Planning a trip to Trier

Contact Tourist-Information, An der Porta Nigra (tel. 0651/978080; fax 0651/9780876; www.trier.de), open daily; hours vary greatly by season, so call ahead or visit the website for exact hours (closed Dec 25-26 and Jan 1).

Getting Around

Most of Trier's attractions are within walking distance of each other, and few visitors need to take the bus. Tickets (purchased on the bus) cost 1.85€ within zone 1 (the city). Outside normal operating times (Mon-Fri 6:30am-6:45pm), bus numbers 81 through 87 run special routes until 2am, as well as on Saturday and Sunday. For information, call tel. 1805/131619, or visit www.vrt-info.de.

Boat Tours

Trier owes much of its majesty to the river that nurtured its medieval commerce. You can take a day cruise for a waterside view of its historic banks. Easter to October, boats depart Tuesday to Sunday at 9am from the Zurlauben (city docks) for a 4-hour trip along the river to Bernkastel, passing vineyards, wine hamlets, historic churches, and semi-ruined fortresses. Participants spend 2 hours exploring Bernkastel before returning on the same boat to Trier, arriving back at 7:30pm. The cost is 26€ per person.

If you don't want to spend so much time on the river, you can take a shorter, hour-long excursion to the nearby historic hamlet of Pfalzel. Boats depart from Trier's docks Easter to October daily at 10 and 11:15am, 12:30, 1:45, 3, and 4:15pm. Round-trip is 8€. You can prolong your excursion with a walk along the riverbanks in Pfalzel or return on the next boat almost immediately after your arrival.

For information on either of these excursions, contact the tourist office or the boat operator Gebrüder Kolb (tel. 0651/26666; www.kolb-mosel.de).