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Frankfurt to St Goar

Double checking train info from Frankfurt to St Goar,
We will be arriving around 1:30 in afternoon, from what I have read here it is “easy” to buy a train ticket at the airport. I have checked the DBBahn schedule and see there are two main routes both requiring a transfer.
Have I missed anything?
Thanks so much,
Eva

Posted by
824 posts

How are you arriving Frankfurt?

If flying in, the train station is in a development called "The Square" which is an easy walk from Terminals 1. Terminal 2 requires a (free) shuttle bus to "The Square."

There were half a dozen or so ticket machines on the main level of "The Square" with escalators/elevators down to the train platforms below. There was also a ticket office if you don't want to use the vending machines...

I imagine the transfer is at the main train station but I can't tell you distance between platforms or time required.

There are also shops, restaurants and hotels in "The Square."

Posted by
16893 posts

Your northbound connection point from the airport won't be in Frankfurt main station but in a smaller city along the Rhine, varying by departure time. Around 4:00 p.m. weekdays, there's also a direct train.

Buying tickets in the station should indeed be no problem. Bring both cash and plastic. Since these are regional trains, tickets bought online in advance are not discounted and are good for any regional train on the date selected.

Posted by
268 posts

Most connections to St Goar depart from the regional train station (Regionalbahnhof), which is not in the "Squaire" building (but even closer to Terminal 1).

Posted by
41 posts

Thanks so much, we arrive at Terminal 1.

Posted by
6589 posts

"...there are two main routes both requiring a transfer."

There's really only one sound route: FRA > St. Goar via Mainz. Some options have a change of train in Mainz, or Ingelheim, or possibly in Oberwesel, but it's all on the same train route via Mainz.

Now, you might also see a change of train in Boppard (beyond St. Goar) which means you then backtrack to St. Goar. And you may also see the occasional routing via Koblenz with a change there. But like the Boppard option that's a round-about way of getting there and means you are riding a high-speed, long-distance train from FRA's long-distance station to Koblenz for your first leg - then backtracking to St. Goar. To keep it simple and cheap: AVOID these routings and these high-speed trains.

What you want: a direct trip with the regional trains only and no backtracking. To get this you will leave FRA airport from FRA's Regionalbahnhof station, and you will choose one of the train options with a change in Mainz, Ingelheim or Oberwesel.

In order to find schedules at the DB site with regional trains only from this airport station, use this name for the airport station:

Frankfurt(M) Flughafen Regionalbf

AND... And click on "only local transport" under "Connections" to ensure you're on the regional trains only.

When the journey options appear: Disregard journeys where the change is in Boppard, Koblenz or other towns.

And when you board, do not board any IC or ICE trains (high-speed options.) Some of these trains stop at FRA Regionalbahnhof and at the change stations as well.

You are right if you find this a bit complicated.

The ticketing is a little tricky too. DB does not offer the best fares for this route, generally - the local transport associations do. For the cheapest tickets, provide the day of the week and the number of passengers and ages - then we can tell you what to buy at the station.

Posted by
41 posts

Thank you Russ, I so appreciate your detailed reply.
We are arriving at 1:30 July 3rd.

Posted by
41 posts

Two adults, Frankfurt airport Terminal 1:..

Posted by
41 posts

15:00 Frankfurt Main via Ingleheim?

Posted by
6589 posts

The easiest solution for your situation:

Buy a DB ticket for two on for regional trains (€42.20) either at the Regionalbahnhof station or an online print-at-home ticket in advance for your date. This "full price" ticket is only about €3 more than the cheaper options you could pick up from ticket machines at the FRA train station - and these options would divide the journey into two ticket segments (multiple ticket purchases.) It is not worth the trouble in your case, IMHO, for the minor savings.

This DB ticket will be bought for a certain time - any you like - but it will be valid at ANY HOUR as long as it's for regional trains and as long as you travel the same tracks (FRA - Mainz - St. Goar.) If the "change" station on your ticket is different from the one you actually use, no problem. If your ticket shows a change in Ingelheim and you change in Mainz, no problem. The train that stops in Ingelheim has already traveled through Mainz.

Buying at the FRA station can be time-consuming and frustrating. The machines are accessible in English, but there's still a learning curve, and usually they are VERY busy; often they don't like cards for this reason or that, or they don't like to give gobs of coins as change, or they are fussy about the paper currency... So I suggest that you buy a printable online ticket a few days before you leave - that way you just get to the station and board a train. There's a DB travel info counter there - they'll print you up a schedule to follow based on your ticket in the event you haven't figured out a schedule to St. Goar for the time you need to leave.

Posted by
6589 posts

Frankfurt(M) Flughafen Regionalbf

This is the start station name. NOT just "Frankfurt Main."

Posted by
101 posts

Planning on a very similar trip, except to Bacharach instead of St. Goar. I've been on the DB website but can't figure out how to purchase and print the ticket in advance. I'm selecting Frankfurt(M) Flughafen Regionalbf to Bacharach, and also selecting regional only. I can see the scheduled trains, but it doesn't seem to let me purchase a ticket. I don't need it for a few more weeks, but I wanted to figure out how to do it in advance. Any advice would be welcome!

Posted by
19052 posts

Note: this answer applies to Brian's trip from FRA to Bacharach (previous post), not the already answered FRA to St Goar.

FRA to Bacharach is a local (RMV district) ticket. The Bahn does not sell these local tickets online. There is also no reason to buy a ticket in advance. These are regional trains with no discount for advance purchase or reserved seats. Buy your ticket for €12,35 pP from an automat or ticket counter at the Regionalbhf when you arrive.

there are two main routes both requiring a transfer.

The earliest connection you are likely to make if your flight indeed arrives at 1:30 is the 2:37 RE with a transfer at Ingelheim. If your flight's late or you get delayed in passport control or luggage retrieval, you're still likely to make the 3:23 RE, which is direct (no transfer). There is one direct route from FRA Regbf to Bacharach, and it goes through Mainz, Ingelheim, and Bingen in that order. It could be direct or have a transfer at any of those stations.

Posted by
101 posts

Thank you Lee, this is very helpful. Where were you able to find the fare? I was successful in figuring out the schedule on the DB website, but no fares were available.

Posted by
76 posts

I remember when we arrived by plane in Frankfurt we were unaware that we needed to take the light rail to the actual train station.

While it was a surprise to a couple bewildered and tired travelers there were lots of helpful airport employees just offering information and guidance.

We made it to our second train option with time to spare.

We could have RUN and made it to the first, but it's hard to run when you're unsure where you're really going!

I just thought I'd offer that little tidbit...

Posted by
19052 posts

I remember when we arrived by plane in Frankfurt we were unaware that
we needed to take the light rail to the actual train station.

Huh?

There is no "light rail" at the Frankfurt airport (Rhein-Main Flughafen). There is a rail shuttle, the skyLine, linking the top level of Terminals1 & 2, but it doesn't go to the "actual train station", and you don't need to take it if you arrive at T1. There is also bus service between the terminals.

There are two actual train stations at FRA. The Regionalbahnhof is under the bus station across the access road from Terminal 1. You get to it by going down stair/escalators just inside the outside wall of T1 and through a passage under the street. It serves regional trains that go out to local stations in the area (Mainz, Bacharach, St Goar) and the S-Bahn to stations in Frankfurt metro area, including the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof. Farther out, accessible via an enclosed bridge from above the Regionalbahnhof is the Fernbahnhof (Fern=distant), which serves the network of high speed trains that go all over Germany (Cologne, Munich, etc).

I hope you were not referring to the S-Bahn as "light rail" or the Hauptbahnhof as the "actual train station", although it is necessary to take the S-Bahn or a regional train into the Hauptbahnhof to catch some trains to other parts of Germany.

Posted by
19052 posts

Looks like that direct RE from the Regionalbahnhof to Bacharach runs every two hours (9:23, 11:23, 13:23, 15:23, etc). It starts at the Frankfurt Hbf and goes through the airport and Mainz to Koblenz. Here is a typical schedule; that route is followed in part or in entirety by any connection from the airport to stations in the Rhein gorge. Tickets to all the stations up to Bacharach are sold by RMV, therefore not online by the Bahn. Tickets for any station beyond Bacharach (Oberwesel, Boppard) are outside the RMV tariff area and are sold online by the Bahn. This train does not stop at St Goar, so it would be necessary to transfer at Bacharach, Bingen, or Ingelheim to an RB, which does stop at St Goar.

Posted by
101 posts

Thank you Russ, JeniferB and Lee! This is very helpful.

Posted by
268 posts

Note that if your trip is later this year: The regional train station at Frankfurt airport will be closed for seven weeks from October 26th due to construction on the railway line. All S-Bahn trains will depart from the long-distance train station; some long-distance trains have to be re-routed, as the long-distance train station does not have sufficient capacity for all the traffic.

Posted by
101 posts

The trip will be in September. Thanks for the heads up!