Bacharach - Stahleck castle

Instead of Stahleck, try to get in at Pension im Malerwinkel. It's at the bottom of the hill below Stahleck and you will avoid a steep climb. To get to Stahleck, take a taxi (you might have to arrange it in advance because I don't think taxis frequent the Bacharach Bahnhof). Or you can walk out the road from Bacharach and come back another road up to the hostel, an additional 1.5 km. I took these pictures of the path that leads from town to the hostel

There is a road. Though not a great distance, it is all uphill & it would feel like a very long walk. The steps & path through the woods is much more direct, but steeper. You will not want to "roll" those bags up the steps. You'll have to carry them most of the way. So the options are not great unless you can catch a ride. But unlike others here who shun hostels - especially this one that is popular with school groups - I loved our stay at the castle. The view can't be beat. It would be a major mistake to visit Bacharach and not climb the hill to spend an evening on the patio of the castle overlooking the Rhine. So you might as well stay there, too, right? If simple food for an amazing bargain appeals to you, they also can feed you dinner.

"So you might as well stay there, too, right?" Wrong. One climb up that hill, up that dirt path, is really one two many. If you want to go up there for dinner, stay up there and never come down and see the town.

Manjula, As the others have mentioned, it would be a really good idea to take a Taxi to the Hostel as it's a bit of a hike (especially hauling luggage). You'd have to pre-arrange a Taxi or call when you arrive if you're travelling with a Cellphone (try 06743-1653). It's a small town so Taxis aren't at the station too often, especially as the station is now "unmanned". Access to Burg Stahleck via road is relatively easy (but uphill), but it will be a long walk. I wouldn't suggest taking the trail through the woods with rolling luggage, as it's narrow, rocky and steep in some parts. In addition to the Hotel that Lee mentioned, you might also have a look at Hotel Kranenturm. It's right in the centre of town and within easy walking distance from the rail station. The restaurant at Kranenturm is fantastic and the owners are wonderful! Happy travels!

As Lee points out, it's a real workout to go down into town and back from the hostel. With 7 people, I suggest you book a couple of apartments if you plan to stay for 2-3 nights. There are plenty of apartments in Bacharach and neighboring towns. You can often find two or three apartments in the same building or close to one another. This big one with 3 bedrooms is right in Bacharach's old town; note the elevation of the castle in the photo: http://www.bacharach-am-rhein-ferienwohnung.de/40511.html We enjoyed this place with 4 apartments in nearby St. Goar; it's only steps from nearly everything in town. http://www.loreley-apartments.de/unsere_region_en.php Contact the local TI for assistance w/ apartments: http://www.bacharach.de/english/code/xtras/frameset.html

The town website (www.bacharach.de) lists 38 Ferienwohnungen (vacation apartments). Don't bother to switch the website to English because the list is in German on either side. In German click on Gastgeberverzeichis (list of hosts), then select Ferienwohnungen under the pulldown "Alle Betriebe" and click "Anzeigen" (show). The list is in German, but the items are pretty easy to understand, for example, "f. 2 Pers. 40 Euro, j.w. Pers. 9 Euro" - for 2 people, €40, each additions person €9. Click on "Mehr Ihfo" and it will show the FeWo's website, if they have one. Sometimes the website will be in English, but if you're going to be in Germany, you shouldn't mind German, right?.

Hi Stayed there two nights. We ended up taking a taxi up the hill all the time. It rained almost the whole time we were there. One thing I did not like is they lock the doors at 10. We wanted to stay out later and could not. Someone suggested renting an apartment. That sounds like a wonderful idea. Then you can come and go and not worry about not getting in. Have Fun Wendy