If you rent a car in Zurich, you are likely to incur a hefty cross-border drop-off fee by returning the car in Vienna.

I would forget Zurich, pick up the car in Munich and return it in Munich. You could go down to Innsbruck, go to Vienna and return via the Wachau Valley and Salzburg.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/sets/72157622926792957/show/

i would suggest an arrival in munich and a departure from there for ease of car rental...

i would cut vienna and add innsbruch (sp)... there is plenty to do in that southern bavaria area...

You really don;t want to go to Zurich - which is primarily a business city. For Switz you should go to the Berner Oberland - but that would require significantly more time and a different focus for the trip.

I don;t think the problem is hte distances - I think it's that you're not spending enough time in any one place to really see anything.

We are veterans of almost 30 road trips in europe - and here are the rules that work. Every major city (such as Munich or Vienna requires at least 3 full days - 4 nights) and smaller cities 3 full days- 3 nights). You pick up the car when yuo leave the first city and drop it off when you leave the last.

In the few days you have you should concentrate on a few places - and actually see something of them. (And we generally keep driving to no more than 4 hours per day - so we can stop someplace interesting for lunch and see a sight or two in a smaller town or some cute countryside - before arriving at the next town.)

You really need to focus on what sights you want to see - not just names of cities - so you know how long you will really need in each place.

As for Lichtenstein - I know we drove through it on the way to Austria - between two long road tunnels - but don't recall it was worth more than an hour or two.

Suggest you make a day by day list - showing where you will be at the start of each day and the end of each day, how many hours of driving that will take and what sights yuo want to see on the way as well as how long it takes to see them.

If you are thinking of any of Mad Ludwig's Castes in southern Bavaria - be sure to take into account that they have timed guided tours and you will ant to make reservations for the tours that are given in English (unless you are comfortable with tours in German).

Thank you for the suggestions. I haven't looked into the cost to rent a car and drop off elsewhere. Good feedback!

I agree--start and end in Munich.
Munich, Bavaria, and Salzburg is more than enough.

The drop off fee issue aside, I think that road trips don't make much sense if you only drive parallel to main railway lines. The train can usually do the job faster, and often cheaper.
It would make more sense, IMO, if you went by rail from Zurich to Bregenz (Westernmost tip of Austria on Lake Constance) and picked up rental car there. So you will eventually return it in the same country (in Vienna).
Then use the flexibility of the car to go East as you please. And not necessarily via Munich. Many palaces, monasteries and castles are far away from any major city.

Weather in April can be really fine. Temps in the upper 70s or lower 80s are no miracle in the flatlands. But there can also still be snow in the higher elevations.
Or ghastly rainy weather along the "American trail" (Neuschwanstein/Garmisch, Munich, Salzburg/Berchtesgaden/ Halstatt, Vienna). Just kidding, but you folks have a weird preference for the "bad weather" Northern slopes of the Alps. The Southern side usually has much better weather, and the same mountains. Just no Mad King castles. But others.
The more flexible you can be, the better.

Thanks Cowboy (and others). At this point we're wide open to suggestions.

OK...FOLLOW UP question. I've been researching and I see some Fodor Travelers say NO to the auto and take trains everywhere. Can I get some feedback on this? Last year we did Italy via trains and it was great. I just thought having a car would make it a little easier. THOUGHTS?

Thanks!

Not so---I have driven for most of my 27 trips to Europe.

I would start and end in Munich to avoid any drop charge, but do not get the car until you leave Munich. Or, begin by driving to the Salzburg area after you land and see Munich at the end. Do not forget the vignette in Austria.

Thanks Bob. I had to look up what a vignette was! ha I think everyone is right - perhaps drop Zurich; a few days in Munich; rent the car; head south; then east; then back.

And of course - buy the insurance as our US doesn't apply there.

buy the insurance as our US doesn't apply there.

All rentals include the liability. You may have a choice of declining the CDW if your credit card carries it. Mine does with no deductible.

Thank you Michael. I didn't know the liability was included. And yes my AMX does provide the CDW. I feel better about renting. The advice here has been very helpful. It appears that Munich, Salzburg, Vienna may be enough ground to cover! I did look at tossing in Prague - but I think thats just adding way too many miles for this trip. I agree I want to be able to enjoy what we're seeing.

Anyone have small hotel suggestions or B&Bs? How about MUST SEE things in this area?

While the small valley at the end of Lake Constance that makes up Lichtenstein and Au on the Swiss side is pretty (hill/grass/rock), it is not really a tourist detination. Lichtenstein is frankly dull. Unless you want to see just how valueless your money is try and buy a coke in a supermarket. The main bus station is what you would expect of a small market town in Uk and while the stamp museum is world class it is a stamp museum (for goodness sake).

I'd drop by lake Constance say Lindau or the Zepplin museum if you want a lunch time stop.

Thanks Bilboburgler.

If you can get everywhere you want to visit by train, then it is probably easier to use the train. But if you are planning to go to out-of-the-way places, then a car might be a good idea.

If Munich/Salzburg/Vienna are your main destinations, then go by train.

If you are driving, here are some sites between Salzburg and Vienna, including Melk but not beyond for the pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/sets/72157622926792957/show/with/4206767140/

We always drive. We go to ZRH twice a year, and drive from Switzerland to Amsterdam to Germany to Italy... all depending on what is on the schedule! LOVE love love driving instead of doing the trains.

Thanks for the pics Michael! And glad to know we're doing it right by driving. We do want to makes some stops and HIKE when we can.

I actually recommend taking some time to see Liectenstein. The capital, Vaduz, is dull to be sure but you can get your passport stamped there if that sort of thing matters to you. However, the rest of the country is very pretty. I enjoyed the towns further up the mountains - Triesenberg and Malbrun.

We visited Liechtenstein halfway through a 6 country road trip - after Liechtenstein we went to Innsbruck, Salzburg and our final destination of Munich. If staying in Liechtenstein is convenient, I recommend the Hotel Martha Buehler in Triesenberg.

I, too, recommend driving. I quite enjoyed the drive through southern Bavaria. And I would definitely pick up and drop off in one country as suggested above, as the drop off fee can be outrageous when dropping off in another country. If you do make Munich your final destination, look into staying at the Kempinski Hotel by the airport on your last night. They offer discounts for those flying out the next day and the airport is connected to the hotel via an underground walkway. After an exhausting 2 week road trip, it was nice to take a 5 minute walk to the terminal.

We are doing a similar and a little longer road trip in October, landing in Dusseldorf, where we have a car already booked and driving thru Cologne, Heidelberg, Munich, Salzburg, Liechtenstein, Constance, Strasbourg, Belgique, Amsterdam and back to Dusseldorf.It is planned to be around 1,500 miles in 18 days. I am sure we will enjoy it, even must people would think it is not a good idea. My husband loves driving and I am a good co-pilot, planning ahead, gathering info and searching for little towns with good local food and drinks. It will be a 2 couples trip and we are excited about it!