My husband and I will be visiting Germany in September 2007 for our third wedding anniversary. We will be flying into Dusseldorf, spending the first night in Bonn, the next three in Bacharach, and five in Trier.
We are interested in using Trier as a base to explore the surrounding countryside, including the Mosel river area and into Luxembourg and France. My question is; would it make more sense to rent a car or rely on the train or bus system to do these trips? We are on a tight budget, but we do have a reserved free parking spot where we are staying.
Since Bonn, Bacharach, and Trier are all in the same state, we could buy the Bahn daytripper passes (can%26#39;t remember the actual name, 25 Euro a day), and pay extra to get to France and Luxembourg. Would we be severly limiting our freedom of movement, as well as schedule, by going this route instead of a car rental?
Also, would it be easier to get back to Dusseldorf at the end of the five nights with a car or by the train?
Any thoughts are greatly appreciated! Thanks!
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Either way will work; it depends on your destinations and your preferences.
In 5 days, you don%26#39;t have time to see everything. As long as you don%26#39;t have to visit any towns without train service, the train should work fine.
In one or two cases - like Bernkastel, which is a must-see in my book - you%26#39;d need to connect by bus from a nearby train station - inconvenient. But boats will get you there as well, and maybe that%26#39;s something you%26#39;d want to do anyway.
The %26quot;Rheinland-Pfalz%26quot; tickets are the daypasses you mention for your target area of Germany - good any day of the week on the regional trains in Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland.
You may also have occasion to use the Saar-Lux-Lor ticket - 27 Euros for 2, a Sat or Sun daypass that gets around within Luxembourg, Saarland, and Lorraine. In Luxembourg and Lorraine, any trains can be used except the ICE. This brochure has a map to show you where you can go:
bahn.de/regional/view/mdb/pv/dbregio/ausflue…
I think a good argument can be made for the car for this area too. You don%26#39;t have to plan out your destinations in advance as thoughtfully if you have a car. Probably not as convenient to have a car in the cities, however (Trier, Metz, Luxembourg.)
Best wishes for a good trip.
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Tageskarte DeLux price level 2 for EUR 10,80
is a day ticket covering Trier to any place in Luxembourg
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Although the train and bus services in Germany are run very well, I would go for the car option.
This gives you more flexability and you can also go to smaller places on your travels.
May I ask why Bacharach? So many Americans seem to stay their. There is nothing wrong with the village, but there are plenty of prettier ones along the banks of the Mosel and Rhine.
Have a lovelly time whatever form of transport you choose.
%26lt;*))))))%26gt;%26lt;
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I think Bacharach became extremely popular as a place to visit on the Rhein due to the the American travel writer, Rick Steves. He featured it many times in his TV series, and raved about it in in his book. Unfortunately, that can take away a place%26#39;s charm.. Now, in Bacharach, one sees little signs in the windows of shops and inns: %26quot;Recommanded (sp) by Rick Steves%26quot;. Too bad.
I agree there are many other village and towns in the Rhein/Mosel region with more reasons to visit, but this village, which does have charming half-timbered buildings, has become over-visited and not just by Americans.
The one worse on the Rhein, IMHO, is Ruedesheim, which seems to have sold its soul to mass tourism. Not the first time this has happened in any part of the world, however.
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Every tour bus on earth must have been to Rudeshiem by now (at least twice). The whole town, as you say, is now %26#39;Tourist Vil%26#39;, a great shame really. Plus every river cruise boat stops too.
I wasn%26#39;t aware about the TV programes or the writer, I haven%26#39;t been to Bacharach for a few years. It was just that I noticed how every post from America seemed to mention the village.
Glad he didn%26#39;t go to Beilstein.
%26lt;*))))))%26gt;%26lt;
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Bad news, Shropshire--Steves adores Burg Eltz! I used to ride horseback there with friends who live on farms in the area. We%26#39;d picnic on a hill looking down on it. I haven%26#39;t been that way in a while, but from the number of posts regarding that lovely castle, it too is more popular, maybe in part because of him.
He has a following much like that of the original Frommer%26#39;s book, Europe on $5 a Day (I%26#39;m dating myself). He was originally famous for his %26quot;Europe through the Back Door%26quot; book, which was quite useful for the first timer. Now he is a major corporate travel writer, in the guise of the independent travel writer. His base is in a town to the north of me, and he started in a small house which has now grown into a large office building with a large staff.
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I wondered why there were so many Americans last year. I thought a local US Airbase had come enmass or something.
The Mosel has always been popular with tourists of course, back in the 70%26#39;s the Dutch and their caravans invaded every summer. The Belgians with their new found wealth and camper vans are now taking over. I noticed that the German tourists were fewer and far between last year too, their economy isn%26#39;t so great anymore, they are feeling the pinch a bit.
I shall see who wins the %26#39;most tourists I can spot%26#39; challenge in a few days, when I arrive in Cochem.
%26lt;*))))))%26gt;%26lt;
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Thank you to everyone who replied to my post!
Lincolnshirechap: To answer your question, I chose Bacharach because we are going to be in the area during the Rhine in Flames and, even this far in advance, most towns nearby are completely booked. I wasn%26#39;t aware that Rick Steves was involved in the place, but I am going to keep the reservations anyway.
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Hi Holly,
I am sure Bacharach will be just how you have imagined it, have a wonderful 3rd Anniversary.
%26lt;*))))))%26gt;%26lt;
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