travel from Cochem to Burg Eltz

Assuming it is still in use, there is a small trolley carrying visitors to Burg Eltz and back from the parking area above the castle. When my wife tried to board, she was told it was for people with health conditions. That was in 2007.

I can't answer all your questions, especially about the train, but we visited Burg Eltz from Cochem in 09. From Moselkern you can drive pretty much all the way but it is a pretty long drive and up a really steep hill that I certainly wouldn't want to bike up. You can also hike from a spot fairly close in - but the person who has the foot problem would negate that plan. You do not need a ticket or reservation for the English tour or at least we certainly didn't. We had to wait about 20 minutes for the tour and it was nice to sit at the snack bar and look around during that time.
It's well worth the effort to see - so good luck in arranging it.

I don't have a solution for the person with the foot problem. But for the rest of you, Burg Eltz is a delight (especially if you have seen too many military castles & ruins) and the BEST part of seeing it is seeing it through the woods at the end of that beautiful walk. Subtract that walk from the equation and you cut the overall quality of the experience in half, in my opinion.

Kathryn, When looking over your proposed travel plans, the main concern that comes to mind is the time factor. You indicated that the ship would be docked for "a few hours". Exactly how much time will you have for visiting Burg Eltz? Given the "foot problems" of one member of your party, hiking from Moselkern will likely not be an option. I believe there's a Shuttle running from the station, which wasn't the case last year. A Taxi might work better for timing though. Once you reach the parking lot, there's a Shuttle Van to take visitors down to the Castle (~1€ as I recall). While you could walk, the Van is a really good idea especially on the return as it's a STEEP uphill walk! The English language tours are run at regular intervals. Check the Guidebook for times. NOTE that photos are NOT allowed during the tour but are allowed in the Treasury which you can visit after the tour. I'll check my notes when I get home for details on the Taxi. Happy travels!

You will undoubtedly come to the Cochem Bahnhof at ground level at the front of the station (one level below the tracks). There are ticket vending automats in the lobby and a ticket counter on the right hand side. I don't know the hours for the counter, but it was always open when I was there. The train to Moselkern is a regional train. You don't need (can't get) reservations for regional trains. The notes for the train says "Number of bicycles conveyed limited". There will be a car, probably at one end of the train, with some bicycle racks and a few jump seats.

We tried to walk once and had to give up as my wife had cut her foot and after a short walk the pain was too much. Not an easy walk if you have foot or leg problems

I agree with Randy. The walk was at least half the enjoyment of visiting Burg Eltz. The walk isn't steep except for the last little bit. I don't recall whether they allow mountain bikes on the trail, it's not a hard trail but I think you would need a mountain bike for the tires.

I'm pretty sure no bikes allowed on the trail. I remember parts of that trail being narrow enough that bikes & walkers would not be able to pass safely.

@Randy, I don't agree that not taking the hike diminishes the Castle visit to any extent. I took a Taxi from Moselkern, and had a very enjoyable visit to the Castle. I walked down hill and along the trail for a short distance, so I also saw the Castle from that perspective. Given the time factor and the fact that one of the party has mobility issues, I'd recommend using the easiest and quickest method to reach Burg Eltz. Cheers!