MagnificentTraveler.com

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

If you’ve got a day to spare and you’re staying in the Frankfurt or Cologne area of Germany, a highly recommended trip is a cruise on the Rhine River. The main company running cruises is KD. The website includes schedules and fares for planning purposes.

There are numerous locations along the river where you can start your trip, but the area between Bingen and Koblenz is a very nice part of the river with lots of castles to view.

There are a few different options as to organizing your trip but it is best to take into consideration the following:

1. As the upstream trip takes longer than the downstream trip, one option is to take the train from Koblenz to Bingen and return on the boat.
2. However, the cost for the train one way between Koblenz and Bingen is EUR 10.90 (however if you do take the train you can present a valid train ticket and you’ll receive a 20% discount on the KD boat fare).
3. Keep in mind if you do take the train, the station in Koblenz is across town from the ferry terminal, whereas in Bingen the train station (2nd train stop in Bingen as there are two - ask the conductor for the one closer to the ferry) is right beside the ferry.
4. Another option is to start your trip in Bingen and take the ferry up to St. Goar disembark (or nearby) and catch a return ferry back to Bingen.

Whatever option you choose, the scenery is fantastic with a significant number of castles and picturesque towns along the way. Also of interest is the numerous barges plying their way along the Rhine, as this river not only serves as a tourist attraction but is a working river used to transport various cargos.