Wuertburg to Rothenburg
In the morning of my 15th day in Germany, I headed to the next destination, Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

To get to Rothenburg by train, I had to change trains at Steinach. The time to transfer was just 20 minutes and I was afraid the train would be delayed!! I wasn't sure if German railway company is punctual....

The train from Wuertburg to Rothenburg is a local train and its doors weren't automatic. So I was nervous about what would happen if I couldn't open the door!!

I changed trains at Steinach and it took 60 minutes by train from Wuertburg to Rothenburg.

German railway company is very punctual and I had enough time to change trains at Steinach. Rothenburg has its own little branch line between Rothenburg and Steinach and it was only 15 minutes!

Rothenburg Station
Rothenburg is well known for its well-preserved medieval old town and its beautiful architectural facades. It is a very touristy town and it is the most attractive destination for tourists from around the world. However, the Rothenburg Station was very simple and it was smaller than I had expected.

The service counter is closed on Saturday afternoon and Sunday whole day, you need to buy your ticket with a ticket machine. If you can't use a ticket machine in English or German, I highly recommend you be sure to check counter business hours in advance!

There was a Japanese information for toilets on the wall. It seemed that Rothenburg is also popular for Japanese tourist.

The old town of the Rothenburg is surrounded by high wall and there are 5 town gates. There is no way to enter the old town but to go through the gates.

"Roedertor"
Walking from the station to the town center along Ansbacher street will take you to one of the town gates, "Roedertor". It is located on the east side of the old town of Rotenburg and it's the closest to the station. It was about 10 minute walk form the station.
It was built in the 14th century. There are gatekeeper's lodges on both sides of the gate and in medieval time, they were used as custom office. The center photo above shows the bridge over the moat which surrounds the town.

Once you pass through the gate, you are likely to see a lot of half-timbered buildings and you will feel like you wandered into the medieval town.
Rothenburg is one of the most preserved medieval towns in the German Romantic Road.
Germany is full of themed roads. However, each themed road isn't a public road . It is a kind of scenic route to do sightseeing more effectively. Romantic Road, which runs from Wurzburg to Fussen in the south, is one of the most popular themed roads for tourists.