Rüdesheim

Rüdesheim am Rhein (also spelled Rudesheim or Ruedesheim) is a city in the Rheingau in Hesse, at the southern end of the Rhine Valley, across the river from Bingen. The Rüdesheim village within the city is a small picturesque place at the Rhine, one very typical example of Rheinromantik

Understand
The town incorporates the village of Assmannshausen, also on the Rhine but on the other side of a bend in the river, and is also known as Rüdesheim am Rhein to distinguish it from the smaller nearby town of Rüdesheim an der Nahe.

Uphill (go by car or ropeway) you will find the Niederwald monument and its surroundings. The monument is one of a select group of national monuments in Germany and is a major attraction. It has a tremendous view over the Rhine, Rüdesheim and Bingen. You can combine the visit with a walk in the forest that includes an animal park and other smaller places to see.

By train


Rüdesheim is served by the Rechte Rheinstrecke train line between Koblenz and Neuwied and Wiesbaden and Frankfurt. Trains are infrequent, with around one service per hour, but cheap towards Frankfurt/Wiesbaden/Mainz, as all towns lie in the RMV fare region.



By car
From Frankfurt the Autobahn A66 passes to the south of Wiesbaden via Eltville to Rüdesheim, where it links into federal highway B42. The B42 runs along the right bank of the Rhine from Koblenz to Wiesbaden via Rüdesheim. As you enter the town from the north, a railway level crossing ensures long traffic jams, particularly on weekends when the weather is fine.

From Bingen harbour you can take a car-ferry to Rüdesheim. Between Wiesbaden and Koblenz there are no bridges across the Rhine although there are a number of ferries.

By boat
KD and BR boats cruising the Rhine stop at Rüdesheim.

Ferry Rüdesheim – Bingen - You can also hop on a ferry across the river to Bingen and board there.

On foot
The Rheinsteig walking trail passes above Eibingen, Rüdesheim and through Assmannshausen.

Get around
Rüdesheim is small enough to cover on foot. You can travel to Assmannshausen by train or bus, or just walk along the Rhine (6-7 km), you can also take a cable car up to Niederwald and a chair lift back down to Assmannshausen.
 * The cable car runs from late March to early November and during the run-up to Christmas over the vineyards to the Niederwald monument. Single: €5, return: €7, children 5-15 years: €2.50-3.50, including chairlift to Assmannshausen: €7, including return by boat: €13, including a tour on a larger boat and entrance to Rheinstein castle: €16.
 * Bus number 171 runs every hour from Wiesbaden station via Geisenheim to Rüdesheim and continues twice daily as far as Assmannshausen via Lorchhausen. Bus 187 runs from Rüdesheim via Aulhausen to Assmannshausen. This route makes a rough round trip through Eibingen and Windeck. At the weekend you must call for buses roughly 90 minutes in advance, and sometimes even during the week (Tel: +49 1803 101 113).

See






Do

 * Walk part of the Rheinsteig.
 * Walk part of the Rheinsteig.

Buy
Rüdesheim is full of shops selling tourist trinkets, but there are also a few places to purchase some good local wines.



Eat

 * Drosselgasse is a very pretty (and very touristy) strip of restaurants and souvenir shops in the heart of Rüdesheim.

Drink
Rüdesheim is the heart of the Rheingau wine region and is particularly famous for the Rheingauer Riesling white wine.

Also try a Rüdesheimer Kaffee, a coffee with Asbach Uralt brandy, served flambéed.



Go next

 * Assmannshausen
 * Bingen
 * Bacharach
 * Loreley, the famous rock of Loreley near St. Goarshausen, an hour by ferry down the Rhine.
 * St. Goar – look to the Loreley
 * Eltville am Rhein – Kurfürstliche Burg (Electoral castle)
 * Eberbach Abbey (Kloster Eberbach) near Eltville
 * Wiesbaden
 * Burg Rheinstein near Trechtingshausen