Hotel Haus Lipmann
What to order: something from the kitchen's daily dishes with a Moselle wine on the terrace; in the afternoon, coffee and cake.
Open to everyone from 11:00 · Kitchen until 20:00 · Closes at 22:00
geocalia
Day itinerary · 50.15° N · 7.17° E
An hour by boat on the Moselle to Beilstein, and the afternoon in Cochem, looking at the castle from the chairlift.
Train from Frankfurt to Cochem, a boat to Beilstein through the Fankel lock, lunch on the terrace of the Haus Lipmann, a return by boat and a chairlift to the Pinner Kreuz viewpoint.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Fráncfort fromBarcelona 2 hPalma de Mallorca 2 h 15Alicante 2 h 30Málaga 3 hTenerife Sur 5 h
Part of Moselle ValleyMoselle wines
Add to my trip
Total time13 h
By car2 h 15 each way
From FrankfurtTrain · about 2 h 20, with a change at Koblenz
BoatCochem – Beilstein, 1 h
ChairliftReturn €7.90
DifficultyEasy: boat and a stroll
SeasonApril – October
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Frankfurt 2 h 15 by train
train to Koblenz and the Moselle regional train to Cochem; check the connection on bahn.de
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1
Boat from Cochem to Beilstein through the Fankel lock
Personenschifffahrt Kolb · departs from the landing stage beside the old bridge
+49 2673 1515
- 1 h by boat
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2
Hotel Haus Lipmann
open to everyone from 11:00; terrace above the Moselle
Marktplatz 3, 56814 Beilstein · +49 2673 1573
Restaurant €€Book - 45 min by boat
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3
Cochem chairlift to the Pinner Kreuz viewpoint
return boat at 13:30 and a walk to Endertstraße · €7.90 return
- 11 min on foot
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4
Rathaus Café Rünz
cake on the market square; closes at 18:00
Am Marktplatz, 56812 Cochem · +49 2671 3612
Café €Book -
Back home 2 h 15 by train
in Frankfurt around 20:15
Approximate cost
About €30–55 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Boat from Cochem to Beilstein through the Fankel lock
Cochem is the classic Moselle village: half-timbered houses, a castle perched above vineyards and the river making a tight bend. This day you see it from the water, from the opposite bank and from above. You arrive by train from Frankfurt, which has a direct flight from Spain, board the 10:30 boat to Beilstein, eat on the terrace of the Haus Lipmann, come back downriver and ride the chairlift up to the Pinner Kreuz, with the Reichsburg in front of you. All without a car.
The day, hour by hour
7:40 · Train to Cochem. From Frankfurt, train to Koblenz and there the Moselle regional train towards Trier. About two hours and twenty minutes; check the day's connection. From Cochem station to the landing stage it is a stroll along the river.
10:30 · Boat to Beilstein. The Kolb line leaves from the landing stage beside the old bridge, stops at Ernst and Bruttig, enters the Fankel lock and reaches Beilstein at 11:30. Buy the ticket on their website or at the kiosks on the promenade; the PDF timetable does not publish the price.
11:30 · Lunch at the Haus Lipmann. The 1726 house on the Market Square is open to everyone at 11:00 and has a terrace over the river. Before or after, climb the slopes to the ruin of Metternich castle.
13:30 · Return boat. The 13:30 one drops you at Cochem at 14:20.
14:30 · Chairlift to the Pinner Kreuz. Walk through the old town to Endertstraße and take the chairlift: €7.90 return, €3.90 for children. At the top you have the castle, the rooftops and the meander.
16:30 · Cake on the square. The Rathaus Café Rünz, beside the Town Hall, closes at 18:00.
17:45 · Journey back. Train to Koblenz and Frankfurt.
Is it for me?
If you want to see the Moselle without driving and without much walking, yes. With children it works very well: boat, lock, chairlift and cake. If you have energy to spare, swap the chairlift for the Reichsburg tour or spend the day on the Calmont.
Time1 h
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Rathaus Café Rünz
What to order: a slice of cake from the display with coffee, or an ice cream if it is hot; to eat, one of the small dishes.
Every day from 10:00 to 18:00 · Table booking on its website
Landhotel Ringelsteiner Mühle
What to order: a regional dish after the castle, or cake from its bakery buffet between 14:00 and 17:00.
Wednesday to Sunday · Kitchen from 13:00 to 20:00 · Closed Monday and Tuesday
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Moselle Valley
From April to October, when the Kolb boats sail between Cochem and Beilstein and the chairlift runs. In 2026 the boats left Cochem at 10:30, 12:00, 13:30 and 15:00; the 2027 timetable is not yet published.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Check the boat timetable the day before
The locks and the river level change the times.
- 2Sit outside on the boat
The lock is better seen from the deck.
- 3Bring a coat for the chairlift
The chair is open.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can it be done in winter?
Not entirely: the boat to Beilstein and the chairlift stop. Do the Reichsburg, which is open all year.
How long does it take from Frankfurt to Cochem by train?
About two hours and twenty minutes, with a change at Koblenz.
Do I have to book the boat?
No need; you buy on their website or at the kiosks on the promenade.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/germany/rhineland-palatinate/moselle-valley/itineraries/cochem-beilstein-boat-day-from-frankfurt
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.