Frankfurt to Bamberg travel

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It is an easy train trip, likely with a change in Wurzburg, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours each way, so not a short daytrip. Bamberg has a really nice old town with some picture perfect sights along the river.

We really enjoyed the town, I've been there twice, staying a couple nights or more. But to be honest, my interest was beer. Bamberg is a premiere beer destination on a world class level, not only the town, but the surrounding area. Outside of that, like I said a neat old town, a couple decent museums, whether it would be a "must-do" from Frankfurt for a day? Don't know, maybe not if one of several days in Frankfurt, but if you are based there for a week or more, and have an interest in beer, then definitely.

If it's going to cost you 5 hour+ round trip... well, that pretty much exceeds my own definition of a reasonable day trip. And that travel time would be achieved only by including the faster but more expensive high-speed trains. Will you be using the popular "Deutschland-Ticket" during your visit? This month-long pass restricts you to regional trains, which will involve 6+ hours, but the train trip is 100% covered in terms of costs, and there are DIRECT regional trains available between these two cities (high-speed trains out of Frankfurt OTOH will necessitate a change of train.)

So the "best" way to reach Bamberg is subject to interpretation.

IMHO the "best" day trip suggestion from Frankfurt - especially since you have no specific sightseeing planned for Bamberg - would take you to somewhere that is closer. There are many places of interest that lie within an hour or thereabouts of Frankfurt, maybe some places that might interest you.

Bamberg is really more about the atmosphere than the sites, in my opinion. I enjoyed it and I’m glad I went, and I really liked the cathedral. But I don’t know that I would spend that much time going there on a day trip from Frankfurt, considering that a train could take you anywhere from two hours to almost 3. I went there on a day trip, but it was only from Nuremberg.

If you do go, I would definitely spring for an ICE train rather than going with the regional one, as that will get you there in two hours. But that will be more expensive.

Really enjoyed the 3 days spent in Bamberg, but it is not a day trip. It was a rather long train ride, so not sure it would be something to do as a round trip in one day. Can you stay there overnight at least?
If not, there are plenty of beautiful old towns near to Frankfurt. Try Büdingen, Limburg, Marburg, Idstein, Seligenstadt, Eltville, Gelnhausen, Michelstadt, or even Heidelberg.