Two friends and I will be visiting Germany in early July this year. We would like to see the Middle Rhine Valley by boat for a day. We have already rented a car and will be coming from Cologne. I've read that most people travel by train but since we have a car, i was wondering a few things:
1. a. should we drive down to Bingen or Rudesheim, find hotel there to put luggage? Then start the KD boat there to Boppard or St. Goar and then take a train back?. or .....b. drive to Boppard , check luggage at hotel in Boppard. Then take a train down to Bingen or Rudesheim and start the ferry there to Boppard......... Any other routes that are better....Bingen to St. Goar?
2. Do we need to purchase any train tickets or ferry tickets ahead of time since i know it's a busy season when we're going.
3. Would it be better to drive from Cologne to Bingen or Boppard the evening before to get an early start?
I'd greatly appreciate any help you can give as i'm a bit perplexed with having this car and making sure the day becomes productive . Thanks!
Posted by
Green Bay
20193 posts
I Think I would go with parking in Boppard, taking the train to Bingen Stadt and riding the boat back to Boppard. Then you will be with your car in the afternoon to visit some of the nearby castles.
The train tickets are regional tickets, they don't sell out. Ferries to sell out would be unusual, they are very large boats.
Posted by
Paradise
6663 posts
Drive to and stay in whatever town seems best to you. IMO Boppard is generally a better overnight location than Bingen. Catch the train to Bingen and catch a cruise boat (not a ferry - ferries only cross the river) back north to Boppard (a little beyond St. Goar.) In Bingen, show your train ticket at the KD dock for a cruise discount of 20%.
Train tickets: buy at Boppard station from a platform ticket machine. Boppard-Bingen costs €10.50 each.
If you choose to stay in Bingen instead... you may wish to end the cruise in St. Goar (Rheinfels Castle is there; cruise is cheaper than to Boppard) and take the train back to Bingen from there (€6.50 each, buy at St. Goar station on the platform.)
You will obviously have to leave your hotel earlier if you overnight in Boppard if your goal is to catch the first river boat of the day.
Posted by
OP
9 posts
Thank you so much!! I'm going to look for a hotel in Boppard, and take train down to Bingen. Any favorite or recommended hotel there? Then, during the cruise, is it right that we could get off in Bacarach and also St. Goars to see the castle and then get back on the cruise to return back to Boppard? Do you need to purchase another ticket or you just pay for the Bingen to Boppard ticket?
Posted by
Paradise
6663 posts
"is it right that we could get off in Bacarach and also St. Goars to see the castle and then get back on the cruise to return back to Boppard?"
Yes, this is possible with your original Bingen-Boppard cruise ticket. You need to okay your reboarding with ship personnel as you step off the boat so they can mark your ticket accordingly.
However... It is generally a better idea to hit towns by train on the way south and to cruise back north on a late afternoon boat. The train schedule is hourly or better; the boat schedule isn't so regular, with only 5 boats per day, so hopping back on the boat is trickier.
What you might do... Visit Bacharach by train on the way to Bingen. Then cruise from Bingen straight to St. Goar to visit Rheinfels (€16 each with your 20% discount for getting to Bingen by train; the 14:30 boat gets to St. Goar at 15:55.) After that... take the train to Boppard (€3.70 each for a VRM ticket bought at the station) at whatever hour suits you. In this case, 3 people will pay a little less for the 2 train rides you are taking this day by using the Rheinland-Pfalz ticket (€34 total for 3.) Note the weekday after-9-am restriction on this day pass.
Posted by
OP
9 posts
That sounds like a great plan. I really appreciate your help.
Posted by
OP
9 posts
So sorry but i have another question......When looking at the train schedule, do i choose Hbf or KD after the town? ie. Boppard Hbf or Boppard KD. That would be for Boppard, Baccarach, Bingen, and St. Goar.
Posted by
Green Bay
20193 posts
The "KD" indicates where the K-D boats dock. So if you use that, it will show the estimated walking time between the dock and the train station.
Posted by
Paradise
6663 posts
Right. BTW, Hbf is an abbreviation for "main train station" - "Hauptbahnhof" in German. Larger towns with multiple stations normally have one.
"Any favorite or recommended hotel there?" Check the reviews to see what suits you. I tend to be easily pleased, and most places in Germany are clean and comfortable IME, so I often go for less expensive options with good locations. The Sonnenhof in Boppard was just right for me. Nice breakfast.
Posted by
OP
9 posts
That makes sense. Thank you!