I finished our travel plans for Germany today - our train reservations. We will be arriving at the train station in Cologne and staying at the Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg in Bergisch Gladbach - which is about 10 miles (16 km) from the train station.

I know we can get to the hotel by taking connecting trains and doing a little walking - some on hills - but my husband has a bum knee and I think it will be hard for him to do that with luggage (particularly during afternoon rush hour).

Is it easy to get a taxi at the train station which will take us to Bergisch Gladbach? Any idea approximately how much it will cost (I imagine less than a taxi from Narita to Tokyo ). Do taxis in this area have enough room for a couple of reasonably sized suitcases? Thanks for for any information. Robyn

There are many cabs at the train station. Most are decent sized Mercedes and some are station wagons. Last month it cost me 25 euros from the train station to the airport.

Thanks. That's not bad at all. Especially considering that the train connection from Cologne to Bergisch Gladbach is marked as an extremely crowded route during rush hour. Seems like a commuter line which wouldn't be well suited to handling longer distance travelers with luggage. Robyn

No problem at all to get a taxi.

Though, it might take you quite long to get to Bergisch-Gladbach because of the rush hour and problems of the taxi to get out of the city centre.

What you could/should to is to take any S-Bahn or regional train crossing the bridge over the river to K�ln-Messe-Deutz. This is one station or two minutes only and the trains are departing more or less every two or three minutes.

If you take a taxi from there it might safe you 30 minutes of getting out of town and crossing the Rhine during rush-hour. You do not need any further ticket, your long distance ticket is good for travel to K�ln-Messe-Deutz too.

Enjoy your stay at Schlosshotel. You will know for sure that is has one of the best restaurants in Germany and that there is a second Schlosshotel in Bergisch-Gladbach with a comparable restaurant.

Thanks for all the information. I also checked with the hotel - and it offers a limo pick-up service for 60 euros. Seems like a reasonable amount. We only travel internationally once a year or so - so I can spend the money I save using free FF air tickets on little luxuries like this .

We're staying in this hotel specifically for its restaurant - and the one over at the Schlosshotel Lerbach. Two of only (I think) 6 3 star Michelin restaurants n Germany. It has been a long time since we've been to a Michelin 3 star restaurant (although I'm sure some of the restaurants we dined at in Japan would have 3 stars if Michelin had a presence there) - and I'm really looking forward to our stay. Robyn

please follow this thread in the Germany forum

regards

chrissxb
moderator
europe forum

You will enjoy it. It is one of the places I like to clients to. If you stay for more then two nights and need some further dining recommandations, just drop me a PM - My German office is close to BG

Robyn,

I think our highspeed lawyer has already covered most other areas, but just a short comment on this: The connection is not by train, but by tram (aka streetcar)

Don't even try with heavy luggage, but during rush hour and without the schlep it might be faster and more interesting than the taxi ride. Cologne trams are pretty comfortable ( as opposed to Duesseldorf ones )

Good idea, didn't think about that. Cross the Rhine by train (the said 2 minutes) and take the tram 1 to Bensberg. Will take about 25 minutes. Without luggage this is an interesting connection.

@Mosburger: I am neither from Duesseldorf nor from Cologne so I am pretty relaxed about the fight between these two cities. Though, it is pretty obvious that the people in Duesseldorf never make nasty remarks about Cologne but they simply ignore it whereas people from Cologne always feel the need to pick on Duesseldorf. Interesting.

FL: I can maybe claim to know both Cologne and Ddorf pretty well, but then my roots are in a completely different culture from Germany and the rivalry between the two Rhineland metropolis(es) has always been more amusing than anything else from my point of view.

So, how about your Cologne dining suggestions?

Agreed, I had my first encounter with D�do at the age of 18 and I am still a stranger in this city (and feel very much at home in London).

Dining in Cologne? If you want the real top level restaurants, Le Moissonnier would be one of my choices. Alfredo is a choice for about 30 years now, La Vision in the Wasserturm Hotel could be mentioned. For sure the better Cologne restaurants are in Bergisch Gladbach, the Vendome and the Dieter M�ller. For my every day taste there are quite a few could down to earth places (Thai, Japanese, Turkish, Russian) in the city. And the Fr�h is always a place to go.

Fr�h wins on location but Malzm�hle and P�ffgen win on bier (i.e. K�lsch). But then again, the OP said they weren't a drinker.

But K�ln will never be the same now that Lommerzheim ("Lommi's") is gone

My all-time favourite for Koelsch would be the Backes (serving Reissdorf Koelsch) in the southern part of central Cologne. Got very good memories from there and for me it represents everything I love about Cologne: Arts and artists, no social division, great Frikadellen and an unhurried but steady supply of the great Cologne beer.

Lommi I had the chance to visit a few times. Amazing place that is preserved in a dedicated pictorial book.

Once we get to Cologne and park our luggage in the hotel - no problem. We can travel any-which-way.

Since you have gotten to the subject of beer - kind of unavoidable in Germany - I have a question. My husband is a great lover of beer. For various reasons I won't bore you with - I do not drink beer or wine - just spirits (mixed drinks with gin and vodka). Are there nice places (bars) in Berlin/Munich/Cologne outside our hotels where my husband can have some great beer - and I can have a mixed drink? Robyn

I was about to suggest Stadtgarten, a popular modern jazz hangout, but then their indoor seating is rather minimalistic and uncomfortable. If the weather is fine, their beer garden is a nice place to linger but tends to get crowded.

The Le Meridien Dom hotel has Ustinov's, an upscale bar with views of the cathedral square.

And for my own favourite Cologne hangout, the Weinhaus Vogel is a traditional gem serving beer and German wine (plus a few schnapps) in a somewhat "rough" (but not really dangerous) area close to the station. The atmosphere is similar to Backes mentioned before. Also solid German fare available for modest prices.