Bacharach is on the left (west) bank of the Rhine between Bingen and Koblenz. The train station sits directly on the riverfront — the town is so compact that you step off the platform and are immediately in the medieval core.
By train The Mittelrheinbahn (line RB 26) runs between Mainz and Koblenz along the left bank, stopping at Bacharach. Journey times are around 45 minutes from Koblenz and 50 minutes from Mainz. Trains run roughly hourly. From Frankfurt, change at Mainz or Bingen.
By Rhine ferry A small car and passenger ferry crosses the Rhine between Bacharach and Kaub on the opposite bank. Kaub has its own medieval castle (Gutenfels) and the fortified toll island of Pfalzgrafenstein in the middle of the river. The crossing takes a few minutes and runs frequently in summer.
By car The B9 federal road runs along the Rhine through Bacharach. Parking is available outside the town gate — the streets inside the walls are not designed for cars.
By Rhine cruise Most Rhine cruise boats stop at or pass through Bacharach. The Köln-Düsseldorfer (KD) line and others operate seasonal services between Rüdesheim and Koblenz, passing through the UNESCO World Heritage stretch of the river.