Four Cities Railway Tour of Germany

You will take Germany's fastest train, the InterCityExpress (ICE), from Frankfurt Airport to Cologne. An older version of the ICE set the world speed record in 1988, reaching 406.9 km/h (253 mph).Prices for a 2nd class seat start at around € 60. Unless otherwise requested, Umfulana will book a train that departs late in the morning.

North of Cologne you will pass through the Ruhr Valley, Germany's industrial centre during the 19th and 20th centuries. You will then cross the state of Lower Saxony, whose southern hills increasingly give way to plains as you progress northward. Hamburg is located at the southern tip of the Jutland Peninsula, which connects Germany with Denmark.Prices for a 2nd class seat start at around € 70. Unless otherwise requested, Umfulana will book a train that departs late in the morning.

During the latter half of the journey you will traverse Brandenburg, an ancient German state that was re-established after reunification in 1990. Bordered by the Elbe River to the west and the Oder River to the east, Brandenburg is known for its intact natural environment and its many protected areas. The state surrounds - but does not include - the nation's capital.Prices for a 2nd class seat start at around € 60. Unless otherwise requested, Umfulana will book a train that departs late in the morning.

Before reaching Bavaria the train passes near or through several historical cities located in the former East Germany, including Wittenberg, where Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to a church door in 1517, Leipzig, known as the "City of Heroes" for its role in the 1989 democratic revolution that culminated in reunification, and Jena, an old university city and Germany's cultural centre together with neighbouring Weimar during the early 19th century. After leaving the forests of Thuringia you will reach Bayreuth, the site of the annual Richard Wagner festival, and Nuremberg with its Imperial Castle. The final stop on the way to Munich is Ingolstadt, a city known to automobile enthusiasts as the headquarters of the Audi corporation.Prices for a 2nd class seat start at around € 100. Unless otherwise requested, Umfulana will book a train that departs late in the morning.

The route will take you across south-central Germany to Frankfurt, then follow the course of the Rhine northwards to Cologne. Prices for a 2nd class seat start at around € 120. Unless otherwise requested, Umfulana will book a train that departs late in the morning.