On Monday June 11 I will travel from Bamberg to somewhere in the Rhine/Mosel (tbd), and on Tuesday June 12, from "tbd" to Cologne. I can arrive at Cologne at sunset (9 or 10 pm). On Tuesday I want to visit Burg Eltz. So where should I spend the night and what it the most effective rail fare? The simplest is an "all Germany" pass, but can I combine a ticket from Bamberg to, say, Mainz, with a ticket on to, say, Cochem? Sorry this is so vague. Thanks for the help --
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19231 posts
I think your most cost effective travel by regional train would be using a Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket (all day pass for regional trains throughout Germany (all Länder). That would cost €42, and you could buy it as late as the morning of travel at the Bamberg Bhf. Looks like by regional trains will take you 6½-7 hours and 3 changes. You can't start traveling with that ticket until after 9 AM. Right now I am looking at a Sparpreis connection using 2 Regional Express trains and an IC with changes in Würzburg and Koblenz and taking 4½ hours. If you bought the ticket right now on the German Rail (Bahn) website, it would only cost you €49. That leaves Bamberg at 7:25. There is another connection with the same fare and 3 changes leaving at 11:25. A point-point ticket from Bamberg to Mainz by regional train would would be €42,60 and then you would need a Rheinland-Pfalz ticket to Cochem, so that would be more.
Posted by
OP
124 posts
Hi Lee: Thanks for the prompt reply. Yes, the Lander ticket would give me the most flexibility and I haven't secured accommodation in Cochem (or perhaps elsewhere) yet. It also has the advantage that, once in the Rhine, I could putter around until I get to my final destination.
If I leave at >0900 and it takes 7hr without pause, that's roughly 1500 at Cochem midafternoon. Sunset is at almost 2200, so if I dawdle along the Rhine, I could have a pleasant evening ride or pause for dinner. Sounds good... what have I missed? Cheers!
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19231 posts
The first regional connection out of Bamberg is at about 9:30 so you would get to Cochem at about 14:30. If you are just going to use Cochem as an overnight stay, don't plan to spend any time there, and want go right on to Burg Eltz in the morning, might I suggest you spend the night in Treis-Karden at Gästezimmer Löhr. I stayed there in 2008. It's not as far up the Mosel as Cochem, so you could get there sooner that evening, and it's very close to Moselkern and the path to Burg Eltz for the morning. The Löhr family rents two double rooms, one with a kitchette, on the top floor of their house. Peter Löhr speak very good English and, if you let him know when you are arriving, will probably pick you up at the station.