First Germany Vacation (Dec 26 - Jan 3). Need help to plan Itinerary.

First off, you don't need a car, in fact, it will be a hindrance. Then you won't have to worry about slippery roads. A White Christmas for that neck of the woods would not be normal, but certainly possible.

If DW wants a New Years Eve in Paris, I guess you'll just have to make it happen. Fast direct trains to Paris from Cologne. Right now, I can see a price of 168 EUR at www.thalys.com for the 4 of you leaving at 8:44 am on Dec 31 getting to Paris at noon. Its much more expensive any other day. These are nonrefundable advance purchase tickets, so you need to act fast (like now!). You can return to Frankfurt on Jan 3 in the morning with the TGV direct train. Deutsche Bahn is showing 96.60 EUR for the 4 of you nonrefundable. Ditto buy now. www.bahn.com.

There is lots to see and do in the Bonn/Cologne/Duesseldorf/Aachen area while you are there. You can get Rhein-Sieg transit passes to get around with.

Edit - When you arrive at the airport, go to the Regionalbahnhof in the airport. Buy a "Quer durchs Land" ticket for 68 EUR out of a vending machine. If you feel you need assistance, you can buy at a ticket window for 2 EUR more. You must take regional trains to Bonn with at least one connection along the way, at Mainz or Koblenz. But you will travel along the Rhine River through the famous gorge with all the castles. There are one or two such connections every hour and you are not bound to any particular train, so an arrival delay will not effect you.

The holidays tend to be mostly private affairs. But you can have a festive time at the Speyer Christmas and New Years market. It's open (unbelievably enough) after Christmas from 12/27 to 1/7/2018 from 11:00 to 21:00 (with reduced hours on the 31st and the 1st.)

Speyer isn't so internationally famous, but it has one of Europe's greatest Romanesque cathedrals (a UNESCO World Heritage site.) It's also home to the excellent Technik Museum. There are other churches, sights and museums as well.

Speyer has a great location on the Rhine, well to the south of Bonn, within easy reach of better-known destinations like Heidelberg, Ludwigsburg, Stuttgart (Porsche and Mercedes-Benz museums) and the attractive Rhine town of Mainz. It might in fact be a good base town for you to visit these other places. You would also be within a reasonable travel distance of Strasbourg, FR, a very popular destination in the French Alsace.

From Strasbourg, btw, you are only about 2 hours from Paris, France by TGV train.

The small Rhine villages of the Middle Rhine Valley just south of Bonn and Koblenz are generally shuttered in winter and not the best destinations then. Rüdesheim stays slightly lively, and Marksburg Castle in Braubach is open year round (closed some holidays.) I would visit these two places and enjoy the train ride along the river on the way south.

I would use the trains for such a trip. A car is a hindrance more than a help in these cities, all of which are well connected by the rail network. An inexpensive day pass for small groups like your family called the Rheinland-Palatinate ticket covers Bonn - Braubach - Rüdesheim - Mainz - Speyer as you move south along the Rhine. See map of coverage area:

http://www.vrminfo.de/fileadmin/data/pdf/2012/RLP-Ticket_streckennetz.pdf

Similar day passes can be used for most of the other destinations as well within Germany.

You really won't be in Germany for long, so taking a day to travel to-from Paris seems a huge waste. I would look to Germany for more interesting choice with less travel.

Frankfurt has some interesting sights, depending on the interests of your sons. What do they like?

Rothenburg am der Tauber, Heidelberg, the sights of the Rhine, all within public transport and close to Frankfurt. As a child, we lived there. We often went to the great Niederwahldenkmahl memorial, within driving/public transport from Frankfurt.

Make sure to get the RS Germany guide. Also check out Rick's writing - Write-read->Rick's Travel Writing->Germany. Lots of stuff there.

As others have noted, there are the christmas markets which would be great for you and for your kids.

So you are tracking... December 26 is St Stephen's Day and is a public holiday in Germany too. Anywhere in ski areas in southern Germany, Austria and Südtirol will be absolutely packed over the holidays and most require a minimum week stay.

Thanks for all great suggestions so far.

We have traveled very little out of the US and we would like to do things as a family. In fact, this would be our first vacation to EU (It started with a wedding invitation).

DW and elder son are into local shopping/markets/local cuisine (and sights/castles/museums etc).

The youngest in our group is big time into cars. The biggest attraction for him is Nurburgring track and related shops/museums so that he can buy some toy cars for his collection. This famous track seems to be closed during our visit. He is a collector of large Lego sets as well.

I like to spend time with my cameras/lenses (the only backpack I carry).

We land in Frankfurt around 9 am. The plan is to eat and take showers at the airport after a long flight. The “Ques durchs Land” sounds interesting as long as we can reach Bonn by evening (6/7 pm) and settle down in hotel to get ready for the next day’s wedding.

Looking at Gunnewig Hotel Bristol Bonn, as Airbnb is not giving too many options.
https://www.hrs.de/web3/searchWeb1000.do?activity=showHotellistWithPromotion&showOverlay=true&clientId=ZGVfX05FWFQ-&cid=44-3#layer

Uber/Lyft seems not an option in Germany. We are trying to lessen our luggage despite the need to carry formal wear due to wedding etc.

I plan to read RS Germany guide tonight and buy travel/health insurance this week (our health insurance does not cover us out of US).

The advice to stay in Germany and see it well is very thoughtful. I am not crazy for Paris, maybe I can find something in Germany and take DW out for a nice dinner (just one evening/late night as a couple). How are night trains in Germany? Can one ride trains at night and reach a new destination in the morning?

Regard

Germany has phased out night trains, although there are still trains that run all night between major cities, they just don't have sleeping cars. You sleep in your seat. Distances are short and the trains are fast, so night trains don't make a lot of sense anymore.

You should be prepared for, until your next trip, to listen to "...well, we could have gone to Paris, but DH...."

Maybe a couple of days in Stuttgart to see the Porsche and Mercedes Benz museums. That should satisfy the car nut.

Last May, we were going from Frankfurt to Berlin. My wife said "We can save 20E by taking the overnight train". Problem: the overnight "train" was 1 train to Hanover which arrived at midnight, a stay in a train station until 2:45 AM, and then a train to Berlin which arrived at 6 AM. Just very unsuccessful. We got maybe 2 hours of sleep sitting up. We were totally useless the next day, as every time I sat down I dozed off. So, no more overnight trains in Germany. And the rail station in Hanover? There was an all-night bakery, with great coffee, pastries, etc. But there was no open bathroom in the entire train station!! Except in the all-night McDonald's. I usually do not like McD's but was happy to find their clean restroom, after 3 coffees.

Where to spend a memorable New Year’s Eve as a family (Germany / Paris)?

Paris is a bit far, I would suggest staying in Germany to see an interesting firework's display. People go NUTS with fireworks in the city (here is a link to one from Frankfurt). Its not at all like a typical organized professional show you would see in the US. Instead it is one big amateur fireworks show across the whole city. It's something my family always really enjoyed, just don't forget to keep you windows closed!

DJ

Thanks. I browsed through RS Travel guide and I was afraid that it is not going to cover the areas that have been suggested here (And I have only flipped pages).

Do you mean these guides?

https://travelguide.michelin.com/europe/germany

http://www.fodors.com/world/europe/germany

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/germany

https://www.roughguides.com/destinations/europe/germany/

The regional train, wouldn't that be crowded during holidays and considering us travelling with luggage. The seats might not be guaranteed?

I briefly browsed through another forum and read that ICE provides pre-booked seats. And one can add a stopover to take the scenic route along Rhine to Bonn.

We have experienced the difference in plumbing/central AC-Heat and shape of water closets while traveling in a developing nation. The markets/geography/food/people...all together a wonderful experience. However the bathrooms were challenging and took few days to adapt, specially when we traveled.

I briefly browsed through another forum and read that ICE provides pre-booked seats. And one can add a stopover to take the scenic route along Rhine to Bonn.

True indeed, but the point is that you cannot predict that your plane will land on time and discount tickets become worthless if you miss the train. An alternative is to just buy when you arrive. Full fare tickets from Frankfurt airport to Bonn on the direct IC train along the Rhine is 123 EUR for the 4 of you. Seat reservations are 4.50 EUR per person on top of that. These direct IC trains are every 2 hours, at 58 past the odd hour. At 58 past the even hours, its a bit more, 129 EUR with a train change in Mainz.

I have to admit that arriving and immediately taking a shower at the airport is not my usual approach. Yes, the flight is long. But not as long as you think - it's really just 6-7 hours. So if you take a shower before you leave, you could just get on a train, head for Bonn, stop along the way as someone suggested, and do fun stuff.

I tend to be impatient. Having a coffee in a cafe is more what I want to do. But your mileage may vary.

FamilyTraveler: You may wish to look at "Frankfurt in December", another thread on the page here. A Frankfurt resident has posted a lot of useful stuff.

Sam, there are still a few real night trains in Germany, though they are not run by Deutsche Bahn any longer. The Austrian train operator (ÖBB) is now running them under the "Nightjet" brand: http://www.nightjet.com/en/

Thanks Paul. I will look into that post.

I did some research on places as suggested here. Thanks a lot to all who posted; I had no idea about all these places (other than names of larger cities in Germany).

I have made a tentative plan in my mind. First to check out Bonn (there is not a whole lot there), and then some places in Cologne including the Cathedral. There is Augustusburg Castle nearby as well.

December 26 or 27 leave from Bonn and pick a central place like Speyer or Mainz in Rhineland – Palatinate Region. Stay in Speyer until Dec 31 to see a few of places as suggested by Russ.

Then come back to Frankfurt on December 31. Things might be slow/closed on January 1. So I do not know if we just stay in Speyer until January 1. Then go to Stuttgart, spend Jan 2 and part of Jan 3 and then come to Frankfurt in the evening to take a return flight on January 4.

Do the Rhine boat trips operate this late in December?

Also, I was checking ICE trains at www.bahn.com. How does their reservation/advance system work? There are IC, S, RE, STR, S as products and 2 fairs; Savings fares and Flexpreis. Sorry I have not spent time yet to figure this out (I was trying to figure out train schedules and durations. And then to figure out what places would be open during Christmas/New Year period).

This will be the first Christmas and New Year out of the US for us!

Savings fares are advance purchase tickets that can only be changed for a fee of 19 EUR up to the day before the scheduled departure. If changed, the new fare will be charged as well. Flex fares are changeable and they are the "full fare" you would pay if you just walked up to the ticket and bought a ticket for the next train.
IC, EC, and ICE trains sell tickets the way airlines do. Buy far in advance and prices are low. When the cheapest tranche of tickets are sold out, then more expensive tickets are available, finally at train time, only full fare tickets are available.

German trains come in different grades.
ICE: InterCity Express. Modern high speed trains that connect major cities and large towns along the route. They usually have bar/restaurant cars.
IC: Usually older trains that also connect major cities and towns, often without a bar/restaurant car.
EC: Trains that cross borders and are often operated by other railways, like Austrian, Swiss, Czech or Italian.
RE: Regional Express. Regional trains that make limited stops.
RB: Regional Bahn. Regional trains that make all the stops.
S: S-Bahn. Big city commuter trains making lots of stops and run very frequently, like every 10 to 15 minutes.
U: U-Bahn. Subway.
STR: Local tram or street-car.

And just to add to the post of Sam, on the last 2 trips to Europe, they left 1-2 hours late, and did not make up much time in the air. So scheduling a train based on the airplane arrival time is very chancy. Better to simply get tickets there. We have taken a number of trains in all parts of Germany. Some are crowded, but in all cases we could get tickets. For 4 people, I would not think it a problem.

"The regional train, wouldn't that be crowded during holidays and considering us travelling with luggage. The seats might not be guaranteed?"

Seats are not guaranteed on high-speed trains either without the purchase of seat reservations.

Holidays have their largest impact on the high-speed ICE, IC, EC etc. trains when people travel substantial distances to be with relatives or go on vacation. Regional and local trains are used more often by short-distance commuters and for connecting to/from smaller towns on trips to the big city. (And on weekends they get a bit crowded as people plan their leisure-time day outings with day passes. ) A day trip by high-speed train from Speyer to Stuttgart, for example, requires a local train connection, usually to Mannheim or Heidelberg, before you set foot on the high-speed train. Generally there's nothing to fear about riding regional trains.

You will get there faster on the fast trains of course. But you can do the same trip by regional/local train only with a little more time on the train (they go slower and stop more often.) AND - with a day pass, you can use ANY of these slower trains you like throughout the day - you will not be bound to a firm schedule for leaving and returning as you would be with pre-purchased saver fares on the high speed trains. Cost? Day passes almost always win that duel.

That said, long-distance trips by regional train are sometimes just too long and require too many connections.

I will say that the German Rail Pass (covers ALL trains, basically, at any hour) though not usually the cheapest option, is enormously convenient and easier to use for first-time visitors than fussing with individual tickets for every trip you make. No advance-purchase or pre-scheduling of specific trips is needed with the GRP - yeah. And you can buy the GRP at the last minute if you like - or even once you arrive in Germany. Sometimes it works out best to get the GRP for several days and complement that with regional day passes as needed. It sort of all depends on the specific journeys you will make.

The GRP also covers some routes to Strasbourg, France, btw. A fine place even if you aren't going to Paris afterward.

It sure would be nice if you had one place you might be able to drop your "wedding apparel" bags - and pick them up again just before flying out. Lugging extra baggage as you travel isn't much fun.

I'll give your itin. some thought and get back to you later.

Hi,

Which night train route are you considering? Would family members go for this? I have no problems taking night trains.

There is the Düsseldorf to Munich night train, as well as Munich to Berlin via Hannover. There is also the Munich to Hamburg night train. There is also Offenburg to Berlin night train. This last summer's trip I took two of the planned night train routes, had planned on a third night train but in the end lazied out. Uber is not an option in Germany because it is banned...good, unless this has changed.

If you want to consult a very good informative guide on Germany, I suggest Rough Guide...excellent and also " Rough Guide, Berlin" Forget the RS book.

I'm not completely clear how much sightseeing time you might have between 12/22 and 12/25 in/around Bonn.

I'd suggest 3 travel base towns for the rest of your trip. These 3 are easy to reach by train without the hassle or expense of pre-purchased tickets or rail passes (day passes on the regional trains will work fine for outings as well as for transfer between base towns.) All you need to do is nail down accommodations within a reasonable distance of the stations, do a little sightseeing research on outings in the area, then once in Germany, play it "by ear" when it comes to how you spend your time in/near the base towns (so you can work around the weather, etc.)

12/26-28... 3 nights in/near KOBLENZ (day trip choices there include Marksburg Castle in Braubach, Reichsburg Castle and Cochem, the Roman city of Trier, and/or Rüdesheim)

(River cruises: too cold for regular schedules to be in place.)

A little suburb of Koblenz might work for you as a base town... Koblenz-Güls (Mosel River) is nice. Lahnstein (on the Rhine just south of Koblenz, a stone's throw from Braubach) could be good too. You mentioned an apartment rental. Would someplace like this one in Lahnstein meet your needs?

https://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p2426059

12/29-1/1... 4 nights in HEIDELBERG (day trip choices include Stuttgart (auto museums,) Speyer, Bad Wimpfen and the Neckar River Valley, Ladenburg, and Ludwigsburg Palace)

1/2-3... 2 nights in MAINZ (Mainz is almost as close to Frankfurt Airport as Frankfurt itself.)

Not sure about your NYE in Heidelberg but perhaps you can reserve a table somewhere nice.

Thanks Sam, Paul, Russ and Fred

I do not think I would have been able to plan a trip without all the kind and informative comments.

We won’t be able to see much between 12/22-12/25 for sure. We have a wedding/reception/dinners with bride’s and groom’s families/probably a visit to bride’s nearby village. Also we are not planning to take any night trains. We have discussed to UPS our formal attire back to the US if that would lighten our luggage.

I looked at many websites to confirm if the places will be open and got emails returned from them.

Here is my tentative plan and open to corrections/suggestions.

Dec 26

Visit Cologne Cathedral on Dec 25 (if open), otherwise Dec 26.

Depart to Koblenz.

Dec 27

From Koblenz day trip to Trier

Depart 9 am train, arrive 10:30 am in Trier. Depart Trier 8:30 pm, arrive 10 pm in Koblenz.

Dec 28

From Koblenz day trip to Cochem

Depart Koblenz 9:06 am train, reach 9:41 in Cochem. Depart Cochem 8:19 pm train, reach 8:56 pm in Koblenz.

Dec 29

Visit Marksburg castle (12 minutes by train) and see Koblenz city.

Depart to Heidelberg via train, approx. 2 hours. Reach Heidelberg late evening/night.

Dec 30.

Visit Speyer Cathedral, Technik Museum (open 365 days a year). Heidelberg to Speyer train is approx. an hour +- 10 minutes

Dec 31

Visit Heidelberg castle (if open), and roam in old town etc. NYE in Heidelberg (Will research for places open for dinner)

Jan 1

Stay put in Heidelberg. Most places may be closed (or figure out something to do in the next few weeks)?

Or move to Mainz?

Jan 2

Both the museums in Stuttgart open on Jan 2 (9 am) after holidays. A must trip for us for the car nut!

Heidelberg to Stuttgart is 60-90 minutes by train

Mainz to Stuttgart is 90-120 minutes by train

Jan 3

Roam around in Mainz or Heidelberg?

If in Mainz, then we can do a short trip to some place in Frankfurt. If in Heidelberg then we may not go to Frankfurt for just a day. We are totally okay with this plan if the other places are better, and I am sure they are (There is only so much one can see and I and DW are thinking that all the other places will probably have much calmer and scenic vacation than Frankfurt).

Jan 4

Our return flight is 10:45 am Jan 4. So we may want to be the airport between 8-8:30 am.

Heidelberg to Frankfurt Airport train is 90-120 minutes

Mainz to Frankfurt Airport train is 30-40 minutes.

Earlier I was thinking to stay in a hotel close to Frankfurt Airport on Jan 3. But 2 rooms in Frankfurt might be more expensive than other options in Mainz/Heidelberg. We may have to wake up early morning in Heidelberg to catch train to Frankfurt airport.

This plan has 4 nights in Koblenz instead of 3 nights and it can be adjusted.

What is Neckar River Valley around Heidelberg? Bad Wimpfen and Ladenburg must have the charms of small towns in Germany.

Russ, I have looked at your suggestion for apartment rental. Thanks,
I totally forgot to look at Airbnb and Homeaway. Most of the rental apartments that I looked earlier had only 1 bathroom. Is that pretty normal?

Is there any app for taxi/cabs in Germany and anything else to know for first time taxi customers in Germany? Tips?

I will look at lodging after I inform my hosts in Bonn and wait for any other suggestions here. And hopefully in a day or max 2 days we can finalize lodging/train requirements.

Many thanks again!

(The Marksburg Castle is closed on Dec 24 and Dec25. The Reichsburg Castle is closed on Dec. 25.
Trier – I am hoping that Roman sites will be open. I will do some research)

On a second thought.

Speyer will give us opportunity to see Christmas Markets on Dec 29 and Dec. 30 (11 am until 8 pm). We may have to reach Heidelberg early on Dec 29 and visit Speyer in the late evening as well. Dec 30, we will be in Speyer per the tentative plan.

Speyer has probably few places to stay as compared to Heidelberg.

Your plan:
Dec 30: Visit Speyer Cathedral, Technik Museum (open 365 days a year). Heidelberg to Speyer train is approx. an hour +- 10 minutes
Dec 31: Visit Heidelberg castle (if open), and roam in old town etc. NYE in Heidelberg (Will research for places open for dinner)
Jan 1: Stay put in Heidelberg. Most places may be closed
Jan 2: Both the museums in Stuttgart open on Jan 2 (9 am) after holidays.

I suggest this instead:
Dec 30: Stuttgart (both museums open, AFAIK.)
Dec 31: Heidelberg as planned.
Jan 1: Speyer: Visit the cathedral (open 12:30 - 14:00) the Christmas/New Years market (13:00 - 21:00) and the Technik Museum (open 365.)

Jan 2,3: Head north into Mainz for two nights. One day for Mainz is good. I had suggested seeing Rüdesheim (which is an easy day trip by train from Mainz and could be done on either day) OR you could day trip instead into Frankfurt if you wish.

Jan. 4: It's only 21-22 minutes from Mainz to FRA. 7:44 - 8:06 and 8:00 - 8:21 are Direct Regional Express trains. The local RMV group day ticket covers the 4 of you for €16.40. Buy at a ticket machine in Mainz.

Dec 29: Visit Marksburg castle (12 minutes by train) and see Koblenz city.
Braubach is 12 minutes but then it's either a 20+ min. uphill walk to the castle or a taxi ride, I imagine. I've always walked but never in winter.

http://www.funktaxi-braubach.de/kontaktzuuns/index.html

Koblenz: staying near the main station is uninspiring; rooms in the somewhat nicer old-town section mean a bus ride to reach the station for your outings. Besides Lahnstein, you might consider staying in Braubach itself.

I have not stayed at this inn's 2-bedroom apartment but have had a nice dinner in their cozy ground-floor restaurant. It's right on Market Square in the old town. I don't believe it's bookable online anywhere. It's €50/night/couple, €40 from the 3rd night on; additional occupants are €10 each. (Breakfast is €8 each if you aren't fixing your own in your apt.)

http://www.zum-goldenen-schluessel.de/zimmerangebot/ferienwohnung/index.php

Yes, one bathroom is pretty standard.

They have 2-bed guest rooms too, either w/ beds together or separated, all with shower, WC and TV. So perhaps this is a good plan if you need 2 bathrooms. Doubles are €31/p.p. per night with breakfast, €29 from the 3rd night on: http://www.zum-goldenen-schluessel.de/zimmerangebot/zimmer/index.php

For this place you can call, fax or if you are sure you want to book, use the Buchungsanfrage (booking request) form:
http://www.zum-goldenen-schluessel.de/reservierung.php

In Germany, if you inquire privately about room price and availability prior to booking, be sure to call your request an unbinding inquiry (unverbindliche Anfrage) rather than a booking request. Otherwise, an owner may interpret your inquiry as a demand to book - and then you may or may not be locked into a rental agreement in the absence of a cancellation policy.

Russ
You are correct. The museums are open on Dec 30. Both of them are less than 20 minutes via taxi from Stuttgart central train station.
The only problem we have is where to park our luggage while we are in museums.

I need to look for luggage lockers at Stuttgart train station. Also there is no direct train from Braubach, but that should not be any problem.

Every train station in Germany has lockers. They are inexpensive, there are plenty of them, most are quite large. I don't think you will have a problem with storage of luggage.

With a 10:45 AM flight, you really want to be in Frankfurt. While being in Heidelburg is not that far away, you will be filled with anxiety on that day in ensuring that you make the flight. Heidelburg is a good 90 min from Frankfurt. That means a 6:30 transportation, or even 6 AM, and that means getting up at 4:30 to get to the transportation. I would stay in Frankfurt.

There are numerous train stations in Germany without lockers, Sigmaringen has no lockers, neither does Rüdesheim am Rhein nor Boppard. I would have look at my list of those without lockers.

Generally, smaller stations dont have lockers. You can search in the station data base and check if the entry for your station has a locker sign (the site is in German only; scroll down to "Bahnhofssuche" and enter your station; next to the locker sign there is a label "Schließfächer").

I really only see two days which are tricky with bags. The advice for 12/29 below assumes my suggested itinerary switches.

On 12/26, while you are in Cologne, your bags can be in Bonn at your hotel's luggage storage facility. You can fetch them by making a stop in Bonn on the way south to Koblenz. OR... you could take them to a Bonn station locker in the morning before Cologne, and fetch them afterward on the way to Koblenz. Taking them with you on the train to Cologne and then to the Cologne luggage storage facility is possible as well. Use the automated system there that whisks your bags into unknown corners of the building and delivers them later... (My preference would be to stop over in Bonn, where your train stops anyway and where you will probably not have a very long wait for the next train to Koblenz, but I can't really say why that's my preference.)

In Cologne, your problem on this day might be food - being as this is a holiday, many restaurants will be closed, but you shouldn't have trouble finding food at the station in Cologne. The subterranean maze of restaurants and shops is really fun there. Not everything is fast food. We enjoyed Schweinske - a chain place with comfy surroundings, not the greatest German food I've ever had, but not a bad place to set your fatigued fannies after a long day on foot in the big city.

On 12/29, you can use a station locker in Koblenz in the morning while you visit the town. Then take the very short train ride to Braubach after Marksburg opens (after 11) and later back to Koblenz for your bags before catching your train to Heidelberg... Schedule... A regional-trains-only schedule might have you returning from Braubach to Koblenz at 15:54, with a 24-minute layover in Koblenz for bags, and departing 16:30 from Koblenz for Heidelberg (19:45.) That seems about right to me. I'm not a huge Koblenz fan so I don't see you needing lots of time there in the morning. The #1 bus gets you to the old town if you don't want to do the long walk from Koblenz station.

While you are in Stuttgart, your bags are in your room back in Heidelberg. Same with your outing to Speyer on Jan. 1. And once in Mainz on 1/2, it's too early to check in probably, but just drop your bags at the hotel and go about your day there. On 1/3 your bags are in your room whether you day trip to Rüdesheim or wherever. Maybe I missed something but I don't see other problematic days for you.

Here's a run-down of the tickets you'll buy as you go (if I have your plans straight.)

22: FRA Regionalbahnhof to Bonn, QdL ticket, €68 for 4, or full-fare tickets on the high-speed trains (?)
26: Bonn-Cologne-(Bonn)-Koblenz, QdL ticket for 4, €68 total (holiday, use at any hour.)
27: Koblenz-Trier-Koblenz, Rheinland-Pfalz ticket for 4, €39 total (9:06 or later departure from Koblenz)
28: Koblenz-Cochem-Koblenz, VRM mini-group day ticket (Mini-gruppenkarte) for 4, €22.10 (use from 9:00 on)
29: The QdL ticket covers everything this day for 4 at €68. (The cheapest option is actually two tickets totaling €60.80 but it could be a hassle for you... don't bother.)
30: H'berg-Stuttgart-H'berg: Baden-Württemberg ticket for 4, €38 (use at any hour)
1/1: H'berg-Speyer-H'berg, VRN day pass, Tageskarte-4, for the whole VRN Network (Netz) - €29.30
1/2: H'berg-Mainz, QdL ticket for 4, €68 (use from 9:00 on.) Suggest you drop bags in Mainz this day and do your day trip wherever on the QdL you just bought - no extra charge for the day trip on 1/3 that way.
1/3 ? See Mainz.
1/4: RMV group ticket to FRA, €16.40

Thanks Russ

The hotel in Braubach is available and the itinerary is perfectly fine with us.

What we need is any thought on hotels vs vacation rentals for first 2 locations (Mianz is only 2 nights).

There is a considerable price difference between hotels/vacation rentals. We thought that vacation rentals might give us more space/freedom than 2 hotel rooms for each night. We have rented vacation homes in the US and we needed was to drive there.

Some of the rental places are little away from the center of town. What options do we have other than a taxi to get to train stations/restaurants etc. Would local bus service be another option? The owner of one place in Heidelberg informed me to figure out $25-$30 taxi fare each way.

Do the local German buses and local trains run in the late evening/night hours? If so then I need to figure out bus schedules.

It took me a while to figure out your run-down on tickets. I was looking only at www.bahn.com without specific type of tickets
.
I have looked at www.hotel.de and www.hrs.de , other than usual US websites. (Renting a car for first 2 places (Koblenz/Heidelberg) is still not recommended?)

Also, 2 of our passports expire in September 2018. The requirement is 6 months expiration when you enter EU. Will that be okay?

Silvester (New Years) in Heidelberg is spectacular. New Years in Germany is fireworks purchased by individuals, but by the thousands and thousands (you too?). I don't want to hurt sensibilities, but I kid it's like the war is back on, at least 30+ minutes of non stop rockets and fireworks. You can't miss here weather permitting. Dinner and Hotel reservations could be difficult. I like the Hotel Anlage (for overnight/sleeping, three star) in Heidelberg as it is centrally located and they have a few parking places you can reserve for a fee. You could go down to the Necker River or up near the Castle for New Years Eve and take a bottle of Seckt (sparkling wine ) with, just have to walk the 200 plus stairs down from the castle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07D7yx4P5c8

Concerning the bus schedules: Most of them are on bahn.com ; the search interface accepts street addresses anywhere in the country and gives you the best route options. It is quite reliable; sometimes, local bus operators forget to enter changes (e.g., construction work) into the system, so it does not hurt to check again locally. The more rural the area, the more likely this is to happen. For planning purposes, the information on bahn.com is definitely fine.
Heidelberg has a reasonable public transport system; not the best in the country, but there are trams and buses that run through all of the town. The frequency of services varies depending on the area, and generally, services are less frequent at night.

"It took me a while to figure out your run-down on tickets."
DB site doesn't fully address journeys within the local transit authorities (VRM, RMV, VRN for example.)

Ferienwohnungen or FeWo's (vacation apts.) vs. hotels: We have always had good experiences with these. The most complete source is your local tourist office. Many apartments still have no independent Internet presence. Traveling by train you'll find most FeWo's tend to be poorly located in major towns like Koblenz... but easier to find and to get to from the local train stations in smaller towns like Braubach, Lahnstein, Boppard (all of which are 10-15 minutes from Koblenz' main station) and Cochem (mid-way between Koblenz and Trier.) Cochem won't have much going in the evening but it's a delight and well-enough located for your outings.

"Some of the rental places are little away from the center of town."

I think I mentioned Koblenz-Guels, a suburb of Koblenz, but one with its own train station. You might look there:
FeWo's: http://www.koblenz-guels.de/index.php/tourismus/ferienwohungpensionen
(maybe google some of the FeWo names/owners/addresses. Often you can find their homepages as well as associated sites where you can book online.)

Note that just like the zGS place in Braubach, other hotels probably offer FeWo's. No personal knowledge about Koblenz proper.

The problem IME with taking a bus into town or to the main station from an outlying part of town is that such service is less frequent and usually not timed to arrive at the station for the train you want. I prefer booking in a place like Braubach or Lahnstein near the station and spending my 10-15 minutes on the train rather than a city bus.

Was the apartment at the zum Goldenen Schluessel unavailable? Only the double rooms open? We often book directly with private apartments via email - usually only your name and contact information is required to reserve (no deposit or credit card) with independent owners. Your word that you will show and pay is normally all it takes.

I had a quick look at Braubach's website and found this FeWo in Braubach that accommodates up to 6 - it has one bedroom and a large living/sleeping room with a pull-out bed and additional portable bed if needed. It is within walking distance of the station and town center:

http://www.fewo-pretz.de/flyer.pdf (see homepage for their German-language website.)
Contact information: http://www.fewo-pretz.de/kontakt.html

You might want to contact the Braubach tourist office for further assistance there. Not sure if they help you book but they know their town best.

I don't have any FeWo experience in Heidelberg. I imagine the situation is similar to Koblenz's

You can probably find a FeWo close in in these towns, but if not for some reason, the advantage for the car is that a wider variety of FeWo's on the periphery and in the boonies will be available. We haven't rented in many years but have always been successful finding apartments where we want them. Takes some time, sometimes.

Hi Russ

Thanks for providing valuable information once again.

We made reservations at hotels (2 rooms each location) yesterday. Few rentals that I had inquired were unavailable. Heildeberg was getting booked, perhaps busy season down there.

I made the reservations to be on safe side and all have free cancellations until after middle of December.

Dec 22-26
Mercure Bonn Hardtberg

http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-0676-mercure-hotel-bonn-hardtberg/index.shtml

https://www.google.com/maps/@50.7043989,7.0517357,17z

Dec 26 -29

https://www.booking.com/hotel/de/ferienwohnung-arnold.de.html

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ferienwohnung+Arnold/@50.3700216,7.6250005,13z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xea4005aeecef9678!8m2!3d50.3700216!4d7.6512647

This place is about 8 Kms from Koblenz Hbf. However, it was the last one available, so I reserved it. Waiting from them to hear about proximity information. We thought Koblenz being the largest town among other choices there, it might have more options to eat.

Dec 29 - 2
Hotelo Heidleberg

https://www.google.com/maps?q=Czernyring+42-44,+69115+Heidelberg,+Germany,+Heidelberg,+DE&oe=utf-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiKnq7hyqDXAhUD_IMKHXcID_MQ_AUICigB

Jan 2-4

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Gleiwitzer+Str.+4,+55131+Mainz,+Germany/@49.983145,8.270867,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x47bd97272709c47f:0x4c0cf1a976769e90!8m2!3d49.98607!4d8.26414

I think these places might work. Bonn local hosts will pick/drop off. I am just not sure about Koblenz.
Now I need to search for trip/health insurance.

Regards

"This place is about 8 Kms from Koblenz Hbf. However, it was the last one available, so I reserved it."

Last one? They seem to have only the one, or maybe you mean the last one in Koblenz on booking.com. Odd that it still shows availability for your dates at this point.

There is no train there but there's a bus from the central station to Kloster Arenberg stop, about 20 minutes' ride each way.
http://www.vrminfo.de/fileadmin/data/pdf/Taschenfahrplaene/2016/Diverse/460_VRM_A3_2016.pdf

"We thought Koblenz being the largest town among other choices there, it might have more options to eat."

This is true, but you can get into Koblenz more quickly by train from Lahnstein or Braubach.

I think you may be able to get a bus to your Mainz location but it's too far out, IMO.

On 12/26 the holiday schedule for that bus 460 between Koblenz and the Arenberg bus stop is in effect ("Sonn- und Feiertag.") Day buses run just once every 2 hours, and evening options are more limited, one leaving 19:50 and a second one at 22:30.

Another choice: At the page below you can book a 2-br. apartment (Ferienwohnung Hartenfels) online with availability for your dates, 3 adults + 1 ch. (14.) Click on "holiday apartment" to filter the options under "accommodations." It's a flat, easy walk between the station and this old-town-zone location. Price is €187.50/3 nights.
https://www.boppard-tourismus.de/3-1-Hotels-suchen-buchen-Online-Reservierung.html

Boppard has numerous nice places to eat, but on the 26th, it might be that you'll want/need to dine in Koblenz (though I suspect that may be a little tricky as well.) The train schedule will be far more accommodating for you; there are 6 direct trains that evening back to Boppard between 7 and 11 pm, and the travel time is just 11-14 minutes.

For your outings to Trier and Cochem from Boppard: It's Boppard-Koblenz + Koblenz - Trier/Cochem. Train connections in Koblenz are good, normally just 10 minutes between 2 trains.

As for Mainz: Consider the Ibis, just a few blocks on foot from the pedestrian zone and the heart of the city, and and near Mainz' auxiliary station, the MRT station. (This station also serves the airport with direct trains in less than 25 minutes.) You can get a double on one of their weekend deals for around €145/2 nights. Location: look for "DB" in lower right corner on this map:
http://www.physik.uni-mainz.de/koepke/AMANDA_Meeting/PlanMainz.jpg

http://www.ibis.com/gb/hotel-1084-ibis-mainz-city/index.shtml#

Alternatively - and further out - the official DJH Mainz youth hostel offers family rooms with private bath that would accommodate the 4 of you. While most hotel rooms can't handle 4 people, hostels fill the gap for families needing reasonably-priced rooms and have become a major part of the hostel clientele. 2 nights there would be about €165 total with breakfast (a very nice breakfast, as I recall.) (There's bus service into town or you can walk in through Mainz's two parks - the Volkspark and the Stadtpark.)

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187393-d4721770-Reviews-Rhein_Main_Jugendherberge-Mainz_Rhineland_Palatinate.html

http://www.jugendherberge.de/en/youth-hostels/mainz411/shortportraet

Thanks Russ

I changed the Mainz lodging to IBIS Mainz City located at Holzhofstrasse 2 55116 Mainz.

Actually, I called IBIS and they offered me a better rate than booking.com

They have offered me a $70 better offer than Hotelo Heidelberg (I just reserved it and will cancel one of them). Both IBIS and Hotelo are located within walking distance of train station. I think in pictures Hotelo looks little better. I don’t know how are IBIS compared to US hotels (Motel 6)?

I also cancelled the apartment reservation in Koblenz. IBIS Koblenz has offered me $416 with cancellable reservations. I am not sure about this since you have mentioned that accommodations close to train station are uninspiring.

I called one owner at https://www.boppard-tourismus.de/3-1-Hotels-suchen-buchen-Online-Reservierung.html and they offered me 76 euros/night. The place is Ferienwohnung Niedersburger ECK. About 5 minutes’ walk from Boppard Hbf.

I may get it. The only other thought that family has asked me, if something around Stuttgart is different from Koblenz area. I am sorry to ask you again. We have to take the car nut there. Ahhh!

Regards and thanks again.

"I don’t know how are IBIS compared to US hotels (Motel 6)?"

I've used IBIS elsewhere in Germany and Europe. Rooms are significantly smaller but generally much better maintained than Motel 6's here. If I needed to stay in Koblenz near the station, I would probably go with the IBIS there. There is nothing horrible or dangerous about staying in this area - it's handy and will save you a little time compared to the outlying towns, and there's an Aldi on the way to the station where you can pick up snacks or sandwich supplies for your train outings. IME it just lacks character and nicer spots to hang out or eat.

The Ibis is good choice for Mainz. "MRT" is my shorthand for Mainz Römisches Theater train station - a Roman theater has been unearthed by the rear train platform. There is a newer "Kamps" outlet near the station entrance where you can grab a quick on-the-go breakfast if you choose not to do breakfast at the Ibis. Or head into town along Neutorstraße to find something similar.

I see the Niedersburger Eck has a location not far from Boppard's station - a bit longer walk into the town center but doable. It's available on booking.com and expedia as well. The price you got sounds good in comparison with the IBIS. (If you're staying in Boppard rather than Koblenz, you MIGHT want to visit Marksburg in Braubach on the 26th before checking in. Stow bags in a Koblenz station locker before catching your train to Braubach, return after the castle tour, then get the train to Boppard.)

"... if something around Stuttgart is different from Koblenz area."

I don't quite understand the question. Is it roughly... "since we're traveling to Stuttgart, should we be staying there instead of in the Koblenz area?" Or is it that you might like to squeeze in a one-night stay in Stuttgart for convenience (rather than doing just a day trip from H'berg?)

I meant to ask that if there are things to do/see around Stuttgart as well. Or the current plan of 26-28 is better. In either case both the places would be new to us.

"I meant to ask that if there are things to do/see around Stuttgart as well."

Yes, there are. Germany's like that - you can toss a dart and have dozens of options nearby. But I think the Koblenz area offers some pretty unique sights and experiences. You won't find many intact medieval castles anywhere like Marksburg, and the Mosel Valley outings and cities are unique as well. Others might advise you differently, but I would not scuttle these for a stay in Stuttgart.

I am not a Stuttgart expert, but one of the Tripadvisor Destination Experts, marcopolko, advises in this post from a few years back that one day is enough for both car museums:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187291-i826-k5166059-Visiting_Mercedes_Benz_Museum_and_Porsche_Museum-Stuttgart_Baden_Wurttemberg.html

It may be a long day from Heidelberg and back, but leaving H'berg early, and returning fairly late, you should have time for those two.

If you can do the Cologne Cathedral on 12/25 (open holidays 1:00 pm - 4:30 according to the Cologne tourism office) then you should have time for Marksburg on the 26th (on your way to Boppard, or after checking into your Koblenz hotel.) That leaves the 29th wide open for the trip to H'berg and maybe some additional sightseeing in the morning, perhaps in Koblenz before your train journey to the south.

Your day trip to Cochem will likely not require a full day. You may get in some pm hours in Koblenz on this day as well. Alternatively, take your swimsuits with you to Cochem and relax for a few hours at the Moselbad indoor water park facility. It's across the river and downstream from the town center:

http://www.moselbad.de/erlebnisbad.html

Thanks Russ

I must admit I haven't read all posts, so excuse me if I repeat things that have already been said.

With two fourteen-year-old boys, you should definitely find a good place to see the fireworks – and have them join in! Make sure you understand the safety precautions, and get some fun fireworks for them to start at midnight!

Heidelberg certainly is a great place to watch the fireworks, except for the day after. The valley is so narrow, and there usually isn't much wind, so the smoke lingers for quite some time. So keep your hotel room windows shut!

For a memorable Christmas, try and make time for visiting one of the Christmas Eve services with your family – maybe a midnight service, or a service with a nativity play in the afternoon. Get there early, as most churches will be crammed full of people.

"Some places may be closed on Saturday, December 30 and Monday,
January 1, 2018."

Practically everything will be closed on Dec. 25, Dec. 26, and Jan. 1, so be prepared for that in terms of any shopping or sightseeing you may want to do. Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 being Sundays this year, this does not leave many days with open stores in between. Also, public transportation runs either on the Sunday schedule or on special holiday schedules on those days.

I don't see why anything would be closed on Dec. 30 though, at least not earlier than on any other Saturday.

Thanks Anna

For Heidelberg, it seems to me that Ibis has a slightly better location. Being directly at the train station, it might be noisy, though. Not sure how many freight trains pass through the station at night. I guess they will have sound-proof windows if that is an issue; but best to check the reviews to be sure.
Both your choices are outside the beautiful old town area. Use public transport to get there; it is not the best public transport system in the country, but you should be fine.
For the fireworks, many locals go to the philosophers' path (Philosophenweg), which offers good views over the valley and the castle on the other side. It's not for everyone, though. It tends to be extremely crowded at New Year's Eve, and if some drunk idiots try to handle their fireworks, there are no options to get out of their way.

Not sure how many freight trains pass through the station at night.

Many. And if they have any construction going on on the tracks, you better get some really good earplugs. Not so much because of the construction works themselves but because of the acoustic signal that warns the workers about incoming trains. That thing is loud enough to wake the dead. Also, the hotel is located along one of the main roads leading to the university hospital, so you may get to hear quite a few ambulance sirens. Used to live near the station, though it's quite some years ago now.

Philosophenweg sounds like a good idea. Not sure how great the problems are that you describe, but I agree that you should definitely get on that side of the Neckar to have a good view of the town and the castle. You could also just spend the evening downtown, enjoying the atmosphere and the people, and then stroll across the old bridge shortly before midnight.

Thanks Russ and everyone who contributed.

Everything worked out as suggested along with tickets information as provided by Russ. Many thanks.

Had a great time in Germany!