London - Nuremburg

[headshot119]

After spending ages trawling the internet looking for some advice I've drawn a blank and wondering if anyone here could shed some light on the problem and a solution.

As part of a trip I'm planning with my girlfriend we want to travel to from St Pancras to Nuremburg on July 6th on the 10:58 Eurostar (or perhaps July 7th).

Now when we originally looked it was possible with a change in Bruxelles-Midi & Koln. However the only option now seems to be 5 changes and an extended journey, and I can't get any fares to show for the journey.

Can anyone advise how I could book tickets for this journey once bookings open? Do I need to ring up DB?

Can anyone find a better way?

 

[lj9090]

It seems the ICE17 you would need from Midi->Koeln isn't running between 29th Jun and 7th Aug :
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/tr...004&station_type=dep&currentReferrer=tp&rt=1&

Hence lots of changes! And it's outside of the booking window for DB so there won't be any fares yet.

eta: It is running, just at 13:00 instead of 14:25. You might need an earlier e*.

 

[DEE-DE]

There are engineering works between Cologne and Aachen from late June to early August. The whole line is blocked which adds an hour to the journey. There aren't enough train sets, so not all run and some terminate early.

I am probably going to use the route via Paris when travelling this summer. DB can get the 41 € youth fare but I am not sure what they can offer if you are between 26 and 60. Also you need to know that booking for the Paris-Germany bit now open four months in advance. For your first date you will be able to book from the 9th March and for your alternative date on the 10th. Booking opens at midnight German time so you can call the (German) DB callcentre (should speak English) from 11 pm the day before (i.e. 8/9 March). The German DB callcentre might not be able to bill you in pounds so you will have to use your card. Also the charge €3.90 for delivery. This route is going to be slightly more expensive, as a youth it starts at €80 excluding delivery. But you get a free reservation on your international trains.

 

[30907]

In the circs, if the revised times aren't practicable, I would also look at going via Paris and Stuttgart or Mannheim. Alternatively, try Harwich-Hoek overnight.
Or you can book ES and Thalys as far as Duesseldorf and a separate DB ticket.

The route via Paris are bookable 4 months in advance via DB.

You might try www.loco2.com which can cope with bookings involving more than one website.

 

[306024]

If you are in no hurry the trip down the Rhine Valley from Cologne via Mainz is a must, beware the fastest trains between Cologne and Frankfurt miss the best scenery. I always go overnight Harwich-Hook but starting from East Anglia that's easy.

Another option - there are some useful flights from London City Airport to Frankfurt to avoid the hassle of Heathrow. Easy to get the train to Nuremburg from Frankfurt, but no good if you want to experience Eurostar or have no desire to fly of course.

 

[gordonthemoron]

There's also the DB IC coach from Brussels to Dusseldorf