Oberwesel Travel Forum

I have visited http://www.bahn.de/p/view/index.shtml and a couple of questions.
First, it looks like I could purchase my tickets before I leave, and save the time and worry of having change, is this correct? So assuming I'm buying my tickets before leaving (I'm pretty good at keeping schedules):

- I entered "FRA" as the choice of originations. Search ended up with two selections from Frankfurt(M) Flughafen Regionalbf and Frankfurt (M) Flughafen Fernbf. Are any of these the main Frankfurt airport? Not sure about Fernbf, the Regional sounds like the wrong Flughafen!

- For Oberwesel, would the right choice be Oberwesel Bahnhof?

- As far as the train, there are ICE, S,RB and RB - but no train number. I know ICE are the cool white ones, but how do you tell apart S and RB without a train number? I am speculating the train number could surface after you actually purchase the ticket - but so far, no number. How do I know which is the right train?

So, any help confirming the right from/to stations and sorting out the train to get from Frankfurt airport to Oberwesel would be appreciated! Thanks!

Generally speaking, the trains are easy to work out. If you are catching a train at a particular time, then you just go to the platform where there is a train going to your destination at that time. In France, the route numbers are shown on the board but not so much in other countries. I never had the bad luck to get on the wrong train as there is always someone you can ask. I'm sure you will find that your tickets, when you get them, show the route number, but don't forget that you will still need to get your seat reservation at the station before you travel, even if you do have a pre purchased ticket. On some lines where reservations aren't compulsory, you will be able to just get on and worry about where you are going to sit once you board. The worst that can happen is that you may have to stand or ride one of the little jumpseats in the corridor until a seat becomes vacant. Depends how intrepid you are. I prefer to have a seat reservation before I board, but then I'm a stickler for my creature comforts. Enjoy your trip.

Frankfurt Flughafen Regionalbahnhof - the train station for the regional trains at the airport
Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbahnhof - the train station for the long distancce trains at the airport

For Oberwesel there is a through train leaving from the regional station.

The schedule at bahn.de will give you the train number, but mostly trains are differentiated by the time they depart. So you would ask for the 11:23 to Oberwesel, not for the RE 4364, for example.Print out the schedule, then you have both the time and the train number.

At the Regionalbahnhof check the board to see if there are any last minute changes. In a regional train there are no reserved seats, just get in. If you printed out your ticket at home, be sure to bring the same credit card you used when paying for it.

In addition to what has already been said:

> Search ended up with two selections from Frankfurt(M) Flughafen Regionalbf
> and Frankfurt (M) Flughafen Fernbf. Are any of these the main
> Frankfurt airport?

Both are.
Which one to use depends on the train connection you choose. As mentioned before, regional trains leave from Reginalbahnhof. ICs and ICEs leave from Fernbahnhof.
Terminal Map: http://tinyurl.com/69q2ch


> For Oberwesel, would the right choice be Oberwesel Bahnhof?

Yes.

I forgot: to see the train numbers (if you have any use for them) click on "Details for all" or on one particular connection.

DB timetable
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en
From: FRA
To: Oberwesel

You can just keep the defaults. I.e. first entry of a drop down list. Albeit "Oberwesel Bahnhof" is the correct one in this case. But sometimes the generic term covers more than one station or bus stop. E.g. with Frankfurt Airport with its 2 train stations. Than the system will suggest automatically the best connections from either station for you.

> I'm pretty good at keeping schedules)
The ticket options towards Oberwesel are all flexible ones. If you miss a train you can just take the next one.

You don't have much use for train numbers for S and RB trains, as you can't reserve seats on these trains. Since tickets for these regional trains are fully flexible they will not have train number on them either.
You don't need to purchase tickets in advance, as you can just buy them just before boarding. In order to catch the right train just be on the right platform at the right time.

Thanks for all the responses - my confidence level is much better now!