After spending 3 nts in Amsterdam, We are planning to take a train or maybe drive to Cologne. From there we like to have a short cruise through the Rhine(couple of hours). We wish to take it from Koblenze because we want to do a short stop at Schoenstatt near Koblenze. From there we'll like to stop by Heidelberg, Rothenburg, maybe Stuttgart(just to visit Porsh museum) and Fussen. The ending destiny will be Munich from where we'll get back home. We have 6 days to do this journey. We are still undecided if renting a car at Cologne and leave it as soon we get to Munich. Would it be convenient going to Fussen before leaving the car. Also planning on where to spend the nights. We are open to any suggestions including using trains instead of a car. We are a family of 2 adults and two teens ages 18 & 15. Thank you for any help.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
If you pick up a rental car in one country and drop it off in another, you will pay a stiff international drop-off fee.
I suggest that you take the train from Amsterdam to Koeln (Cologne). If you book well in advance (up to 92 days allowed) at www.bahn.de, you can get a Europa-Spezial Niederlande savings fare as low as 19 EUR/person. Click on the drop-down flag menu for either Spanish or English.
Posted by
OP
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico USA
10 posts
Thanks for the advise Tim. I already tried to book from Amsterdam to Cologne through www.bahn.de and ICE, but it didn't let me go to Cologne. Maybe I'm too ahead of time. At ICE there is a stop at Keulen and I don't know if it means the same as Koln. Otherwise, I booked a trip from Paris To Amsterdam for 35 euros, which I think is great.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
First, Keulen would not be the same in German as Köln, or Koeln. It is entire acceptable to substitue oe for ö, ue for ü, etc.
OK, German Rail recognizes the input of "Keulen" and comes back with Köln. However, it doesn't show it as Keulen. I suspect it is in another language (Dutch?) What website were you using.
You should be able to get very favorable fares from Amsterdam to Köln with advance purchase from the German Rail website.
When is your trip? Is part of the problem that you are trying to book out side of the 3 month "window"?
Heidelberg to Stuttgart, then to Rothenburg, would be a much more logical route.
I've traveled all over this area in the past 10 years, and I have never felt the need for a car. I'll help you work it out.