How to Travel in Alsace Without a Car

The wine route is very famous, so there are many services to reach the villages. You won't be lost.

Visit Alsace by train

The train is the best way to start. Two main cities are connected by train: Strasbourg and Colmar. There is a direct train between the two.

Which towns can you reach by train?

Strasbourg and Colmar are the two main cities, and a direct train connects them. From Strasbourg or Colmar, you can also take a train to a few smaller towns:

• Obernai and Barr: both have a train station. They are the easiest wine towns to reach by train.
• Sélestat: a nice town to visit, and a good place to take a bus.
• Colmar: the best base to explore the wine route.

But there is one thing to know. The train does not go to every beautiful village. For the most beautiful ones, you will need a bus. Don't worry, it is very simple.

Buy your train tickets

First, use the TER Grand Est page on SNCF Connect. You write where you want to go in Alsace, and it shows you which trains to take. It is not too expensive.

You can also download the SNCF Connect app on iPhone or Android. You buy your ticket in the app, and it stays on your phone.

Visit Alsace by bus

The buses are the key to the wine villages. Many buses go along the whole wine route. Mostly, you will take only one or two buses to reach your village.

I recommend starting from Colmar or Sélestat. You can reach both by train, and then you take a bus to see best villages in Alsace.

A good example is Ribeauvillé. There is no train station there, so you can only go by bus. But it is one of the busiest bus stops on the wine route. From Ribeauvillé, you can take a bus to Hunawihr and Riquewihr. You can also go to Saint-Hippolyte, which is the stop for the castle of Haut-Kœnigsbourg.

Two options to buy bus ticket

Option 1: Fluo Grand Est (my favorite)

Fluo Grand Est is the regional bus network. These are classic bus lines, and they run all year. They stop in the most beautiful villages of Alsace. It is also the cheapest option.

When I took it, I bought my ticket from the driver. You just say where you want to go, and he gives you the price. It was very easy.

On the website, you can create your itinerary. You write where you start and where you want to go. The website shows you which buses to take and where. It is very useful.

You can also download the Fluo app. You will find it at the bottom of the home page of the website, or here:

• Android
• iPhone

Option 2: the Kutzig open-top bus

Kutzig is an open-top bus that goes through the heart of the Alsace wine route. It is a hop-on hop-off bus, so you can get off in a village, visit, and take the next one. You can board in Colmar, Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg Vignoble, Turckheim or Eguisheim.

I recommend starting from Colmar or Ribeauvillé. Why? Because you can reach Colmar by train first, and then it is very easy.

But be careful, this bus does not run all year. Here is when you can take it:

• April, May, June and until mid-October: from Friday to Sunday, and on public holidays.
• July, August and September: from Tuesday to Sunday, and on public holidays.

So if you visit on a Monday in July, or on a Wednesday in May, there is no Kutzig. Check the calendar on their website before you plan your day around it. This is also why I prefer Fluo, which runs all year.

My tips for the bus

• Use Google Maps. It shows you in real time which bus to take, and when. I used it during my whole trip, with the train and the buses. Every bus was on time, and it was very useful.
• Start from Colmar. It is one of the main cities in Alsace. From there, you will take only one or two buses at most.
• Expect to wait. Between two buses, you might wait 40 minutes to 1 hour. So plan your visit around it.
• Watch the last bus. If you need to go back to a big city, start thinking about it around 4 pm or 5 pm. It is mostly the last bus.
• Stop in each village. The buses stop in the classic beautiful villages. You can get off, do your things, and take another bus to the next place.

FAQ

Can you visit Alsace without a car?

Yes. Trains connect the big towns, and buses take you to the most beautiful villages on the wine route.

What is the best train route in Alsace?

Strasbourg to Colmar. From either city, you can also take a train to Obernai or Barr.

Can you go to Ribeauvillé by train?

No, there is no train station. You take a bus from Colmar or Sélestat.

What is the best bus company for the wine route?

Fluo Grand Est. It runs all year and stops in the beautiful villages. Kutzig is a nice open-top option, but only from April to October.

What is the best app to plan my trip?

SNCF Connect for the train, Fluo Grand Est for the buses, and Google Maps to see everything in real time.