Can I fit Berchtesgaden into my day?
 

I'm thinking probably no. I was really hoping to spend a little bit of time seeing the area, but after looking at drive times from Hohenschwangau to Hallstatt, I think it's pushing it to stop in B'gaden. ViaMichelin says the most direct route will take me roughly 3.5 hours without stops, so assuming we leave Hohenschwangau at 9am, that would put us in Hallstatt around 12:30/1:00. We are only staying in Hallstatt one night, so I don't want to get there too late in the day. If we stopped in B'gaden, wouldn't that make our day too rushed?

I know it sounds like I'm answering my own question, but I guess I'm just hoping there's a way to see B'gaden on this trip! Even if it's just to stop for some photos and a bite to eat.

Any thoughts?

I don't see any reason why you can't stop by Berchtesgaden for a few hours. You have to go almost right by there. I assume you will be traveling on Autobahn A8 past Chiemsee. If so you will be hooking up with A10 as you enter Austria. Why not take the Grödig exit south to Berchtesgaden. Shouldn't take but 15 to 20 minutes to get there. You could have lunch - take some photos - visit the chapel at Ramsau - possibly time for a few other sights also. Back to A10 and continue on to Hallstatt. Check out Mappy.de for exact driving directions and exits. If this is your only chance to see Berchtesgaden - I say go for it... Ben

I'd suggest you take the short detour, stop by the lake to have lunch and take some pictures and then head out.
You'll spend the next few hours wishing you had more time to at least take a ride out on the lake or going to the Eagle's Nest, and start making plans to go back.

Hi SH,

May I suggest that you take the scenic rooute via St. Johann in Tirol and Berchtesgaden?

It only adds 1 hr to your travel time. You can leave at 08:00 instead of 09:00.

See www.viamichelin.com

((I))

Thanks everyone! I'll check out those options. I was afraid that I would get a bunch of people telling me I was crazy for trying to do too much in a day.

I appreciate the tips!

How about driving from Frankfurt airport after arriving at 6am. (8hr. flight having left Chicago at 3pm)?
Is that too much to fit in for a first day?
We won't stop to see much, and MapQuest shows 345miles and a 4:50 drive. 3 nice stretches of Autobahn. Please advise on whether we will be more jet-lagged than we might think.

I absolutely fell in love with Hallstatt when I was there, but as it's such a tiny town, unless you are leaving super early the next morning, I'd say go for the stop in Berchtesgaden. A few hours exploring Hallstatt and taking in its beauty is all you really need, unless you're planning to do the salt mines, which doesn't really add that much time either. If you like hiking (not major - I managed to do it and I'm really out of shape!) go to the bottom of the mountain where the funicular goes up to the salt mines, and follow the path up to the right to go see a nice little waterfall. It's fairly steep but not very long.

DeanC38 - I assume you have plugged in Frankfurt airport to Berchtesgaden in order to get those time and distance figures. And you want advice on whether you will be more jet-lagged than you might think. Five hours of Autobahn driving the first day in Germany? Jet lag? No way... Not really... At about the one hour mark - the rest of your travel party will be sleeping comfortably while you are wondering who was the fool who made up this itinerary. At the two hour mark as you pass Nürnberg - your body will be asking you why you didn't decide to stop there for the first night. At the three hour mark as you are approaching Ingolstadt - it will suddenly occur to you that perhaps you should have flown into Munich instead of Frankfurt. After a two hour nap at the next Autobahn reststop (you can't make it another kilometer and no one else in your group wants to drive) and then another hour of driving - you will finally arrive at the outskirts of Munich - 6 hours after starting this little drive. Then, after another one hour and 30 minutes of "bleary eyed, where in the heck am I driving" you will finally arrive at your destination Berchtesgaden (assuming you have not encountered any Stau or construction work - and good luck with that). You will then spend the next full day trying to recover your senses. Berchtesgaden (one of the most beautiful areas of Germany) will be a blur in your memory as you begin your next 8 hour marathon drive back to Frankfurt. You are just going for the weekend - aren't you? :-)

I think I can join the bunch telling you not to try to do so much in one day.

What's the reason for staying in Hallstatt at all rather than doing it as a one-hour stopover on the way to X and using Berchtesgaden as your layover?

Harzer

Hi DeanC38

>How about driving from Frankfurt airport after arriving at 6am. ...MapQuest shows 345miles and a 4:50 drive.<

Another vote against trying that.

1-2 hr is normally doable. Beyond that, you run the risk of simply falling asleep at the wheel.

Also, your reflexes and mental ability will be much too impaired to take on the Autobahns.

I also wonder, why Frankfurt and not Munich?

((I))