Driving from Paris to Munich
Dec 17th, 2014, 06:32 AM
#1
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Driving from Paris to Munich
I won a company trip next June to Munich. My wife cannot go some I'm taking a buddy with me and going to fly into Paris a few days early cause he has never been there. I want to go see the Alps on the way to Munich. I really dont want to stay in any big cities on my trip through Switzerland. Any great places to see and stay when I do this? Any advice from a South Arkansas boy thats only been to Paris once would be great!
Dec 17th, 2014, 08:37 AM
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The first advice is, choose the means of getting around based on your destination objectives and other constraints.
Have you chosen to drive after having done benefit/cost analysis connecting destinations using different means of transport? Did you automatically decide to drive just because that is what you do at home and assumed that driving in Europe is just like driving at home?
Cross border car rental can add drop-off fees. It depends on the company, but I would estimate picking up in France and dropping off in Munich to add about $500 drop off fee. Just use a rental car bookign site to do a sanity check. Use http://www.viamichelin.com/ to come up with operating cost estimates as well as travel times. You are not driving in Arkansas anymore.
Also, all these countries enforce traffic rules according to local rules, not Arkansas rules. The practice of how drivers comply with traffic rules are different from Arkansas. For example, speed limits are strictly enforced right at the markers using speed cameras to catch all infractions at tolerance much smaller than the U.S. You can end up with tickets and rentals exceeding the value of your win.
Cars rented in France would not have a vignette allowing you to drive on highways in Switzerland. Read http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...itzerland.html
How do many people who visit Europe often rent cars? They avoid this type of rentals and use cars where they can get benefits not achievable with other means of transport.
Have you chosen to drive after having done benefit/cost analysis connecting destinations using different means of transport? Did you automatically decide to drive just because that is what you do at home and assumed that driving in Europe is just like driving at home?
Cross border car rental can add drop-off fees. It depends on the company, but I would estimate picking up in France and dropping off in Munich to add about $500 drop off fee. Just use a rental car bookign site to do a sanity check. Use http://www.viamichelin.com/ to come up with operating cost estimates as well as travel times. You are not driving in Arkansas anymore.
Also, all these countries enforce traffic rules according to local rules, not Arkansas rules. The practice of how drivers comply with traffic rules are different from Arkansas. For example, speed limits are strictly enforced right at the markers using speed cameras to catch all infractions at tolerance much smaller than the U.S. You can end up with tickets and rentals exceeding the value of your win.
Cars rented in France would not have a vignette allowing you to drive on highways in Switzerland. Read http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...itzerland.html
How do many people who visit Europe often rent cars? They avoid this type of rentals and use cars where they can get benefits not achievable with other means of transport.
Dec 17th, 2014, 08:45 AM
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Why on earth are you driving, and how? Do you have a car in Europe that you own?
I'd take the train and while that isn't a natural direction between Paris and Munich (most trains go through Germany north of Munich), you could take the train from Paris to Zurich easily enough. Then you can take the Swiss scenic Arlberg pass train from Zurich to Salzburg, from there you can take a train to Munich (in fact, some trains from Paris will change in Salzburg).
some info on trains in the Alps
http://www.onthesnow.com/news/a/1071...ys-in-the-alps
I'd take the train and while that isn't a natural direction between Paris and Munich (most trains go through Germany north of Munich), you could take the train from Paris to Zurich easily enough. Then you can take the Swiss scenic Arlberg pass train from Zurich to Salzburg, from there you can take a train to Munich (in fact, some trains from Paris will change in Salzburg).
some info on trains in the Alps
http://www.onthesnow.com/news/a/1071...ys-in-the-alps
Dec 17th, 2014, 08:53 AM
#4
The typical train route from Paris to Munich often involves a change in places such as Mannheim, Germany. If you used that route you could be in Munich in about 6 hours. Unfortunately, you aren't going to see any "alps" on that route.
You could also take a fast train to Zurich and change there or lengthen the trip and take a train to Geneva and change there.
The Arlberg Pass route through Austria suggested above is also a possibility
An alternative would be to take a train from Paris to Bern
You could also take a fast train to Zurich and change there or lengthen the trip and take a train to Geneva and change there.
The Arlberg Pass route through Austria suggested above is also a possibility
An alternative would be to take a train from Paris to Bern
Dec 17th, 2014, 10:07 AM
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So - my first question is - how long do you have for this trip?
Driving or train depends on your specific itinerary and that will be controlled by the amount of time you have.
We love driving and have done numerous road trips in europe - but the drop off is expensive - and this makes sense only if you will spend substantial time in countryside and small towns.
For Switz I would head to the Berner Oberland - the most typical place to see Swiss villages, beautiful lakes and alps.
But you have to have enough time to make this work.
Separately, there are alps in southern Germany and it may make more sense to spend a couple of days from Munich in visiting them.
Driving or train depends on your specific itinerary and that will be controlled by the amount of time you have.
We love driving and have done numerous road trips in europe - but the drop off is expensive - and this makes sense only if you will spend substantial time in countryside and small towns.
For Switz I would head to the Berner Oberland - the most typical place to see Swiss villages, beautiful lakes and alps.
But you have to have enough time to make this work.
Separately, there are alps in southern Germany and it may make more sense to spend a couple of days from Munich in visiting them.
Dec 17th, 2014, 10:32 AM
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I just thought seeing the countryside and driving would be fun. The map says its a 12 hour drive from Paris to Vevey Switerland then over to Munich. I thought i would take three days and make the drive. Is there a train you can take that would go that way?
Dec 17th, 2014, 11:14 AM
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Vevey is right next to Montreux. Yes, of course, you can easily take a train from Paris to Lausanne (or Geneva) and then a short train to Vevey or Montreux from there. I stayed in Montreux once and took a train from there to Paris. The train to Montreux from either city should stop in Vevey.
So you could take the train to Montreux/Vevey if you want, and then drive from there but you'll still have the issue of taking a rental car across borders, how do you intend to handle that?
I'm not clear on what you are asking, if you are asking about trains the entire way, I suggested you go to Switzerland and then see above link to get to Germany or at least Austria.
There is actually at least one train from Paris to Munich with no transfers required and that takes 6 hours, it leaves in the afternoon from Paris. It goes through Strasbourg and then Stuttgart. But the OP seems to want to drive.
So you could take the train to Montreux/Vevey if you want, and then drive from there but you'll still have the issue of taking a rental car across borders, how do you intend to handle that?
I'm not clear on what you are asking, if you are asking about trains the entire way, I suggested you go to Switzerland and then see above link to get to Germany or at least Austria.
There is actually at least one train from Paris to Munich with no transfers required and that takes 6 hours, it leaves in the afternoon from Paris. It goes through Strasbourg and then Stuttgart. But the OP seems to want to drive.
Dec 17th, 2014, 11:27 AM
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I really want to drive through the alps, so from what i gather i need to take train from paris to say vevey and rent car there and then i can drive to maybe Zurich to turn car in then take train on to Munich. ok if i do this what is the prettiest or most scenic route to take going from east side of switzerland to the west side of switzerland?
