Most Scenic Village Between Frankfurt and Trier?
 

Five couples will be arriving in the morning on June 7th, 2013 at the Frankfurt airport (FRA). We must meet our RS's tour in Trier, Germany on the 8th at 4 PM. We would like to take a train from the airport to Trier, and stop on the way for an overnight. We would love a beautiful village for our stop, but are having trouble deciding the best place to stop. We have not been to Germany before and are having trouble even figuring out which villages are on the route, and then where would be the best stop. Can you please help us?

Also, do you purchase on multi-city train ticket like you do airfares, or do you buy individual tickets for each leg of the journey. Please help educate us! Thanks!

Cochem is the place of your dreams - lots of trains via a change of trains usually in Koblenz - Cochem is a fairy-tale smallish town on one of the most gorgeous parts of the gorgeous Mosel Valley - which here runs in a deep ditch with vineyard-clad walls of several hundred feet up on each side.

Cochem overflows with cozy guesthouses and family-run hotels - Cochem also has a fairy-tale castle popping out of a vineyard-carpeted hill in its town center.

Cochem is smack on the main rail line to Trier - there are other lovely Mosel villages but not with mainline rail access so Cochem is a natural for yous.

Cochem in pictures - worth tens of thousands of words IMO. Cochem is also a wine town surrounded by vintners and vineyards - Hieronimi Winery offers tours with tastings - smack in the heart of the town center.

http://www.google.com/search?q=coche...=1600&bih=1075

Cochem was on our list!! Does anyone have recommendations for lodging?

I still don't understand how to purchase the train ticket or tickets. Can anyone help...

The whole area looks and sounds just delightful. Thank you PalenQ!

since you are flying in and are not sure of exactly what time you will be ready for a train just buy your tickets once landing and working your way to the Fernbahnhof in the airport - the long-distance train station (as opposed to the Regional or Local train station also in the airport) and buy your tickets there - you will never ever have a problem getting on trains IME - in fact you can always board German trains as they do not have mandatory seat reservations - you can however make optional seat reservations for the whole group when buying your tickets if you all want to be sure of sitting together.

check www.bahn.de - the German Railways web site for schedules and fares but you really do not need to because there are so so many trains from the airport to Koblenz, where you probably have to change trains - easily done. it is all very easy put any angst to rest - stations very well marked and they will speak English at the Frankfurt Airport Fernbhanhof ticket window. Pay with a credit card should be no problem. Expect it to take about 2-3 hours airport to Cochem I would imagine.

Some great sites for German trains - http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id9.html; www.seat61.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Note that on www.bahn.de you will find discounted tickets but these are train-specific and cannot be changed nor refunded - thus since you never know exactly when your plane will land eschew the rather minor savings possible and just buy a full fare ticket once you get to the airport train station.

If taking other Germany trains then investigate the German Railpass.

This really eases my mind about the train tickets. Thank you PalenQ. Sounds like you really know what your talking about!

For just one night, I would agree Cochem is the best village. It is simply lovely and on a gorgeous stretch of the Mosel. I just spent 9 nights in the area this summer (5 on the Rhine & 4 in Cochem). BTW, I did a day trip to Trier from Cochem and unexpectedly fell in love with the city. In Cochem I stayed at Haus Erholung and truely enjoyed it. The owner is delightful (speaks excellent English) and the views from the terrace and rooms are amazing. It is further from the center of town than I expected but I'm a walker & enjoyed my strolls along the river. It is very resonably priced & super clean. I would highly recommend dining at the Hotel am Hafen Restaurant. There is lots of mediocre food in Cochem due all the tourists. The am Hafen was absolutely the best. It's just across the river from the main town, sits on the river and has terrace dining with a view to die for. I did reviews on the inn and restaurant on Tripadvisor. You may want to check them out. BTW, I landed at Frankfurt as well, easily found the train station. While in Germany I bought every train ticket from the machines located at every station. They are super easy to use & also have an English option. Enjoy Germany and the German people. I know I did.

Colour me Cochem, too.

My only suggestion would be that you NOT go to the long distance train station to get your tickets, but that you take the trains from the Regional Train station at the airport. Why? Because if you get on one of the fast trains, you will miss the whole Rhine. Riding the slower, and cheaper trains, will give you the best views, as these trains run right along the Rhine river.

You can buy a Quer-Durch-Deutschland (All Across Germany) ticket that will cover all of you, the entire day, for 66 euro. Total. Ride the Regional trains to your overnight stop. Then once you drop off your bags, you can ride the train to the next little town. This works well if you are staying someplace like Ober-Wesel, Lorch, St. Goar, etc. If you want to take a boat, you get 20% off on your tickets for that too.

The Regional train station is under terminal 1, by Arrivals B-1. There is a DB counter there, but you can also use the ticket machines, which switch into English.

Quick edit: For 5 couples, you will need 2 of those Quer-Durch-Deutschland tickets. As the 66 euro ticket is valid for up to 5 people. Still a huge savings and useful for further travel that day.

there are regional trains that leave every two hours from the Fernbhnhof and go direct to Koblenz right along the Rhine - so do not go IMO to the regionalbahnhof but to the Fernbahnhof and hop on the trains that leave there at 9:19 and every two hours to Koblenz taking the route Mainhattengirl described - i do think she, though a Frankfurter herself, errorred in that advice that no trains from Ferbnahnhof take that route.

Ok, you get off of your plane and want to get to your town along the Rhine. You just missed that train that comes every 2 hours, plus the IC ticket costs 26 euro per person. That is 260 euro for all 10 people, plus that ticket is only good for that one ride to their destination.

Using the Regional train station, which is closer to their arrival terminal anyway, you have the tickets for all 10 people for 132 euro, plus they can use them the rest of the day to go visiting other towns along the Rhine. I don't know about you, but I can always use an extra 130 euro while I am on vacation.

There are also direct trains to Ober-Wesel as well as to Koblenz that leave from the Regional train station. Other trains also leave here, where you might need to change in Mainz, but you are still going in the right direction, rather than stressing about making that 1 train every 2 hours at the Fernbahnhof and you don't have to sit in an airport.

Just checking the DB site, what is funny is that they list some Regional trains that look like they are leaving from the Fernbahnhof, like the one at 09:09, but then have you walking 15 min. to the Regional train station to catch the train.

So, yes, I was wrong to say no Regional trains taking the scenic route go through the Fernbahnhof, but I stick by my reasons for why it makes more sense to go to the Regional train station and use the Quer Durch Deutschland tickets.

those are good reasons unless the folks want to, jet-lagged head straight away to a first night's sleep.