Plan for visting the Porsche museum before our tour

Posted by mark.shields on 07/06/24 11:30 PM

Our tour starts at 4:00pm in Koblenz on a Tuesday. We want to visit the Porsche museum and factory beforehand if possible and I am trying to plan the most efficient approach to do that. It would be great to visit the two locations on Monday, but the museum is closed on Mondays. Here is my plan flying from Chicago USA:

Leave Chicago Sunday afternoon/evening - arrive in Stuttgart Monday morning.
Do the factory tour Monday afternoon, sleep in Stuttgart.
Visit the museum when it opens at 9:00am Tuesday.
Take a 12:00-1:00pm train from Stuttgart to Koblenz to arrive around 3:00pm and travel to our hotel.

Does this seem reasonable, or should I leave Saturday instead to give us more time? Also, any tips on booking the factory tour? 2024 dates are sold out and there is no option to look at 2025 bookings. Does anyone know when they open future dates?

Posted by Russ

Paradise

07/07/24 01:48 AM

6939 posts

Does this seem reasonable, or should I leave Saturday instead to give us more time?

That sounds reasonable to me. However, I am intrigued by your suggestion that you might add some time. So if you leave Saturday from Chicago, you'd still arrive in Stuttgart in the morning (on Sunday) - correct? Factory tours don't happen on the weekend. Could you visit the Museum Sunday afternoon - and do the tour on Monday - maybe Monday morning?

Now, I don't mean to disparage Stuttgart, but obviously you are going there for Porsche. So with that behind you on Monday afternoon you will have the option to expand your stay on the Rhine River (where Koblenz is,) a destination with UNESCO World Heritage status.

Your tour (the G-A-S tour, correct?) does not include any activities whatsoever on the Rhine... no river cruise past the historic castles that dot the Rhine Gorge, no cable-car or chairlift rides to enjoy the awesome clifftop views, no wandering around attractive old-world villages (like Bacharach, Rüdesheim, Braubach) or tours of other castles (like Marksburg) But with an extra day you'd have a shot at these things.

Maybe you stay in one of those nicer old towns on Monday night, or maybe in Koblenz since you'll be staying there Tue night anyway. Trains to Koblenz on this years schedule can get you there in under 2.5 hours. Sample train schedules from this month for direct Stuttgart > Koblenz trains at mid-day: 11:51 - 14:10 and 13:51 - 16:10.

Posted by nixit71

Chicago

07/07/24 01:53 AM

68 posts

Try posting this question on Rennlist. These guys live and breath Porsche and might have some insights. I have read before if there's a model change they might not have tours for a bit.

Posted by KGC

Alsenborn, Germany

07/07/24 06:12 AM

1331 posts

Not feasible. There's no way anyone who likes the brand can see the Porsche museum in the time you have. You need to plan 3-4 hours (or more) for that. It's that good. Note they also have cars you can "test drive" and you may want to do that. Add more time if you do the "behind the scenes" tour. If the factory tours are sold out you are not going to get tickets. (Note they don't list the tour dates, you have to contact them direct.) Get with the local Porsche club, and have them help you with tickets for next year. (One way to guarantee a ticket is buy a car; they will throw in the tour.)

I'd suggest you fly on Saturday and, if you have time after visiting the Porsche Museum Sunday, go across town and stick your head into the MBZ one. Then go to Koblenz on Monday, hang around the Eck or go up the Moselle.