Need Help with Transportation Tips

We are worried if the train fills up and no seats are available.

Trains are mass transit. Just like on a subway it is possible that there are more people on board then there are seats, and then some people just stand. Anyway, on regional trains there are no seat reservations. So there is not even a possibility to "book" anything in advance. You just go to a station, wait for the train, and then get on. Usually there are enough seats.

So the Deutschland ticket might be indeed useful for you, if only for the convenience of not having to figure out what the right ticket is going to be for each of the towns you stay in.

For your long distance trips you maybe want to look at the German Rail Pass Flexi Twin. Costs 432 Euro for 2 persons for 4 days in a month. That comes to 54,- euro per person per trip, That is about the same price as booking in advance, but you keep full flexibility.

You can only buy that at the station though, so you would buy it in Frankfurt when you are there.

https://assets.static-bahn.de/dam/jcr:6ef53210-8ff6-46eb-ae82-34d2fd953891/GermanRailPass2025_IntBahnDe.pdf

Would I be able to buy the German Rail Pass online here: https://int.bahn.de/en/offers/german-rail-pass

Or do I have to buy it in person in Frankfurt?

The D-Ticket is 58 euros. So, if your public transports costs will be more than that the D-Ticket is a good deal. Additionally, I like the convenience of one ticket instead if buying tickets each trip or in each city.

Going to Fussen you get on the train. No extra ticketing, no reservation. No upgrades. Yes, train could be full, but unlikely. The DB website predicts demand and you can check it for your planned trips.

Used the D-Ticket last week. Big fan.

Thank you for the information.

I forgot to add that we will be taking additional day trips to from Frankfurt to Cologne and Frankfurt to Triberg. Do you think it’s better for the 5 day twin flexi pass since it looks like ICE train is better to Cologne?

1. Frankfurt to Cologne
2. Frankfurt to Hamburg
3. Hamburg to Berlin
4. Berlin Munich
5. Munich to Berlin

total of 5 days for Rail Flexi Pass

5: Munich - Berlin? or Munich - FRANKFURT?

I forgot to add that we will be taking additional day trips to from
Frankfurt to Cologne and Frankfurt to Triberg.

Yes to a railpass day for Cologne... BUT see advice below.

A Frankfurt > Triberg round-trip is a near-absurd plan even with a rail pass day and ICE train. Please look at the DB train schedules prior to planning your day trips. How did you choose Triberg, anyway?

Perhaps you want some nice scenery/nature during your Frankfurt stay? From Frankfurt you are much closer to the Odenwald or the Middle Rhine Valley. I'd suggest ...

• Leave Frankfurt and STAY in the MRV (D-Ticket trip) instead of Triberg. (Bacharach, St Goar, and Boppard are good options.)
• Then leave the MRV and STAY in Cologne (D-Ticket trip)
• Then leave Cologne and go by train to HAMBURG (GR pass day)

We wanted to go to the Black Forest and specifically Triberg for the cuckoo clocks.

We had thought we can go from Frankfurt to Baden or Ofrenberg and connect to Triberg. They have private tours from Baden or Ofrenberg but it is very pricey.

So you do not advise a day trip to Triberg?

That's what I would advise. Cancel that idea.

It's not impossible to do that around trip to Triberg. But if you checked the DB Railway site for train schedules that I gave you, then you understand that it takes between 5 and 6 hour round trip. I will add that it's not a fabulous destination like the Middle Rhine Valley (a UNESCO World Heritage site with MUCH more to offer.) It's just a place to stop and play tourist if you are in the nearby area - and it's a totally unnecessary detour if you go with the suggestion to stay in the MRV...

The Montag shop in St Goar (which as I remember was featured in one of Rick Steves' videos) is right in town. It is family-operated and has been there for more than 3 decads. (I made the kind of mistake you are planning myself... went all the way to the Black Forest to select a clock when I was about 50 miles from St Goar!) So if you are interested in seeing/hearing/buying cuckoo clocks:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g198631-d17440147-Reviews-Montag_Steins_Clock-Sankt_Goar_Rhineland_Palatinate.html

https://www.steinsandclocks.com/

St Goar, near the Loreley cliffs, is one of the towns I recommended to stay in - the view from the riverfront hotels takes in the best scenery. River cruises start and end there. Rheinfels castle is a short uphill hike from town. The town is small, with the train station and the boat dock very close to each other. And other fine towns to visit (Oberwesel, Bacharach) are only 5 and 10 minutes away by train. And when you are ready to leave St Goar, you can catch a direct regional train along Germany's most scenic train line and be in Cologne in 2 hours (D-Ticket.)

View across the Rhine from St Goar: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/72/a0/78/72a0781773860b9131b1a9929a5ecd51.jpg
Rheinfels Castle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxFF80wORNQ

Bacharach: https://www.mittelrheinentdecken.de/en/villages-towns-and-cities/bacharach/

Oberwesel: https://www.weinhaus-weiler.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/DSC_2434_1920.jpg

Thank you so much Russ! You have been so helpful and a lifesaver! The information you provided helped save my trip and as a result, I have changed the itinerary. I will not plan to go to the Black Forest any longer. I have also decided not to go to Hamburg.

Frankfurt, Cologne, Berlin, Munich- St Goar/MVR or Frankfurt

Do you think it’s a good idea to go from Munich to St Goar directly? Can it be done? What else would you recommend going from Munich back to Frankfurt?

I am flying and out of Frankfurt and that is why we are doing a big circle and I have to be in Munich for Oktoberfest by 9/20.

Is there another nice cuckoo clock shop in the actual city center of Frankfurt?

Do you think it’s a good idea to go from Munich to St Goar directly?
Can it be done?

Yes, it is. If your final stop is Frankfurt, there's no reason to stay there first, then in St Goar, then in Frankfurt again at the end.

You can travel by train from any city in Germany to any other city that has a train station. That doesn't necessarily mean by ONE train. DIRECT train rides take you on long-distance journeys from train hub city to train hub city (like the big cities on your itinerary... Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich) without stopping at small places. These are usually IC, ICE, or EC trains. Many smaller destinations that are not train hubs require a train connection (like the one you were planning to Triberg, or the famous Rothenburg) And so it is with St Goar as well. The train hubs for St Goar would be FRANKFURT and MAINZ. So you get off there and switch to a regional train to reach St Goar. Sample schedule:

Munich > Mainz 13:47 - 17:40; Mainz - St Goar 17:51 - 18:38 (or 18:03 - 19:00.)

Munich > Frankfurt 12:47 - 16:04; Frankfurt - St Goar 16:24 - 17:44

You will find some journeys with MULTIPLE connections as well, but I would focus on the ones with just one connection; the more connections you have, the greater the chance you will miss one if a train is late.

Personally, with long trips like Munich - Frankfurt or Munich - St Goar, I like afternoon/evening travel schedules like the examples I gave you - or even later departures. With an afternoon departure I have time in the morning to sightsee, pick up snacks or sandwiches for the train journey, etc. Also, by arriving later, I can be sure that my hotel room is ready when I get there... It's sometimes an inconvenience to arrive earlier and to have to leave bags at the front desk. But of course it's your choice, and with the rail pass, you can change your mind about when you want to leave/arrive at any time you wish.

Can't tell you anything about cuckoo clocks in Frankfurt, sorry.

Thank you again for this helpful information.

Sorry one more question, do you think we can do a day trip from Frankfurt to St. Goar?

We want to avoid having to check in/out of hotel and carrying our luggage with us.

Thank you again!

...do you think we can do a day trip from Frankfurt to St. Goar?

It's possible. By train only? (Did you review the DB site for train schedules to St Goar and back?)

Or are you asking about a day trip by train + cruise boat (which a lot of people want to do when they go there)??

I know about your interest in cuckoo clocks, but is there something else you have in mind for St Goar or nearby (like castle tours, or walking/hiking, or a ride to the clifftops on the Boppard chairlift)?? It's hard to say whether the things you want to do there can be fit into one day without knowing what those things are.

It seems a shame that your baggage is limiting your mobility. Not sure if you have seen Rick Steves' excellent packing advice. He provides great instructions that make travel bags easy to handle. My wife and I (in our 70's now) travel by train and pack as he suggests - and we do not have concerns about taking bags with us on/off trains, etc. Maybe his tips would help you as well.

Yes, by train. I have looked at the schedule and it looks doable but wanted to double check.

We were thinking of doing the river cruise and just checking out St. Goar and the cuckoo clock shop you recommended. Then heading back to Frankfurt. Do you think we have time for a castle visit?

Thank you for the tips on packing light. After we settle our itinerary we will def get a better idea of how we need to pack.

• Train to Rüdesheim (8:53 - 10:04.) Walk town briefly.

• Cruise to St Goar (11:00 - 13:15) https://www.k-d.com/

• have lunch, visit thee Montag shop

• 5-min ride on Bus 681 from stop at Heerstr. and Schlossberg (the Rathaus stop) to "Burg Rheinfels, St. Goar" stop (15:14 or 16:14.) Tour Castle.

https://burg-rheinfels.com/en/visit/

Return at any hour of your choosing to Frankfurt from St Goar on the regional trains; see schedule options at the DB site

You haven't provided a specific date, so my sample schedule may or may not be the same for yours. Check the linked sites for your date.

This is perfect! Thank you for your wealth of knowledge!

We are planning to be in Frankfurt from 9/25 and flying out on 9/28. We will probably go to St. Goar on 9/26.

I will look into the train schedules but this sounds like a perfect itinerary.

Thank you sooo much!

Could you please clarify if I am looking correctly on the website? I don't see a one way cruise from Rüdesheim to St Goar: https://www.k-d.com/

Do I have to book roundtrip? Or is there another cruise company that you would recommend?

I don't see a one way cruise from Rüdesheim to St Goar: https://www.k-d.com/

On this page, directly below the intro video, you can enter into search fields your departure point (Rüdesheim), your destination (St Goar), and the date. There are three trips listed for September 26, two of which are probably suitable for you, namely the one at 11:00 a.m. and the one at 4:15 p.m. on the historic paddle steamer Goethe (much nicer than the other small ship).

Thank you for clarifying, I see it now. Wow, definitely learning experience!

Thank you for your help, much appreciated!

The German Rail Pass comes in a "twin" version for two persons, that is cheaper than two single ones. So for a couple a good deal. But you can only buy that in Germany at the station.
Not that this is a big issue. You only need it the moment you. board your first train.

For the German Twin Flexi Rail Pass, if we get first class option, can we book our seats before hand?

Can we do that with the DB app? I was hoping someone would help us when we get to Frankfurt but preparing beforehand would be great too.

Also, when I try to purchase tickest for the cruise on d-b.com, I receive an error message. Maybe I will need to purchase in-person?

You can look at actual schedules for your cruise - the Loreley Cruise - here:

https://www.k-d.com/en/product/ruedesheim-loreley-tour/ (scroll down.)

Schedules are here as well:
https://www.k-d.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/FAHRPLAN-HS-NS-2025.pdf

The schedules show FOUR cruises on every day of the week except Monday.

I would NOT pre-purchase a cruise ticket. A ticket does not guarantee good seating on the boats, and if it's a weekday, there shouldn't be a problem with overcrowding, epecially since your group in R'heim will be the first to board. Your ticket is not fully refundable if you have a change of plans - just buy it dockside.

GRP: I advise you to purchase it in Germany. There is no online discount in effect right now, and at the station, an agent can help you better understand how to use it at the time you purchase it - and can also help you be sure that you are buying it for the right number of days. I understand, you have a plan right now and you want to buy it. But what if you have a brainstorm and want to add or subtract a destination/travel day? What if one of you has a health problem and cannot travel on the same plan you have now? Refunds are only partial. Also, the DB website and other websites can be confusing, frankly - I've bought numerous GRP's and had confusione when doing it online myself.

Now, sometimes there's a 20-25% fall discount at DB for GRPs online... Maybe you will see that happen in a few weeks, who knows? So it might pay to wait and see if you feel confident about prepurchasing without getting the personal advice I recommendedd, but you rob yourself of that chance of a discount if you buy now.

11:00 cruise: A different cruise company that serves the same Rüdesheim > St Goar route is Bingen-Rüdesheimer. Their 11:00 boat leaves Rüdesheim at 11:00 too :) :), and it arrives in St Goar a little earlier at 13:00. Fare is €25. KD fare is €27.

With two 11:00 boats, the odds of getting left behind are very very slim!! See the B-R schedule to confirm...

https://www.bingen-ruedesheimer.de/linienfahrten/

Choose English language

Choose "Loreley Trip"

Click on "Timetable"

Thanks again, Russ!! I am really taking any information you offer and will definitely be using it for my trip. Please know this is all really helpful and I appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge.

Another question, where can I find bus schedules for Germany?

Local/Municipal buses? The DB site and the local transport authority sites (RMV, MVV, VGN, etc. etc.) provide that information.

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/highsource/verbundkarte/master/Bilder/Verbundkarte.png

Try Flixbus for intercity bus service. I used Flixbus quite a bit in Portugal earlier this year.

Another question, where can I find bus schedules for Germany?

Suggest you put the local transport app on your phone for each city. Frankfurt, for example, is RMV.

Thank you for the tips. I will use the map to download the bus schedules. Very helpful!