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Travel to Europe (To-Europe) · Independent rail tour package

10-Day Rhine and Bavaria Rail Circle Tour (10R02)

Rhine, Moselle, and Bavaria rail loop from Frankfurt through medieval towns

Illustration of 10-Day Rhine and Bavaria Rail Circle Tour (10R02)

Travel to Europe's 10-day Rhine and Bavaria Rail Circle Tour connects eight historic German cities via rail, beginning with a speed train from Frankfurt International Airport to Koblenz and ending with a return to the airport from Heidelberg. The itinerary combines the river valleys of the Rhine and Mosel with the medieval towns of the Romantic Road and the mountains and palaces of Bavaria. Days are largely independent: you explore Cologne's cathedral and cruise the Rhine, visit Trier's Roman ruins on a day trip, stay in the walled town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and tour Nuremberg's Imperial Castle. Day 8 is escorted, a coach tour to Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace in the Alp Mountains with a guided interior tour. Nine nights in 3 and 4-star hotels and daily breakfast are included, along with a comprehensive package of castle and museum admissions. Reviewers highlighted the combination of independent movement and organized logistics, the character of the hotels, and the efficient rail connections to town centers. This trip suits independent explorers, history enthusiasts, and experienced rail travellers.

What to know before you look closer

  • Single rooms cost significantly more: USD 3,389 per person versus USD 2,119 double occupancy, a surcharge of USD 1,270 per person.
  • Lunch and dinner are not included; only daily breakfast is provided.
  • The tour includes one all-day coach excursion (Day 8); most other days you explore independently.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Koblenz

    Frankfurt Int. Airport / Koblenz

    Direct speed train (about an hour) from Frankfurt International Airport's Long Distance Rail Station to Koblenz. Explore the Altstadt, the Deutsches Eck and Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Koblenz

    Day Trip to Trier

    Scenic train ride along the Mosel River to Trier, Germany's oldest city. Visit the Porta Nigra, the Roman Baths and the Amphitheater, then return to Koblenz.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Cologne

    Cologne

    Speed-train IC (about 2 hours) from Koblenz to Cologne. Visit Cologne Cathedral and the Fragrance Museum, plus a one-hour Rhine Panorama Cruise.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Wurzburg

    Wurzburg

    Direct High-speed ICE train (about 2.5 hours) from Cologne to Wurzburg. Visit Fortress Marienberg and the Furstbischofliche Residenz, both with included admission.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Rothenburg ob der Tauber

    Rothenburg ob der Tauber

    Regional rail from Wurzburg to the medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Visit the Ploenlein square and take an included evening English-speaking tour with the Night-Watchman.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Nuremberg

    Nuremberg

    Rail (under 1.5 hours) from Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Nuremberg. Visit the Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle) with included admission.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Munich

    Munich

    Direct High-speed ICE train (a little over an hour) from Nuremberg to Munich. Includes free public transportation and a comprehensive Munich admission package.

  8. Day 8overnight: Munich

    Escorted coach tour to the Royal Castles

    All-day escorted coach tour to Oberammergau, Linderhof Palace and Neuschwanstein Castle, with an English-speaking guided tour of the castle interior.

  9. Day 9railovernight: Heidelberg

    Heidelberg

    Speed-train InterCity (IC) (about 3 hours) directly from Munich to Heidelberg, with a taxi transfer to the Old Town hotel.

  10. Day 10

    Frankfurt Int. Airport

    Tour ends; an airport shuttle bus picks up from the Heidelberg hotel for the roughly one-hour transfer to Frankfurt International Airport.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Scenic train ride along the Mosel River to Trier, Germany's oldest city, to visit the Porta Nigra, Roman Baths, and Amphitheater
  • Day 3One-hour Rhine Panorama Cruise in Cologne after arrival by speed train
  • Day 5Evening walking tour of medieval Rothenburg ob der Tauber with an English-speaking Night-Watchman guide
  • Day 8All-day escorted coach tour to Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace in the Alps with guided interior tour

Included

  • Rail tickets/transfer to and from Frankfurt Int. Airport (2nd class, including seat reservations on long-distance rail)
  • 9 nights hotel accommodation in well-rated 3 and 4-star hotels
  • Buffet breakfast daily
  • One-hour Panorama Cruise on the Rhine in Cologne
  • Round-trip train ticket for the Trier day trip
  • English-speaking Night-Watchman tour in Rothenburg ob der Tauber
  • Admission to Wurzburg Residence and Marienberg Fortress
  • Admission to the Imperial Castle in Nuremberg, the Deep Well and the Sinwell Tower
  • Comprehensive admission package for Munich sights
  • All-day escorted coach tour to Oberammergau and the Royal Castles (Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace), with admissions
  • Taxi transfer to and airport shuttle from the Heidelberg hotel
  • Day-by-day itinerary, vouchers and general destination information

Not included

  • Airfare to/from Frankfurt International Airport
  • All meals other than breakfast
  • Gratuities (tips)

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. Travel to Europe includes all rail tickets and seat reservations on long-distance trains from Frankfurt to each city on the itinerary, plus the round-trip Trier day trip.
Is this an escorted tour or independent?
Independent rail tour with organized hotels and train tickets. Day 8 includes an all-day escorted coach tour to the Royal Castles; other days you explore at your own pace.
What hotels are included?
Nine nights in named 3 and 4-star hotels: Ghotel Hotel & Living Koblenz (2 nights), Hotel Domspitzen Cologne (1 night), Hotel Wurzburger Hof Wurzburg (1 night), Romantik Hotel Markusturm Rothenburg (1 night), Hotel Victoria Nuremberg (1 night), King's Hotel Center Munich (2 nights), and Hotel Hollander Hof Heidelberg (1 night).
What is included in the price?
Rail tickets from Frankfurt Airport to each city, nine nights hotel accommodation, daily breakfast, a Rhine cruise in Cologne, admissions to Wurzburg Residence, Marienberg Fortress, Nuremberg Imperial Castle, and Munich sights, the Trier day trip, the Night-Watchman tour in Rothenburg, and the all-day Royal Castles coach tour with admissions.
When does this tour run?
The operator does not publish departure dates in the available information; contact Travel to Europe to confirm current availability.
What is not included?
Airfare to Frankfurt, meals other than breakfast, and gratuities.

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