We would like to go by train from Cologne(2nights in Cologne) to Bacharach, Heidelberg, Rothenburg in two days. Spending the night in Heidelberg and Rothenburg. We're not sure about how to get to these places with the train, any ideas or good advice would be appreciated. It's our 40th anniversary and we will then go to Salzburg and Vienna for several days and then to Paris for a week. We've traveled a lot in Italy by train but only on escorted river cruises in Germany. Is Cologne and some of the river towns too much to do in four days? Not sure how long the train trips will be between?
Posted by
Westford, MA, USA
567 posts
Hi Patsy:
Rothenburg is a long haul from Cologne and Bacharach.
Last month we travelled from St.Goar (town next to Bacharach) to Rothenbug.
We left on a Sunday at 820am and didn't get to our hotel in Rothenburg until 300pm.
We took the fastest schedule available with the least changes, and had a rail pass so there was no restrictions to the time or train types we used.
There were 3 train changes and then we used a taxi from station to Rothenburg hotel.
My point is you should consider just basing yourselves in Cologne and Bacharach, or Bacharach and Rothenburg, or Bacharach and Heidelberg, for the 4 days then move on to Austria.
Cologne is an easy (1-3/4) hrs day trip from Bacharach with one change.
Heidelberg is about a 2 hr train ride from Cologne.
Check out the eurail selectpass for 3 countries, and options at www.eurail.com
and the German rail site at www.bahn.de