Koblenz Travel Forum

Hi, I have been reading great info on the forum and i am planning on a Train/Ferry trip on 5/16 from Frankfurt to Koln.

1. Frankfurt airport -> Rudesheim or Bingen
Q -My flt arrives at 7:20am and i need to get to either of these 2 places by the train asap to catch the KD ferry. Which pier is easier and quicker to get to?

2. Rudesheim or Bingen to Koblenz
Q- I read the K-D schedule posted on the web but it appears that they only have ferry departs at 9:15, 10:15 and 14:15 (fm Rudesheim) and 9:30, 10:30 and 14:30 from Bingen. Orignally, I want to take the ferry to go all the way to Koln, but it seems like only the 10:15 ferry have the 2nd part (Koblenz to Koln) of the ride. I doubted if I can make it to either of these piers fm the airport to catch that. Now i also read some conflicing info about K-D runs hourly during the peak season. Is it true?
I also read that there is no need to buy the ferry ticket in advance and there are 20% discount off for train & ferry ticket. How and where can i get it?

3. From Koblenz to Koln,
I can spen a nite in Koln or Koblenz and then need to take another train ride on Sunday late afternoon to go to other city. Is there anything to see in Kolenz at nite? Or it is better off to just go to Koln straight?

4. Questions on the DB, if I get the discounted ticket but end up missing the train, can I still use the ticket? Is it worth it to spend more on the 1st class than the 2nd class ticket?

5. Can I take my carry on lugguage with me on the K-D line?

I just checked the train connections between Frankfurt Airport and Rüdesheim or Bingen. It seems that you can get quicker to Bingen (approx. 1:10 hrs) than to Rüdesheim (1:35 hrs). For both destinations, you have to change trains once (to R. in Wiesbaden and to B. in Mainz).
So question 1:
Bingen seems to be the better option timewise. I can confirm that it is a 5-10 minute walk from the train station to the pier. From the arrival platform in Bingen, go down the stairs to an underground walk, head north towards the water and then you will see a big roundabout with flags in the near distance to your left (west). That's where the pier is.
But get off in Bingen at the train station Stadt (and not Hauptbahnhof/HBF)!! Bingen has two stations. If you look at google maps and then click to satellite, the KD pier is the one with a boat docked at the pier (and not leaving like the boat at the pier to the left).
If you manage to be off the airport with immigration and customs you might be able to catch the train at 8:38 which is in Bingen Stadt at 9:57. This allows you enough time to walk to the pier and buy your ticket. Same with the next train (8:58 from Frankfurt airport, 10:03 at Bingen).

Question 2:
as I said, I am almost sure that you can make it to catch the 10:30 boat from Bingen. And yes, you do not need to make a reservation, you can buy the ticket at the counter in front of the pier (= the greyish building in front of the pier in google earth).
I don't know if they really run hourly boats during the main season. I know that they didn't last July when I made the tour and also not last end September. So I would assume that they also don't in May.
Regarding the discount: I am sure that you have to present your train ticket at the KD counter and get the discount. But I am sure as soon as VTer @abalada will see your thread, he/she will answer you more precisely.

I can't answer you questions 3 (have never been to Koblenz) and question 4 (that's again one, @abalada will help), but for
question 5:
yes, of course you can! There is really enough space and I saw many people with luggage. They might have a storage room, but I don't know exactly, because my boat trips were always day tours (and back with train). But it is worth to ask them. I found the KD staff always very very friendly and helpful.

Does this help?
Ingrid :-)

> Now i also read some conflicing info about K-D runs hourly during the peak season. Is it true?
http://www.k-d.com/englisch/schiffstouren/fahrplan-rhein-peak.html
Bingen 09:30 10:30 11:30 14:30 16:30

> I also read that there is no need to buy the ferry ticket in advance
Actually buying in advance would not even be possible.
Only for groups with 10 or more persons a reservation is possible.

> and there are 20% discount off for train & ferry ticket. How and where can i get it?
You just have to present the train ticket. But I don't know if this will really work with the RMV (regional local public transport) ticket from Frankfurt Airport to Bingen. But it won't harm to try it for sure.

> Is there anything to see in Kolenz at nite? Or it is better off to just go to Koln straight?
As this will pretty much the only way for you to see something of Cologne I would go to Cologne in this case.

> 4. Questions on the DB, if I get the discounted ticket but end up missing the train, can I still use the ticket?
No. Only if it the fault of DB. But even in this case you need to get a note on your ticket for removing the original restriction (by a conductor or from a DB service point).

> Is it worth it to spend more on the 1st class than the 2nd class ticket?
Rule of thumb: if you have to ask this question, it's not worth to go for 1st class. 2nd class is really OK.

In case you travel from Frankfurt Airport to Cologne with Bingen - Koblenz by KD boat you can buy a ticket for this trip (trains + boat) at the DB customers centers at Frankfurt Airport.

Thank you Abalada and Trekki, these are wonderful information!