I need some assistance with train travel. Passes vs point to point? Best option for purchase? Where best to buy tickets? What do you recommend? Itinerary; June 18: Paris to Fussen, Germany June 20: Fussen to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany June 21: Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Bacharach, Germany June 23: Bacharach to Bruges, Belgium June 24: Bruges to Haarlem, Netherlands
June 25: Haarlem to Amsterdam Centraal, Netherlands Travelers: Me, my wife, and my 16 year old son. Thanks in advance. Hugh
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4085 posts
Here is the standard set of research sites to answer your own questions: www.seat61.com It will guide you to various national railroad company sites and offer both advice and purchase strategies.
www.bahn.com (the German rail company which provides timetable information, but not tickets, for other countries too.)
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33555 posts
Southam has pointed you in the right direction... Remember that both Fuessen and RodT are at the end of small branch lines so getting there from your previous stop will involve several changes, on the route to Fuessen one will be at a tiny station and a very quick change.
Posted by
Paradise
6957 posts
You are doing a ton of travel in just one week and spending way too much time in train cars. Paris-Füssen requires an 8-hour train ride with at least 2 changes of train. Füssen-R'burg takes 5 hours with 3-4 changes.
Bacharach-Bruges takes 6 hours with 2-4 changes. I realize you didn't ask for comments on your schedule, but a change in travel plans would surely allow you to see more of Europe. Füssen and R'burg get most of Germany's glossy brochure space, and they can be good places to go if you're doing other things in the area too, but WOW will this long journey eat up time and $. Consider instead a more relaxed stay in the old-world towns and castles in the Rhine-Mosel region from June 18-21. Then on June 22, head to Bruges (you WILL want more time there than just one night - it's fabulous.) In the Rhine/Mosel I would use old-world Cochem (lovely old town area, only 4 hours from Paris, Reichsburg castle in town) as a base town and do outings by local train; regional daypasses will cost 30€ for the 3 of you. Definitely see Bacharach and Burg Eltz castle, maybe MArksburg (Braubach) and Rheinfels (St. Goar); Oberwesel, Linz am Rhein, St. Goar and Bernkastel are filled with wonderful old half-timbered buildings, castles, and old town walls and towers. The trip from Cochem to Bruges is the same - about 6 hours - as from Bacharach.