First Morning after arrival in Frankfurt
 

I'm all over the lot with this. Considering renting a car and going to Rothenburg early before the busses arrive. Then, drive to Regensburg for the rest of my first day. The rest of my time is limited. Need to be back in Frankfurt five days later to fly out. Want to show my companion the mountains......maybe just get to Munich ASAP?

Take the ICE train to Munich. Use the "Fernbahnhof" train station at the FRA terminal. 3.5 hours, one train, and you are there. Driving jet-lagged or drowsy is dumb.

From Munich take a day trip to Garmisch-Partenkirchen (1.3 hours, 1 train) and/or Mittenwald on a later day.

Regensburg: This is a good day trip by train from Munich as well. Also just 1 direct train, 1.5 hours.

Then take a train to Rothenburg for a night.

Instead of staying at FRA, spend your last day/night in Würzburg, just north of Rothenburg. Great city. Take the direct train to FRA (1.5 hours) in the morning. There are trains at 5:55, 6:04, and 6:55, and 3 more before 9:00, on most days.

That's 5 travel days. A 5-day rail pass for two costs €335, no parking, no insurance, no rental contracts. Use any trains you like at any time, no reservations required.

https://www.bahn.com/en/view/offers/...ail-pass.shtml

Great information! I've been to Germany numerous times , but always for lengthier stays. Always liked to take the back roads through Bavaria. Quite frankly, didn't think I had the time this time around. Many thanks.

http://www.hivino.travel/discover-ge...er-valley/e385

Nice place for your last night. I would head to Garmisch for sure.
The BMW tour is so much fun in Munich. Sign up for the English tour in advance.

Salzburg for a day trip? Been there a couple times but always over nighted.

Opinion requested on this idea. Take the train from Frankfurt airport direct to Regensburg and stay over night at a hotel facing the river. That way I can slowly work into the trip and totally relax. Next day train to Munich at my leasure.

Thoughts?

"Take the train from Frankfurt airport direct to Regensburg"

What time will you land at FRA? The only direct trains to R'burg leave at 8:02 and 12:02. Other options have a change in Nuremberg, take about 4 hours total.

Note that the rail pass allows you to board any train at FRA. A "saver fare" would be cheap but would lock in your journey time, a bad thing for you if you have a flight delay.

I land at 07:30. And research shows a 10:02 ICE train changing in Wurzburg; total time being 3:23. That's not bad.
From experience, how long to clear customs and get to the train station? 10:02 should be cool, right? Also, what do you think of my reasoning for going to Regensburg ASAP?

Thanks in advance.

"I land at 07:30. And research shows a 10:02 ICE train changing in Wurzburg; total time being 3:23. That's not bad."

No, not at all. That option doesn't appear on the arbitrary travel date I selected (yours wasn't provided.) But with a travel time that short, that will be a VERY SHORT layover in Würzburg; you may or not make that connection if your first train from FRA has a delay.


"10:02 should be cool, right?" Do you mean for a pre-purchased saver fare ticket? Probably but there's no way to say for certain. I've often been re-routed and/or delayed because of equipment problems. A rail pass allows the use of any train that day.

If you do buy the saver fare... and if you catch the first train at 10:02 - but not the 2nd one in Würzburg - then you can still use that same saver fare ticket to reach Munich later as train delays are NOT your fault - just talk to a DB agent right away in Würzburg about getting your ticket authorized for another train.

I see no problem with your plan or your reasoning.

It wouldn't be my preference to travel such a long distance on Day 1. After a long flight I want to get a room, a shower, and probably a meal. For me, Würzburg (1.5 hours) is as far as I'd want to travel that day. But we're all different.

10:02 to make the train after touching down at 7:30. Also, I' m flying business class. I'm hoping that helps with the elongated Day 1 travel.