10 days Germany & Austria or just Germany
 

We (husband, 22yr son) hope to fly in Aug. or Sept.to Hamburg to see a friend and then spend time traveling. We would stay there for the first 3 nights and then have 7 nights elsewhere. I had planned to visit the Rhine area and then Munich area. Now husband/son are asking about Vienna. It seems like a lot but maybe we could go from Hamburg to Munich and then to Vienna. No flights booked yet and don't know re: car vs train. Would prefer trains but maybe car would be more efficient. We enjoy both history and the outdoors. Thanks for any suggestions.

IMHO in 10 days you should stay in no more than 3 hotels - otherwise you risk spending just way too much time in transit rather than in seeing sights. 10 days is nothing to spend just in Germnay - but you can visit Vienna if you prefer - as long as you drop the Rhine or Munich.

If you do switch out the Rhine to be able to include Vienna, then a car will not make much sense. You don't need one in any of those cities and spending 3-4 days in each while using trains for day trips will give you more than enough options.

I would suggest flying open jaw into Hamburg and out of Vienna; Hamburg - Munich Vienna. Alternately, it may be cheaper and more efficient for you to open jaw out of Munich; Hamburg - Vienna - Munich.

While you can certainly take the train between Hamburg and Munich (just under 6 hours) or Hamburg and Vienna (just over 9 hours), those distances are getting near the point when flying might make sense, too. There are some very good intra-Europe fares available when booked early.

Vienna - Munich is a little over 4 hours by train.

I agree with nytraveler. Since you have 3 nights in Hamburg and then you have 7 "free" nights left, stay in 2, maybe 3 more locations. I'd suggest the Rhine, the Mosel and maybe Rothenberg ob der Tauber. Fly out of Frankfurt. On the Mosel is probably the best castle we've ever visited, Burg Eltz. On the Rhine, Marksburg castle is a close second.

www.burg-eltz.de/e_index.html
www.marksburg.de/english/frame.htm

We stayed just across the river (Mosel) from Cochem for 4 nights 10/07. We loved Cochem. Along the Mosel, you could also visit Trier, Bernkastel and Beilstein among other places. Rothenburg ob der Tauber was another place we loved visiting on that trip.

If interested, we have some photo's at:
www.worldisround.com/home/pja1/index.html
www.worldisround.com/home/pja1/travel15.html

Just some suggestions.

Paul

Hello!
the train journey from Munich to Vienna will take you about 4 hours. The German railway company offers Europe-Special Tickets to Austria starting with a price of €39,- in second class (you'll have to book this tickets in advance as there is a limited contingent). You'll find more information at www.bahn.de
With the train you'll arrive right at the center of Vienna.

If you are going by car it wouldn't take you much longer than by train as there is a motorway running from Munich via Salzburg and Linz to Vienna. For using the motorway you would have to buy the Vignette (a sticker with which you pay the toll for Austria's motorways). The Vignette valid for 10 days costs €8,-. The city center of Vienna is a short-term parking zone and you have to pay for parking your car there. So if you are going by car it would be best to look for a hotel with parkingspace or book a hotel in a district where there isn't short-term parking.

No matter which possibility you chose I would recommend you also to visit the city of Salzburg which you will cross anyway (by car or by train).
If you are going by car you could also visit the region Wachau and enjoy its wonderful landscape (which is also at the world heritage list of the Unesco). Also the city of Linz is worth a stop (you'll get to Linz by train and by car)...

If you need some more help with your travelplanning to Austria just contact us (Austrian National Touristboard) via e-mail [email protected]

greetings from Vienna:)
melanie:)