Rhineland-Palatinate is a state in western Germany defined by the Rhine, Moselle, and Nahe rivers, rolling vineyard hills, and dense forests. It is home to the Rhine Gorge and the legendary Loreley rock, Germany's oldest city Trier with its Roman Porta Nigra, the romantic hilltop castle Burg Eltz, and the Romanesque Speyer Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The state is also Germany's wine heartland, crossed by the historic Deutsche Weinstrasse (German Wine Route) through the Palatinate Forest.
- Public
- Deutsche Bahn regional and ICE trains link the main hubs (Mainz, Koblenz, Trier, Kaiserslautern, Ludwigshafen) frequently, with local networks run by VRN in the south and VRM in the north; branch lines along the Rhine and Moselle are scenic but can be sparse on Sundays
- Taxi
- Available in every city and larger town but relatively expensive per kilometer; in villages taxis usually must be phoned in advance rather than hailed
- Rental
- The single best way to see the Rhine Gorge castles, Moselle wine villages, Palatinate Forest and the Nurburgring loop at a relaxed pace, since many wine villages and viewpoints have no rail station
- Walking
- Old towns such as Trier, Mainz, Koblenz and Rhine Gorge villages like Bacharach and St. Goar are compact and walkable, though steep vineyard paths above the river valleys require sturdier footwear
Transport at a glance
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Rhineland-Palatinate is a landlocked state threaded by the Rhine and Moselle rivers, and getting around means combining Deutsche Bahn regional trains along the river valleys with a rental car for the vineyard villages and forest hill country that the railways bypass. Mainz, Koblenz, Trier, Kaiserslautern and Ludwigshafen are the main rail hubs, while Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, though named for Frankfurt, sits within the state's own Hunsrück district. Seasonal KD Line river cruises along the Rhine Gorge and the Moselle add a scenic, unhurried alternative to the train for towns like Bacharach, St. Goar, Boppard and Cochem.
Airports
Frankfurt-Hahn Airport
Frankfurt Airport
Luxembourg Findel Airport
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Buy a Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket for unlimited regional (non-ICE) train travel across the whole state for up to five people traveling together, valid from 9am on weekdays and all day on weekends
The VRN and VRM regional passes are cheaper than single tickets for a day of hopping between Rhine or Moselle towns
Take a KD Rhine cruise or a Moselle boat one way and the train back for the best combination of scenery and speed
Rent a car for the Moselle wine villages and Rhine Gorge viewpoints away from the rail line, such as Cochem's hilltop vineyards or the Nurburgring loop
Deutsche Bahn regional trains along the Rhine and Moselle get busy with cyclists and day-trippers on summer weekends - book bike spaces in advance if traveling with a bicycle
Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (HHN) is a Ryanair base physically located in Rhineland-Palatinate, roughly two hours from Frankfurt itself by shuttle bus - check which Frankfurt airport a ticket actually uses
Validate or check in regional tickets before boarding where required, and carry photo ID, since ticket inspections are frequent on VRN and VRM trains