Cochem without a car

Cochem itself is very walkable. It has good train connections and bus connections to other towns in the Mosel valley, Trier, the Rhine area. You won't have any problems without a car. Trier for me is something in the area not to be missed for it's Roman sites. Walking the many trails in the Mosel area or biking along the river is also something I enjoy.

Cochem is an ideal town for visitors using public transport. Note also that your outings might be free if you end up staying at an establishment like the Fuhrmann winery (which is actually in Ellenz-Poltersdorf) which participates in the Cochem Gästeticket program - you get a pass good on area trains and buses: http://www.elfriede-fuhrmann.de/gaesteticket-cochemzell-englisch.htm

Otherwise there are inexpensive day passes good for trains and buses for 1-5 people:

http://www.vrminfo.de/en/tickets-and-fares/ticket-offers/leisure-ticket/

Because the Mosel loops around so much, and the one train line just touches the western ends of the loops, you can't get everywhere by train, but there is a good system of buses to the other side of the river. I spent three nights in Treis-Karden, a little down river from Cochem, and used the buses to get to Bernkastel-Kues, Zell, and Beilstein.

Because the Mosel loops around so much, and the one train line just touches the western ends of the loops, you can't get everywhere by train, but there is a good system of buses to the other side of the river. I spent three nights in Treis-Karden, a little down river from Cochem, and used the buses to get to Bernkastel-Kues, Zell, and Beilstein.