My family and I are traveling to Germany this summer (5 of us) and would like some information on Rhine Cruises. We are staying in Bacharach on the first night in the Rhine Region (June 20) and would like to get up the next morning and take a cruise beginning in Bacharach and then go directly to the Mosel River and cruise a small portion. We have reserved a night in Trier on our 3rd night (June 22) of this trip however do not have a place reserved yet for the second night (June 21) because we are not sure if we are able to take once cruise line that travels from Bacharach then turns and goes directly onto the Mosel. I have looked up the schedule on K-D Line and it is not very helpful. Any suggestions from past experience would be helpful. We would like to know what town would be nice to stay in on our second night and if there is a cruise line that will meet our needs. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
I think you're getting types of cruises confused. Since it seems you're sleeping on land, it seems that what you want is more of a day excursion affair which it sounds like you're doing on the Rhine.
I know of no excursion boats that hit both rivers.
On the Mosel, there used to be an outfit around Cochem that did day excursions. I haven't noticed it for a while -- maybe they're gone, maybe it's me. Have no idea what the name is/was.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
"I have looked up the schedule on K-D Line and it is not very helpful."
Do you mean you can't understand the schedule or they don't have what you are looking for. (I suspect the latter.)
I don't know if that boat that goes from Bacharach (10:15 to Koblenz (13:10) is the same one that goes up the Mosel from Koblenz at 13:10. I doubt it. Even with the current (to the NW), boats on the Rhein are painfully slow. I suggest you make a short trip by boat from Bacharach to St Goar, then go the rest of the way to Trier by train.
Alternatively, take the boat the rest of the way on down to Braubach (12:20), see the Marksburg, then stay in Braubach at Weinhaus Wieghardt. The next morning, take the train into Koblenz and take a train from there to Trier.
Posted by
Hamilton, NJ, USA
132 posts
Having stayed on the Rhine and Mosel several times (including our trip for Octoberfest last year). The KD makes regularly scheduled stops along the Rhine stopping at most river towns as it heads up the Rhine from Bacharach to Cologne- I wouldn't worry about the schedule in advance. We took the KD boat from Bacharach to Mosel (a great scenic river ride) which took about 3 hours-well worth it...then we got off in Koblenz and took a taxi from the Rhine riverfront to the train station where we took a train to Cochem for our 2nd night in Germany. The KD makes trips down the Mosel too but the Mosel has more commericial boat traffic and is not a scenic as the Rhine.
Try the wine carosal in Bacharach (it's fun) and if you decide to stay in Cochem for your 2nd night, I would recommend Hotel Lohspeicher (right in the center of town and the innkeeper is a gourmey chef).
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
I almost agree with Lee, except I think the down-stream boat moves at a faster clip so I'd ride it all the way to Boppard since I like it better than St Goar. If it's the hop on/off deal you could stop at St Goar for a while as well.
Like Lee, that would be the end of the river business for me, but I would go spend the night in Cochem since you have it uncommitted and it's a pretty neat place. On the other hand, if you've never been to Trier, it's worth a couple of nights.
My idea might have two bad faults:
I can picture piers protruding into the river at Boppard, but don't ever remember seing a boat actually stopped there.
I know there are train tracks on the left banks of both the Rhine and the the Mosel, but I have no idea how to make use of them.
If Lee comes back, he might have an alternative idea or trash mine. Stick with him. I just know places and can't get anywhere without driving.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
I can't say for sure if I've ever seen a K-D ship docked at Boppard, but I'm sure they do. The schedule shows them stopping there and they have a ticket kiosk at the dock. However, the Bahnhof in Boppard is a lot farther from the dock than it is at St Goar. Also, if you wanted to go to the Marksburg, it would be far better to go on to Braubach on the boat. If you get off in Boppard, on the opposite bank, you would either have to go all the way down to Koblenz by train, then come back up the other bank, or you would have to take the ferry across at Boppard and walk a km or so to the Filsen train station to go on to Braubach. (I did that, took the ferry across and walked a km, when I stayed in Boppard for five nights in 2004.)
There are trains lines right on the river bank on both sides of the Rhein in that area. The train runs on the left bank of the Mosel from Cochem down, but above Cochem the Mosel gets snaky, and the train runs a little back from the river. You need a bus to get to Zell and Bernkastel-Kues, both right on the river.
I know there are train tracks on the left banks of both the Rhine and the the Mosel, but I have no idea how to make use of them.
The best way to use a train track is to ride a train running on it. ;o) Using a train there is no different than using any other regional trains in Germany. The stations are largely unmanned, but they have ticket automats similar to the regional automats. You look up you station on the shield on the left hand side, punch in the three digit number code, and buy your ticket. Fares and connections can be found on the VRM website, www.vrm.info.