Strasbourg

Question

Hello, we are planning a trip to France.

We will start in Paris and then I am looking into taking a train to Strasbourg for a few days and possibly visiting somewhere in Germany for a day trip or maybe stay the night depending. And then taking a train to Annecy, France.

My questions are

1) what German town is recommended from Strasbourg? I’ve researched, looked at the maps, just curious what other people enjoy the most.

2) has anyone taken the train from this region to a Annecy? How was the journey and how did you go about doing that?

Thanks in advance

FrenchMystiqueTours · Accepted Answer

In regards to getting between Strasbourg and Annecy you take a train and you can get train info at sncf-connect.com. Use the same website for all of your rail travel planning in France (don't know about Germany) and if you're using TGV or Intercités trains (as you will from Paris to Strasbourg) then buy tickets 4 months in advance for the cheapest prices. I doubt you'll want to go from Strasbourg to Annecy since the journey takes 7-8 hours and involves one or two transfers. There is more than enough of interest near Strasbourg to keep you occupied for a week of more. See the local tourist office websites to learn what to see and do in that area. Here are just a few of the many local tourist office websites you can check to start your research. Any town that attracts tourists in France will have its own tourist office website:

https://www.visitstrasbourg.fr/en/welcome-in-strasbourg/

https://www.visit.alsace/en/

https://www.tourisme-colmar.com/en/

https://www.ribeauville-riquewihr.com/en/

https://www.kaysersberg.com/en

Here is a map of the train network in that area (blue lines) and some of the major bus routes (yellow lines):

https://mmt.vsct.fr/sites/default/files/swt/CGRE/2022-06/Carte%20Grand%20Est%20-%20mars%202022%20%5BA3%5D%20%28police%20Calibri%29.pdf

For bus info you can use the following website: https://www.fluo.eu/en

Bus network map of Bas-Rhin (I can't get maps for Haut-Rhin):

https://www.fluo.eu/ftp/documents_CG67/plan-interactif-a0.pdf

Amarillogirl2017 · Answer

Thanks for the advice,

We do not want to skip Annecy and realize that it is not close to Strasbourg.

I was thinking of possibly breaking up the trip by stopping in a German town.

I was just wondering if anyone else has made this journey or if there’s a German town that anyone recommends that is not far and easy to get to from Strasbourg.

Thanks in advance

JudyDoris · Answer

We are near Strasbourg now and will be visiting Heidelberg soon. It’s fairly close.

trav1970_ta · Answer

Places worth visiting on a day trip from Strasbourg to Germany include:

Gengenbach, small very historic town not very far away from Strasbourg

Freiburg, bigger lively town with a historic cathedral and a lot of students, cable car to Schauinsland mountain

Baden-Baden, historic spa town in a Black Forest valley with a lot of green spaces

All easily possible by train from Strasbourg. Trains run more or less hourly. You have to get first a train to Offenburg, and change there for a train to Gengenbach or Freiburg. For Baden-Baden, you can change either at Offenburg or Appenweier. Offenburg is a medium sized lively town which has no important historic monuments, but the historic center is worth a short visit as well.

Heidelberg is a nice bigger lively student town, with a big castle ruin. However, for a day trip, it is rather far away from Strasbourg.

GuidoLocattelli · Answer

Three or four German cities might satisfy your curiosity. Walk across the bridge to Kehl. We would stay in Strasbourg. Freiburg and Baden-Bade for sure. Do not wander off to far away Heidelberg....Strasbourg has enough to keep you busy. .

AMIA778 · Answer

If you are traveling in the October-March time period, forget Annecy. This town is best visited in nicer months when sky is blue and trees are green.

Amarillogirl2017 · Answer

We are going in August 2023, thank you so much for the feedback

Maria H · Answer

You could also break up the journey between Strasbourg and Annecy in Switzerland. Spend a few days in Lucerne, Bern or Montreux?

heidig86 · Answer

From Strasbourg, you can take the train with a few stops/connections. Fastest, and probably most economical, would be to fly to Lyon then catch a train.

Stopping in Switzerland would be fun too.

We went from Strasbourg into Paris for a couple days then trained. We are in Annecy now, and it’s lovely in October. Very few people, perfect weather.

Edited: 1 year ago

Amarillogirl2017 · Answer

Did you train Paris to Strasbourg, then back to Paris and into Annecy? If so how much time did you spend commuting? Did you find this to be the best route?

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