Do you want to know the best day trips from Nuremberg by train?
It’s a brilliant base for exploring Upper Bavaria, and I spent most of my time there hopping on trains to see other towns. My two favourites are Bamberg and Rothenburg ob der Tauber, both quintessentially German and both easy to reach without a car. I have also included six more towns that make just as easy a day out.
Here is how to get out there and make the most of each place.
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Getting Away from Nuremberg
Nuremberg’s Hauptbahnhof, its main train station, is directly opposite the Königstor gate, one of the entrances to Nürnberg Old Town. I love travelling by rail, and day trips from here are about as easy as it gets.
You can check train times here, and I would download the DB app before you go, as it makes planning on the go far simpler.
But first, a quick explainer about German trains. To reach these destinations, you’ll use one of these types of trains:
- ICE (Intercity Express): These high-speed trains are the flagship of Deutsche Bahn and connect cities in Germany and beyond. Although you can buy a ticket on the day, advance booking gets you a cheaper fare.
- RE (Regional Express): Connecting medium and larger cities within regions, these trains are slower than the ICE trains, stopping more frequently. Regional trains have a fixed price with unlimited availability, so no reservations are necessary or possible.
Before you buy a point-to-point ticket, check if your journey will be cheaper with a Regional Day Ticket for Bavaria, one of Germany’s bargain day tickets.
1. Nuremberg to Bamberg Day Trip by Train
Visit beautiful Bamberg for its UNESCO-listed Old Town, protected by Europe’s largest intact city wall. Built over seven hills, Bamberg is known as “Franconian Rome”.
Don’t leave town without trying Rauchbier, Bamberg’s famous smoky beer. Schlenkera’s Märzen is worth the price of your train ticket from Nuremberg.
What to see
THE OLD TOWN – Unlike many of its neighbours, Bamberg escaped the ravages of the Second World War, its old town relatively unscathed. This time capsule is one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval towns and one that formed the blueprint for other towns to follow.
OLD TOWN HALL (ALTES RATHAUS) – Occupying an island in the middle of the Regnitz River is the Altes Rathaus, its façade is adorned with vibrant trompe d’oeil frescoes painted by Johann Anwander (1715 – 1770).
BAMBERG CATHEDRAL – Step inside the Romanesque Dom to to see the marble tomb of Henry II and his wife Cunegund, alongside the famous Bamberg Horseman, an equestrian statue from the early 1200s.
THE ROSE GARDEN – Laid out in 1733, the Neue Residenz Rose Garden is my favourite place in Bamberg. It’s free to enter and offers wonderful views over Bamberg and towards Michelsburg Abbey.
LITTLE VENICE – Klein Venedig is a ridiculously photogenic former fishermen’s district that features a row of wonky half-timbered houses hugging the river’s edge.
2. Nuremberg to Rothenburg ob der Tauber Day Trip by Train
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a 14th-century town alive and kicking in the 21st century. It is one of Germany’s most intact medieval towns and a highlight of the Romantic Road, the route that winds through Bavaria’s medieval heartland, with wonky half-timbered houses, cobbled streets and an intact town wall complete with stone towers.
Try a Schneeball when you are in town, sold in bakeries and cafes. This is Rothenburg’s tasty pastry, a sweet cloud of heaven made from layers of shortcrust pastry, dusted with sugar.
What to see
MARKTPLATZ – the medieval heart of town since the year 1300, home to two town halls (the Gothic Old Town Hall and Renaissance New Town Hall) and the ornate St George’s Fountain. Climb the Old Town Hall tower for a bird’s-eye view if you do not mind heights
ST JAMES’S CHURCH – Spend a few euros to step inside the beautiful St James’s Church (St. Jakob’s Church). This rest stop on the Camino de Santiago achieved fame as the location of a drop of Christ’s blood.
CASTLE GARDEN – From here, there are unbeatable views of Rothenburg’s medieval skyline and the Tauber Valley. All that remains of the former castle is the Blasius Chapel, in front of which is a memorial to local Jews slaughtered in 1298.
PLÖLEIN – Rothenburg’s most photographed street and best-known landmark. You will likely recognise it from Pinocchio, the 1940 Disney film it inspired.
KÄTHE WOHLFAHRT – Jingle all the way down to place where it is Christmas 365 days a year. Founded in 1964, this is the largest and most famous vendor of traditional German Christmas products.
3. Nuremberg to Würzburg Day Trip by Train
The main reason to visit Würzburg is for the UNESCO-listed Würzburg Residence, one of Europe’s finest palaces. For many visitors, Würzburg is the starting point of Germany’s Romantic Road. For me, it was a superb stopping point between Bavaria’s Passau and Aachen in Western Germany.
Surrounded by vineyards, visiting one of its weinstuben for the local wine is a must.
What to see
WÜRZBURG RESIDENCE – Dubbed the German Versailles, this 18th century palace of the bishop-kings is the city’s calling card and one of the most beautiful in Europe
ST. KILLIAN’S CATHEDRAL (DOM) – Germany’s fourth-largest Romanesque cathedral, with Gothic spires and Baroque flourishes.
NEUMINSTER – Another Baroquefied Romanesque church, built on the site where St. Kilian and his two companions were killed in 689 AD.
ALTE MAINBRÜCKE – Würzburg’s photogenic main bridge with stone statues of the city’s prince-bishops and saints.
MARIENBURG FORTRESS – The place that the prince-bishops liked to call home before they upped sticks to the Würzburg Residence.
4. Nuremberg to Regensburg Day Trip by Train
Regensburg’s history stretches back more than 2,000 years, making it one of the finest medieval cities in Germany. It is also UNESCO listed and beautifully set on the Danube.
What to see
STONE BRIDGE – One of Europe’s finest medieval structures, this 12th-century bridge spans the Danube, connecting the old town to the Stadtamhof district. Next to it is the historic Sausage Kitchen, which fed the workers who built the bridge.
REGENSBURG CATHEDRAL – This magnificent Gothic cathedral dominates the city skyline with its twin spires and houses extraordinary stained glass windows dating back to the 14th century.
OLD TOWN HALL – Dating from the 13th century, this complex includes the Imperial Hall where the Perpetual Diet of Regensburg met for nearly 150 years, shaping European politics.
PORTA PRAETORIA – This is one of two remaining Roman gates in Germany, built in 179 AD as part of the Castra Regina fortress.
ST EMMERAM’S ABBEY – A former Benedictine monastery that was transformed into a magnificent residence for the Princes of Thurn und Taxis.
5. Nuremberg to Munich Day Trip by Train
With more than 80 museums, Munich is Bavaria’s cultural capital and home to the world’s largest beer garden. I’ll level with you; you need more than one day to explore the city. I’ve visited a few times and I’m not yet done. But if this is your one chance to visit Munich, seize it with both hands.
What to see
MARIENPLATZ – The heart of Munich with the ornate neo-Gothic New Town Hall and its famous Glockenspiel clock that performs daily at 11 am and noon.
ENGLISH GARDEN – This vast urban park exceeds even London’s Hyde Park in size and has treasures like a Japanese teahouse, Chinese Tower beer garden and a man-made stream where locals surf year-round.
DEUTSCHES MUSEUM – One of the world’s oldest and largest science and technology museums, housing an astonishing collection of exhibits ranging from mining to astronomy.
VIKTUALIENMARKT – This daily food market has evolved from a simple farmers’ market into a gourmet paradise with over 140 stalls selling everything from fresh produce to exotic spices.
NYMPHENBURG PALACE – The magnificent summer residence of Bavarian rulers, stretching across 200 hectares of formal gardens, lakes and pavilions.
6. Nuremberg to Coburg Day Trip by Train
Coburg is famous as the seat of the Saxe-Coburg dynasty, whose most well-known member was Prince Albert, who became Queen Victoria’s husband.
What to see
COBURG FORTRESS – This medieval hilltop fortress houses one of Germany’s most important art collections, including works by Dürer and Cranach. Martin Luther stayed here for six months in 1530 while translating the Bible, and his quarters are now preserved as a museum room.
EHRENBURG PALACE – The former home of the Dukes of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Its Hall of Giants, held up by 28 huge atlantes figures instead of columns, is one of the more unusual palace rooms you will find anywhere.
MARKET SQUARE – The heart of Coburg’s Old Town has a Renaissance town hall and a weird bronze statue of Prince Albert, depicted in a Roman toga rather than his typical Victorian attire.
COBURG DOLL MUSEUM – It may be a bit niche, but this quirky museum celebrates the world-famous Coburg doll-making industry that flourished in the 19th century. Sme examples are so (creepily) lifelike, they might make you do a double-take.
ST. MORITZ CHURCH – This Gothic Lutheran church contains the burial vault where generations of the Saxe-Coburg family rest in elaborate tombs and sarcophagi.
7. Nuremberg to Bayreuth Day Trip by Train
Bayreuth is Wagner territory. The composer chose the town for his opera festival in 1871, and the Bayreuth Festival still fills the Festspielhaus with his work every summer, though you can only see inside on a guided tour outside festival season.
What to see
MARGRAVIAL OPERA HOUSE – A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the few Baroque theatres of its kind still standing, built in the 1740s for Margravine Wilhelmine.
NEUES SCHLOSS (NEW PALACE) – The margraves’ residence, rebuilt after a fire in the 1750s, with the Hofgarten park behind it.
RICHARD WAGNER MUSEUM – Housed in Villa Wahnfried, Wagner’s former home, covering his life and work.
EREMITAGE (THE HERMITAGE) – An 18th-century complex just outside the city center, featuring whimsical grottos, fountains, and the Old Palace
FESTSPIELHAUS – Wagner’s purpose-built festival theatre, just north of the station and worth the walk even if you only see it from outside.
8. Nuremberg to Augsburg Day Trip by Train
Augsburg is Bavaria’s third-largest city and one of Germany’s oldest, founded by the Romans. It is also a Renaissance banking town, built on the fortune of the Fugger merchant family, whose name is stamped across the centre.
What to see
RATHAUS AND GOLDEN HALL – The Town Hall is a Renaissance masterpiece and its Golden Hall has stunning ceiling paintings and gilded doorways.
PERLACHTURM – A 10th century watchtower next to the Rathaus. Climb it for a panorama over the rooftops.
THE FUGGEREI – The world’s oldest social housing complex, founded in 1521 and still home to residents today, who pay a token annual rent.
SCHAEZLERPALAIS – An art-filled Baroque palace with courtyards
AUGSBURG CATHEDRAL – A Romanesque and Gothic Dom with stained glass dating back to the 11th century.
Where to Stay in Nuremberg
If you are using Nuremberg as a base to visit other towns by train, stay within easy walking distance of the railway station.
Splurge – Hotel Drei Raben
The Drei Raben is one of my favourite hotels ever. This boutique hotel is stylish and centrally located on Königstrasse, around five minutes from the Hauptbahnhof. The complimentary evening wine tasting was a lovely touch, with Ralf and Markus on hand for chats and excellent local suggestions.
Here are some other places to stay that may suit other tastes and budgets:
Mid-range – Melter Hotel & Apartments
Close to the Drei Raben, but a little further from the train station, this 4-star property offers a choice of rooms and apartments. It’s worth looking at if you prefer self-catering accommodation.
Mid-range – Art & Business Hotel
This family-run hotel is located outside the old town walls but close to the Hauptbahnhof. It offers prized single rooms for solo travellers and reviews are good.
And That’s a Wrap!
Whichever place you pick, I hope you have a fabulous day trip. If you are looking for more information to plan your Bavarian vacation, check out some of my other articles:
- A Perfect Day in Nuremberg Old Town
- Why You Should Visit Bamberg: A Bavarian Beauty
- One Day in Rothenburg ob der Tauber: A Self-Guided Walking Tour
- One Day in Würzburg: Exploring the Heart of Franconia
- Top 10 Things to Do in Passau: Bavaria’s Venice
Happy travels!
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.