djhindman

My husband and I will be flying into Ramstein AFB mid-May 2016 (date to be determined) for a 15 day trip. Trying to plan a reasonable, not rushed trip from Ramstein to Prague and perhaps quaint towns/villages in Bavaria Austria while making our way back to Ramstein. Should we rent a car and drive ourselves or rail the entire trip? Mostly interested in seeing Old Town Prague and perhaps Cesky Krumlov, quaint villages, castle perhaps, beautiful scenery. Not particularly interested in museums, big city sites. More the countryside and picturesque villages. Wouldn't mind staying in zimmers (people's home with a room to rent - suggestions on how to find?) My husband is 75 so nothing grueling. If we drive, I have read that we should seek accommodations with free parking? I definitely do not want the rushed schedule of a typical tour. Been there, done that. Suggestions?

flpab

We take the train from Ktown and you do have to get a cab for that. They will pick you up outside the pax terminal. I would take it to Nuremberg for the first night and then on to Prague. We have done both and it is not bad if you can rent a car at Ramstein. Last trip we went to Munich and then to Paris on the train. I have no clue how hard it would be to park in Prague. In Nuremberg either as we always have taken train, station right outside the city wall. Driving is not bad in Germany. Do go to Garmisch.

Zimmers can be found on booking.com sort of a B&B.

flpab

There is a hertz on base that I believe retirees can rent from but it is over by the customs office, not a long walk. AD only can use the one in the mall. You can go off base to rent in Landstuhl and don't forget you have to have a special sticker to go into Austria. Do tell them you plan to go to CR and Austria.

PalenQ

For what you say you want to do - not all big cities but quaine smaller towns definitely drive- thru some of the most lovely scenery in Europe.

Plus a car trip is for many a lot more relaxed and comfy than a trip by train where you have to go to the station, find the train (all the time carrying your luggage) and then get to your new hotel in the next town - so for folks your age especially I'd say go by car - just return the car in the country you rented it in to avoid steep charges for dropping off in a country other than the one you picked it up in - see if there are surcharges for going to Prague too. One would think the air base would offer great car rental deals too.

Folks going mainly to tourist mecca cities are best to go by train as cars in the center of many European cities are just a liability and wide swaths of city centers have been made off limits to private vehicles and many hotels may not offer parking, etc.

For a good luck at trains I always refer folks to www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com; and www.budgeteuropetravel.com check out their online European Planning & Rail Guide for loads of info on itineraries in those countries by rail

FlaAnn

I would definitely agree with renting a car. You will accomplish far more of what you want by taking "the road less traveled" at your own pace. One word of caution, however, there are still some restrictions on taking a rental car into the Czech Republic. You definitely need to tell them you plan to drive it there.

Have you traveled in Bavaria before? Any particular reason you want to go into Austria (i.e., special interests or locale you want to see)? The vignette for the car is not all that expensive, but it's always aggravating to me to buy it for all the next renters of that rental car, plus you have to stop at/near the border to get it. You will get
arguably the best of Bavaria on your way to the border from Germany just by going due East.

Whichever direction you take, you will pass through some lovely (and less well-known) areas in Bohemia as well as Bavarian Germany or the Tyrol in Austria. I'm not a big-city person, either, so this trip is my idea of heaven.

djhindman

Thank you all so much! I worked several hours trying to design a travel plan using a website called Route Perfect. I may need to tweek it after reading comments. This is what I came up with thinking I should stay close to larger towns to catch more attractions. However, I'm certainly open to changes! Comments highly welcomed!

1. Frankfurt (2 nights)
2. Zug (2 nights)
3. Mittenwald (1 night)
4. Fussen (2 nights)
5. Salzburg (3 nights)
6. Cesky Krumlov (1 night)
7. Vienna (2 nights)
8. Prague (3 nights)
9. Berlin (2 nights)
10. Rothenburg (1 night)
11. Frankfurt (1 night)

flpab

Wertheim am main instead of Frankfurt is a great stop.

traveller1959

After this trip, you need three weeks of vacation to recover from it.

Way too many destinations, no time at the destinations, too much driving, too many changes of accommodation.

Christina

I probably wouldn't do Cesky Krumlov in-between Germany and Vienna, only then to go up to Prague. But it is a problem as it's not on a direct main rail line (say between Vienna and Prague). But your plan might make more sense, actually, if you planned on getting rid of the car at that point, as from then on you have big cities mostly (Vienna, Prague, Berlin).

I am surprised at all the big cities since you say you don't want big cities. And it looks grueling to me, and I'm a lot younger than your husband. I can't even imagine those long hours in the car, fighting city traffic in all those big cities, checking in and out, trying to figure out where you will park in those cities, etc.

Parking in Prague might be possible if you stay in the suburbs, certainly not in the main center. YOu can't even drive in part of it, but it's not for tourists with cars.

PalenQ

All 11 of those towns are easily reached by trains and if not stopping or exploring in between them - you just don't have the time as planned - take the train and strongly look at some kind of railpass - Eurail Select Saver or Eastern European Pass or German Pass, etc.

PalenQ

Yes you would have to subtract most of a day from each place to account for travel time between them.

Get out the cutting knife if you want to see much of any of those cities.

flpab

https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/locat...amstein/RMST51

Call them and check first if there is an age cut off for seniors and if you can take car to CR. That will help you make the decision. I have asked on the space a forum for you also. I know you can't book anything because of your dates being iffy but you could call them.

flpab

https://www.tolltickets.com/country/...spx?lang=en-GB

You will need this for Austria and some on the space a forum said they were not allowed to take car into Prague where parking is a problem but theft worse. If there are no cars on base then you can get one off base normally but most they said they would take train to Prague.

FlaAnn

Dear dhindman, you have gotten good advice from several people who know the areas you've mentioned, who have lived and/or traveled there, and are all concerned that your itinerary is way too complicated, and literally all over the map. You will be so exhausted from your trip that your only memory will be that of scenery whizzing by as you travel on the autobahn. Now you've added Switzerland?

Really, you must tell us what the most important things are that you want to do, and the things you feel you must see. I think we all would like to help or offer suggestions, but the distances are so great between your proposed destinations and so at odds with your initial thoughts, that I am somewhat at a loss.

I would hope for you to have a wonderful, fun trip to get the true flavor of any area you visit. Please give us more information about the absolute "musts" to see/do and take all the advice above to heart. We once drove an insistent relative on a trip similar to the one you're outlining, and NO one enjoyed it...

PalenQ

We once drove an insistent relative on a trip similar to the one you're outlining, and NO one enjoyed it.>

My old adage "Less can indeed be more."