My Germany itinerary- thoughts? train questions?

Rothenburg does deserve an overnight stay. Experiencing the town in the late afternoon, evening, and early morning without the day trippers is much better than just a day trip. Wurzburg is very close, and, in my opinion, is not to missed since you are that close. The Prince Bishop's Residence is quite impressive, as are several other places there. Do a search on Google and see what you think.

For Nurnberg daytrips, Bamberg fits well. For Munich, GP is one option, and Tegernsee also. For Munich one of my favorite spots is the walk along the Isar in Bogenhausen.

"Arrive on June 20th into Frankfurt airport around noon. Train to
Boppard for 5 nights. (20-25th). Do I reserve a specific train in
advance? Or just any train that day? (to help with planning on leaving> the airport)"

Use regional trains for this trip. No reservations possible for regional trains. There are direct RE trains at 7:10, 9:24, 11:24 from FRA's Regionalbahnhof station.

Deutschland-Ticket. good for one month. €49: if available in 2024, it may be a fix-all solution to all your regional train ticketing. Let's assume worst-case scenario, that it dies...

At FRA: buy tickets at the Regionalbahnhof station (counter or ticket machine) or using the DB app. Which ticket depends on your arrival time. Anything after 9 am is OK with the Day Ticket for Germany day pass.

https://int.bahn.de/en/offers/regional/day-ticket-germany

"I will get the guest pass for the regional trains. So anything up and down the Rhine River I can just hop on."

Almost anything. The guest ticket you get from your hosts in Boppard is issued by the local transit authority (VRM) so you can use it where they tell you. See map on this Boppard page:

https://www.boppard-tourismus.de/en/accommodation/

It is not valid on any of the long-distance trains in the area. Regional only.

"Do a KD cruise (or similiar one day the length of the river with stops> as desired)."

The best cruise segment is Ruedesheim/Bingen > St. Goar (about 1.5 hours) or Ruedesheim/Bingen > Boppard (about 2.3 hours.)

While it is possible to step off the boat and back on later, I don't recommend that... the boat schedules are too skimpy for getting back on when you want to. Here's my suggestion:

• morning train to St. Goar and/or Bacharach for sightseeing.
• afternoon train to Bingen Rhein Stadt station; walk to boat dock (5-10 minutes) for your cruise tickets.
• cruise back home to Boppard using just one boat (16:30 - 18:50.)

Train to Boppard for 5 nights. (20-25th). Do I reserve a specific train in advance?

No, most trains are regional transport and don't offer seat reservation. I'd take an direct RE (line RE 2), if possible. Else, there is a transfer in either Mainz oder Bingen.

As far as trains, I believe our daughter is free, correct?

Correct, independent of the type of train.

Will my guest pass also work if I go down the Mosel route from Koblenz to Cochem?

Yes, it does; but note that for south bound trips it might not be as far reaching as you imagine. See this map.

On the 25th- take train to Nuremberg. [...] Might do first class just so I have assigned seat

You can reserve seats in 2nd class as well. Compare fares, sometimes a super saver 1th class fare is not that more expensive than an 2nd class one.

Do we need to book these trains in advance?

For long distances trains: yes - fares increase the closer you get to the day of travel.

BTW, I wouldn't book the cheapest fare ("super saver fare"), because if your travel plans change, the ticket is lost. With the next category ("Sparpreis") you can get away with a €10 exchange fee (exchange only for a voucher!).

The trains from Nürnberg to Rothenburg are local transport - no seat reservation. Buy a VGN day ticket, it covers the entire trip plus all urban transport in Nürnberg and Fürth.

(from Russ, continued...)

This year, the only through-boat to Boppard was at 16:30 from Bingen - 18:50 in Boppard. Maybe in 2024 too. Other cruise options had an inflexible stopover in St. Goar for a set period of time. The 16:30 is the Goethe Paddlewheel boat, a nice perk.

Did you notice that your Guest Ticket is valid to Ruedesheim, but only as far south as Oberwesel on your side of the river, NOT to Bacharach or to Bingen? For this reason, a train ride to BINGEN to start your cruise - or from Bingen after your cruise - is not covered. You will need a regular DB train ticket (€7 per adult) for a one-way ride between Bingen and Oberwesel for this uncovered track segment. (Buy it at a train station or on the DB app.) However, there's good news... because of your DB train ticket, you and DW qualify for a cruise discount of 20%. The 2023 cruise price is €36 p.p. , so with the same price in 2024, your discount is €7.20 each. Yay. Just show your train ticket at the KD kiosk in Bingen.

thanks all- tons of info to digest

So for ICE trains that I need to book ahead of time, do I book a ticket for our daughter, even thou it is free? essentially a placeholder, or do I just show up with her?

and Russ
`Use regional trains for this trip. No reservations possible for regional trains. There are direct RE trains at 7:10, 9:24, 11:24 from FRA's Regionalbahnhof station.`

Looks like we will get in later (around 1250 I think) - are there later regional direct trains? I assume I can use the link you sent me previously to check?

edit- I see there are later ones- just checked link

or do I just show up with her?

This.

Looks like we will get in later (around 1250 I think) - are there later regional direct trains?

Of course. But unfortunately, the next direct RE2 does not leave until 15:24. There are connections at 13:30 and 14:30 with a change in Mainz.

Search for your connections on https://int.bahn.de/en/ or - better and more convenient - download the DB app

sla019
how does that work with a seat reservation thou

I book two seats for wife and I. Where does she sit if the seats around us are reserved?

You can view the train seating plan on the DB website or in the app and book two free seats next to each other.

If this is too complicated for you at the moment (it really isn't), then take a little time in Frankfurt and have your seats reserved for the train from Koblenz to Nuremberg. And then do the same with the next long-distance train. Good luck!

I don't think you are understanding my question sla

For long distance trains

You say I can just show up with my daughter and hop on the train bc she doesn't need a ticket.

If I have reserved seats for my wife and I, where does my daughter sit who doesn't need a ticket? (assuming the seats around us are already reserved by other passengers)

OK, please accept my apologies. Well, unfortunately that's the rule: no ticket, no entitlement to a seat. But I've never experienced that you can't come to an arrangement with the people sitting next to you.

[EDIT] Exception: The train has a compartment for small children. Then you can book seats for you and your daughter. You have to indicate her age when booking. Details here (scroll down to "Offers and services for families with children").

OK- that makes more sense then - If the train was full, I could see it becoming standing room only (I had a train in Belgium that was that way and she sat on my lap while one of us was in the vestibule with our suitcases)
Not sure how often that happens in Germany. Trying to avoid getting put in husband jail if we had a repeat! lol

I don't have the level of expertise that Russ does, but I'll comment that it was very convenient for me to purchase heavily-discounted advance tickets, and print them out (they have bar codes) and put them in a binder for the trip. I kept both the credit card used and our passports handy in case the conductor wanted to verify that we were the proper ticket holders.

It appears that your plans are firm enough that having tickets for fixed train departure is not a burden for you (?) You have to allow for Transatlantic air delays on your first train, of course.

It sounds like it's important to you to use two tickets on the day you travel through Koblenz. I'll bet if you try to buy a ticket for the full distance, that it will not cost much more than the ICE segment. (No personal experience.) And I believe the local segment is still good on any train, but you have the regional ticket in reserve anyway. Or are you going to check your bags and do some sightseeing in Koblenz?

You do want to buy the Seat Reservations for the long-distance rides now, so you know your party can sit together. Trains in high seasons can often fill up. I forget your month of the year. Are you going to ride a cable-car up a mountain in G-P?

I'd ask Russ if you need a way to prove that you used a multi-day ticket the day of the KD ride, so you get the KD discount?

Tim- you mention checking your bags, can you do that on trains in Germany?

It sounds like it's important to you to use two tickets on the day you
travel through Koblenz. I'll bet if you try to buy a ticket for the
full distance, that it will not cost much more than the ICE segment.
(No personal experience.) And I believe the local segment is still
good on any train, but you have the regional ticket in reserve anyway.
Or are you going to check your bags and do some sightseeing in
Koblenz?

Tim: there is no reason for Scott to purchase the segment between Boppard and Koblenz- either on one ticket or two - because he has the VRM Guest ticket through the day of departure, which covers this segment. Scott wants to use the ICE from Koblenz (where he must change trains) to Nuremberg on a direct ICE train, so only one ICE ticket for this segment is needed.

I'd ask Russ if you need a way to prove that you used a multi-day
ticket the day of the KD ride, so you get the KD discount?

The "multi-day ticket" (VRM Guest Ticket) is not relevant; it only gets Scott to Oberwesel, not to Bingen (where the cruise will start in my suggested plan.) Only a real train ticket for which Bingen is a destination will get a discount. So it is the additional €7/each DB ticket that finishes the trip to Bingen which qualifies Scott for the K-D discount in this scenario.

Scott: I believe Tim meant to say "store" your bags, as in a locker. Checking bags on German trains is not a thing. Maybe the old Orient Express...

You'll find luggage racks above seats and standing alone:

https://assets.static-bahn.de/.imaging/focalpoint/1280x320/dam/jcr:88329f97-43da-41da-b8cb-78ab35ff3cac/Gep%C3%A4ckegalICE3_noC.jpg

Regional train gets me to Koblenz, and I need to purchase in advance the ICE ticket to Nuremberg. Might do first class just so I have
assigned seat

You can reserve 2nd class seats - or 1st-class seats - whichever you choose.

This makes for good reading about German trains:

https://www.seat61.com/train-travel-in-germany.htm

Thank you Russ. I should have chosen a less-broad verb. I think Koblenz is maybe over-rated, but a 5-year old might want to go on the cable car they had promised to take down after the BUGA show, because it intrudes on a UNESCO WHS!

yes- I want to do a cable car- although I saw one near Boppard- I can't remember were, that looks sketchy - like no cross bar- I need one that is completely enclosed - like the big ones down in the alsp.

The chairlift in Boppard is great fun. Built in 1954, it is almost a piece of history. But it is well maintained and completely safe. And it runs extremely smoothly, so you can enjoy the view of the Rhine bend to the full.

I assume you mean this one?
https://germanyfootsteps.com/boppard-chairlift-sesselbahn/
I am sure it is perfectly maintained, no doubt about that, but I don't trust my four year old on it, and I will bet my 403b my dear wife will take one look and say "oh h$$# no" - and we have been on lifts as skiiers many many times.

Again, not a knock on the lift itself, but keeping the little one from doing something stupid.

in that case you want the gondola from Koblenz over the river up to the fortress across the river. It goes from quite close to the Deutsches Eck where the Mosel joins the Rhine.

Some may not like it, my wife and I like it very much, and the fortress too.

Thanks Nigel- will check it out

And just to double check- the train Nuremberg to Munich is an ICE train - so definitely want to reserve ahead of time, right? (it is not a regional train)

you can go between Nuremberg and Munich by either regional or ICE trains. Have you discovered the DB App or website? When you get a bit of practice using them they can answer those sorts of questions in a flash, and will show you platform numbers, if the train is late or early (good luck with that one), platform numbers, connections, all the intermediate stops and even maps. Well worth the learning curve.

The ICE is faster.

I have the app (as of 30 min ago) - I will play around - thx!

Chairlift in Boppard: check out this photo. I agree with you Scott, not what I would do with my kid.
Rüdesheim has a nice cable car lift as well if you go there.

The Koblenz cable car is great as well. However, it's not near the main Koblenz rail station; it requires some transit across Koblenz to the Deutsches Eck area by bus to get there and chews up some time. If it turns out that Koblenz is a sightseeing destination for you on other grounds, it could make sense to do the cable car there. If you are visiting much smaller Rüdesheim (the most popular destination on the Rhine's east bank (which it shares with Marksburg Castle further north) then I'd recommend the R'heim cable car ride instead.

Regional train vs. ICE train trip, Koblenz to Nuremberg: The details of this trip depend on your dates and preferences. You prefer 0 changes of train, as I understand it. But you also value flexibility... correct?

So you have a trade-off decision for this particular trip.

• Regional trains... extra changes of train, longer travel times, but flexible hours. No need to pre-purchase.
• ICE train... 0 changes, much faster; saver fare = reasonable pricing but no flexibile travel schedule. Must pre-purchase.
• ICE train... still 0 changes, much faster; FLEX FARE (not cheap) allows travel at any hour. No prepurchase is needed.

June 25: Direct ICE train from Koblenz at 8:48 or 10:48; travel time is just under 3:40.
June 25: Regional trains from Koblenz: fewest changes possible are two - nothing less. Those are at 7:52 (a 6-hour trip) 9:04 (just under 7 hours) 11:04 (just under 7 hours.)

Problem: one of your pms to me says you arrive JULY 20. Can you please clarify?

So on JULY 25, the date I've been looking at, those same regional options appear, but there is an additional regional option (also 2 changes) at 7:07 that requires just 5 hrs. 40 minutes.

This last option might be better enough to choose the regional trains. Just depends on you. I would opt for the saver fare and the ICE.

That ride looks soooo much better for the little one! Since we have so much time, I am sure we will explore the east bank as well. For the longer trips, I am fine with less flexibility in trade for less changes and quicker route - I was mainly more concerned with the day to day sight seeing trips.

I have gone back and forth on days- originally I was going to leave RDU on the 20th (sat) and arrive the 21st (sunday) at 6 am. I have found flights that are cheaper and leave Friday after work, and arive the 20th (saturday) around noon-ish.

Right, but is it JUNE 20 or JULY 20?? July has a Saturday on the 20th. But your post here on the forum says June.

July 20- sorry!!!!! :-)

been a long day

Your question about train/ticketing to Cochem: The VRM Guest Ticket gets you there. Below is the VRM map for this ticket showing Cochem as an eligible destination.
https://www.vrminfo.de/fileadmin/data_vrminfo/PDF/Gaesteticket/Infoflyer_Gaesteticket_englisch_2022.pdf

Your question about the day-trip from Nuremberg (July 25-29) to Rothenburg: The "VGN" ticket sla019 mentions is called the "Tagesticket Plus." Like all day passes, it covers the regional trains only within a certain area/region. It's valid all day long at any hour for multiple train rides, totally flexible. The price varies depending on how far out from Nuremberg's core you wish to travel. Rothenburg (and most all good day trips from N'berg... Bamberg, Bad Windsheim, Iphofen, Bayreuth) will take you well out of the core zones into Zone 10 of the VGN. See map, with Rothenburg on the far left, not far from Iphofen and Bad Windsheim.

The Zone 10 Tagesticket Plus should be roughly €23. Buy it on the day of travel using the DB app or at Nuremberg station from a ticket machine. Take the regional trains to Rothenburg and back to Nuremberg Hbf the same day, take any detours you wish. If you are not staying near the station: Any bus ride, tram ride, or subway ride you want to take inside Nuremberg before or after your train ride is ALSO covered by the Tagesticket plus.

Your question about OTHER day trips from Nuremberg: 4 nights for Nuremberg... So that's close to half a day on the 25th plus 3 more full days. That may sound like a lot of time, but it really isn't, especially with a child...

• One day trip to R'burg leaves 2.5 days in Nuremberg.
• An additional day trip leaves 1.5 days in Nuremberg. This might work if your sightseeing within Nuremberg is modest.

The nice thing is that you can play it by ear. Take another day trip if you feel like it. So many nice places to choose from. Bamberg, Bad Windsheim, Iphofen, Bayreuth... (all good reasons for 5 or more nights in Nuremberg, actually.) These are all inside the VGN zone, so a Tagesticket Plus works for any of them. And the even nicer thing about this ticket is that if you buy one for a SATURDAY (July 27) day trip, the same exact ticket is valid also on SUNDAY (July 28) for another day trip. So don't chuck that ticket on Saturday night.

Würzburg: it's outside the VGN zone. You would need a BAYERN Ticket Day Pass for this journey instead. Buy on the app or from a ticket machine in Nuremberg.

The page below contains suggestions for a full day of sightseeing in Nuremberg. scroll down:
https://lifeslittleadventures.typepad.com/lifes_little_adventures/railfan-delights/