What is the best way to tour the Rhine Gorge and nearby Mossell area in November?

meadow, google up kdrhine.com and you can see the schedules, etc. It's really a ferry service more than a cruise, so its not like a guided tour. You can always combine with rail for parts of your itinerary.

According to the K-D website, their boats only run on the regular schedule until Oct 23. Their website does show a few short runs between Bingen and Boppard in the winter, but only, I think, on weekends, and you must reserve in advance.

But the trains run hourly on both sides of the Rhein and connecting the NW ends of the loops on the Mosel.

I don't think Burg Eltz is open in November (it wasn't when I was there in 2008).

November is not the best time to visit the Middle Rhine Gorge. Marksburg is the only castle which is open daily, no English language tours though. Rheinfels is closed on the weekends and has limited hours during the week. Check here. And as mentioned above, Burg Eltz is closed entirely for the season.

KD schedule is very limited over the winter so I would suggest taking the train.

Some of the information in previous posts is problematic.

"google up kdrhine.com and you can see the schedules, etc. It's really a ferry service more than a cruise..."

KD boats are not "ferries" as the word is normally used - they're sightseeing passenger ships that travel the Rhine north-south and south-north. Last I checked, the official KD website didn't have its English act together yet. You can get info on KD from this multi-language flyer: https://www.k-d.com/fileadmin/schiffstouren/kd_timetable_2016.pdf"

"Rhine ferries" exist in Bingen, St. Goar, Boppard and elsewhere, but these are utility boats that shuttle people, bikes, and cars across the river only (FYI, these boats operate pretty much year-round.) Here's the ferry in St. Goar. And here is the sightseeing ship.

Kdrhine.com is a seller of day passes for the KD boats - but these mono-priced day passes are usually overkill as you can normally cruise the best part of the Rhine (from Bingen to St. Goar) in 1.5 hours for about half the price of a pass. Just show up and buy your ticket at the dock.

Anyway, this would likely all be for some future trip with KD, which ends its season in October this year.

Bingen-Rüdesheimer cruises cover Bingen to St. Goar daily through November 1.

"Marksburg is the only castle which is open daily...Rheinfels is closed on the weekends and has limited hours during the week."

Marksburg indeed is open daily. Check hours for your date at the Marksburg website. Rheinfels Castle is open daily through November 13: http://www.st-goar.de/733-1-opening-hours.html
There is no information yet for November 14 on. Last year, Rheinfels was closed throughout the winter beginning in early November (except by advance arrangement for groups of 10 or more, and then only on weekends.)

So if you'll be there before Nov. 14, hey, no problem! You'll get to tour two castles.

Also, Bacharach's castle/hostel can be booked - but it's not a castle you tour. You can check with castle/hotels in the area if interested. Auf Schönburg in Oberwesel is top-notch.

You've booked in Koblenz?? For outings from there, a hotel location near the Main Station is best. Koblenz' old town and some of the hotels are a very hefty walk or a bus ride from the station you'll need to use for day trips.

Hi Russ,

thanks for the corrections! My link showed the the opening times for the St Goar tourist information and NOT for the castle as I thought originally :-(