Hi fellow travelers, my wife and I have just booked flights to B/M/F airport for 14 days in late Aug/ Sep, we have never been down to the Black Forrest area of Germany before so any help on booking or planning our itinerary would be much appreciated, we arrive late afternoon on a Sunday and will be using public transport for the 14 day period, we are not sure if we need to book accommodation before we leave the UK, or would it be better to book accommodation when we arrive in Germany, we have looked at Lake Konstanz but not sure how many days?, also looked at Lenzkirch where we thought we would stay 5 nights as we like walking and exploring ? Also Freiburg looks like a good place to visit, but we are not sure if we stayed in Freiburg that we will get the Black Forrest Konus card ? sorry for all the questions, look forward to your helpful replies cheers Allan
Posted by
Bavaria
2480 posts
I'd start planning by studying the pages of the Black Forrest tourism authority:
http://www.schwarzwald-tourismus.info/
but we are not sure if we stayed in Freiburg that we will get the Black Forrest Konus card ?
A map of the area covered by the Konus card is available here:
http://www.schwarzwald-tourismus.info/service/konus2
in late Aug/ Sep
At that time there are still school holidays in some parts of Germany, so I'd book well in advance.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Hello askhamallan, The airport is commonly just called "Basel", acronym "BSL", I have never heard it called "B/M/F".
If you are using Public Transport, I would recommend booking accommodation in advance. Most of the accommodation is in small hotels in villages, often lovely wooden buildings. These are quiet villages, good as bases for touring and walking. I would not want to turn up in one of these villages without pre-booked accommodation.
There is good public transport in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald), but it is not the city-type "there will always be another bus soon" type. There are buses to everywhere, but they can be less than once an hour, so pre-planning ("Vorplanung") is needed.
As you are arriving late on a Sunday, i would recommend at least the first night in an easy-to-get-to place. First, you need to exit the airport via the Swiss exit (yes, after luggage pick-up you can exit into France or Switzerland), and get the frequent No. 50 bus into Basel city centre. First option is to stay in Basel, Basel is worth a visit. Otherwise, if you have enough time you can go on to Freiburg-im-Breisgau the first night. Frequent trains from Basel. Freiburg is a nice city, worth a day exploring, but it is not in the Black Forest, just on the edge.
Then move on to your selected pre-booked village. The Black Forest is a large area. Do not expect everyone to speak English, even in the tourist industry. Most of the tourists here are German. A few basic German phrases will help.
Bodensee (Lake Konstanz) is far to the east, not part of the Black Forest. If you go there (and it is a long detour) I recommend the town of Lindau.
Posted by
OP
Hayle, Cornwall
3 posts
Ok guys thanks for the good recommendations and links ! will defo check out all your tips ! cheers all the best Allan
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33861 posts
we are not sure if we stayed in Freiburg that we will get the Black Forrest Konus card ?
within the limits of Freiburg im Breisgau is one of the few places the KONUS card is not issued.
Posted by
OP
Hayle, Cornwall
3 posts
Thanks for that Nigel, we were thinking of staying in Frieburg for 3/4 nights ! but without the Konus Card maybe 2 nights will be sufficant ! cheers Allan