Starting a tour in Frankfurt

[Bodhbh]

Thanks Bod. I didn't want to get into the bikebag/box situation where you fly back from a different airport. I managed last year but it was a bit fraught. Ithink BA prices for bikes has gone up a lot IIRC.

Bikes still go free and you only need a CTC bag, athough there's some confusing info on there's website about dimensions: at one point it limits oversides baggage to 190cm x 75cm x 65cm, but under the instruction for packing bikes it says "we will accept non-motorised bicycles of all dimensions provided they are packed in a recognised bicycle bag".

That said I had no problems last year, but I wonder if it leaves to much room to interpretation for the guy at the desk (flying to Helsinki this afternoon with the bike via BA, so fingers crossed...).

Come to think of it when I used BA last year it was in the middle of all the strike bother so maybe there were alot of cheaper tickets going.

 

[rich p]

Had a quick look at the DB site and on some arbitrarily chosen days the return Hook Frankfurt was about 135 euro excl the bike (but that is not expensive). I am a sure you can get better deals with special price tickes like schoenes Wochenende.
Willem

Cheapest I could get was 75 out and 135 return, without bikes in January on random dates. I'll try again later.

 

[willem]

Ask the treinreiswinkel that I mentioned (they will speak English). They are very good.
W

 

[snorri]

My yearly dilemma in our non-cycling friendly world,

The UK is certainly one of the least friendly in Europe, but things are usually easier over the water.
I find that trying to have travel plans cut and dried before leaving home causes me unneccessary stress. Just cycle along to Rotterdam station when you get off the ferry and the friendly folk at the Information Desk will have you on the right train before you know it.

 

[rich p]

I would do that Snorri but I assume responsibility for 3 others and with a limited timescale available for them I don't want to screw up or spend too much time travelling.
Travelling alone has its advantages sometimes!

 

[snorri]

Travelling alone has its advantages sometimes!

'Tis true. The glory and adulation associated with Team Leadership has its downsides too.

Do enquire about Group Travel over there, I think three can travel for the same price as two, or something like that. Last summer I was "adopted" by a couple I met on the train, and travelled the next section of the journey free of charge under their group ticket. A lucky break for me.

 

[Muddyfox]

I assume responsibility for 3 others and with a limited timescale available for them I don't want to screw up or spend too much time travelling.
Travelling alone has its advantages sometimes!

Tell'em to find their own way out and back

 

[Andy in Sig]

If you're coming in from the West I imagine that you will end up changing trains in Duisburg from where you will be able to pick up an IC (intercity) or EC (eurocity) to Frankfurt or anywhere else you want for that matter. Have you got a specific route in mind? If not, I would recommend taking a regional train from Frankfurt to Bamberg (book in for two nights there as it is a wonderful place) and then follow the River Main route back to Frankfurt and then do the Rhine back to the channel.

 

[rich p]

If you're coming in from the West I imagine that you will end up changing trains in Duisburg from where you will be able to pick up an IC (intercity) or EC (eurocity) to Frankfurt or anywhere else you want for that matter. Have you got a specific route in mind? If not, I would recommend taking a regional train from Frankfurt to Bamberg (book in for two nights there as it is a wonderful place) and then follow the River Main route back to Frankfurt and then do the Rhine back to the channel.

Andy, I'm going to take some less capable friends on the Romantische Strasse as we had such a good time there a few years ago and I didn't start at Wurzburg then. I used Frankfurt as a well known place and which also had the closest airport.

Unfortunately, the male friend has just phoned me from his hospital bed and after undergoing tests has been told he has to have a prostate trimming (ouch!) operation in March so the project is going to be on hold I think.

 

[Andy in Sig]

That's a shame. The Romantische Straße route is something special although it is slightly harder going then e.g. the Main route. If you do get around to doing it, the easiest approach route is to fly to Munich and to take the train down to Füssen and start from there.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Rich, I rang the German DB line yesterday, and I was advised (for my trip) that a QDL ticket (quer duerchs land (sp?)) was best to travel from Kleve to Ulm. I'll start a new thread about the trip and my plans etc.

 

[andym]

<br />The UK is certainly one of the least friendly in Europe, but things are usually easier over the water.  

In the UK you can take an unbagged bike on the vast majority of trains, including long-distance, either with a free reservation or without the need to reserve at all - compare that with the situation in France, Italy or Spain (and, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but SFAIK you can't take unbagged bikes on German ICE trains). OK in the UK if you are travelling in a group of more than two, things can get a bit awkward but still easy in comparison with most of western europe.

 

[andym]

There are bike carriage facilities on the DeutscheBahn City Night Line services from Amsterdam.

http://www.bahn.de/citynightline/view/en/info/infomaterial_en.shtml

Unfortunately' while these serve a number of German cities they don't go to Frankfurt - and at a quick glance it doesn't seem like there's a convenient change - but I've only glanced quickly and my knowledge of Germany is sketchy at best. so might be worth a butcher's.

It could well be worth ringing Rail Europe (www.raileurope.co.uk) they charge for phone bookings but the staff are very good and very helpful.

I know that a lot of people have set their faces against bags, but for long-distance rail travel (outside the UK) they are definitely the best option. My recommendation would be the Ground Effect Tardis. This fits fine on the luggage racks on all the trains I've used in France, Italy and Spain. when you arrive you can fold them up into a phone directory-sized package and send them to a hotel at your final destination (or poste restante/lista de correos/fermopost).

 

[Andy in Sig]

Rich, I rang the German DB line yesterday, and I was advised (for my trip) that a QDL ticket (quer duerchs land (sp?)) was best to travel from Kleve to Ulm. I'll start a new thread about the trip and my plans etc.

Are you starting a tour in Ulm? If so, what route are you doing?

 

[ComedyPilot]

Are you starting a tour in Ulm? If so, what route are you doing?

I am actually riding the trains to Kempten, and then on to Oberstdorf. From there I will ride to Lake Constance (Bodensee) and follow the Rhine to Rotterdam.