The current is fast - upriver takes about 3x as long as downriver.

In any case the most interesting part is Bingen to Koblenz - Mainz to Bingen is rather flat.

Would you be able to tell me which river cruise line you will be using and will you be making reservations ahead of time? If you have an email address for them that would be great. thanks

The one with the most frequent service is KD

http://www.k-d.com

> will you be making reservations ahead of time?

KD does not accept any reservations apart from groups.

"The current is fast - upriver takes about 3x as long as downriver."

It's fast but not that fast. Going north, Bingen to Koblenz is 3.5 hrs., 6 hrs. if you turn it around.

I don't recommend cruising for longer than about 2 hours; it can become tedious, uncomfortable. A better use of time is touring one of the castles you'll see along the way - like Marksburg:

www.marksburg.de

A good route would be to get on the boat in Bacharach, a popular village stop, and travel north as far as Braubach where Marksburg is located - about 2 hours. Disembark, take the int-town shuttle to the castle, and step back into time. Then proceed by train (and maybe ferry, depending on where you're staying) from there.

Thank you Abalda for the info

Thank you Abalda for the information

Alloow me to second the post from Russ...go to Bingen to start your river cruise down to Braubach, then see the enormous Marksburg castle, and return to Koblenz by train from Braubach. Bingen, at least at the Rhein docks, is not as attractive as Bacharach for the start of the journey, (and Bacharach is worth a walk-through before your river cruise.)

I must disagree with the statement of my previous writer. The docks of Bingen are renovated and dressed up, because of the national flowers exhibition in Bingen this year. I'm sure you won´t find cleaner and more beautiful docks in the Middle Rhine area.

Even the exhibition is worth visiting.

The Köln-Düsseldorfer is located directly at the river.

Best regards,

Luntix73

http://hauskraeuterberg.wordpress.com

Sorry, I meant that Bacharach is more attractive in the historic sense, with its old walls and buildings. The park on the Rhein around the K-D dock there is also very nice.

The new modern facilities at Bingen are certainly well laid out for beginning the Rhein cruise with K-D. For those driving to start a circle boat-train excursion, would Bingen have the best parking facilities? This never occurs to me because I am always traveling by train in Germany.

Parking facilities are really good now in Bingen. You can park your car a few meters from the KD dock away. It costs 4 Euro for a whole day. Or you use the park and ride possibilities of the garden exhibition (www.landesgartenschau-bingen-2008.de). They are free.

Best regards,

Luntix73

http://hauskraeuterberg.wordpress.com