Marksburg & Heidelberg Castles in 1 Day?

Karen,

I don't know how long the train rides will be or what the train schedule is, but if you can get from Koln to Koblenz/Marksburg by 9:00am or so and then to Heidelberg by 1:30 and up to the Schloss by 2:00, it is do-able. Schloss Heidelberg isn't that big and you can see pretty much everything there in an hour or so. I haven't been to Marksburg, so I don't know how long that would take to tour.

According to the German Rail website, if you leave Köln at about 9, use express trains where possible, and only spend 3 hours in Braubach (arr at station, walk up the hill, get a tour right away, get back to the station), you could get to Heidelberg by about 3:30 pm (15:34). I don't know if that gives you enough time at Heidelberg.

In answer to Karen's schedule, the Marksburg can only be seen with a guided tour. They start at 10 AM (what language?) and take about 50 min. The next train after 10:50 leaves Braubach Bahnhof at 11:46, so you would have some slack to wait for an English tour and still get down to the station. The 11:46 gets you to Heidelberg station at 14:04.

There is a train connection leaving Köln at 7:53, :O, getting to Braubach at 9:22. That's enough time to get up the hill to the Marksburg if you are in fairly good shape and know where you are going.

If you want lunch that day, it would have to be on the IC from Koblenz (12:17) to Heidelberg (14:04).

Exactly the information I was looking for. Thank you!!!