Romantic road and Mosel Rhine area

From what you have suggested, most of the Romantic Road is an unncessary detour. Although some of the towns along it are attractive, you'll find scenic, well-preserved towns throughout most of Germany. If a particular town along the route interests you, then by all means, go see it. But don't think you're missing anything if you choose to concentrate on non-Romantic Road towns around Munich and southern Bavaria instead (although Füssen sits at the route's southern terminus).

It is a misconception that there are night trains from everywhere in Europe to everywhere else. Night trains only go from some major cities to a few other major cities. Cochem to Venice - No. Munich to Venice, yes; Paris to Venice, maybe.

Maybe go from Paris to the Mosel and the Rhein, then to Rothenburg, Munich (Füssen, Dachau), Salzburg (Berchtesgaden), night train to Venice. fly back from Venice.

carol,

I wouldn't recommend using the Itinerary you mentioned, as that's far too much moving around and backtracking. In the same situation, I'd probably arrange things along these lines.....

• Train from Paris to Bacharach (about 5.5 hours). Use that as a base for both the Rhine cruise and the visit to Burg Eltz. Unless you're planning to make the hike to Burg Eltz from Moselkern, you'll have to do some planning for transportation as it can be a bit "challenging". I can provide further details if you need them. The KD docks are an easy walk from Bacharach, so you can cruise to St. Goar and take the train back. As I recall, the boat trip is longer in one direction than the other because of the current, but I can't remember which direction is longer. I can suggest a few lodgings in Bacharach if you're interested.
• Train from Bacharach to Munich (about 4.5 to 5.5 hours). Use that as a base to see Füssen, Dachau, Salzburg and possibly Berchtesgaden. Staying a few days in Salzburg might make the visit to Berchtesgaden a bit easier. If staying in Salzburg, you could also take a day trip to Hallstatt, which is one of the most beautiful places I've seen in Europe. Check Bob's Special Tours for details and costs. Be sure to allow at least a couple of days for Munich also, as it's an incredible city with lots to see.
• I've enjoyed my visits to Romantic Road places like Rothenburg ODT even though it's quite touristy, especially in the daytime. That's a destination you could skip (IMO), but if you really want to see it, do it as a day trip from Munich (about 3 hours each way, so it will be a long day). Instead of Rothenburg, you could also visit Wurzburg, Nuremburg or other cities in that area.
• Take the train to Venice (6-7 hours depending on which train you choose). That trip goes through the Brenner Pass, which is a trip I always enjoy. There is at least one direct departure from Munich at 11:38, arriving Venice at 18:10 (time 6H:32M, reservations required).

Given the places you want to visit, it seems much more logical to choose hub locations and make day trips and also to move in one direction rather than backtracking.

Good luck with your planning!

Hi, Carol.

"My question is would it make more sense to take the train from Paris to Goar take the Rhine cruise then head to Cochem..."

Paris to Cochem takes less than 4 hours. I'd go there first, then to St. Goar, which is closer to Munich anyway. Otherwise, Paris to St. Goar is 5+ hours and then you have 1.5 hours to Cochem, then you have to cover that segment again on the way south to Munich.

St. Goar is a good choice for a base town on the Rhine. Rheinfels castle is right there, and there's a ferry that runs all day and provides easy access to the east bank rail line should you want to visit Rüdesheim or Marksburg Castle in Braubach (the only never-destroyed Rhine castle with tours; English tours usually at 12:00 and 4:00.) RICK'S MARKSBURG PAGE. From St. Goar, you can visit Bacharach (10 minutes) and Oberwesel (5 minutes) by direct train.

A day trip from St. Goar to Burg Eltz is possible too, but if you're heading to Cochem anyway, maybe do it from Cochem insead. Here are the instructions for walking from Moselkern station to Burg Eltz.

Cruise: If you start in Bacharach and end in St. Goar, you'll be cruising only 40 minutes on a tiny segment of the river. It's better to take the train south past Bacharach to Bingen and start a northbound (much faster than southbound) cruise there. You can cruise back to St. Goar in about 1.5 hours. Or you can stay on for more good scenery to Boppard (2.3 hours) or to Braubach (almost 3 hours) to tour Marksburg.

carol. Tom's advice is good. The "Romantic Road" is not a destination in itself, or an especially scenic drive. It is just a route between a string of pretty towns, some with castles. Pick one town and that is about all you need or have time for. Your itinerary jumps around way too much. You won't experience much besides riding trains or driving on highways.