Here's my problem: my after spending the month of July in Italy, my girlfriend has to catch a flight out of Munich back to the US. The flight can't be changed because it's being paid for very generously with frequent flyer miles, so the trick is getting her from Rome to Munich.

What's the best way to do this? Neither of us have travelled internationally before. She'll be travelling back alone, so safety is a factor. Obviously, money's a big factor too Planes? Trains? Any help would be MUCH appreciated.

The simplest way would be to catch an early flight from Italy to Munich - from Rome or elsewhere. You could ride the train to FCO with her, & help w/ baggage checkin & send her on her way.

I am sure Lufthansa has flights from just about every major Italian airport to Munich, Alitalia might too. Don't know much about other new/low cost European airlines although you
Munich is a very traveller friendly airport - easy to get around, spacious, open and clean.

If money is a major factor, check out

www.whichbudget.com

for discount air fares. One company offers one-way flights to Munich for Euro 91; the other only to "Germany South" (Nuremberg; out of the question for you).

Flying with Lufthansa is probably the safest bet. Alitalia is subject to short strikes, and even 4 hours could be a major problem if you are trying to connect with a flight. The discount airlines have varying reputations; I have no experience of the ones that fly between Italy and Germany.

Depending on the departure time of the flight to the U.S., it might be wise to fly to Munich the day before, but that would involve an overnight stay in Munich.

I'm sure there are overnight trains, but then the arrival time question enters the picture again.

If I remember correctly, there is now a quick train or subway connection from downtown Munich to the airport.

You can take the train from Rome without changes at least once if not twice daily but that would involve an overnight stay in Munich since the trip takes about 8 hours; there is an overnight train which leave Rome at about 9:30 PM and arrives the next morning in Munich at 8:30 AM.

S-Bahn runs from the main station in Munich to the airport (45 minutes).

I would look at www.whichbudget.com as suggested above if cost is the major issue; I suspect using a major carrier would cost considerably more.

I just looked at whichbudget..there are several possibilities for Rome-Munich.

I checked it out too... WAY cheaper than the $600 one way I was quoted on lufthansa. Thanks for that!

Where can I find out about the Rome-Munich train? Trenitalia gets confused anytime I put those in as my two cities... where should I be checking?

One last question: How safe is it for a first time traveller (22 year old female) to spend a night in Munich alone on a layover between the flight in and the flight out? We're flying business class back to the US, so I could see if the airline might be able to give her some assistance.

Try

www.bahn.de

It generally works better on international routes than Trenitalia.

As far as I can see, there is one day train and one overnight train that goes directly and requires no changes; I would suggest that you choose one of those.

As Intrepid1 has mentioned, the overnight train gets into the main train station in Munich at 8:30 a.m. Does that give your friend enough time to get to the airport for her flight?

Staying overnight in Munich need not be a traumatic or even a difficult experience, but just be sure that the hotel is not in the immediate area of the train station; it's a slightly seedy area.

I have no idea whether there are hotels near the airport. (The last time I was in Munich was in 1981.) A decent airport hotel might be the answer for your friend, if she flies in or takes the day train on the day prior to her flight.

check http://www.flydba.com for flights and http://www.hotel.de/SearchLocation.a...p;hs_persons=1
for overnight stay near the airport

I was incorrect about the time for the direct train from Rome to Munich; it takes a little over 11 hours.

This train trip is very scenic especially as the train passes through the Dolomites region and over the Brenner Pass into Austria. But in this case I would recommend a flight for convenience sake if nothing else.