3-4 days in western Germany

Posted by bicoastiality (Seattle and NYC) on 02/19/17 01:05 AM

We are flying into Frankfurt July 2. We have to go to a wedding in Berlin on July 6. What should we do until then? We were thinking a couple days in Frankfurt area and a couple days in Cologne or Hamburg. We won't have a car, so ideally we would like to be based in destinations served by EC/IC/ICE trains.

Any thoughts on how long in Frankfurt/Cologne/Hamburg or suggestions for other destinations? We like to eat, drink beer, drink wine, museums, castles, history, and day hikes/bike rides/boat rides.

Posted by Sam

Green Bay

02/19/17 01:35 AM

20085 posts

You really don't have much time. You arrive on the 2nd, and have time to get to your first destination, rest up after a long flight and do a modicum of exploring. That leaves all day on the 3rd and 4th and you have to head to Berlin on the 5th. As such, based on your interests:

We like to eat, drink beer, drink wine, museums, castles, history, and day hikes/bike rides/boat rides.

That shouts Rhine Valley. I'll say Boppard. On the river in the valley, good rail service, lots of wine, castles, boat rides on the K-D boats that serve the town. 2 1/2 days should be just right. If you want to see Cologne for a bit, take the train on the morning of the 5th, stop in and see the Cathedral, then continue on a direct train to Berlin in the afternoon.

Posted by bicoastiality OP

Seattle and NYC

02/19/17 01:42 AM

2 posts

Thanks, Sam! The wedding is actually July 8th, but we were planning to check into our hotel in Berlin on the 6th. So all day on the 5th is also available to us. My husband also was interested in the Mosel valley, but I don't think we have time for that.

Posted by Sam

Green Bay

02/19/17 01:56 AM

20085 posts

You can visit the Mosel Valley as a day trip from Boppard. Boppard is in the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Mosel. That means you can get special group train tickets that let you travel on trains and buses throughout the district all day after 9 am, and that includes the Mosel valley and both sides of the Rhine to just short of Bonn.
The minigroup day ticket is good for 2 to 5 people cost 22.10 EUR for the entire district.
http://www.vrminfo.de/en/timetable/pis-information/timetable-information-vrm-area/

As it is maybe spend a day and a night in Cologne, my favorite, but Berlin might grow on me.

Posted by Russ

Paradise

02/19/17 09:27 AM

6637 posts

Either Boppard or St. Goar (about 10 train min's. south) would be a good base town for you. St. Goar has a ferry that enables easy access to trains on the opposite river bank (use these to reach Marksburg Castle in Braubach and/or Ruedesheim to the south.) St. Goar is also handy since Rheinfels Castle is right there, and for its proximity to Bacharach and Oberwesel (attractive old-world towns worth a visit.) In Boppard's favor, it is a little closer to the Mosel destinations and has more lodging and dining options than St. Goar. Both towns are within the VRM travel zone Sam mentions. The Mosel towns of Cochem and Moselkern (for the hike to Burg Eltz) are both within day-trip distance from either Boppard or St. Goar.

On July 2 you could take the train from FRA to St. Goar or Boppard directly... but why not take your
Rhine River boat ride as part of this journey? Board a train from FRA to Bingen, walk (w/ bags) a few minutes to the boat dock, and catch one of 5 daily northbound KD boats to either St. Goar or Boppard. This 1.5-hr. cruise lets you see the best part of the river for the first time from the best perspective (instead of from a train window.)

You could sightsee for several hours on July 5 before leaving for Berlin. As long as you can make it to Koblenz by around 3 pm, you will make it to Berlin by 8:30 - 9 pm.