London-Mannheim/Heidelberg route options and recommendations

[eastwestdivide]

Morning all,

travelling to Mannheim/Heidelberg later this year by train, and I can see basically three possible routes:
a. London-Brussels-Cologne/Bonn-Mannheim
b. London-Paris-Saarbrücken-Mannheim
c. London-Paris-Strasbourg-(Offenburg/Karlsruhe)-Mannheim.

Any pros and cons? Best scenery? More interesting route? Tips and tricks?

I've travelled via Cologne before, and "done" the Rheinstrecke along the banks of the Rhine, so not bothered by missing that out, either via the high speed line S of Cologne or by going via Paris.
Tickets: I've seen the DB London-Spezial offers, but also pretty cheap TGV offers on Raileurope etc.
Timings: I'm not in a hurry.

Thanks/Merci/Danke in advance

 

[brianthegiant]

For minimum changes just London - Paris - Mannheim
gare de l'est is 10 min walk from Gare du Nord. But allow a bit more than that especially for E* check-in on the way home.

route is quite boring though mostly LGVs in open countryside

 

[Oscar]

Don't forget that Deutsche Bahn also offer the Europa-Spezial Frankreich on the ICE between Mannheim and Paris and on connections using the TGV (e.g. changing at Kalsruhe) so Deutsche Bahn can sell tickets between Mannheim and Paris starting at 39€ / 29,25€ with BahnCard 25 - the French-German border just has to be crossed on a long-distance train.
The sections through the Ardennes (Liège-Aachen) or the Vosges (before the French-German border) are in my opinion the most scenic.

 

[valedave]

If you want "interesting", I'd suggest the Eurostar to Brussels, then the IC 97 from Brussels to Strasbourg (through Luxembourg), crossing the Rhine in the Ortenau S-Bahn to Offenburg and then heading back up north to Mannheim on any Switzerland -> Germany ICE.

Or, if you want quick and cheaper but boring, London -> Paris -> Mannheim.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Thanks people. I like valedave's Luxembourg suggestion.

 

[30907]

On scenery, I partly agree with Oscar - either side of Kaiserslautern on the Paris-Mannheim is nice and hilly, as is Saverne-Strasbourg on the Stuttgarts.
Liege-Aachen is I think better on the classic line, though the HSL has its moments.

There's also Mulhouse-Neuenburg-Freiburg if you want to sample the LGV Rhin-Rhone (but the through Paris TGV doesnt start till August)

 

[Capybara]

As a variation on the 'scenic' route, get off at Luxembourg then head up the Mosel valley to Koblenz, then along the Rheine, left or right bank to Mannheim.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Thanks again people. Think I'll go via France, as I've travelled via Cologne already. Also doing the Mosel from Koblenz later in the year anyway.
Trip report later in the year maybe...

 

[Max]

I'm not sure of the timings, but there are some TGV services from Strasbourg-Lille (and vice versa) avoiding Paris which would provide a much easier interchange. I'm not sure what the onward connections are like from there to Mannheim though.

 

[Oscar]

From Strasbourg to Mannheim you would have to take for example the Ortenau S-Bahn to Offenburg and then another train to Mannheim. It is only a few hundred metres from Gare du Nord to Gare de l'Est.

 

[Essexman]

I did it via Brussels & Cologne last weekend.
I prefer this to via Paris as the trains are less full and catering is better if you get an ICE from Brussels.
Nice pasta for lunch to Cologne & sausages on Inter City to Mannheim (IC slower than ICE, but nicer ride down Rhine and cheaper fare)

 

[eastwestdivide]

... sausages on Inter City to Mannheim

I was looking for the best route not the Wurst.

 

[Diddyness]

How about ... St Pancras to Paris on 15:01 or 15:31 (depending on day of week you travel). Then take the City Night Line sleeper from Paris Est to Stuttgart, leaves Paris about 20:05 and uses BB15000 SNCF electric (1970's design) and a couple of German electrics, one dual voltage from Metz to Mannheim, then a second onwards. In theory it doesn't stop at Mannheim, just changes loco and joins portions but I have got off without an issue.:roll:

You can then get a regio train to Mannheim hauled by a 142.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Thanks for the suggestion, but it's all booked up now. Ended up outwards via Brussels/Köln/Rheinstrecke/Heidelberg, and back via TGV Basel-Paris.