c13wolf

We will get into Frankfurt at 7:20am on Fri, Aug 27. We plan to take RE 4362 at 9:23 to Bingen arriving 10:11. Is 2 hours enough to get off plane, get through customs, validate train pass and find train? Where do we validate pass in Fughafen Regionalbf? In Bingen we plan to walk to KD pier from Hbf. This will be a pass day so pass will be validated in Frankfort. Do we just go to KD ticket window, show them our train pass and they just give us a KD ticket then and we wait and get on next ship leaving at 11:30 to St Goar? Is 10:11 to 11:20 enough time to walk to KD pier, get ticket and catch ship? We aren't runners with older members in our group. I have heard of a bus. Does it run from Hbf to KD pier?
If this schedule really gives us extra time, are there any suggestions of a must see site in Bingen? maybe on the walk between train and KD or a great place for food to grab and take with us to ship? Is there any chance the KD ship will be full coming from Mainz? If so the next one isn't til 14:30 so I guess we will walk back to train and take it to St Goar. Is there anything I am missing that would keep this from working?
Is catching the shuttle outside of Terminal 2,Level 2 at Frankfort Airport the best way to get to the Regional Bf? On a map I have it show Rehionalbahnhof (S) and the Fernbahnhof (T) on Level 0 of Terminal 1. Is it true they are right next to each other on the same level? What is the difference in the two and what does the T and S stand for? Do RB, RE and R trains have 1st class?
How does the Rhine scenery from St Goar to Boppard compare with Bingen to St Goar? Is it worth the effort to do St Goar to Boppard on our one day in St Goar (by ship? or by train? left bank? or right bank?) or would it be better to go back towards Bingen and see a particular town or castle? I know they are all beautiful, but with limited time is there one or two that are in the catagory of "What! You went to the Rhein and didn't see ______?" We already plan to see the castle ruins in St Goar that day.
Is the KD reliable? If it says it will leave St Goar at 10:30 (earliest time) and get to Lorch at 11:40, will it probably make it on time? Is there a bus from the Lorch (Rhein) KD pier to the Lorch Hbf? We have 1 hour to make the switch. Is that enough? We have to make this train connection.
A Bayern Pass, from what I understand, is bought at a ticket machine for 28euros. We sign it and then all 4 of us just get on, with the ONE pass, any train with IRE, RE ,RB or S in name for the whole day (except weekdays start after 9am). How can the train afford for this pass to cover 5 people for such a small fare when the smallest distance usually is 25 euros and up per person? Can these be bought ahead of time in the US? Is the pass easy to find on the ticket machine in Germany? Can it be bought ahead of time from machines in Germany? I am not very good with ticket machines. Are these tickets really as simple and cheap as they seem. It seems too good to be true.
On other days we will be going to Fuessen and Garmisch-Partenkirchen so these would probably be logical Bayern Pass days instead of Flexipass days for 4 persons. I am seeing buses such as Oberbayernbus 9606 leaving Fuessen at 8:05, 12:40, 16:05, and 17:15 on Saturdays going to Garmisch. Are these buses included in the Bayern Pass or do we have to buy these tickets in addition to the Bayern Pass if used on the same day.
Another connection I just have found is Bus 74 (not on any bus schedule I have found yet except bahn.de) leaving Fuessen at 14:00 and arriving Reutte Bahnhof, Osterreich at 14:47. Supposedly 3 min walk to train station where train leaves at 15:03 as R5489(to Griesen(Oberby))and then becomes RB5489 to Garmisch arriving at 15:59. Again does anybody know if the bus part of this is included in the Bayern Pass? I think the train should be but would like verification if anybody knows.
Which is the prettier scenery? Bus 56> Fuessen to Pfronten to Garmisch OR Bus 74 above going through Reutte OR the first Bus 9606> Fuessen circling north to Oberammergau Post and then on to Garmisch.
A big question is whether anybody has been on the Expressbus from Nuernburg to Praha that is currently replacing the trains that I was told they were working on? (example: Bus 1061 leaving Nuebmerg Hbf (Bahnhofvorplatz Hauptausgang) at 12:41 on Sep 14.) I want to know what the configuration of the seating is. The literature calls it a double decker bus, but it says how much better the first class(14 seats) right behind the driver can see because of the front window. Second class evidently goes up a stair that makes them sit higher so they can not see through front window, but if they are higher do they have better views from their elevated seats? Is there not a window to the front up higher? Is it a true double decker bus or just staggered from bottom 1st to top 2nd class? Could someone help me understand please. I am trying to assure myself that 2nd class doesn't have a better view up above even if the seats are smaller.
I am not sure where we are staying in Praha, but has anybody used a reliable, trustworthy form of transportation to get to the airport? I have heard cabs are shakey and scary. I once saw something about a cab company that charged one fee to go anywhere in the city. Does anybody know about this?
In Munich, Salsburg, Nuernberg and around Rhein area are there any local day passes for transportation by the day or multday which are less expensive? We will be in Munich for 4 days. Does the Bayern Pass cover Munich public transportation on a pass day when we come in from Salsburg? How about Nuernberg?
Has anybody had exceptionally good luck with a reasonable tour in Munich which covers Hitler and WWII? How about in Nuernburg? (english)
Does anybody know of a place in Fuessen to place backpacks safely besides the lockers at the train station? I am worried that they may be filled and with no back up I will have to miss the castles to watch them while my family goes.
What is the safety factor on the buses and trains in the Bayern area? After 2 trips to Italy, my family is super cautious. Had more than one incident of people on bus standing above us sitting and eyeing our backpacks and then the lovely one of the guy with the knife trying to distract us so he could try to use the knife in his hand to cut into my backpack on the Circumvesuvius train from Naples. Didn't work by the way.
I am sure responses may prompt more questions, but for now thanks in advance for any help on any of this info.

altamiro

It is extremely hard to reply to the monster post even if the questions are all valid.

I'll try to do it in pieces.

>We will get into Frankfurt at 7:20am on Fri, Aug 27. We plan to take RE 4362 at 9:23 to Bingen arriving 10:11. Is 2 hours enough to get off plane, get through customs, validate train pass and find train?

Normally more than enough. If not (plane delays etc.), you just take a later train.

>Where do we validate pass in Fughafen Regionalbf?

There is a DB Service Center above the station entrance.

>In Bingen we plan to walk to KD pier from Hbf. This will be a pass day so pass will be validated in Frankfort.

Alight in Bingen Stadt station, not at HBf, it is closer to the Rhine. For the walk distance, use google maps.

>Do we just go to KD ticket window, show them our train pass and they just give us a KD ticket then and we wait and get on next ship leaving at 11:30 to St Goar?

I think you just wave your pass when entering the boat, but better ask somebody beforehand.

>Is 10:11 to 11:20 enough time to walk to KD pier, get ticket and catch ship?

In over an hour you can walk around all of Bingen and back.

>We aren't runners with older members in our group. I have heard of a bus. Does it run from Hbf to KD pier?

Again, use google maps - the bus stops are shown (so you get the stop name). For the timetable you can go back to bahn.de.

>If this schedule really gives us extra time, are there any suggestions of a must see site in Bingen? maybe on the walk between train and KD or a great place for food to grab and take with us to ship? Is there any chance the KD ship will be full coming from Mainz?

It cannot be "full" as in "sold out", but it can be crowded if the weather is nice and some local association decides to organize their yearly trip on that day. Nothing you can do against.

>If so the next one isn't til 14:30 so I guess we will walk back to train and take it to St Goar. Is there anything I am missing that would keep this from working?

Nothing wrong with that.

altamiro

>Is catching the shuttle outside of Terminal 2,Level 2 at Frankfort Airport the best way to get to the Regional Bf?

There is a bus shuttle and the Skytrain. Both take roughly the same time. Flip a coin as to "what's better".

>On a map I have it show Rehionalbahnhof (S) and the Fernbahnhof (T) on Level 0 of Terminal 1. Is it true they are right next to each other on the same level?

Not really, you have a longish walk (mostly with moving sidewalks) from one to the other. I would say about 500 m.

>What is the difference in the two and what does the T and S stand for?

Regional trains stop at the Regibahnhof, long distance trains (ICE, IC etc.) at the Fernbahnhof. No idea about T and S.

>Do RB, RE and R trains have 1st class?

Some do, some don't. S-Bahn usually doesn't.

>How does the Rhine scenery from St Goar to Boppard compare with Bingen to St Goar?

It is marginally less spectacular (this said, a matter of taste)

>Is it worth the effort to do St Goar to Boppard on our one day in St Goar (by ship? or by train? left bank? or right bank?) or would it be better to go back towards Bingen and see a particular town or castle? I know they are all beautiful, but with limited time is there one or two that are in the catagory of "What! You went to the Rhein and didn't see ______?" We already plan to see the castle ruins in St Goar that day.

Can't answer that truthfully as I have never stopped there, just often passed by. Just make sure you know that there are major track works scheduled this summer, so on some stretches there are replacement buses.

altamiro

>Is the KD reliable?

As reliable as the river itself. A fast-flowing river with a lot of freight traffic...

>If it says it will leave St Goar at 10:30 (earliest time) and get to Lorch at 11:40, will it probably make it on time?

I don't think they keep records on that. Rhine boats are for leisure, you don't take them if you are in hurry. Don't plan too tight.

>Is there a bus from the Lorch (Rhein) KD pier to the Lorch Hbf? We have 1 hour to make the switch. Is that enough? We have to make this train connection.

Again, look at the distance on google maps. Most of the towns are small (there is no space for them between the river and steep hills) and the train station is never far.

>A Bayern Pass, from what I understand, is bought at a ticket machine for 28euros. We sign it and then all 4 of us just get on, with the ONE pass, any train with IRE, RE ,RB or S in name for the whole day (except weekdays start after 9am). How can the train afford for this pass to cover 5 people for such a small fare when the smallest distance usually is 25 euros and up per person?

The train cannot, it is not an offer by DB but an offer by the Government of Bavaria. Thank Bavarian taxpayers for that.
(similar offers exist in all other states too, so quietly thank their taxpayers too when you use these tickets)

>Can these be bought ahead of time in the US?

They can (postage costs extra) but there is usually no reason to do so.

>Is the pass easy to find on the ticket machine in Germany?

There are lots and lots of makes of ticket machines, with varying userfriendlyness. They will all offer it, but sometimes you have to look deeper.

>Can it be bought ahead of time from machines in Germany?
I am not very good with ticket machines.

Ask people nearby.

>Are these tickets really as simple and cheap as they seem. It seems too good to be true.

It isn't - see above.

>On other days we will be going to Fuessen and Garmisch-Partenkirchen so these would probably be logical Bayern Pass days instead of Flexipass days for 4 persons. I am seeing buses such as Oberbayernbus 9606 leaving Fuessen at 8:05, 12:40, 16:05, and 17:15 on Saturdays going to Garmisch. Are these buses included in the Bayern Pass or do we have to buy these tickets in addition to the Bayern Pass if used on the same day.

Nothing extra, all local transportation (buses, trams, subways in big cities) is covered.

altamiro

>Another connection I just have found is Bus 74 (not on any bus schedule I have found yet except bahn.de) leaving Fuessen at 14:00 and arriving Reutte Bahnhof, Osterreich at 14:47. Supposedly 3 min walk to train station where train leaves at 15:03 as R5489(to Griesen(Oberby))and then becomes RB5489 to Garmisch arriving at 15:59. Again does anybody know if the bus part of this is included in the Bayern Pass?

Yes, all is included.

>I think the train should be but would like verification if anybody knows.

>Which is the prettier scenery? Bus 56> Fuessen to Pfronten to Garmisch OR Bus 74 above going through Reutte OR the first Bus 9606> Fuessen circling north to Oberammergau Post and then on to Garmisch.

The route via Pfronten and Reutte (so-called Ausserfernbahn) is very scenic and I would prefer that - but the otehr routes are pretty too.

>A big question is whether anybody has been on the Expressbus from Nuernburg to Praha that is currently replacing the trains that I was told they were working on?

That's the trouble - they are not working on anything beyond vague promises on the Czech side, so DB set up an express bus line.

>(example: Bus 1061 leaving Nuebmerg Hbf (Bahnhofvorplatz Hauptausgang) at 12:41 on Sep 14.) I want to know what the configuration of the seating is. The literature calls it a double decker bus, but it says how much better the first class(14 seats) right behind the driver can see because of the front window. Second class evidently goes up a stair that makes them sit higher so they can not see through front window, but if they are higher do they have better views from their elevated seats? Is there not a window to the front up higher? Is it a true double decker bus or just staggered from bottom 1st to top 2nd class? Could someone help me understand please. I am trying to assure myself that 2nd class doesn't have a better view up above even if the seats are smaller.

It is a normal double-decker bus with the driver at the lower level. But there is no view really worth it, the bus drives on the brand new 6-lanes motorway with lots of noise protecton walls in populated areas.

Unless you are exceptionally large, the seats are pretty much identical to the seats in long distance trains, so the 1st class is IMO a waste of money.

Dukey

Re using a pass for access to the K-D boats.

If this is a similar situation to what K-D runs in and out of Mainz then there will probably be some sort of ticket booth and THAT is where you show them your validated railpass. Do NOT simply try to board by waving the pass...go to the ticket booth FIRST.

altamiro

>Do NOT simply try to board by waving the pass...go to the ticket booth FIRST.

That's wha I wrote he should better ask.

Russ

"I know they are all beautiful, but with limited time is there one or two that are in the catagory of "What! You went to the Rhein and didn't see ______?" We already plan to see the castle ruins in St Goar that day."

The very best castle to see on the Rhine is Marksburg in Braubach; it's remained intact for centuries and the tour is very good. I would put this visit above Rheinfels in St. Goar and above visiting any particular village. Braubach lies north of Boppard on the east side of the river. You can approach it by train from Koblenz or by crossing the river in St. Goar (car/passenger ferry) and taking the train north from the St. Goarshausen station, a short walk north of the ferry dock:

www.marksburg.de

Carrabella

Regarding Prague to the airport, this is what I've gleaned from travel books and on this site....

you can take the Line B Metro to Zlicin (eg from Florenc, where the bus transit stop is,) for 26CZK, then airport bus #100. There's another bus # 119 to the airport from Dejvicka Metro on Line A . You need to buy a half-price ticket for luggage as well.

c13wolf

Thanks to all for the great info. It is helping me plan with confidence. Other questions have come up that I hope you all can help me with.
I know we could get 2 2 person saver passes but I can get a really good deal if I put all 4 of our people on a 3 country Europass. So all of our names will be on the pass. If two of us can not go on the trip at all but the other two go on the trip, is there any problem with them validating the 4 person pass for 2 people and using it to go on with the trip.
Someone told me that the fine print said that all persons had to be available to validate the pass but I have not been able to find that in any explanation of the pass. Also if I buy the pass and do not go will that cause a problem because my credit card that I bought it with is not with the other two who do go on the trip. At the moment this is hypothetical but I wanted to find out just in case......
Does anybody know which is a prettier route from Nuernberg to Rothenberg ob der Tabor? Through Neustadt or through Ansbach or are they about the same. Is it even pretty either way or are they both just a way to get where I am going. Is there time to go from platform 2 to platform 6 in 6 minutes at the Neustadt train station? Will we have to go down stairs, through a tunnel and up more stairs or just cross tracks??
Thanks for any help