We are looking at travel to Bacharach on Sunday, April 3rd. Our idea is to take a river cruise rather than a train to Bacharach. Has anyone done this, and what cruise line did you use? The websites I have visited are very confusing, and I can't seem to gauge the time required to do so. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
I think the biggest cruise line on the Rhein is the Köln-Düsseldorf line (K-D, www.k-d.com). The schedules on that website are easy to understand. As I remember, when I was there, the off season started the first Saturday in April. There were no boats before that date. So far I haven't see this years schedule posted on their website. One thing you should realize. The Rhein flows from the SE (Mainz) to the NW (Köln), and the current is very strong. It would take so long to go from Köln to Bacharach that there are no through boats in any season. Also, While Bacharch to Koblenz will take 3 hours, Koblenz to Bacharach will take 4½ hrs.
Posted by
OP
Seattle, WA
4 posts
Yes, after careful examination of their website and timetable(based on 2010), it appears that this really isn't an option. Thanks for weighing in.
Posted by
S.F. Bay Area, CA, United States
1878 posts
I highly recommend taking the round tip between Bacharach and St. Goar just for fun, even if you are not relying on the boat to get from place to place. It is really fun watching the world go by on the tourist barge. Nice scenery and lots of commercial barges.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
I wouldn't do Bacharach to St. Goar round trip. You just see the same things twice. Bacharach to St. Goar takes 40 min with the current, St. Goar to Bacharach take 70 min against the current. Round trip is almost 2 hours plus turnaround time. It's not worth the time. Take the boat from Bacharach to St. Goar and use the train (for €3,30) the other way.
Posted by
Beverly Hills, MI
813 posts
I just looked at the K-d Rhine web site and if I read it correctly, their season starts on April 29 which is not good news. In any case I would not start the trip in Cologne. The scenic part of the Rhine gorge is south from Koblenz. The ride from Koblenz to Bacharach is long enough. Take one of the frequent trains to get from Cologne to Koblenz.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
Perhaps there is more than one K-D website, and one is ahead of the others, but www.k-d.de only shows the schedule for last year, 2010. The Off Season (reduced schedule) started on April 3 and the Peak Season started on April 24.
Posted by
SAN JOSE
2 posts
David - we used KD a couple of years ago to travel from Koblenz to Coachem, along the Mosel River, which intersects with the Rhine at Koblenz. The website was easy to understand, and the trip was wonderful. I'm not familiar with the specific route you're planning, but would recommend this line, as I believe they also serve the Rhine route. Sally, San Jose CA
Posted by
Wiesbaden, Germany
791 posts
Everytime we've done it we always stay in Bacharach and do the Bacharach to Koblenz leg on KD, then take the train back to Bacharach. It takes about 3 hours and get a bit tedious after a while but there's a bar on board which certainly makes things more enjoyable.
Posted by
NLR, Ar USA
92 posts
David, I have been on the KD from St Goar to Bacharach, and to Rudesheim, and to Brabach and enjoyed every minute of it. It was a way to relax and watch the scenery and the people on the KD Boat. Now, I do understand, like one of the posters said, you would see duplicate scenery on a roundtrip trip to Bacharach, but I ate on the KD and had a drink., so it suited me. It just depends on what you want to do. I have also gone on a train from St Goar, to Mainz and to Koblenz and enjoyed that too. Whatever you decide, enjoy.