Rhein River boat tour

Old Feb 17th, 2002, 06:47 AM
  #1  
John
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Rhein River boat tour

We will be staying in Sankt Goar in May and can take a KD boat ride either toward the North (Koblenz) or South (Bingen). Any advice on which direction would be more scenic?

Also, we will have a Selectpass for travel in the three adjacent coutries of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Does anyone know if this pass entitles one to reduced river cruise fares similar to the full Eurail pass?

Danke
 
Old Feb 17th, 2002, 06:59 AM
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Russ
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The ride south of St. Goar is the more spectacular. It's faster to ride from south to north, however, because of the river flow. I wouldn't recommend a ride of longer than 2 hours - it gets a little tedious, and it's better to really get off the boat and see some castles up close. Also, take the train from Koblenz south along the east bank of the Rhine to Braubach to tour Marksburg Castle if you have time - it's the only undestroyed castle on the Rhine. Continue south to St. Goarshausen, where you can also pick up the KD boat or ferry across the river to St. Goar.
 
Old Feb 17th, 2002, 09:10 AM
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Liz
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The boat ride on KD is free with all raipasses, including select, BUT it will use a day on your pass. More info at: www.euraide.de.
 
Old Feb 17th, 2002, 10:20 AM
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John
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Thank you for the response, Russ. Maybe we'll boat south for an hour or two and train back north to Braubach.

Any suggestions whether it would be more interesting to stop at Bacharach or Bingen?
 
Old Feb 17th, 2002, 11:07 AM
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Russ
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John: Bacharach is better for a walk through town - touristy, but lots and lots of half-timbered buildings. It doesn't take long to see. Bingen's natural setting at the "mouth" of the Rhine gorge is great, too - the vine-clad cliffsides here are pretty awesome - and it has a nice town center. If your trip will later continue south along the Rhine, you will see the area between Bacharach and Bingen by train later, and could stop in Bingen then (the RB trains stop most frequently and allow you the most time to sightsee along the way.) On the day in question, you could ride the train south to Bacharach from St. Goar in the morning, then catch the 10:15 or 11:15 boat north, ride beyond St. Goar directly to Braubach - you'll see the Loreley, Burg Maus north of St. Goar and some other castles near Bad Salzig, and Marksburg before you arrive in Braubach 2 hrs. later (it's 3.5 hours if you go the other way.) You'll probably need 2 hours or so to get to the castle, tour, and return to the station, putting you there at 2:30 or 3:30, roughly, and you could continue on from there to Koblenz, to Rüdesheim, or if you aren't overnighting in St. Goar again, you could train down to St. Goarshausen, ferry across to St. Goar, pick up your luggage from your hotel, and move on from there.

You can avoid using your selctpass for this day of travel by purchasing a regional daypass for 21 Euros - good for up to 5 people travelling together in this region - and paying for your boat trip (whcih should be about 16 Euros each for Bacharach - Braubach.) E-mail me if you want details on this and I'll explain the daypass.
 
Old Feb 17th, 2002, 01:08 PM
  #6  
John
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Russ,
This is great information. I thank you very much. Cool ideas, with ways to save a few Euros to boot. How do you know so much about the area?
Vielen Dank!
 
Old Feb 17th, 2002, 05:35 PM
  #7  
h
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topping
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 04:38 AM
  #8  
John
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topping
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 05:06 AM
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Russ
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Are you the one who's topping this post, John? I'll assume so. To answer your question, I once studied for a year in Mainz and have spent a good number of days revisiting the area - since I normally fly into Frankfurt on trips to Europe, I usually stop in along the Rhine for 1-2 days to see something I've missed before. There are some wonderful trails through woods, pastures, and vineyards that connect the towns on/near the river, and nice paved bike paths along the river as well, and it's a great place just to hike, unwind, and explore.

One more suggestion: Will you be there on May 4? There is a fireworks (Rhine-in Flames) show north of Koblenz in/around Bonn on that day - it would be worth a train ride up there if you can manage it. Unlike any fireworks show you'll ever see.
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 06:17 AM
  #10  
John
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Russ,
Thanks again for even more info. We were hoping to go this late April. Things, though, they are a changin', so to speak, so now I'm not sure. I thought that Rhine-in-Flames was a fall event, so your info is once again helpful.

Question--yes, I topped--being new to the Fodor discussion group, is that considered a no-no?
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 06:47 AM
  #11  
Russ
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No sins committed, John. Hey - you'll be there in April, perhaps? There's a "wine witch" festival on Tue April 30 in Oberwesel, just upstream from St. Goar.
I've never been, but it looks great. It's a ceremony that celebrates the death of the previous growing season and the rebirth of the new - they burn the old wine witch (she's made of straw!) and crown a new wine princess, but there's lots of food and drink, a procession, fireworks, and the like. I'd try to catch it if possible. Here's a page on it in German:
http://www.weinhexenmahl.de/weinhexe.../programm.html
 
Old Feb 18th, 2002, 02:19 PM
  #12  
John
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I wish it were April that we were going...or may or june etc. Things might delay us till spring 2003, alas. We'll see.
 

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