Nurnberg, Wurzburg, Bamberg or Regensburg? Plus various travel questions etc

I haven't visited Wuerzburg or Regensburg, but Bamberg and Nuernberg are both very nice. Bamberg is more untouched by warfare etc (a friend was born there, and I once visited the town with her and was shown the memorial plaque to where the bomb fell in WWII - yes, the bomb). Bamberg is particularly famous for its unique beer style.

Dachau is quite a distance from that area, yes. If your daughter is really interested in the Nazi era I'd suggest visiting the Documentation Centre in Nuernberg.

No need to book tickets in advance. The Bayern day pass is good value for money and lets you use any local train or city or country bus in Bavaria, which will be fine for the places you mention. There is an even cheaper pass called the VGN-Tagesticket-Plus which covers the whole of northern Bavaria (Franconia), centring on Nuernberg but also covering Bamberg and going out as far as Bayreuth.

Bamberg would indeed make a good base. Agreeable city and other attractions - such as Nürnberg and Würzburg - easily reached.
Weather permitting you could have a pleasant walk from Bad Staffelstein (around 15 mins from Bamberg) to the wonderful pilgrimage church of Vierzehnheiligen.

Added:
The Nazi party rallying grounds (Reichtsparteitaggelände) in Nürnberg with the mentioned documentation centre are a short walk from the S-Bahn station Dutzendteich. Use the railway planner of the Deutsche Bahn for connections.

From Bamberg to Bacharach, you can use a Quer durchs Land ticket, just 52 EUR M-F for the whole group. This ticket can be bought out of a vending machine day of travel. There is a regional train from Bamberg connecting in Frankfurt leaving at 9:26 and 11:26 am and taking 4 hr 54 min. Using fast trains, it is more changes and fastest is 4 hr and 9 min and costing more, even booked nonrefundable today.

Go on Sat or Sun and it is only 50 EUR total with a Happy Weekend ticket.

Book Bacharach to Amsterdam now with a 4+ hour stopover in Cologne for 69.80 EUR nonrefundadable Saver ticket. Direct regional train to Cologne at 7:50 am, then ICE to Amsterdam Centraal at 2:26 pm from Cologne. All one ticket for 69.80 EUR total with planned stop over.

Nürnberg is the most central (especially if you include Regensburg) and has great rail connections.

Würzburg is closest to Bacharach for a stop along the way. It has a castle and an archbishop's Residenz to easily fill a day.

These are all great towns to my taste. IMO you can not go wrong with this group.

If you make it to Regensburg, eat at Wurstkuchl sausage. It’s supposedly the oldest restaurant in Germany. It serves sausage and sauerkraut. Have cash because it does not take credit cards. I’ve also been to Wurzburg and Nuremberg. Each of the cities is worth a full day, but I liked Nuremberg slightly better than Wurzburg. Regensburg is worth probably a half day.

Ferrin,

So glad you came back:). As far as the car vs. train I think you would have to do the math. Depending on what your plans are near Bacharach a car may be beneficial, but the whole thing is very doable by train. Driving is very easy in Germany, but the train can be stress free. Sometimes getting between smaller destinations is actually faster by car in Germany as you can't usually get direct trains from a small town in one area to a small town in a different area. Doing a very quick search it looks like it's not much difference timewise between Nurnburg and Bacharach. - I probably just succeeded in confusing the issue:)

If you end up not staying in Nurnburg do at least check out the old town center before or after the documentation center.

I have been to Nuremberg as a day trip and I loved the old town but that one day was enough for me, Also went to Bamberg as a day trip and LOVED it, but again, one day was enough for what I wanted to see. I have also been to Regenburg which I also really enjoyed for a full day and night but . again, was ready to move on. Have not been to Wurzburg yet but it is on my list! If you haven't seen Rothenburg ob der Tauber, it is one of my favorites and would highly suggest it.
I have also stayed in Bacharach - very small cute town and a handy place to stay while exploring the Rhine region. . A boat ride on the Rhine and St. Goar in particular was fun to see. Cologne I have been to and would skip altogether if I had it to do again. My impression was it was a big, crowded, industrial city.

As far as transportation, I love the trains. You can sit, relax, read, sleep or watch the scenery, with all the comforts of a bathroom close by and leave the driving to someone else, I am not sure how far in advance you can buy train tickets, but , many times, if you buy them early, you can save money. Much like plane tickets - buy early and the prices can be reasonable, buy at the last minute and you can pay thru the nose. Hope all of this helps!

Thank you everyone! Very helpful replies! I think since I found a hotel in Nurnberg already, and it seems like a good base, I’ll just stick with it. We can day trip to Bamberg, and stop in Wurzburg on the way to Bacharach. Maybe we can fit Rothenburg odT in there too, we’ll see. It did look fun on Ricks video;)
What do you think about renting a car in Nurnberg for driving to nearby towns and to Bacharach, possibly. Useful or more trouble? And since you made such great recommendations, I’ll ask for more- any favorite castles in this area we should try to see, or are there better ones in the Rhine area?
Thanks so much!

My favorites castles were Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangan but they are probably too far from your destinations.

But I do want to mention that the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is the absolute best!!! Do try to see it and it is big so save lots of time !

Have a wonderful time!

I think you have made a good choice in using Nuremberg as your base. But since it sounds like you’re going to be there in the second half of May, and are planning on visiting Bamberg from there, let me offer another suggestion. First of all, use a Bayern pass to make the trip from Nuremberg to Bamberg, but on the return trip, stop off at Erlangen for a late afternoon visit to the Bergkirchweih Fair. It’s a traditional Bavarian (beer) Festival that’s been going on since long before Oktoberfest, and this year runs from May 17 to 28. We stumbled upon it last spring and loved it! It’s all outdoors- no tents like in Munich- so you’d need to take the weather into account. But if the weather is good, it’s a great opportunity to experience a real, traditional German fair. The fairgrounds are about a 15 minute walk from the train station in Erlangen- just follow the dirndls and lederhosen.

First of all, use a Bayern pass to make the trip from Nuremberg to
Bamberg,

The "Bayern Ticket" is a day pass for all of Bavaria. While that's possible for the trip to Bamberg, you will pay more for the Bayern Ticket (€31 for 2 adults and 2 kids under 18) than for the local day pass - the VGN Tagesticket Plus (€19.70.) Buy it from a ticket machine in Nuremberg. It's valid for buses and other local transport in Nuremberg and Bamberg too - buy it from a bus driver in Nuremberg if you need a bus to reach the station. AND... the VGN Tagesticket Plus is valid at any hour on any day of the week (The Bayern Ticket, anytime on Sat or Sun but only after 9 am weekdays.) AND... if you buy the VGN Tagesticket Plus on a Saturday, and it will be good on Sunday as well (the Bayern Ticket is valid for only one day.)

What do you think about renting a car in Nurnberg for driving to
nearby towns and to Bacharach, possibly.

Where are you going that you can't reach by rail? The rail network is extensive, efficient and cheap. Bayreuth, Bad Windsheim, Rothenburg, Iphofen, Bamberg... all of these have rail connections and you can use the VGN Tagesticket Plus. (If you are going somewhere without a station, there's probably a bus connection from one of the stations.)

Rail map of the VGN zone with Nuremberg at its center

Bacharach has a train station with connections to Nuremberg and is located on one of two rail lines along the Rhine - one for each side of the river - that you can use to visit other towns there. You can drive there if you prefer but a car isn't necessary.

Train pulling into Bacharach

Left-bank Rhine Railway map
Right-bank Rhine Railway map

Ferries in Bingen, St. Goar and Boppard provide crossings for pedestrians and allow access to train stations on the right bank of the river.

Thanks all!
I have a question (or 7) for you, Russ, since you have been so helpful-or anyone else that may know. If we wanted to stop in Wurzburg on our way from Nurnberg to Bacharach-do you still think a train is the best way to go? Can we store luggage in Wurzburg? Is that pretty easy? The train from Nurnberg to Wurzbug is straightforward but getting to Bacharach seems more tricky, from my limited searches on bahn.com. Looks like we can do both legs for 120 Euro or so (1st class), less if we do all 2nd class and saver fares. Any tips for buying tickets? Does this price seem reasonable or is there a better way to go? I don't see a train route that goes from Nurnberg to Bacharach with a stop in Wurzburg-am I missing it? We will be traveling on Saturday 5/26. Sorry for newb questions...but thanks!

I don't see a train route that goes from Nurnberg to Bacharach with a stop in Wurzburg-am I missing it?

I don't know of any train route that goes from Nürnberg to Bacharach which doesn't stop in Würzburg. ;) When you look up connections at www.bahn.com click on "show intermediate stops". You will see that for any long distance train running on the Nürnberg - Frankfurt (- Bacharach) line the stop after Nürnberg is Würzburg.

I see Sparpreis tickets for a IC connection on may 26 with one transfer (Mainz) for €29.90 each: dep. Nürnberg 9:30 (IC 2024), Bacharach arr. 13:50 each (takes 20 min longer than the average ICE connection but saves €18 and one transfer). Now, if you request a intermediate stop of six hours in Würzburg, the price would be the same but there would be an additional transfer in Frankfurt: Nürnberg dep. 9:30, Würzburg arr. 10:22, Würzburg dep. 16:37, Frankfurt arr. 18:32, Frankfurt dep. 19:08 Bacharach arr. 20:20.

A Sparpreis ticket is binding you to a specific long distance train, choice of subsequent local trains is free. However, you could both save a fews euros and get rid of the train binding by buying a "Schönes Wochenende" ticket (€50/2, children up to 15 yo free) and using the regional train from Nürnberg to Würzburg (RE 58210, dep. 9:05). The Nürnberg - Würzburg ride will take only 15 min longer.

Your best one-ticket option indeed is the Happy Weekend ticket. Buy it at the station in Nuremberg from a ticket machine and ride any regional trains you like at any hour. Use the "only local transport" choice to determine possible schedules. There are options from Würzburg to Bacharach with only one change of train.

That is great-thank you Russ and sla019. Clearly I need more practice on bahn.com. :)

I did not know of the 'happy weekend' ticket. 50 Euro for all of us sounds like a great deal. And gives us flexibility. Much appreciated!

Just remember the German name of the ticket: "Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket". While ticket machines can be set to English, the names of the tickets are not translated (at least not on older machines).

For terms and conditions ++) read on here:
https://www.bahn.com/en/view/offers/regional/weekend-ticket-for-germany.shtml

++) important: the ticket is invalid if you don't enter the names of all paying travellers on it. If your Children are under 15 years old you do not enter their names on the ticket.

Thanks, that is good to know. It looks like I can buy it now online-is there any reason NOT to do that? The only thing I see on the website is that if I select 2 people, there is no place to add my kids? Does that not matter? Because if I select 4 people, it is 62 euro, and there isn't a way to say that 2 of the people are my children...(I know I can purchase when we get there, but I like to spread out my trip spending, so buying these now helps me budget.)
And is it hard to find seats on the trains without seat reservations? Do they fill up?

(1) is there any reason NOT to do that?

(2) The only thing I see on the website is that if I select 2 people, there is no place to add my kids?

(3) Because if I select 4 people, it is 62 euro, and there isn't a way to say that 2 of the people are my children

(4) And is it hard to find seats on the trains without seat reservations? Do they fill up?

(1) Yes, since you cannot change it. Buy only if your travel date is set in stone.

(2) children that do not pay (up to 15 yo) are not entered in the ticket

(3) You select the number of travellers over 15 yo only, in your case two

(4) After 9am usually it's easy to find a seat. The Nürnberg - Würzburg train will be half ful at best; the same holds for the Würzburg - Frankfurt train, which will, however fill up from Aschaffenburg onward (not your problem - since the trains sits in the Würzburg station approx. 15 min before departure, just be on the platform in time to secure your seat). I don't know the situation on the Frankfurt - Bacharach line, but since the Rhein/Main area is way more densely populated than Franconia I assume local trains tend to get ful all day round.

Can we store luggage in Wurzburg? Is that pretty easy?

Yes, there are lockers in the main hall (you probably need coins!).

Please read the edit of my previous post too.

Thank you so much! Super helpful!

While Dachau is a truly worthy destination, there is a concentration camp (Konzentrationsslager - KZ) relatively close to Bamberg that you and your children will find very interesting. It's in Flossenberg, a two hour drive east of Bamberg, very close to the Czech border. This is where the Nazis murdered Dietrich Bonnhoffer and several other important prisoners only a few days before the end of the war. You can check out the website at http://www.thirdreichruins.com/flossenburg.htm We have been there several times and I recommend it. Aushwitz, Bergen-Belsen and Dachau are all more well known and more elaborate, but you will get your fill of disgust by what happened at the hands of the Nazis by visiting Flossenberg. According to the United States Halocaust Museum, there were about 40,000 concentration camps altogether, but most of them are not well-known or visited by non-German tourists. Good Luck on your trip!