Kiel to Bremen

[nagsheadbeachbum]

We are sailing on the 8/26 Baltic cruise on the Eurodam. My husband's Dad was born in Bremen and we would like to visit there for the day. The train schedule does not seem to be able to accommodate the hours we are in port 7am -5pm and we were wondering if anyone has info on a car rental place close to the port and also if that would be feasible given the timeframe. Thanks for any advise.

[Travelanni]

We are sailing on the 8/26 Baltic cruise on the Eurodam. My husband's Dad was born in Bremen and we would like to visit there for the day. The train schedule does not seem to be able to accommodate the hours we are in port 7am -5pm and we were wondering if anyone has info on a car rental place close to the port and also if that would be feasible given the timeframe. Thanks for any advise.

 

Hi, whichever way you travel between Kiel and Bremen the time taken is about the same and you must go via Hamburg.

Trains leave at 21 mins past the hour, every hour; change in Hamburg central station. Travel time about 2.5 hrs. The special price, ticket purchased on line from 90 days before, is 70euro return for 2 people.

Europcar operate from the Osteekai, the cruise terminal in Kiel. The road distance between the two places is about 250klm but you have to negotiate Hamburg which can be time consuming and tricky, even on the ring road. You would need to allow at least 2.5 to 3 hours travel time.

Either means of transport would only give you about 3 hours in Bremen.

If your next port is either Hamburg or Warnemünde/Rostock it would be possible to go to Bremen, spend the night there and rejoin the ship the next day. There are trains every half hour between Bremen and Hamburg, travel time about 1 hour; between Bremen and Rostock every hour, travel time between 2.5 and 3.5 hours depending on the need to change in Hamburg or not.

If this is a feasible plan you could be in Bremen by lunchtime one day and, using the 10.17 direct train, in Rostock by lunchtime the next.

Hope this helps with your planning. If you have any other questions about Germany please see the thread 'Welcome to NE Germany - happy to help you enjoy' or the web site below. I will be adding a page on Kiel over the winter.

Happy cruising :)

Anni

http://www.travelanni.webs.com

 

Please note that the train times and fares quoted are those applicable now. They will change slightly before 2015 but I will update the web site as changes occur

[nagsheadbeachbum]

Thanks so much Anni for your advice. Unfortunately our ship has a "sea day" after Kiel and then we are in Tallinn. My husband has been corresponding with the Bremen tourist office and they have found his Dad's birth certificate with address so he is pretty set on seeing the area he was from. Obviously the train seems to be a better choice, as we have never been to Germany and might not be comfortable driving. If we do take the train, is it possible to walk into town from the station, and if not, will we be able to get transportation from the station in Bremen? Sorry for all the questions, but this is very important to him and I really want to make it work, even if its only for 3 hours. We can probably rest on our sea day. You have given such good advice to so many of us that I trust you and your advice completely.

Arlene

[Travelanni]

Thanks so much Anni for your advice. Unfortunately our ship has a "sea day" after Kiel and then we are in Tallinn. My husband has been corresponding with the Bremen tourist office and they have found his Dad's birth certificate with address so he is pretty set on seeing the area he was from. Obviously the train seems to be a better choice, as we have never been to Germany and might not be comfortable driving. If we do take the train, is it possible to walk into town from the station, and if not, will we be able to get transportation from the station in Bremen? Sorry for all the questions, but this is very important to him and I really want to make it work, even if its only for 3 hours. We can probably rest on our sea day. You have given such good advice to so many of us that I trust you and your advice completely.

Arlene

Hi Arlene, thanks for your kind words, I hope your trust is justified. The train is definitely the way I would go.

Bremen Hbf (main rail station) is about 1klm from the city centre, Not far if you are sightseeing but not knowing where the places you wish to visit are in relation to the rail station and given your time limits I would suggest a taxi for either part or the whole of your time in Bremen.

Taxi ranks are usually just outside the station entrance and there are always good directional indicators inside the station. Taxis in German cities are very safe, highly regulated and charge by distance + waiting time. The official site for Bremen taxis is

http://www.taxiautofare.com/de/taxi-fare-card/Bremen-Taxi-fare.

It is nice to see that the Bremen Tourist Office has been so helpful (not always the case in some places) and they may have other suggestions on means of transport as they obviously know where the places are which you wish to visit but as time is crucial (you don't want to miss the ship) I would be a bit wary of public transport over which you have no control.

If you have any more questions or want help with train timetables please to not hesitate to ask.

Happy planning

Anni

http://www.travelanni.webs.com