Rhine Day Cruises from Frankfurt

Although boats do not depart for Rhine cruises from Frankfurt itself, day trips to the Rhine Valley (Rheintal) as well as short cruises on the Rhine River (Rhein)are easy to arrange from Frankfurt am Main as well as from Frankfurt International Airport (FRA). It is a short train ride to Rhine towns such as Rüdesheim and Bingen that offer a wealth of departures to the most interesting parts of the Rhine River Valley.

• The ease of public transportation makes a Rhine cruise a viable option when on a long stopover at Frankfurt International Airport (FRA).

Day Cruise Trips on the Rhine River in Germany

Day cruise trips on the Rhine are generally available between Mainz and Cologne but the most interesting part of the valley is from Rüdesheim or Bingen to St Goar and St Goarhausen. This part of the valley is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list and includes the steepest valley sides, many castles, picturesque wine-trade towns, as well as the famous Loreley Rock.

• The Rhine day trip cruise season is generally from end March to late October with the largest number of cruises in July and August.

Rüdesheim is arguably the best town from which to start a Rhine day cruise. It is a pleasant Rhine wine and tourism town with lots of attractions to keep visitors busy while waiting for onward transportation. Several cruise line companies sail from here but KD (Köln-Düsseldorfer) has the largest fleet with up to six departures per day.

By Train from Frankfurt am Main to the Rhine River

Many trains are available from Frankfurt am Main to the Rhine Valley. However, it is generally worth taking the direct trains rather than more complicated routings requiring transfers. A missed connection can easily mean an hour’s delay or more.

Regional Express (RE) trains run from Frankfurt am Main Hauptbahnhof to Koblenz on either side of the Main and Rhine Rivers. Trains on the right bank generally run once per hour while those on the left bank are slightly faster but only once every two hours.

• Trains from Frankfurt am Main to the Right Bank of the Rhine River

Traveling times from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof to major stops along the Rhine are:

• Frankfurt-Höchst – 10 minutes
• Wiesbaden – 35 minutes
• Eltville – 53 minutes
• Rüdesheim – 1h08
• Lorch – 1h17
• Kaub – 1h22
• St Goarhausen – 1h32 (Loreley Rock)
• Kamp Bornhofen – 1h40
• Braubach – 1h55 (Marksburg)
• Koblenz – 2h08

From Frankfurt International Airport, take the S-Bahn train S9 to Wiesbaden and change there to the RE trains if traveling to the right bank. The traveling time from the airport to Rüdesheim is around 90 minutes.

• Trains from Frankfurt am Main to the Left Bank of the Rhine River

Traveling times from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof to major stops on the left bank of the Main and Rhine Rivers are:

• Frankfurt Airport – 13 minutes
• Mainz Hauptbahnhof – 42 minutes
• Bingen – 1h03
• Oberwesel – 1h14
• Boppard – 1h30
• Koblenz – 1h44

An alternative option for the left bank is to take the S-Bahn S8 (or any other train) from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof or Airport to Mainz. More trains are available from Mainz to Koblenz including Regional Bahn (RB) trains that are slower than the Regional Express but also stops at popular tourist towns such as Bacharach, St Goar, and Boppard.

• Faster trains are available on the route from Koblenz to Frankfurt but these generally stop only in Mainz and Frankfurt International Airport and not in the smaller Rhine villages.

See Rhine River Day Cruises for tips on cruising this part of the Rhine on day trips. Also note that Regional Express, Regional Bahn, and S-Bahn trains are local trains, which allow great discounts for small groups traveling together.

Loreley Rock – Famous Sight in the Rhine Valley

Panorama View of the Loreley Rock, Rhine River

Confluence of the Mosel & Rhine in Koblenz Germany

Historical Goethe Steam Ship on the Rhine

Typical Köln-Düsseldorfer (KD) Rhine Boat

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