Frankfurt to Amsterdam

Again, I like cutting loose from the car. I know its hard to comprehend, especially for a Californian, but it really can be a nuisance. What are you going to do with the car when you get to Amsterdam? Turn it in in the Netherlands for huge repratriation fee? Pay an arm and a leg to park? Stay outside of town and commute every day? I forgot from previous posts, are you starting your trip in the Netherlands? I appreciate there are some logistics involved with young ones. But you still have car seats to deal with in a car. You can travel very efficiently in Germany on the rails. Example: one person traveling from Frankfurt to Cochem is 19 euro advance nonrefunable. 2 adults and 2 children under 6 is 29 euro total. And Cochem is a small detour off the main Rhine route. Its on the Mosel. I would not think you would have a problem with vegetarian eats. Lots of Germans are vegetarian and Cochem isn't really a small town (but it ain't no San Jose).
OK, I'll have to admit that a set of wheels would come in handy if you want to go to Burg Elz. I don't think the gang is ready for the hike up to the castle from the train station. But think about ditching the car before you get to Holland.

Sam - where are you getting these low train fares from? what site are you using. When i looked up frankfurt to amsterdam it was over 250 euros i think thats why we figured the car was better. We can make our own schedule. Can you orient me to the rhine /mosel area? where is the rhine and where is the mosel valley. thanks Sam
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Okay, I just stuck in a random summer date at www.bahn.de. You enter 2 adults and 2 children under 6 and your date and time, start and end point and they give you the available discount price if you buy now, and the normal price. The Mosel is a tributary of the Rhine. Just go to google maps and zoom in on the middle Rhine. It flows into the rhine at Koblenz. So if you were driving down the Rhine valley on the west bank, you'd hang a left at Koblenz and then you would be driving up the Mosel valley.

You could always go down the Rhine, and I promise you'll get your fill of castles. I enjoy Bacharach, as it's a quiet and inexpensive river town to stay in. Trains go from Frankfort Airport thru Bacharach, Koblenz, Cologne and ultimately into Amsterdam. If you do the trip by car, you can return it in Cologne and catch the train into Amsterdam. Check out Bavaria Ben's website for places to go in the region. http://www.bensbauernhof.com http://www.bensbauernhof.com/accommodationsrhinemosel.html
The second listing covers some great places to stay.

I have done both. Either works fine, but a combination of the two might work better. You can rent a car at Frankfurt, explore the Rhine and Mosel valleys for a day or two or three, return it at Cologne, and take the train. If you choose to drive all the way to Amsterdam, leave the car at one of the Park and Ride sites on the edge of the city and take a local train into town; google Amsterdam Park and Ride for details. All this assumes your return flight is from Frankfurt; if you will be flying out of Amsterdam, definitely leave the car in Germany and take the train.

Cochem is on the Mosel, which connects with the Rhine at Koblenz. It's not far out of the way. I prefer the Mosel to the Rhine because it's a little smaller and less busy. I've only been in Spring or Fall, so can't say what the summer tourist rush looks like. I'd vote for Rheinfels castle because the kids can wander and look at what they want. It's a ruin, however, so it depends on whether you prefer a ruin or a restored castle. Burg Eltz is a neat castle with a great (and easy) walk along a stream, through light forest, from Moselkern. Once there, however, you can only see the castle by tour and the tour is just okay, the girls may lose patience waiting for and staying with the tour. Another choice on the Rhine would be Marksburg, which is a favorite of some on this site (mine is Rheinfels). I think you can always find vegetarian options anywhere in Europe, just ask and see what they can offer. I also think everyone would enjoy the KD boat ride from St. Goar to Bacharach.

Most of the Rhine area is easily traveled by train, but it's much easier to pack two young girls and everyone's stuff in a rental. When traveling in the Rhine area, you can get one of two day passes: a Lander (again two dots over the a) or provincial day pass: or Schoenes Wochende (missing two dots over o) or Beautiful Weekend (my translation, might be nice or lovely weekend) day pass. They cover the whole family and are inexpensive. They're for regional (local) trains only and include unlimited on/off stops during the day. A car will get you to Amsterdam from Cologne (Koln with two dots over the o) easier than any other option - but renting in one country and dropping in another is an expensive option. Maybe someone can chime in on good options. Good question about where you fly home from. If Frankfurt, you can park your car at the Olympic Stadium and take a tram downtown from there. When we were there the Olympic Stadium was a secure option and cost the same or less than other car parks (cheap isn't the correct word though).

Thank you for the suggestions. We are flying out of frankfurt on may 31 at 12 noon.

Hello Swati. Ride in trains in Germany. Along the Rhine River, from Mainz to Koblenz, the view is much better from a railroad train than from a car on the road. If you rent a car, that would be more to worry about. I think Cochem is a good place for overnight accommodation. If you will be at Cochem, the nearest castle is Berg Eltz. You could ride in a bus from Cochem to an other town, and ride in a Taxi car from there to the Berg Eltz parking lot. At small towns in Germany, eating in a restaurant can be a problem for vegetarians. (I am vegetarian). And ride in trains from Cochem to Amsterdam, via Koblenz.