Will take train from Frankfurt airport for GAS tour. Anybody recently done the train … what line/route did you take and if you had to change train along way? Just want to get to Trier direct or one transfer if needed. Will the new $9 Euro ticket cover the train route? Thanks.
Posted by
Paradise
7072 posts
9-Euro ticket covers the best routing (along the Rhine River via Koblenz Hbf) on regional trains (no high-speed IC, ICE, EC etc. permitted) between Frankfurt (M) Flughafen Regionalbf (the regional train station at FRA airport) and Trier Hbf. After Koblenz, you'll follow the Mosel River route. This and the Rhine route are Germany's most scenic train rides.
At the DB itinerary search page, click on "only local transport" to find connections for regional trains (RE, RB.) 1 or 2 changes of train will be needed - click on "show details" in the itinerary box to see where you change trains at what times.
Posted by
OP
Kent WA
6 posts
Thank you.
Posted by
Paradise
7072 posts
Rick's Best of Germany, Austria and Switzerland tour, to the misfortune of its participants, omits the Upper Middle Rhine Valley.
While the suggested train route passes right through this region, I would definitely give some more thought to your initial plan. As you probably have found out, the train ride takes 3-4 hours, which makes for a long haul right after the overnight red-eye flight you just survived to reach Frankfurt. For this reason, and because the UMRV is both a UNESCO World Heritage site and ranks among Germany's very best destinations, a fair number of GAS tour participants headed to Trier often choose to spend one or more nights in one of the old-world riverfront towns - Bacharach, Oberwesel, St. Goar and Boppard are all good choices.
https://i2.wp.com/herbert-piel.de/wp-44b92-content/uploads/2016/01/Loreleytal.jpg?fit=960%2C641
https://www.weinhaus-weiler.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/DSC_2434_1920.jpg
https://schwingeninswitzerland.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/dsc_06581.jpg
Posted by
OP
Kent WA
6 posts
Thank you Russ! We have several extra days built in and plan to take a full day and go Trier to Rhine region spend all day in some of these towns and ride a late train back to Trier. The monthly $9 Euro pass will be wonderful for this.
Posted by
Paradise
7072 posts
Yes, it's inexpensive to use the train from Trier to some hypothetical and central Rhine town like St. Goar - and to return by train costs you nothing. However, you should check out the train schedules before committing to this real "back-tracker" of a day trip... that round-trip journey from Trier will have you on the train for about 5 hours. It is scenic, but it also is the same scenery you saw after leaving FRA airport.
If it were my trip, I'd save those 5 hours for something else by booking that first night in St. Goar or Bacharach (or wherever) and it will shorten the post-flight Day 1 journey as well.
Posted by
OP
Kent WA
6 posts
Good points to consider!! Thanks.
Posted by
10 posts
If arriving in Frankfurt by plane from the US, scheduled to land at 7:55 a.m., how much time should be allowed from landing to
collect luggage, go through passport control, etc., in order to get a train to Trier?
Posted by
Green Bay
21166 posts
There is a regional train with 1 connection via Koblenz at 24 past the even hours (8:24, 10:24,...) taking 3 hours, At odd hours there is also a train with 1 connection, but it goes via Saarbrucken and takes 4 hours, so you might as well wait for the even hour trains. There are also some other connections with more transfers. You can buy the 9 EUR ticket when you get to the airport Regionalbahnhof. Regional trains never sell out and there are no reservations.
Look at www.bahn.com/en to see schedule for your day of travel. Be sure to check "local transport only" to see only trains where the 9 EUR ticket is valid.