Before you go

Your trip to Bacharach.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Bacharach – Renânia-Palatinado Destination Frankfurt and the Rhine Valley

How to get there

Flughafen Frankfurt am Main (FRA) Frankfurt · 80 km
Bacharach 1 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Confirm before buying. From Frankfurt you continue by train: it's about 1h30 from the central station, usually with a change in Mainz or Bingen, to Bacharach station. From Frankfurt Airport (FRA) it's about 80 km by road. In season, Rhine boats stop at the town's quay.

How many days

Half a day is enough for the town center, the wall, the Wernerkapelle and Burg Stahleck. With two days you can include the Loreley, Burg Rheinfels in St. Goar and Pfalzgrafenstein in Kaub, or continue down to the Marksburg in Braubach.

When to go

From April to October, when the scheduled boats run and the castles have longer opening hours. In the vineyards on the slopes, the grape harvest takes place in September and October. In winter, from December to February, the town is quiet and some restaurants and guesthouses close or reduce their opening hours.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

No. Regional trains stop in Bacharach and in the towns on both sides of the river, and boats connect the towns in the season. A car helps to reach castles high on the hills, bearing in mind that there is no bridge in this stretch: the crossing is by ferry (Fähre).

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Bacharach

Morning
Walled town center and St. Peter
Walk along Oberstraße and Blücherstraße, among half-timbered houses, enter the church of St. Peter and climb a section of the town wall.
Afternoon
Wernerkapelle and Burg Stahleck
Climb the staircase to the ruins of the Wernerkapelle, read the memorial plaque and continue to the terrace of Burg Stahleck, with views over the valley.
Late afternoon
Boat to St. Goar
In the boat season, from April to October, go downriver by boat passing in front of the Loreley to St. Goar. Return by train.
Evening
Mittelrhein wine
Back in Bacharach, have dinner in a tavern in the centre, with wine from the Médio Reno and regional dishes.

2 days in Bacharach

Day 1

Morning
Walled center of Bacharach
Half-timbered streets, the church of St. Peter and the path along the wall, at a leisurely pace, before the tour groups arrive.
Afternoon
Wernerkapelle and Burg Stahleck
Climb up to the Wernerkapelle and the terrace of Burg Stahleck.
Late afternoon
Burg Pfalzgrafenstein
Cross the Rhine by the Kaub ferry and take the little boat to the Pfalzgrafenstein, if the river level allows.
Evening
Dinner in Bacharach
Return to Bacharach and dine in a tavern inside the walls.

Day 2

Morning
Burg Rheinfels
Train to St. Goar and a morning at the ruins of Burg Rheinfels, with its galleries and the museum.
Afternoon
Loreley
Ferry to St. Goarshausen and climb to the Loreley viewpoint, with views over the river bend.
Late afternoon
Boat back
In season, return by boat upriver, once again passing in front of the Loreley and the castles.
Evening
Night in the valley
Last night in Bacharach, with a walk along the Rhine promenade and the illuminated streets.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

How to get to Bacharach from Frankfurt?

By regional train, in about 1h30, usually with a change in Mainz or Bingen. In the boat season, you can combine train to Rüdesheim or Bingen and then take a boat downstream.

What is the Vale do Médio Reno?

It is the roughly 65 km stretch of the Rhine between Bingen and Rüdesheim, to the south, and Koblenz, to the north, inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2002. The river runs through a narrow valley between the Hunsrück and Taunus hills, with terraced vineyards, walled towns and dozens of castles.

Is Bacharach a good base for seeing the Rhine castles?

Yes. It's midway between Rüdesheim and the Loreley, with train and boat on the doorstep. Rheinfels, Pfalzgrafenstein and the Loreley are less than 20 km away; the Marksburg about 30 km.

Can you cross the Rhine in Bacharach?

There is no bridge in the Vale do Médio Reno. To get to the other bank, use the ferries (Fähre), such as the one at Kaub and the St. Goar to St. Goarshausen ferry.

Do the castles open in winter?

Some, like the Marksburg, are open year-round with reduced hours. Others reduce visiting days or close for part of the winter. Check each castle before you go.

Back to Bacharach