Anyone got the gouge on taking the train or boat from Frankfurt/Mainz-Cologne?

Thanks

Mainz Hilton will be able to hook you up with a schedule. Use the IC or EC trains (NOT the ICE - intercity express). It's a couple hour ride for about 80 bucks - first class (50-60 euro if I remember right). You can just board and pay with the company credit card on the train. Easy walk to the bahnhof (train station) from the Hilton. I'd get a taxi on the CGN side just to make it easier. Worth the effort if the wx is nice.
No gouge on boat ops.

Just did it yesterday. I booked my ticket on line 1 day prior to leaving on the trip. Very easy and you can print out a boarding pass just like the airlines in the states. I charged it to my company credit card. Train schedules and booking a ticket on DB are right here:

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/que...rotocol=http:&

You can walk if the weather is good and you have good wheels on your suitcase. Otherwise it's about 5 Euros on the FRA end and 6 on the CGN end. Benjamin was nice enough to offer me a ride yesterday since we were staying at the River Hilton due to a big group staying at our normal Hilton. I paid 78 Euros for a first class ticket on the ICE. Don't know why the other guy mentioned not taking the high speed. It was 1:39 enroute time. In Mainz you go straight to the track (Gleis) and board the train. Conductor will come by after the train is on it's way and check your ticket or charge you. I booked mine in advance so I had a reserved seat. Wasn't a problem since there were a lot of seats available. Just makes it easier if you have positive space and don't have to move if someone shows up on a subsequent stop and has the seat you are sitting in reserved.

The boat trip is a nice way to spend a few hours. Don't take the high-speed boat, however -- it's loud, cramped, and rough. Take the slower one, grab a deck chair, and enjoy the scenery.

Reserved seat is important.


I made the trip with a less than pleasant Captain one evening. Of course, it was a mid-trip deviation, and he made all the arrangements. (Paris to Mainz via Cologne) I was just a rookie Costar. He arranged for First Class (that got us on the car), but no reserved seat -- we wound up sitting on our luggage.



That wasn't the worst part of the pairing.




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Thanks fellas, even the Red Sox fan!

See you in the ALCS

Go Yanks.

Is this the official MEC party line?

Let me tell ya a story . . .


Well, maybe I better not.




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I happen to be in Mainz today so I asked the desk clerk at the Hilton about boat service from here to Cologne. She says there's 1 a day, leaves Mainz at 0845, arrives Cologne at 2000 and costs 48.56€. You got to love these Germans.
Here's a website, don't know if it's in English, www.k-d.com or e-mail at [email protected]
It looks like an awesome trip.

If you click on the British flag in the upper left-hand corner of the page, you get http://www.k-d.com/englisch/index.html



It looks like that's the only time to make the trip north. The trip southbound appears to be a much more difficult proposition.

MacMan, what time is sunset this time of year? In other words, how much of the trip is gonna be in the dark?




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