Frankfurt Airport to Koblenz by train

[gnome12]

I am doing a bike and barge from Koblenz to Metz in May, flying Lufthansa non-stop from Toronto to Frankfurt. Arrival time is 8:00 AM on Friday May 22.

 

There is a direct train from Frankfurt airport to Koblenz at 9:58 AM. The savings fare is 17.90 Euros, flexible price is 31.20 Euros. Do I have enough time to make that train?

 

The next train is an hour later, with only a 5 minute connection in Mainz (transfer from platforms 2a/b to 3a/b) which I don't think I could manage. It has the same fare structure as the earlier train.

 

The next train with no connection is at 11:23, but it has no special fares available, only a regular fare of 29 Euros. It is a regional train, which leaves from the Regional Bahnhof. (The other 2 leave from the Fern Bahnhof.)

 

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[notamermaid]

gnome12,

 

I have never arrived at Frankfurt Main airport, but I know it is huge and walking along the concourses and across to the train station Fernbahnhof is a fair distance. I would check if there is a shuttle, I am not familiar with the inner part of the airport just the train area. The Fernbahnhof is a comfortable modern place. Here is the layout and the location in relation to the airport: https://www.bahnhof.de/bahnhof-de/Frankfurt_am_Main_Flughafen_Fernbahnhof-1039350 

I think it might be a bit tight for that first train, going through immigration and all that. Perhaps someone who has done the process can help.

 

I would advice against the train with only a five minute connection in Mainz. With luggage that can easily be too short. German trains are not as punctual as one would like.

 

The direct regional train at 11:23 is a Süwex company train. The Regionalbahnhof is also okay, but from the description it might be an elevator down to the platform rather than a lift, depending on where your train leaves from. The regional train is fairly modern with newly installed WiFi. This is what it looks like: https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SÜWEX 

It should be comfortable even with luggage. It takes a fair bit of time though. However, it does go along the riverbank with all the sights visible at a pleasant speed. Due to the tunnels and bends on a large part of that journey the fast train there is not much faster. The arrival at Koblenz will be much the same with any of those trains. Note that the main station in Koblenz is a fair walk away from the ship dock on the Moselle. A bus can get you quite close, but a taxi would have direct access to the embankment.

 

Hope this helps.

 

notamermaid

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

@notamermaid your English is usually so good, but for this: "it might be an elevator down to the platform rather than a lift" did you mean it might be an escalator rather than a lift?  ['elevator' is the American English term for 'lift']

[notamermaid]

Escalator it is, thank you for pointing this out. A slip of my tired brain, jazzbeau. Time to go to bed, I think, must stop gazing at the full moon.

 

notamermaid

[laverendrye]

I have made a connection from an Air Canada international arrival to the Fernbahnhof. As I recall, my flight arrived at 0820 and because I was concerned about the time to get my bags and through customs and passport control  I opted for a train at 1050. Although it is a long walk I arrived at the station about 0930 and could easily have made an earlier train. However there are always variables and you may wish to err on the side of caution. 

[Daisi]

If I remember correctly, the station in Mainz has platforms 2 & 3 on the same platform, so changing there shouldn't be a problem as long as your train is on time.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will see a map of the platforms :https://www.bahnhof.de/bahnhof-de/bahnhof/Mainz_Hbf-1027950 

[notamermaid]

Well spotted, Daisy. Should work then. From experience I always book trains with an eight minute time frame (minimum) but if gnome12 is in no hurry to get to Koblenz... There is a hierarchy of which train waits for which one in cases of minor delays. If that scenario was not in gnome12's favour a later train could surely be taken seeing that Mainz is a transport hub with frequent trains going North. Café and shopping opportunities in the station are also available if they need to while away the time.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited January 11, 2020 by notamermaid
Added word

[gnome12]

16 minutes ago, Daisi said:

If I remember correctly, the station in Mainz has platforms 2 & 3 on the same platform, so changing there shouldn't be a problem as long as your train is on time.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will see a map of the platforms :https://www.bahnhof.de/bahnhof-de/bahnhof/Mainz_Hbf-1027950 

Thanks Daisi. I think I would still be worried about only 5 minutes. (This isn't Switzerland, where trains are always on time.)

 

In addition of course, I wouldn't be at my best after an overnight flight.

[gnome12]

3 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Well spotted, Daisy. Should work then. From experience I always book trains with an eight minute time frame (minimum) but if gnome12 is in no hurry to get to Koblenz... There is a hierarchy of which train waits for which one in cases of minor delays. If that scenario was not in gnome12's favour a later train could surely be taken seeing that Mainz is a transport hub with frequent trains going North. Café and shopping opportunities in the station are also available if they need to while away the time.

 

notamermaid

 

The 10:58 combination is an ICE from the airport to Mainz and an IC from Mainz to Koblenz. What happens if I book the savings fare and miss the connection? Do I have to buy another ticket from Mainz to Koblenz? The next train from Mainz is the same regional train that I would be on if I took the next departure at 11:23 from the airport - arriving in Koblenz at 12:54- which costs over 10 Euros more because it doesn't have a savings fare. And ultimately, it would only get me in about 15 minutes before the next ICE from the airport to Koblenz (the 11:58) which gets in at 1:11.

[Daisi]

Just going by memory, but I think if the trains are delayed, they make an announcement and the Conductor (?) or someone validates the missed train and you can re-book the next one at no extra charge.  As long as you can connect from Frankfurt to Mainz no problem, getting from 2a to 3a in Mainz is about a 1 minute walk...just walking across the platform, one train drops you off, you walk across the concrete (20 feet?) to the next one.  We prepaid our tickets and never had any problem connecting.  

[gnome12]

I am trying to avoid the issue when I flew into Amsterdam and had to take a train to Bruges. I didn’t pre-book, and I ended up having to buy an expensive first class ticket because second class was all booked. I just need to know all the possibilities. 

[steamboats]

@gnome12 with the savings fare you have to use the train you´ve booked. But that´s only valid for ICE, IC or EC trains not for regional trains (no seat reservation on regional trains). So if your ICE to Mainz is late and you miss the IC to Koblenz you can hop on the next regional train anyway (and you don´t have to do anything). If the next connection is an IC you can use it as well as it wasn´t your fault that you´ve missed the booked connection. But you won´t have a reserved seat anymore. If you´re first train (the ICE to Mainz) is more than 20 min late you´re also allowed to use any other train.

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

Gnome12, steamboats has excellently answered the question you asked me.

 

I may add to your journey planning: you are travelling North on the left bank of the Rhine from Mainz main station. There are trains on the right bank but they are regional. They eventually also arrive at Koblenz main station by the way. So, for travels on the left bank sit in the rows that are on the right side of the train when facing the engine. Then you can see the river - and Lorelei rock. You can probably find the seat layout online for booking.

 

And my tired brain forgot to give you the link in my first post, for all things train travel you can consult the man in seat 61: https://www.seat61.com/Germany-trains.htm

 

If you get hungry. There is normally no catering on regional trains, IC trains have edible food, i.e. more than just snacks. ICE trains should be good, have not been in a proper restaurant car yet.

 

notamermaid