Car rentals in Bavaria, Germany- 191 Euros for 3 days- is it OK
 

I am planning to rent a car from Munich airport in 1st week of May.10.
From Europecar I am getting....
Volkswagen Polo AC ( all inclusive with Damage Collision waiver)
3 days
pick up Munich Airport-
Drop- Lindau Town
Price- 191 Euros ( Including 15 Euros for the drop at another location)

Is that the right price..
Are there better companies/ rates available.
Please help

Europcar is not AutoEurope. Check Autoeurope and Kemwel for rates, although I have the impression that good rates are on a weekly basis.

Thanks. I did check on these sites.
The rates are almost similar. But not all of them have a drop facility at Lindau.
Which is a better company?

FYI: For one person, it's only 60 Euros for 3 days of virtually unlimited rail travel on the Bavarian regional trains with a "Bayern Ticket" - and you pay nothing for fuel or parking. For 2-5 people, it's 74 Euros. The Bayern Ticket will get you all around Bavaria and all the way to Lindau.

Autoeurope and Kemwel are sister companies.

Unless you change your mind and follow Russ's advise(which is good advise),check also Gemut (www.gemut.com) or e-mail andy@gemut. Through them I got a $394 rate , 7 days, pick-up Wurzburg, return Munich airport for VW Golf, A/T from Hertz.

I know, Russ's advice is a good one.
I always respect advice of experienced and responsible fellow fodorites like Swandav, Russ.

I am actually in two minds.
My daily Bayern ticket for 3 days will cost me 28x3 Euro--i.e. 84 Euros... and will be less of hassles and more eco-friendly. I can look around when I am not driving.

Vis-a-vis, I will spend 191 Euros + atleast 70 euros in Petrol and parking, which comes to around 260 Euros ( 3xtimes)
But I will have my family 2Adults+2 kids + luggage 3 strolley bags(24 inches) + 2 hand bags.
Going with all this to Brchtesgaden- ( Missing out on Chiemsee lake and palce, Ramsau church and Koningsee)- Berchtesgaden to Fussen with luggage
(Missing out on Garmisch, Mittenwald, Oberamagau)
I thought I will save time and will see more places in 4 days.
I also want to overcome a block of drving a left hand drive car, which I have not driven.

Am still confused..
How do I go from Berchtesgaden to Fussen-- via Munich is 4- 4.30 hours. Is there a way to reach in a shorter time without backtracking to Munich.
How do I reach Lindau from Fussen.. Is there a bus..?
Which is the website for German bus time-table?
Please help.

>How do I reach Lindau from Fussen.. Is there a bus..?
Which is the website for German bus time-table?

www.bahn.de

For all public transport in Germany.

www.bahn.de shows you can get from Bertchesgaden to Füssen by bus + train or train only.

The most direct is the 8:36am departure by train, with a single connection in Augsburg, getting into Füssen at 13:57. (5 hrs 21min). The Bayern ticket isn't valid on trains before 9am, so you'd need to find another discount ticket option.

If you want to use the Bayern ticket your options that depart after 9am all seem to include 2 connections, but only take 5 1/2 hrs, so not much longer than the single connection through Augsburg. There's 9:20 train departure, with connections in Freilassing & Munich, arriving in Füssen at 3pm.

Koenigsee is very close to Bertschesgaden. You can get there by bus in about 20min. www.bahn.de shows several direct buses available throughout the day - you just need to time it correctly.

Looking at your whole trip Bertschesgaden seems to be what is causing you the most difficulty. With just 3-4 days total in Bavaria it would be a shame to spend essentially an entire day on bus & train, mostly in the flatland.

What specifically is drawing you to Bertschesgaden? Perhaps our Bavaria experts can suggest alternatives that don't cause so much difficulty. You'll be getting plenty of alpine views/high peaks in Switzerland later.

A few years ago we really enjoyed visiting both Koenigsee and the salt mine just a few miles outside BG (Salzbergwerke). It's a great destination, but more easily accessible from Salzburg that it is from Garmisch/Füssen area.

As for rental car, if you decide to go that route I forsee another problem. I don't think an economy car like the Polo is big enough for you with 2 Adults + 2 teenagers + luggage 3 strolley bags (24 inches) + 2 hand bags.

There just isn't that much storage space behind the 2nd row of seats in any small hatchback.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:VW_Polo_%286%29.JPG

With 4 people and that amount of luggage a compact wagon or midsize wagon will be needed.

J62, You have 2 valid points. i think I need to have a bigger car.
I think you can read people's mind.
What is drawing me to Berchtesgaden?
Yes, It is the Eagle's Nest.
I have read several books on 2nd world war and have visited several sites related to it, which include Dacau, Auschwitz, Berlin, munich.
Plus, I have heard that it is one of the most beautiful areas in Germany.
Thanks for the details.
I didn't get the bus connection. Shall study again and come back.
Thanks for the support.

How about this: Munich to Berchtesgaden by train. From B'gdn RR station take bus to Koenigsee. Take the boat on the lake to the very end of the run. Don't get off in between at St. Bartholomae, because you may have to wait a long time to get back on a boat. Only as many people can board as get off at St.B. On the way back , walk from the Koenigsee boat landings to the base station of the Jenner gondola lift. Take it to the top station and walk to the top of the mountain, an easy walk. The view is almost the same as from the Eagle's Nest (incidentally, that's old GI talk, the place is called the Kehlsteinhaus), but the whole trip is much shorter. I'd skip the Eagle's Nest. It really is now just a mediocre restaurant with - admirttely - a great view. For all the WWII historical stuff you would have to visit the Dokument Zenter at the Obersalzberg (that's where you change from the B'gdn bus to the Kehlstein bus)and take the bunker tour.

All this, except for the Jenner, you can do with the Bayern Ticket. In fact, if you want to make it a real long day and you have an additional 2 1/2 hour when the train stops in Prien, get off and head for the Chiemsee boat landing for the Herrenchiemsee island palace tour. No reservations required, so you can keep it flexible.

To see what cars are like and pics of their cargo areas this site is handy:

http://www.parkers.co.uk/

4 people and luggage? I wouldn't go any smaller than a VW Passat/Ford Mondeo size.

Paragkash: You are planning to see too much in only 3 days. 4 Days is better.

A bigger car might help, but only if you think you can drive safely on the "wrong" side of the road. It sounds dangerous to me.

I think you would be smarter to stay in Munich overnight and make daytrips to all these places so you don't have to take your luggage everywhere, pack and unpack, check in and check out, e, find parking, etc. One daytrip to Berchtesgaden, one to Füssen, one to Garmisch/Mittenwald. Treplow's suggestions for the B'daden outing sound good.

From Munich, Berchtesgaden, Füssen, Garmisch, and Mittenwald are pretty easy to reach by train. Maybe a car would help on one day. If you decide on a car for daytrips, you can rent a Ford Focus in Munich from www.sixti.com/cgi-perl/rental/el?language=en at 20 Euros per day (includes 200km) which would be big enough if you don't have luggage and might be good for your trip to the Eagle's Nest, Ramsau, and other places around B'gaden. But I would first see if you can do all the daytrips by train. Munich is the train hub and there are many trains going all day long to the places you want to see.

Thanks again.
treplow's discription of Koningsee area is so interesting.
Problem with bayern ticket is you cannot travel before 9 am.
That takes away important daylight hours.
Bus services in the alps close a bit early in the alps ( at least in Switzerland)
I do have 4 days in hand.
I can reach late at Lindau.
What I like about cars is the freedom.
The thought of reaching the station before a certain time takes away the pleasure of sightseeing.

By public transport if I have to come back to Munich bahnhof for connecting to Fussen; I can actually store my luggage in the lockers at Munich station and travel with just a hand bag to Brchtesgaden. I haven't thought of this option earlier.

There wont be any jet lag as my flight from Istanbul to Munich is only 2 hours.
In that case.. I can..
Day 1- Munich airport to Bahnhof. 10 to 11 am
( store bags in the lockers) Proceed to Berchtesgaden
Eagle's nest and Bunker
Day-2 Ramsau, Koningsee, Chiemsee ( Is it possible)-- Return to Munich by 5 pm
Collect bags and proceed to Fussen reach by 8 pm
Day 3- Neuschweinstein Castle and Linderhof ( Is this possible) Both the castles in one day? Overnight Fussen

Day 4- Fussen- Lindau by train to reach by 12 noon.
Stroll around, See Mainau Island
Day 5- Take the 7 am (around) train from Lindau to Switzerland