Daytrip from Frankfurt?

Question

I will stay in frankfurt for 2 days and I want to know what is the best daytrip to take from there, I got these options: Heidelberg, Cologne and Darmstadt so far... I want to enjoy the Castles of the Rhine view... can you help me?

Answer 1

Frankfurt itself

Answer 2

My itinerary for a day trip to Cologne would be:

09:08 depart Frankfurt Hbf (Main Station) on RE 4362 platform 18 (15,00 €)

10:11 arrive Bingen Hbf

10:30 depart Bingen by ship of the Cologne-Dusseldorf Rhine-Ship Company (18,90 €)

12:50 arrive Boppard

13:46 depart Boppard on RB train 12770 (22,50 € to Cologne)

14:03 arrive Koblenz Hbf (Main Station)

14:12 depart Koblenz Hbf platform 3 on IC 2112

15:05 arrive Cologne (Köln) Hbf

Depart Cologne on the highspeed track at

17:54 18:20 18:45 18:54 19:20 19:54 20:20 21:20 21:54 22:54 to arrive at Frankfurt

19:14 19:41 19:48 20:13 20:30 21:14 21:30 22:34 23:10 00:23 (61,00 €)

If you do not want highspeed train travel, you may depart Cologne at

17:53; 18:53; 19:53; 20:53; 21:53 and arrive Frankfurt at

20:13; 21:14; 22:13; 23:25; 00:13 via the rhine valley. (39,00 €)

I do not have any experience about Darmstadt. Heidelberg however is beautiful and really worth a visit. You must take a ride on the rope/cable railway to the castle. I did that 20 years ago.

Edit:

Be aware of the fact that my itinerary will only work until the 5th October. After that, the Rhine-ship company will operate under a changed schedule.