Hi all,
Planning on flying Frankfort to Boston at end of vacation. Trying to decide on Bacharach for 4 nights ( as per other thread) and Cochem (3) or not Cochem.
This part of the trip would be after Paris (4) and Colmar (3)
It looks like the Rhine/Mosel rivers and towns are very different but maybe not.
It looks like we can travel bus from Cochem to Frankfort AP
What do people think that have visited both.
Dot
If you plan to spend 2-3 days on the Mosel, then stay on the Mosel also. By train it's 3 hours round trip for Bacharach - Cochem - Bacharach. If your Mosel visit includes Trier, well then it's around 4.5 hours round trip from Bacharach. I don't see the point of spending all that time on the train "commuting" from Bacharach over to the Mosel repeatedly along the same rail lines. Cochem is a lovely place to stay. I'd look for something in the old town area both for ambiance and because you're closer to the rail station for outings than if you stay across the river in the newer part of town.
4 days seems a little long for Bacharach but if you do some interesting outings you'll fill that time easily.
From either Bacharach or Cochem you would take the train to Frankfurt International (FRA.) Shuttle buses or train + shuttle buses are needed to reach Frankfurt Hahn Airport (HHN.) From Bacharach to FRA there are some direct trains, and the travel time is much shorter than from Cochem, so to simplify your trip to FRA you may wish to stay in Cochem first, THEN Bacharach.
Cochem has a really cool castle (one of my favorites from my trip to Germany). Bacharach seemed smaller and homier with less to do. So I'd say it depends on what you are looking for. Are you wanting to see sights or relax? I found Bacharach very relaxing. I walked around the town and through the vineyards and it was very enjoyable. It's very possible to see both in 3-4 days/nights because neither are bustling cities. You can simply stay in one town for two days, take the water ferry to the other, then stay the other two nights there.
I can't really say if the bus from Frankfort AP to Cochem is a good way to go because I took the train from Frankfurt AP to Bacharach. I had a rail pass and really enjoyed traveling that way.
I hope my opinions help you on your decision. Enjoy your trip!
"It's very possible to see both in 3-4 days/nights because neither are bustling cities. You can simply stay in one town for two days, take the water ferry to the other, then stay the other two nights there."
True - but there is so much more to see and do in the region outside of these two towns - everything from WW II museums and bunkers to Roman ruins to open-air museums to chairlift rides to spa towns - that the extra time, if you have it, can be very well spent. And if the answer to "Are you wanting to see sights or relax?" is "Both," then that is possible as well with a week there.
Thanks for help. I think I'll cut Bacharach to 3 nights and add Cochem 3 nights.
I'm coming from Colmar. So, would you suggest Bacharach or Cochem first. I'll fly out of Frankfort to either Boston or Bremen (to see my partner's daughter).
I didn't see trains from Cochem to Frankfort airport. What site?
Dot
"I'm coming from Colmar. So, would you suggest Bacharach or Cochem first. I'll fly out of Frankfort to either Boston or Bremen (to see my partner's daughter)."
You can travel by train between Cochem (or Bacharach) to central Bremen by train in under 5 hours. That's probably easier than train to FRA w/ early airport arrival + security and wait some more + flight + transport from Bremen airport. Probably cheaper too.
"I didn't see trains from Cochem to Frankfort airport. What site?"
The German Railways sight. Click here. Copy and paste this - Frankfurt(M)Flughafen - as the destination for Frankfurt airport. But again, if you must go to Frankfurt International airport, it's easier and quicker from Bacharach, so maybe Cochem first, THEN Bacharach.
In the last few years, I have spent 4 days on the Rhein (Boppard) and 3 days on the Mosel (Treis-Karden). From Boppard it was easy to get to Bacharach/St. Goar, Braubach (Marksburg), and Koblenz (Burg Eltz was closed for the season). While in T-K, I visited Bernkastel-Kues, Zell, Cochem, and Beilstein. Moselkern (Burg Eltz) is easily accessible from Cochem. On weekends, there are buses from Treis-Karden to Burg Eltz.
For the Rhein, I would not recommend Bacharach. If you stay in St. Goar, you can take the train to Bacharach for 3,70€/person, then come back on the K-D boat. If you show your rail ticket when you purchase the boat ticket in Bacharach you should get a 20% discount of the 12,60€ price of a one-way, 1 person ticket to St. Goar. The rest of the time, for travel down (Northwesterly) the Rhein, you can use VRM (transit district Rhein-Mosel) tickets. A one day pass (Tageskarte) for all of the VRM is 18,50€ for one person, 21,80€ for up to 5 people. Passes for three days are 37€ and 43,60€ respectively. Tageskarten for less than the entire district are available for less. (In most, if not all cases, a Tageskarte is less than a round trip ticket) The VRM Tageskarte is valid on the Rhein from Oberwesel to Remagen/Unkel, and up the Mosel to Bullay (but not to Trier), and it is not valid to Bacharach (which is in the RNN district), which is why I don't recommend staying in Bacharach.
For travel including Bacharach and Trier, use the Rheinland-Pfalz Länder Ticket (24€ plus 4€ extra for persons 2-5 for each day).
Dot,
"I didn't see trains from Cochem to Frankfort airport. What site?"
When researching train details on the Bahn.de website, it will help to use the correct spelling of Frankfurt. Note that there are two rail stations at the Frankfurt Airport (Flughafen), a Regionalbahnhof (locall trains) and a Fernbahnhof (long distance trains). If you're travelling from Bacharach to the airport, you'll likely arrive at the Regional station, which is across the street from the Terminals (it's been a few years so I can't remember the specific details).
The Regional train station is underneath Terminal 1. All you have to do is walk upstairs or take the escalator up to Departures. No need to cross any streets or anything like that.
It also helps to be aware that there are 2 Frankfurts in Germany. Dot will need Frankfurt am Main. Going to Frankfurt Oder would put her near Poland.
Wow. Thanks all. Yup must learn to spell Frankfurt.
Great news regarding train to Bremen. That will make that leg , if it works out, so much easier.
Dot
Jo and Ken are both right, in a way. The Regionalbhf is underground in the Terminal 1 area, but it is under the building across the street from the actual terminal. You cross under the street through a mall and go up stairs or escalators into the street-side edge of Terminal 1.
There is no way to get into the Regionalbhf from across the street from Terminal 1 (I tried once).
You have plenty of time to see both and explore the areas. With seven nights, I'd recommend both.
Thanks all. Now to plan what to see from Bacharach and Cochem.
Looks like a lot of great German wine producers in the middle mosel Dr. Loosen etc - . being a big fan of German Rieslings.
Has anyone done wine tours from Cochem. Or what would people suggest? No car.
Thanks again. I love this forum for all the great advice.
Dot
