Kaiserslautern to Freiburg train

Kaiserslautern is a historic city in Germany whose founding dates to the 9th century. The area hosted a hunting retreat for Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in the 12th century. It is now one of the country’s cultural centers, filled with artistic, historical, and outdoorsy attractions.

History fans will love visiting the remains of two medieval castles in Kaiserslautern: the Burg Hohenecken and Nanstein Castle, a bit further out of town. Another popular spot to visit is the city's Japanese garden, complete with a teahouse and koi ponds. The Gartenschau Kaiserslautern is another park, and it appeals especially to kids with its inventive playgrounds and enormous dinosaur models. Finally, the nearby Palatinate Forest offers gorgeous scenery along its many hiking paths.

Kaiserslautern is located between Frankfurt and Germany's border with France, so even though it is not a major metropolis, it is easy to travel to Kaiserslautern. Over 30 intercity bus routes arrive daily in the city, operated by FlixBus, Sindbad, and Union Ivkoni. You can also travel by train, thanks to Deutsche Bahn's connections to many cities throughout Europe.

Freiburg im Breisgau, commonly called Freiburg, is a large city in the Baden-Wurttemberg state in the south of Germany. Sitting on the edge of the Black Forest, this city is home to one of Germany's oldest universities and a large Gothic-style cathedral in its reconstructed medieval old town.

Freiburg Cathedral originated as a Romanesque Church in the 13th century and took a full 300 years to complete. This cathedral is one of the most popular attractions in the city, and it's easy to see why. Hundreds of figures have been carved into the sandstone facade with impossible detail, and entry is free to walk through the even more impressive interior.

The Münsterplatz is another must while visiting the city. Although nearly destroyed in World War II, this cobblestone pedestrian square has been restored to display its many historic monuments, including the bold, red Historical Merchants' Hall. Market stalls populate this central square every day except for Sundays.

One of the unique features of Freiburg is the shallow waterways that flow along grooves in the streets in the Old Town. These brooks, or bächle, used to supply the city with drinking water from the Dreisam River but today host kids' boat races or splashes on hot days. Legend says that if you accidentally step in one, you will marry a local, so watch your step—or don't!

Experience Germany's incomparable rail network on a train to Freiburg, arriving at the Freiburg Hauptbahnhof. FlixBus and Sindbad also connect Freiburg to the rest of the country and several additional European cities like Zurich and Budapest.