great views, great tram ride for fans, "regular" public transport in Stuttgart!…read more Since our hotel was right on Marienplatz and since the Zacke cog railway started right from this plaza, we as railway fans couldn't resist taking a ride, especially since there was no extra charge - the Stuttgart Zacke is part of the normal city transport system! For a Sunday morning there were quite a few passengers of all sorts - mothers with baby carriages, cyclists with their bikes (there's a special open carriage for the bikes), and a few obvious tourists too like us. Although we'd have taken the tram anyway, the view alone is worth the ride with panoramas of the entire Stuttgart skyline on the way to the last stop. Our only slight disappointment - after eight stations, a bit more than 2 kilometers, and about a quarter of an hour we'd reached the top, which curiously has the word "hole" in the name ("Degerloch") although it's actually 200 meters higher than the starting point. At least we had the return trip to enjoy and also another tourist attraction for transport buffs in another part of town to look forward to: the Stuttgart cable car / Standseilbahn!

If you're visitng Heidelberger there is no way you can miss out on taking a ride on the…read moreHeidelberger Straßen- und Bergbahn (which is basically Heidelberger's mountain railway). First, for the unique ride itself. The railway isn't horizontal, but vertical, and takes you straight up the mountain without any zigzagging or spiraling. The glass cab cars allow you to get an amazing view of Heidelberger and the surrounding areas as you go up. The station itself is filled with a lot of informational posters and displays. Being in Germany, this isn't your typical train like we are used to in the US. Everything here is spotless and clean. Which really makes your ride up the mountain that much more enjoyable. But the view once you get to the top is really the main reason for riding this mountain railway. You disembark on a public park (absolutely gorgeous in the fall when all the leaves are changing colors) and the views from the top will leave you breathless. But the main attraction here is the stunning pink palace. You can take tours inside, but even the outside gives you plenty to look at.

We started to walk down to castle Heidelberg and my parents couldn't handle the rocky terrain…read more Dad's knees are just not up for the task with his weak knees and stumbled as he tripped on a rock. Thankfully, the Bergbahn (cable car) was close by and we could all get on. The fare included a round trip and entrance to the Castle below for 12 Euro and 10 Euro for ages 60 and over. The train departs ever 10-15 minutes throughout the day. You'll transfer once to get to the Castle and another time to get to Heidelberg old city. The view from the top is of the Nekar valley below with the Nekar River snaking its way through the country side like a long serpentine constrictor. There is also a patio where you can order a bite and beverage while you wait for your train or simply enjoy the view. On a good clear summer day you can see clear across to the other mountain range or approximately 40 miles.

Schlossplatz (in English, "Plaza square") is the largest square in the city of Stuttgart and is…read morebisected by the Königstraße. It is well served by this massive underground station that is a stop for the U5, U6, U7, U12 and U15 lines. Pick any entrance and you'll be in the rabbit warren that makes up the underground areas of the station. It was helpful to see an exterior sign pointing out the next several trains so you could easily estimate how quickly you might want to walk to get to the platform. There is a public toilet available somewhere. Follow the excellent signage. [Review 21259 overall - 263 in Germany - 224 of 2024.]

Without a doubt, one of the most confusing stations I encountered on the Stuttgart U-Bahn network…read more It is a central hub. Perhaps even more so than the main Hauptbahnhof! With up to -NINE- lines of the metro converging here on two levels that go north-south and east-west, it's a great way to get lost. I found escalators, some of which I rode more than once as I found myself on the wrong platform. On the plus side, the trains run often and if you are headed to a part of the network where the lines are still converged, you won't have to wait long for a train. [Review 21240 overall - 244 in Germany - 205 of 2024.]