Black Forest day trip from Strasbourg: Baden-Baden, the High Road and Gengenbach in one private day
Full day, private van for 1 to 7 passengers
From 990 €
per van, all taxes included, tips not included. About 495 € per person for 2 travelers, 198 € for 5.
Option
+400 € per full day
A certified guide-conferencier joins your day, subject to availability.
- 15 km included per hour of service, price adjusted to your itinerary
- Your hotel in Strasbourg or Colmar, same price
- Up to 7 passengers per van
From 990 € per van, TTCFull day, up to 7 passengers
BookThis Black Forest day trip from Strasbourg is for travelers who want the spa town, the mountain road and a Black Forest town in one day, without renting a car. Your private driver picks you up at 10:00 and crosses the Rhine to Baden-Baden. After lunch, you climb the Black Forest High Road (Schwarzwaldhochstrasse) to the Mummelsee, a mountain lake at 1,036 meters. You end in Gengenbach, in the Kinzig valley, and you are back at your hotel around 19:00.
Itinerary, hour by hour
10:00
Pick-up at your hotel in Strasbourg
Your FJ13 driver meets you in the lobby. The drive across the Rhine to Baden-Baden takes about 55 minutes. Keep your passport or national ID card at hand.
No free time, driving
Around 11:00
Baden-Baden, Germany
Your driver drops you near the Kurhaus Baden-Baden, at the top of the Lichtentaler Allee, a park avenue of around 3 km along the Oos river that ends at Lichtenthal Abbey. Walk the park, see the Kurhaus colonnades, then have lunch in town at your own cost. Prefer the water? Swap lunch for a 2-hour ticket at the Caracalla Spa (Caracalla Therme).
About 2 h 45 of free time, lunch included in this time
Around 13:45
Black Forest High Road (Schwarzwaldhochstrasse)
The B500 climbs out of Baden-Baden to the main ridge of the northern Black Forest, with long views over the Rhine plain on clear days. The drive to the Mummelsee takes about 40 minutes, and your driver can pull over at a viewpoint on the way.
Short photo stops on request
Around 14:30
Mummelsee
A dark glacial lake below the Hornisgrinde, the highest summit of the northern Black Forest at 1,164 meters. A path of about 800 meters loops around the water. Legend says water nymphs live in a crystal palace at the bottom.
About 1 h of free time
Around 15:30
Drive down to the Kinzig valley
About 55 minutes of driving down from the ridge, through forest and farm valleys, to Gengenbach.
No free time, driving
Around 16:30
Gengenbach, Germany
A former Free Imperial City with town gates and towers, half-timbered lanes like the Engelgasse, and a market square in front of a town hall more than 200 years old. Vineyards rise right behind the old town.
About 1 h 30 of free time
Around 18:00
Drive back to Strasbourg
Your driver meets you at an agreed point near the old town. The drive back across the Rhine takes about 40 minutes, for a drop-off at your hotel around 19:00, within the 10 hours of a full day.
No free time, driving
Who this is for
- Travelers based in Strasbourg who want to see the Black Forest itself, not only a German city with a train station.
- Couples and families who want Baden-Baden, a mountain lake and a small town in one day, with no car rental and no bus timetables.
- Groups of up to 7 people who want one private van and one shared plan.
- Repeat visitors to Alsace who have already done Colmar and the Alsace Wine Route.
Who this is not for
- Visitors who only want Baden-Baden: the fastest direct trains from Strasbourg take about 35 minutes and cost far less for one or two people (check SNCF Connect for the current fare).
- Solo travelers or couples on a budget: shared small-group day trips from Strasbourg cover Baden-Baden and the Mummelsee for a per-person price, with a fixed timetable.
- Confident drivers who enjoy mountain roads: a rental car gives you the High Road at your own pace, for less money, if someone in your group is happy to drive.
- Anyone who wants site commentary: your driver shares local tips but gives no commentary, and a certified guide-conferencier (optional, extra cost) is a French qualification, so FJ13 offers it on Alsace stops, not on this all-Germany day.
- Groups of 8 or more: you need two vans, so ask for a quote through the quote configurator.
Included
- A private driver for the whole day, only for your group
- Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel in Strasbourg
- A heated, air-conditioned private van for 1 to 7 passengers
- Tolls and parking fees, in France and in Germany
- Bottled water in the vehicle
- A flexible itinerary: swap, shorten or extend stops on the day
Not included
- Meals and drinks
- Thermal bath tickets and any other site entries
- Tips for your driver
- Child or baby seats, available on request at booking for a small fee
- Waiting time beyond 15 minutes after the agreed meeting time, which is billed
Practical notes
- Border: Germany runs temporary checks at its land borders, including the border with France, until at least March 15, 2027. Every traveler, children included, needs a passport or national ID card.
- Caracalla Spa: open daily 8:00 to 22:00, closed December 24 and 25. Children are admitted from age 7, under 14 only with an adult. Swimwear is required in the pools, and the saunas are textile-free.
- Friedrichsbad: the historic Roman-Irish bath in Baden-Baden is open daily 9:00 to 22:00, with last entry 3 hours before closing. Nobody under 14 is admitted, and bathing is mixed and nude except on Wednesday and Saturday swimwear days. A full visit needs most of the afternoon, so plan it instead of the Mummelsee.
- Altitude: the High Road runs at about 900 to 1,000 meters, so the Mummelsee is usually colder than Strasbourg. Bring a warm layer, even in summer.
- Winter: from late fall, snow and ice are possible on the ridge. FJ13 vans run on winter tires in December, and your driver chooses the road on the day.
- Cobblestones and slopes: Gengenbach has cobbled lanes. The Lichtentaler Allee and the Mummelsee loop are mostly flat.
- Accessibility: FJ13 has no wheelchair-accessible vehicle. Your driver helps travelers who can walk a few steps get in and out.
Reviews
This tour is new on alsace-tours.com and has no reviews yet. Reviews from real travelers will appear here once they are published.
Frequently asked questions
Will it cost less if we skip the Mummelsee and stay longer in Baden-Baden?
No. The price depends on the duration of the service, from pick-up to drop-off, and the itinerary, not on the number of stops. Skipping the Mummelsee does not lower it. It frees close to 2 hours, enough for the Friedrichsbad or a slower lunch.
Can we fit a thermal bath into the Black Forest day?
Yes. The simplest option is a 2-hour ticket at the Caracalla Spa in Baden-Baden, taken instead of a sit-down lunch. Bring swimwear and a towel. For the Friedrichsbad, which takes longer, drop the Mummelsee and tell FJ13 at booking.
Our kids are 10 and 15. Which Baden-Baden bath can they use?
The Caracalla Spa admits children from age 7, with an adult under 14, so both can go. The Friedrichsbad admits nobody under 14, and 14 to 17 year olds only with an adult, so your 10 year old cannot enter.
What if it snows on the Black Forest High Road on our date?
Your driver checks conditions in the morning. FJ13 vans run on winter tires in December. If the ridge is icy or foggy, your driver takes the valley roads to Gengenbach and adds time in Baden-Baden instead.
Is the train to Baden-Baden a better deal than this private day?
For Baden-Baden alone, yes: the fastest direct trains from Strasbourg take about 35 minutes, and buses 201 and 216 link Baden-Baden station to Leopoldsplatz in the center. The Mummelsee has no station, and linking it with Gengenbach on the same day takes several buses and trains. That is where a private van saves time.
Related tours and guides
Christmas markets in Alsace and Germany: a private day across the Rhine
Two countries in one December day: Obernai in Alsace, then Baden-Baden and Gengenbach in Germany's Black Forest region, ending under the lit town hall windows.
From 990 € per van
Alsace wine tour from Strasbourg: four wine towns and two estate tastings in one private day
A full day on the Alsace Wine Route by private van: Obernai, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and Colmar, with tastings at Dopff & Irion and Domaine Weinbach. Hotel pick-up in Strasbourg.
From 990 € per van
Day trips from Strasbourg
Baden-Baden, Freiburg, Colmar and the wine villages compared, with train and driving times.
Private tours in Alsace
How a private driver day works, what it includes, and when a train is the better choice.
Build a tailor-made day
Swap stops, add Freiburg or a thermal bath, and get a quote for your own Black Forest route.
Get a quote
Ready to plan your day?
Check the price for your date and group size. No payment at this stage: FJ13 confirms availability first.