steve_Australia

Hello again.

My daughter and her partner are travelling through Europe with limited time during January next year. Because of the limited time, they have a few destinations planned that would take too long by train - especially given the limited daylight during that time of year.

Has anyone had experience in getting from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Venice, Italy, using train travel to Munich and then flying to Venice?

Could you please give details of suitable airlines; flight times and durations and costs?

I intend to create a separate thread for the other difficult destination because it is easier to tag this way.

Thank you in advance,

Steve

asps

Check travel times carefully. Your daughter would need 2.30 hours to get from Garmisch to the airport, and the train connection in Munich involves a long walk. Once you factor check-in and security control times, and the time it would need to get anywhere in Venice from the airport, you may discover that flying is only marginally faster than train. The train itinerary involves multiple connection, but they are relatively easy.

swandav2000

Hi steve-Australia,

One option might be to take the night train. They can depart Garmisch at 22.03 and arrive in München at 23.27, then get on the sleeper train at 23.40, which arrives in Venice at 08.33. Of course, they can leave Garmisch earlier if they want.

This can be an economical choice by sleeping in a bunk in a dorm-like cabin (as low as 69 Euro per person), or a deluxe choice by choosing a deluxe cabin with toilet, shower, and washbasin (114 Euro per person). To get those low fares, they have to buy the tickets about 92 days in advance -- use the German rail site at

www.bahn.com

Have fun as you guys plan!

s

steve_Australia

Hello asps,

Thanks for the prompt reply. And yes, I know what you mean. My wife and I recently completed a six-week trip through Europe (mainly Germany, Austria and Prague) and used trains exclusively.

On one occasion we had to get the train from Garmisch to Berchtesgaden via Munich with a 20 minute-connection turn-around. Unfortunately, Germany is not Switzerland! We arrived in Munich at Platform 29 late and now had only 4 minutes to get to Platform 9 for our connection. For those unfamiliar with Munich Hautbahnhof - that is a seriously Loooonnng walk. Consequently we got to the platform just as the train was leaving - very annoying!

Given the problem with light at that time of year, do you think it is doable by train and still arrive in Venice in daylight? If you have been to Venice you will know that walking around those many, many "Calle" alleyways - it is very easy to get lost in the daylight let alone in darkness.

Dukey1

I absolutely do not understand the "long walk" mentioned about Munich above.

Here's one possibility:

take the train back to Munich; either transfer to the S-Bahn Line 1 or Line 8 for the trip directly to the airport or take a taxi from the rail station to the airport.

FLY on Air Dolomiti from Munich to Venice.

OP: YOU can look up the details of the flight and the costs, etc.

Man_in_seat_61

Yes, just take an earlier train from Garmiech to Munich and have a typical Bavarian dinner at the Mongdratzerl restaurant inside the Hauptbahnhof itself, before taking the Night Train from Munich.

I was on that 23:40 sleeper from Munich myself back in April, though I was in the sleeping-car to Budapest, not the Venice portion, en route to Montenegro!

Book your trains at www.bahn.de/en

PalenQ

I've taken the Munich to Venice overnight train several times and for night trains they are very good and safe - even for a single women IME - I'd pay exgtra for a 4-person compartment rather than the slightly cheaper 6-person ones - though the deepest discounts are for 6-person ones I believe.

Anyway have met really nice folks every time with nice conversations, etc.

For lots of great info on nigh trains and European trains in general scour these IMO fantastic sites - www.seat61.com - Man in Seat 61 who posts above, his commercial site - get beyound the ever proliferating parade of banner ads and there is a wealth of great info; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Cowboy1968

steve is spot on about the "long walk" in Munich Central station
Trains to/from Garmisch/Mittenwald arrive in a side hall, not the main hall.
So you do need extra time (and "miles") to change.

Garmisch is on the other side of the "hill" from Innsbruck. Where all day trains to Verona and Venice also call. The connecting times don't look too convenient, but the overall travel time is still shorter than via Munich. Take a look at a map.. you make a gigantic detour if you go via Munich..
And Innsbruck is a much nicer place to kill an hour or two as you won't have the hustle and bustle as in Munich.. you can even walk to the Old Town and visit it for 1-2 hours and make that a real stopover and see some things..

PalenQ

less distance to cover by rail may mean cheaper prices too under you get the limited in number discounts on www.bahn.de.

PalenQ

Cowboy - that part of Munich's train station is called the Sternberger Bahnhof? If I recall correctly - the highest track numbers and where the Romantic Road buses used to leave from - Europabus office/desk.