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Frankfurt or Mainz

We (husband & daughter age 21) will be flying into Frankfurt on Aug. 17th. The original plan was to spend 2 nights in Frankfurt, to re-charge, then off to Berlin and the rest of Country. However, I am having second thoughts and thinking that we might enjoy spending our 2 nights in Mainz and cruising part of the Rhine vs seeing the museums in Frankfurt. Because of the long flight, I really don't want to have to think too much once we land. Thoughts?

Posted by
19052 posts

If cruising the Rhein is what you want to do, Mainz isn't really your best base. The stretch of the Rhein starting in Bingen is really the most interesting.

My choice would be to take the train to Bacharach or St. Goar the day you land in Frankfurt. It's only a 1--1½ hr trip. The next morning, take the train to Bingen Stadtbahnhof and ride the KD boat back down to St. Goar. That will take about an hour and a half. Then explore Rheinfels castle in St. Goar or take the train down to Braubach and visit the Marksburg.

If you really don't want to go all the way to Bacharach or St. Goar immediately after arriving, there are three hotels, Schottenhof, Königshof, and Hammer, right across the Bahnhofsplatz from the Mainz Hbf and the S-Bahn from the airport. From there it is only ½ hr to Bingen in the morning to start your cruise.

Posted by
8934 posts

This is what is happening in Frankfurt and the Rhein Main region from 17-19 Aug.
* 11-20 Aug. Applewine Festival, Frankfurt Hauptwache
* 11-20 Aug. Wine Fest, Neu Isenburg
* 17-21 Aug. Wine Festival, Rüdesheim
* 18 Aug. Food Truck Friday, Jahrhunderthalle, Frankfurt Höchst
* 19 Aug. Organ Matinee, Frankfurt Kaiserdom, 12:30 - free

Frankfurt does have an astounding variety of museums though. The Städel is world class art, the Film museum is fun for everyone, and whether it is architecture, the Bible, Communication, or even Leather, ruins of the medieval Jewish Ghetto, or Archeology, we have something for you.

Choosing a city also depends on what kind of things interest you the most: Medieval churches, Holy Roman Empire, Jewish cultural sites, turn of the century neighborhoods, Botanical gardens, Farmers Markets? There are wonderful markets in the city center of Frankfurt on Thur. and Fri. and a big flower market on Fri.

The Rhine is easy to reach from Frankfurt. It only takes a bit over an hour to get to Rüdesheim, where you can get on your ship to ride to St. Goar. Maybe train to Bacharach and then return to Frankfurt that evening.

Posted by
4 posts

Thank you so much, Lee and Ms. Jo. I will spend sometime working on this. Yes, Ms. Jo I love markets, food trucks and especially botanical gardens. We can pass on the wine festivals, since I live in the middle of Napa/Sonoma Valley wine country. We will be returning back to Frankfurt to fly out on 9/6 so we could visit some of the museums on our return. Have you ever been to the Museum Embankment Festival that will be happening on 8/26 to 8/28? Looks like fun but maybe too crowded?

Posted by
8934 posts

I go to the Museum Riverbank Fest every year and try to spend all 3 days there. It doesn't get too crowded as it is spread out along the river on both sides. This is the largest cultural festival in Europe and though the may get up to 3 million people for the weekend, it isn't like the Oktoberfest. The Dragon Boat races are fun, as well as all the stage shows. Great, international foods and of course all of the museums. They aren't as crowded as one would think, as most people are out along the river.
Hope you can make it!

Posted by
7010 posts

Ms Jo, you need to get a job working for the Frankfurt dept of tourism. You make me want to go back for all the things I didn't get to see before.

Posted by
6590 posts

"I really don't want to have to think too much once we land."

It's very easy to get to either Frankfurt or Mainz. One train, 10/25 minutes. Mainz is on the Rhine so you're closer to the cruise there.

"I am having second thoughts and thinking that we might enjoy spending our 2 nights in Mainz and cruising part of the Rhine vs seeing the museums in Frankfurt."

The Rhine and the cruise there are about as different from Frankfurt as it gets.

From Mainz you are just 20-30 train minutes from Bingen (just across from Rüdesheim) where you can board the KD cruise boat to St. Goar.

As you probably know, you'll spot more than a dozen castles on the way to St. Goar. But also, don't fail to pay Rheinfels Castle in St. Goar a visit since you're there.

Then there are 2 towns you might want to visit on your way back to Mainz - Bacharach, and Oberwesel (both just 5/10 minutes from St. Goar.)

All these towns lie on the same train line as Mainz. Service is hourly or better; you would do well to pick up a day pass for the trains that morning at the Mainz station for the trip to Bingen and then the return trip south to Mainz. A day pass allows for mostly unrestricted train travel - hop off at Bacharach and Oberwesel, then back on when you're ready to head south.

So Day 1 you could spend seeing a few things in Mainz and relaxing. On Day 2 you could leave Mainz at 9:32, get to Bingen Rhein Stadt station at 9:59, and board the 10:30 boat for St. Goar (11:55.) Then you have plenty of time to tour the castle, the other towns, have a nice meal somewhere - maybe lunch at the hotel next to Rheinfels Castle - and return in the pm to Mainz (30-50 minutes from Bacharach, depending on the train.)

Mainz sights: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g187393-Activities-Mainz_Rhineland_Palatinate.html

Posted by
4 posts

Thank you everyone for all of the great information. I think we will take Russ's suggestion and head to Mainz and visit the Rhine. Then visit Frankfurt for a few days, on our return and take Ms. Jo's suggestion and visit the Museum Riverbank Festival before we leave for home.

Posted by
7180 posts

Because I am currently planning a trip that includes Frankfurt, I want to remind you how very far it is from Frankfurt to Berlin. I have had great success at getting Lufthansa transatlantic code share flights paired with a Lufthansa local segment to the city in Germany where I really want to be, at extremely low cost. You can't get into your hotel at 7:30 in the morning, so you might as well take a second flight. (Personal opinion.)

Posted by
6590 posts

You'll want the Rheinland-Palatinate ticket for the day trip from Mainz:

https://www.bahn.com/en/view/offers/regional/regional-day-tickets.shtml

To reach Mainz from FRA airport in the first place, follow the signs to the Regionalbahnhof train station; buy a RMV ticket at any ticket machine with a RMV logo to Mainz (less than 5 Euros) and board any S-bahn or Regional train (RE, RB) to Mainz. The station has monitors for upcoming train departures; look for "Mainz Hbf", the main station:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-waymarking-images/fa86a62c-c89e-448f-b8e4-c39ee28ff83b.jpg

Posted by
8934 posts

Lori, get back in touch with me in Aug. and we can meet up for a cold drink at the Fest along the river.

Posted by
3 posts

Hi, I have one more question on the Frankfurt/Mainz area. I was planning to take the train from Frankfurt airport to Mainz similar to Russ's posting. My hotel in Mainz is not that centrally located (staying at the Park Inn Mainz, which I believe is a Radisson property), and I have been unable to find out that much about the local public transportation in Mainz to get back to the Altstadt or other central areas (it appears to be about 4.5 - 5 km away). Does anyone know anything about getting around in Mainz? Thanks!

Posted by
6590 posts

Carol: Your hotel is on Haifa-Allee, right? You can get between the nearby Gutenberg Center Ost (east) stop and the Mainz Höfchen/Listmann stop (near the cathedral) in roughly 30 minutes. Use Bus 57 or 71. That stop puts you within easy striking distance of all points in the old town zone.

Obviously, it would be convenient to have a hotel that is closer in.

Posted by
3 posts

Yes, we are out near the Gutenberg Center so this is very helpful to know. This hotel location would definitely not have been my first choice, but we will be there only one night so we'll just make do. A 30-min. ride isn't impossible to deal with as long as the busses go with some regularity. Thanks very much.

Posted by
7180 posts

Lori, I suggest that you use the search box top center to read past posts about the "Middle Rhine" Valley. Mainz has a lot of attractions, but that fact that it touches the Rhine does not make it a good point for a "cruise". As noted in another post, but making the statement in another way: The train is vastly faster than the boat, and should be used twice: Once to get you to Bingen, and once to get you back or home from the DOWNRIVER city you choose to get off at - say, St. Goar or, our choice, Bachrach.

The boats are not half-hourly "busses", and they are very slow UPRIVER. You also do not need to spend your precious tourist days seeing the same scenery twice. I suggest you download the boat schedule.

Posted by
8934 posts

Do stay on the ship to at least St. Goar instead of getting off at Bacharach. Otherwise, you miss seeing the mightiest fortress on the Rhine, Burg Rheinfels. The church in St. Goar is worth a visit too.

Posted by
14481 posts

I suggest Bad Ems and Marburg, if you want to go a bit farther.

Posted by
6590 posts

Rhine Cruise: I believe that the tips I provided previously covered the train + boat problems and provided a doable strategy from a Mainz base (Mainz Hauptbahnhof, the main station.)

However, staying near the Gutenberg Center will add an extra hour or so round trip (plus possible down time between bus and train) to this outing.