Rail - Germany and Cöte d'Azur and Taxi at CDG

1. On the DB site click on "Change other data." Then on the new page click on "Only local transport."

2. I can't help you here.

3. Very easy! There is cheap and frequent train and bus service.

4. Please clarify. Do you want to take a taxi from the Hyatt Regency to CDG in time to be at the airport by 03:30? If so, then the fact that the hotel offers free shuttle service beginning at 06:30 is irrelevant.

First thing, it might help to spell correctly. It's München or Muenchen, not Müenchen. When I put in Rothenburg ob der Tauber to München, I see both express routes, using an ICE, and all-regional routes, using RE/RB. Clicking "local transport only" will eliminate express trains, but in this case, it's not necessary.

To understand the time involved in a Rhein Cruise, it is helpful to realize that the Rhein flow SE to NW, so from Mainz to Koblenz is actually down the river. It is much faster to go down the river, with the current, than the other way. You can actually see the Rhein pretty well from the train that goes alongside the river, but if you want to do a cruise, the most interesting part of the river (Pfalzgrafenstein & Lorelei) is from Bacharach down to St. Goar. The Lorelei is between Oberwesel and St. Goar. Any boat trip, IMO, is tediously slow.

Schedules and fares for the boat are at www.k-d.de. Note that half the boats start down the river from Mainz, in Rüdesheim.

The "jumping off" place for Burg Eltz is actually on the Mosel. I wouldn't try to go there via boat.

your question numbers:

1. Lee's advice is good here.

2. Emilyn, unless you have a special thing for river cruising, I'd suggest you take the train to Bacharach and take the boat from there to St Goar.

Here is the first train combination after 0700:

München Hbf dep 07:55 22 ICE 726 Intercity-Express
Frankfurt(Main)Hbf arr 11:05 7
Frankfurt(Main)Hbf dep 11:42 6 IC 2024 Intercity
Mainz Hbf arr 12:18 3 a/b
Mainz Hbf dep 12:30 11 MRB84130 Mittelrheinbahn (trans regio)
Bacharach Tu, 13.04.10 arr 13:20 2

I've taken both train and boat in the area between Bacharach and St Goar many times, and the scenery is really great. Yes, the boat is slow, but it adds to the enjoyment. I'd do it if I never had.

The trains from St Goar will then get you where you need to go.

Do be aware it has taken you 5 and a half hours before you get on the boat, you'll have an hour on the boat, then from there?, so it will be a long day.

Question 3. Very frequent service from early until late, with a mid day break, very inexpensive.

Thank you Tim, Steve, Lee, and Nigel for your help.

Lee – Thank you for pointing out the error of my ways. I have only just discovered how to include foreign characters (1st quarter French!) and have been spelling Munich as Muenchen for well over a year. When you’re accustomed to visually seeing a word with a certain number of characters…well, I’m obviously not a good proofreader!

Tim and Lee – At least I now have a good idea of how slow local transportation ONLY is when compared to ICE combo journeys.

Steve – Did not know World Taximeter existed. Fabulous tool.

Lee and Nigel – I concede. Traveling the Rhine via boat to get to our destination may not be such a good idea after having spent five hours on a train. I wouldn’t mind, but my husband might. Taking the train to Bacharach and a boat from there to St. Goar we’ll definitely do the next day.

More cruise questions. Despite being “tediously slow,” is the view worth staying on the boat all the way to Koblenz? I’m fully aware of the location of Burg Eltz, but would a trip via boat from that area to Koblenz be just as visually enjoyable as Bacharach-St. Goar?

Thanks,
Emilyn