Car vs. train from Frankfurt to Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Cars are almost always a bit more convenient. We did by train but it require one change.

Carla, I've done that trip by train, and that's the method I would suggest as "easier and most time saving". That route usually has two changes one in Wurzburg and one in Steinach. The last change is inevitable, as Rothenburg is on a "spur line" (the train will probably be diesel, not electric). The total trip from Frankfurt is about 2.5 hours, including changes. Happy travels!

If you book well in advance (up to 92 days allowed) on the German Rail site, you can get a Sparpreis fare as low as €19.00 for Frankfurt-Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The standard 2nd class fare is €42.00. There is no need to go to Paris via Frankfurt. Again if you book in advance on the German Rail site, you can get a Europa-Spezial Frankreich fare as low as €39.00 for Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Paris with connections in Steinach, Ansbach, and Stuttgart. The standard 2nd class fare is €135.00. The discount fares are for specific departure dates and times so be sure you can commit before booking.

Rent a car, it is easier with a GPS, and probably faster if there is no disruption. Plus, the rail line to Rothenburg is slow and outdated.

"the rail line to Rothenburg is slow and outdated." Slow? The train from Steinach to Rothenburg takes only 14 minutes. While not as fast as an ICE, a car, according to Google maps takes the same time. Outdated? The last time I rode the line they were using modern diesel railcars. The one advantage to a car, if you're coming from Frankfurt, is that you can come into Rothenburg directly from the West (Lauda), instead of curling around via Wuerzburg and Steinach, from the east. However, given the choice, I'd rather spend an extra hour relaxed in a comfortable seat in a train coach, watching scenery, reading, writing in my journal, then cramped into a car seat having to watch the road. Plus, a Bayern-Ticket costs a lot less than renting a car for a day or more.

"The one distinction in my mind is the walk from the train station into the medieval section. It's at least 10 minutes, maybe 15 or more if you don't walk fast" I don't find that to be a problem. When I'm hauling my travel kit, I always use a Taxi (there's usually at least one waiting for train arrivals). It's not a long drive, so the cost is usually quite reasonable.

I've gone both ways. You will save time by car but it's easily doable by train. You lose some time making transfers, when you train, but German rail is reliable and consistently on time. The one distinction in my mind is the walk from the train station into the medieval section. It's at least 10 minutes, maybe 15 or more if you don't walk fast or have a lot to carry. If that will be a problem, it's a good reason to drive. When I drove, I went directly to our pension in town, dropped everyone off, then parked about two blocks away outside the wall. If you drive, bring a good GPS. I didn't have one when I drove to Rothenburg and survived fine. Now that I have a GPS, however, I really like the ability to go directly to an address or find points of interest, gas, ATMs, groceries, etc.

You know, rather than go all the way to Rothenburg, you could go to Buedingen instead. This is only an hour out of Frankfurt by train. It is part of the Fachwerk Strasse, which is similar to the Romantic Road, but concentrates more on towns with many half-timbered houses, so not as touristy, but offering more quaintness and less kitsch. Buedingen is a medieval walled city, packed full of half-timbered houses, massive guard towers and a Hexen turm too. It has never been bombed or burned down, as was Rothenburg. The unique 13 sided palace is still lived in by the Ysenburg family, who has been the ruling family since centuries. The town tortured and killed around 400 witches. What you won't find in Buedingen are tourist buses or souvenir shops or a Kathe Wohlfart store. Reasonably priced English language tours are available from the tourist info (we paid 41 euro total for a 90 min. tour) and I can highly recommend them, as they take you into the guard towers and Hexen Turm and also up on top of the towers. Near-by is the town of Glauburg with a wonderful Celtic burial mound and museum, and the Ronneburg Castle is also close by. http://www.buedingen-touristik.de/en.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glauberg http://www.burg-ronneburg.de/