Black Forest Rail-Drive Holiday
- 8 Days
- From £899
- Germany
- Take a Eurostar service to Strasbourg and make an easy connection in Paris for the train to Strasbourg
- Pick up a hire car from Strasbourg station
- Enjoy a week at leisure exploring the beautiful Black Forest
- Return to London via Strasbourg
- Decide when you would like to travel
- Adapt the route to suit your plans
- Upgrade your trains and hotels
- Add extra nights, destinations and/or tours
- Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations
- 7 days car hire (Peugeot 308 or similar) from Strasbourg
- 7 nights’ handpicked hotel accommodation with breakfast
- City maps and comprehensive directions to your hotels
- Clearly-presented wallets for your rail tickets and hotel vouchers
- All credit card surcharges and delivery of your travel documents
Suggested Itinerary
Leave London and head across to Paris on the Eurostar. On arrival at the Gare du Nord, take a short walk to the Gare de l’Est to connect with your high-speed TGV service to Strasbourg. You will arrive mid-afternoon into Strasbourg where you pick up your hire car and cross the mighty Rhine into Germany.
Make your way up into the hills towards Freudenstadt and check in at the Landgasthof Hotel Hirsch (or similar) for a 7-night stay, in the heart of the Black Forest.
From your base in the centre of the Black Forest, or Schwarzwald as it is known locally, you have an array of potential day trips and explorations within easy reach. Drive along the Black Forest Highway (Schwarzwalder Hochstrasse) and enjoy the smells of the fresh coniferous forests as you go. Head south to Freiburg im Breisgau and the popular Titisee Lake as well as the smaller lake of Mummelsee, home to the famous green giant “Mummelsee Geist”.
In the northern reaches of the national park you can visit the delightful spa town of Baden-Baden where you can choose from an array of thermal spas and high-end boutiques. An hour to the east, is the picture-postcard town of Tübingen. Contact local tourist information centres for ideas on walks, mountain bike rides or scenic drives with the independence that your car provides.
Drive back to Strasbourg this morning to drop off the car, and pick up a TGV train back to Paris. Make the short walk back to the Gare du Nord for your Eurostar home to London. On some days it may be possible to travel back via Lille as opposed to Paris, thus avoiding the need to change stations – ask the team for more details.
Typical hotels on this itinerary
This historic hotel is located on the main thoroughfare through the little town of Loßburg. All traditionally furnished bedrooms come with en suite bathrooms, a safe, TV and complimentary mineral water. The hotel boasts a restaurant serving Black Forest specialities and cakes along with a beer garden during the summer months. Bike rental is also available.