bobfoxx

Trying to plan a trip (of about 10 days or so) for our family of 4 (including two 15-year-olds) this summer. The current (but still quite changeable) plan is to fly into Munich and take the train to Salzburg. After touring Salzburg for a day or so car-free, we would rent a car in Freilassing (or some other German town) and visit the Eisriesenwelt ice cave, hopefully Halstatt, and possibly Berchtesgaden (still staying in/near Salzburg those nights) before heading over to the Fussen area. After two days or so in Fussen, we want to head to Wengen, but I'm not sure where to drop the car (to avoid a potentially costly drop in Switzerland) and where to pick up the train. After 3 nights in Wengen, we would need to head to Zurich for the flight home, entailing another day of train travel. Any advice is welcome, especially regarding how to get from Fussen to Wengen in the least painful (both time-wise and cost-wise) way. Thanks!

Dukey1

Rail would probably entail at least three changes: Buchloe, Zurich, and Bern to reach Interlaken.

ira

Bobb,

The easiest trip will require nine hours and 2 changes of train between Füssen and Interlaken Ost.

See www.bahn.de

bobfoxx

Looks like we'll need to break up the Fussen to Wengen trip to avoid a 9-hour travel day. I'm now thinking we'll drop the car somewhere near Meersburg/Lindau (not too long of a drive from Fussen) and maybe overnight in Konstanz so we can catch a shorter-duration train to Wengen. Any advice on that idea is definitely welcome.

PalenQ

Drop the German car in gorgeous Lindau, lovingly set on a spit of land sticking out into idyllic Lake Constance. Then take trains to nearby Switzerland and onto Wengen, via Zurich and Spiez and Interlaken-Ost and Lauterbrunnen - all easy changes - a Swiss Transfer Ticket plus Half-Fare Card may be the best deal for your plans IMO - for lots of good stuff on Swiss trains and passes like that (better than a Swiss Pass for your plans IMO) check www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com and www.swisstravelsystem.com.

Lindau I think is the closest German city on your route to Switzerland and again a neat place to stay the night:

https://www.google.com/search?q=lind...HTm3DPsQsAQIGw

Wengen is a huge favorite with many Fodorites who have been there.

bobfoxx

Thanks so much for all of the information, PalenQ. I've been trying to figure out if the Swiss Pass would be worth it since (if I'm correct on this) the kids would travel free with the Family Pass, we'll have the return trip to Zurich, and it provides a discount on the trip to Jungfrau, but I haven't worked out all the math yet. I'll definitely look into the option of the transfer ticket and half-fare card instead.

PalenQ

the Swiss Transfer Ticket gives you one trip from any border point by train, bus and or boat to any destination in Switzerland - like Wengen and then later a trip back to any airport or border station and in between you can buy a half-off Half-Off Pass that would give you 50% discount on the Jungfraujoch Railway vs 25% off only with a Swiss Pass - huge difference in that pricey railway.

Yes kids get a free Family Pass - at any train station or with your order of any pass and those under 16 traveling with a parent then always go free on anything the adults have a ticket or pass to use on it.