FRA layover (20 hours)
Jul 6, 2015, 12:28 pm
#1
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FRA layover (20 hours)
I am having a 20 hour layover in FRA in Winter (arriving right before noon). Other FRA layover threads have many recommending Mainz, Wiesbaden and Heidelberg. How feasible is it to do Cologne within this duration? Is it worth doing over the others? Thanks!
Last edited by archangele; Jul 6, 2015 at 1:04 pm Reason: Added more info
Jul 6, 2015, 12:46 pm
#2
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It's 49 minutes via ICE train, so very workable if you wanted to do it.
http://www.bahn.de/i/view/GBR/en/index.shtml
http://www.bahn.de/i/view/GBR/en/index.shtml
Jul 6, 2015, 3:22 pm
#3
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It's 49 minutes via ICE train, so very workable if you wanted to do it.
http://www.bahn.de/i/view/GBR/en/index.shtml
http://www.bahn.de/i/view/GBR/en/index.shtml
Jul 6, 2015, 3:39 pm
#4
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Mainz is a nice place if you have a morning flight out and don't want to hassle with a long trip to the airport, or if you expect to be so tired you only want to devote a few hours to walking around. Cologne is more of a destination city where you can tour the Cathedral and old town area, walk across the river next to the railway bridge, and there's no shortage of shopping and cafes. You could easily occupy an entire day there.
I have photos of both cities here:
http://tom911.smugmug.com/Travel-Europe/Germany
I have photos of both cities here:
http://tom911.smugmug.com/Travel-Europe/Germany
Jul 6, 2015, 6:58 pm
#5
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One advantage of Koln is that the hauptbahnhof is right in the center and very close to the cathedral. Much of the area is a pedestrian shopping zone, including restaurants and bars. Some of the other historic churches, towers, and parts of the old town wall are farther.
Jul 6, 2015, 9:36 pm
#6
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Mainz is a nice place if you have a morning flight out and don't want to hassle with a long trip to the airport, or if you expect to be so tired you only want to devote a few hours to walking around. Cologne is more of a destination city where you can tour the Cathedral and old town area, walk across the river next to the railway bridge, and there's no shortage of shopping and cafes. You could easily occupy an entire day there.
I have photos of both cities here:
http://tom911.smugmug.com/Travel-Europe/Germany
I have photos of both cities here:
http://tom911.smugmug.com/Travel-Europe/Germany
One advantage of Koln is that the hauptbahnhof is right in the center and very close to the cathedral. Much of the area is a pedestrian shopping zone, including restaurants and bars. Some of the other historic churches, towers, and parts of the old town wall are farther.
Jul 7, 2015, 3:16 am
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Jul 7, 2015, 3:54 am
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The former is very scenic, a bit slower but also cheaper to ride! Wonderful views of the Rhine Valley - best to sit on the right if you are going from FRA to Cologne and on the left if you go the other way.
The latter route, which is often non-stop between Cologne and FRA is a dedicated high-speed track which basically follows the course of the motorway and goes hurtling through lots of tunnels on the way, so you don't really see anything. It is quick though!
If I were you I would consider to go up on the scenic route and back on the high-speed.