Munich -> Schladming -> Bacharach

Isaac, The photos that Lee provided of the trail to Burg Stahlech show an easier part of the trail. Above that point, it becomes somewhat more narrow, steep and twisting. It's certainly possible to do with only a Backpack though. Again, I'd ask the Hostel for suggestions when you book the room. To reach the trail, look for the stairs behind the Church in Bacharach. Go up to the remains of the old ruins that are above the Church, and just keep climbing uphill. There are more stairs and eventually you'll be going through trees up towards the Castle. According to their website "Membership in the German or any other national Youth Hostel Association required for overnight stays at Youth Hostels." Don't forget to obtain the membership before you leave! I believe you can take care of that online. Cheers!

Isaac, Lee will be the best source of information on "cheap ways" to make the trip you're referring to. To begin with, I'd suggest using the S-Bahn from Munich Airport to the Munich HBf. From there you can transfer to the other trains. As you've no doubt noticed, the trip to Schladming will be a minimum of 3H:24M. The trip from Schladming to Bacharach is a minimum of 8H:16M with at least two changes. It seems doubtful that you'll be able to drrop your bags in Schladming and then carry on to Bacharach the same day (if that's in fact what you were planning)? Should you ever transit through Bingen, the station there has some "quirks". Lee can also provide further information on that. When you arrive in Bacharach, it's a very small station and not manned. A few questions: > Are you planning to walk from the station to the Hostel (Burg Stahleck)? It's some distance up the hill, and although there's a "short cut" through the woods, that's not a hike I'd want to take with luggage. My suggestion would be to budget for a Taxi - ask the Hostel about this when you book the room. Be sure to have a "cool beverage" on the patio while admiring the view of the town and river. > Do you have an H.I. Hostels Membership? Having a membership will provide a cheaper rate for the room and preferred booking. I assume that one of the Castles you'll be exploring on the Mosel is Burg Eltz? Be aware that it's under renovation at the moment, so covered with scaffolding. However, the Castle is open and the tour inside is not affected (no photos allowed inside the Castle during the official tour). BTW, what will you be studying in Austria? Happy travels!

It probably won't give you the full price because one leg of your travel begins in Austria, and I'm guessing that Schladming is not served directly by Deutsche Bahn. Try the Austrian Rail (ÖBB) website for this portion. If you have a valid student ID, you should qualify for some very cheap rates on Deutsche Bahn and ÖBB, although I believe you have to purchase a student rail card from ÖBB to take advantage.

Great info thanks! I was hoping to make that trip in one day, but after posting I looked up the rail times, and your information confirms that it would be very hard if not impossible in one day. Luckily I have some extra days planned into my itinerary and I was thinking of just traveling from schladming to fussen an hosteling there. Then I could wake up early the next morning, see Neuschwanstein, an the travel to the hostel in bacharach. Does that seem more reasonable? As for the trip up the hill to Bacharach castle, I will only have my large backpack, no suitcase or anything, so I think the hike will be ok but I will definitely look into that more now. I am planning on getting an HI membership but don't have one yet, and I will also have a student I'd card like ISIC. I'm having a little trouble with the OBB website, do I need o wait until I'm in country to get student discounts or can see them online somewhere?

Actually, Deutsche Bahn will give you prices, including discounted Europa Spezial fares from Munich to Schladming and Schladming to Bacharach, as separate trips. It just won't do it as a single trip because of all the backtracking. For stopping in Fuessen (or anywhere in Germany), you would need Europa-Spezial tickets from Munich to Schladming and Schladming to Germany starting at €39 each (€78 total). That would allow you to use express trains. Or you could get a Bayern-Ticket for regional trains from Munich to Salzburg and Salzburg to Fuessen(?) for €21 all day, plus point-point from Salzburg to Schladming and back for €21 each way (€63). If someone were with you, the Bayern-Ticket would cost €29, but you could use a €28 Einfach-Raus ticket for all day in Austria, ie, Salzburg to Schladming and back. But, a single person cannot use the Einfach-Raus ticket; by yourself, you'd have to pay full fare. But with the higher cost of the Bayern-Ticket you'd only same €6. This is the trail from Bacharach to Stahleck. Definitely a place for a backpack, not a rollaboard.

I never intended to document the trail to Stahleck. I started at the city wall and was trying to find the ruins of Werner Kappele. First I stumbled on the trail at zum Malerwinkel. I started up and there was where I took the second picture of the trail going through the wall - for the wall. I was impresses at how thin it was. When I realized I was above the Kappele, I took a branch down to where the trail was blocked by tape. I guess they were working on it. I think I took the picture just to show you couldn't get to the Kappele from above.

I would love to stop and see Neuschwanstein, but in the interest of saving money, would it save me a lot to take a night train from Schladming to Bacharach? i.e Europa special to schladming for €39 the night train to Bacharach (I think like €59). It would save me the cost of a hostel for the night and the time of a travel day. I looked at the night train routes and it looked like only from Munich to koblenz is possible, so buying another ticket back to munich might not be worth the extra cost+travel time and I wouldn't be sleeping. Any suggestions on night trains?