Getting to Rieden: by car, train and bus to the Waldsee

By car

The standard route: the A61 to the Wehr exit (junction 33), then roughly seven kilometres along the K19 and B412 to Rieden.

Alternatives:

• A61, Mendig exit (34), a little longer but prettier, past the Laacher See. There is no motorway exit called “Maria Laach", even though it turns up in some directions
• A48 (Koblenz–Trier), Mayen exit, the sensible choice if you are coming from the south

The last few kilometres run along country roads through woodland. Drive slowly after dark: deer really do cross here, especially at dusk in autumn.

Driving times from the main cities

Driving distances from Rieden, worked out with a route planner, correct as of August 2026:

From the surrounding area: Koblenz 44 kilometres and just under 40 minutes, Mayen 13 kilometres and about 18 minutes.

By train and bus

Unlike many holiday homes in the Eifel, Rieden can be reached without a car.

Train to Mayen Ost. Two lines call there, both mostly hourly:

• RB 38 (Pellenz-Eifel-Bahn): Andernach – Mayen Ost – Mayen West – Kaisersesch
• RB 23 (Lahn-Eifel-Bahn): Limburg – Koblenz – Andernach – Mayen Ost

Bus from Mayen. Route 820 runs to the Rieden (Eifel) Waldsee stop, which is right by the lake, and takes 20 to 25 minutes. Two things to bear in mind: on weekdays the service is not a clean hourly pattern, at weekends the bus runs only every two hours, and a few journeys are RufBus dial-a-ride services that have to be booked in advance (by 22:00 the day before on 02633 2009600).

Rieden is part of the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Mosel (VRM) transport network, so one ticket covers both train and bus.

By air

The nearest major airport is Cologne/Bonn, followed by Frankfurt-Hahn and Luxembourg. For guests from the Netherlands, driving is usually the easier choice, because you would need a hire car from the airport anyway.

Arriving

Check-in from 15:00, check-out by 10:00.

What to sort out on the way: the food shopping. This is the most useful piece of information in this article. Rieden has a bakery and a butcher’s, but no supermarket. Bäckerei Hilger in Oberstraße also sells groceries, drinks and magazines and doubles as the post office; it opens Tuesday to Friday from 6:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 18:00, and Saturday from 6:00 to 12:00. Metzgerei Rausch in Kirchstraße opens Tuesday to Thursday from 8:00 to 12:00, with Friday afternoons as well, and Saturday from 8:00 to 12:00.

The nearest supermarket is a Lidl in Weibern, around 6 kilometres away, followed by an Edeka in Kempenich, around 7 kilometres. Larger supermarkets are in Mayen and Mendig, a quarter of an hour away in each case.

In practice that means: if you arrive on a Friday evening and want breakfast on Sunday, do your shopping on the way. Everything in the village is closed on Sundays, and the bakery is closed on Mondays too. Correct as of August 2026.

Charging for electric cars: an EV charging point at every house

If you arrive early

For most guests the journey takes two to three hours, and many arrive before check-in. Three suggestions for the wait, all of them on your way here:

• Maria Laach Abbey (8 km), the abbey church, monastery shop and nursery garden, plus the lakeside path around the Laacher See
• Lava-Dome Mendig (15 km), a volcano museum and lava cellars, whatever the weather
• Mayen (13 km), shopping, coffee and, if there is time, the slate mine

Local practicalities

Medical care: Rieden has a GP surgery in Langenbahn, although it works by appointment only, with no walk-in hours. There is no pharmacy in the village; the nearest one is in Weibern, around 5 kilometres away. The nearest hospital with an emergency department is St. Elisabeth in Mayen, around 13 kilometres away. The out-of-hours medical service can be reached nationwide on 116117, and in an emergency you call 112.

Vet: Tierklinik Dr. Schneichel, Ostbahnhofstraße 77 in Mayen, emergency cover around the clock 365 days a year, around 13 kilometres away.

When you arrive with us

You can move in from 15:00. A welcome gift with regional wine and Eifel specialities is waiting on the table, the firewood for the wood-burning stove is ready, and bed linen, towels and bathrobes are in the house. Please bring your own sauna towels. A cot and a high chair are free of charge, which saves space in the boot.

Two conditions worth knowing as you plan your journey: we let from three nights, and you can arrive Monday to Saturday, but not on Sundays. Up to two dogs are welcome at no extra charge. Which of the three homes suits you depends on the size of your party: Susi for two to four guests, Annika and Tommy for up to six, from 195 euros per night per house. You will find all three with photos and facilities under Holiday Homes. If you are unsure, give us a ring, you will reach us directly.