Car rental in Germany

If you book in advance on the German Rail (Bahn) website, you can get tickets from Basel SBB to Kehl, Germany, just across the river from Strasbourg, for as low as 19€/person (or 29€ for two if you go from Basel Bad Bhf). The connection is by fast ICE from Basel to Offenburg, then a local train from Offenburg to Strasbourg via Kehl. The fare on that local train from Kehl to Strasbourg is 3,90€/adult. If you are renting the car in Germany to drive in Germany, I suggest you look first at the Bahn website to see if there is public transportation to where you are going. You could save a lot of money by not renting a car. Most German states have passes (called Länder-Tickets) for unlimited travel on regional trains in that state for a day starting at around 26€ for two people. If you live near Denver, come to the August meeting of the travel group, on the 17th, at Panera Bread in Aspen Grove, and I can help you find public transportation in Germany.

I'm the last guy (I know, you can't tell that on the internet ... ) to urge anyone to rent a car! But I assume that you don't have time to do the entire Alsace Wine Route from South to North, or to stop at all the sights Rick loves in southern Alsace. I don't know if the northern Black Forest is less interesting than the southern BF. I loved the southern BF and some border sights near Basel-not to mention the Fondation Beyeler, a stone's throw from the border. Your OP is confusing because you are training to Strasbourg but renting and returning the car in Germany? In my experience, admittedly with higher-end rental companies, as long as you explicitly state your plans, they don't care if you take it into the adjacent countries and back "home". I've only been to Luxembourg City, which was fine, for several days of business. But I question whether it's worth more than a day. It wasn't that interesting or unique in Europe. It's missable.

The main Basel station is divided into two parts. The main part of the station has all the Swiss trains and the TGVs towards Paris via Dijon. Any TGVs towards Paris via Strasbourg will o from there too. The French portion is just a few metres away, through a border area (unmanned) and has platform numbers which are the highest in the station. From here the SNCF local trains head north through Mulhouse, Colmar and the Route des Vins to Strasbourg. The local trains only make a few stops, are inexpensive and very comfortable. The trains are older, but have nice bouncy seats and big windows. We really enjoyed the train. We were on the train in Spring and early Summer and enjoyed the flow through air. The windows open and there isn't air conditioning. Trains to Germany from Basel go from Basel Bad Bahnhof, and some ICE trains continue to and from Basel Hauptbahnhof (main station).