koblenz. You can even wander around Koblenz for awhile. It's got some interesting things to see, expecially the Deutches Eck where the Mosel and Rhine Rivers meet.
Just play around on the DB Bahn site to find all the places you might want to go to.
Mar 11th, 2008, 02:38 AM
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A car isn't absolutely required along the Mosel, but it sure makes things a lot easier and faster. Driving is easy and free parking is readily available just about everywhere. We couldn't have seen/done half of what we did without a car.
Mar 11th, 2008, 06:24 AM
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Explore, like the Bayern-Ticket, the Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket is a Länder-Ticket, valid for travel by regional trains and buses within state of Rheinland-Pfalz, and for all modes of transport within the Verkehrsverbünde (transit districts) within the state. It is also valid in the state of Saarland for regional trains and some buses. The RLP-Ticket costs €1 less than the Bayern-Ticket (€18 Single, €26 for up to five). See www.der-takt.de. The site is in German. Click on the RH box that says Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket, then on "Siehe Karte" on that page for a map of the area of validity.
For travel along the Rhine, from Remagen to Oberwesel (but not including Bacharach) and up the Mosel to Bulay, you can use a VRM (Verkehrverbund-Rhein-Mosel) day ticket. A Minigruppen-Ticket covers all 4 of you on all transport of the Verkehrverbund all day (from 9 AM weekdays). It costs €20 for the entire district, less for shorter distances. See www.vrm-info.de. There is a link for English.
For travel along the Rhine, from Remagen to Oberwesel (but not including Bacharach) and up the Mosel to Bulay, you can use a VRM (Verkehrverbund-Rhein-Mosel) day ticket. A Minigruppen-Ticket covers all 4 of you on all transport of the Verkehrverbund all day (from 9 AM weekdays). It costs €20 for the entire district, less for shorter distances. See www.vrm-info.de. There is a link for English.
Mar 11th, 2008, 10:32 AM
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so if I understand correctly, I will need to purchase train fare from the Frankfurt airport to the chosen city within the Mosel River Valley, then once there (perhaps the next day), we would purchase the regional train fare ticket - the Rheinland-Pfalz ticket.
I am exploring the dbahn site today - so many choices! How do you know which station in the city - just try to choose the closest to your accommodations?
I am exploring the dbahn site today - so many choices!
How do you know which station in the city - just try to choose the closest to your accommodations?
Mar 11th, 2008, 10:40 AM
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Explore: to do FRA-Mosel route cheaply, you can use a Rheinland-Pfalz ticket starting in Mainz.
1. Get regular tickets (about 3.50 each) or a group ticket, whichever's cheapest, from a RMV (not VRM!) machine at the airport for the route to Mainz.
2. At the airport, you may be able to get a Rheinland-Pfalz ticket good from Mainz on from the same machine; or get it from a DB machine, which has an English interface and accepts credit cards.
1. Get regular tickets (about 3.50 each) or a group ticket, whichever's cheapest, from a RMV (not VRM!) machine at the airport for the route to Mainz.
2. At the airport, you may be able to get a Rheinland-Pfalz ticket good from Mainz on from the same machine; or get it from a DB machine, which has an English interface and accepts credit cards.
Mar 11th, 2008, 10:45 AM
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Which station... There is only one station for most towns. Example: Cochem has only one. Other stops are listed, but they're bus stops. Pick "Cochem" alone or "Cochem (Mosel)" or "Cochem Bahnhof" and you'll get to the train station. In larger cities, like Mainz, pick "Mainz Hbf." Hbf. is "main train station".
Mar 11th, 2008, 02:44 PM
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Note: if you only go to St Goar the first day, and both children are under 15, you can use two adult Bahn tickets from FRA to St Goar for €29,20. Bahn tickets apply because you are not traveling entirely in one Verkehrsverbund, and with the Bahn, your children under 15 go free. One the other hand, if one of them is 15 or older, or if you are going to Cochem or Bielstein, you are better off buying two adult RMV tickets (@3,60) and two child (under 15) tickets at €2,15, plus the Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket.
Mar 19th, 2008, 07:36 AM
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ok. Done some more research and have a few more questions:
1) Do I need to bring the children's bike helmets or are they typically included with bike rentals in the area?
2) Would allowing 2.5 days seem sufficient to visit the area - perhaps Rhine one day and Mosel the 2nd day - recovering from jet lag on that first 1/2 day upon arrival.
Rhine: River cruise from St. Goar to Bacharach, lunch & sights in Bacharach, back to St. Goar; St. Goar Rheinfels Castle;
Mosel: Train from St. Goar to Moselkern; Burg Eltz castle; free afternoon to explore river valley by bike; return to St. Goar in evening
I need to do more research and it isn't necessary to see both castles as we saw the 2 Bavarian castles last summer. We could easily trade something else more interesting, like the city of Trier with Roman Ruins???
1) Do I need to bring the children's bike helmets or are they typically included with bike rentals in the area?
2) Would allowing 2.5 days seem sufficient to visit the area - perhaps Rhine one day and Mosel the 2nd day - recovering from jet lag on that first 1/2 day upon arrival.
Rhine: River cruise from St. Goar to Bacharach, lunch & sights in Bacharach, back to St. Goar; St. Goar Rheinfels Castle;
Mosel: Train from St. Goar to Moselkern; Burg Eltz castle; free afternoon to explore river valley by bike; return to St. Goar in evening
I need to do more research and it isn't necessary to see both castles as we saw the 2 Bavarian castles last summer. We could easily trade something else more interesting, like the city of Trier with Roman Ruins???
