Munich?
May 27th, 2007, 10:11 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Munich?
Howdy! I'm off to Germany for my first overseas trip next week and am very spooked out with my lack of research. I have a friend I'm staying with in Frankfurt, but I want to travel on my own a little. I want to go to Munich and see the concentration camp, and budget is an issue. I'm looking for suggestions on what days are best, where to stay, where to eat and how to get to Munich, around Munich, to Deschau and back to Frankfurt. Any advice? Thanks!!
May 27th, 2007, 10:47 PM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,181
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You can check train schedules and fares for round trip between Frankfurt and Munich here:
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en
It looks like the trip can be made non-stop in about 3 hours and costs between 121 and 162 euros, with a current exchange rate of 1.34559 (ouch!).
It appears there is a short train ride to Dachau from Munich, but since I haven't visited Dachau, I can't help you as to whether the train is the best way to go.
My only recommendation for Munich is that you not miss a visit Schatzkammer (or treasury) in the Residenz Palace, to see at least the 1incredible 6th-century Renaissance statue of St. George Slaying the Dragon. George sits atop a horse made of gold, encrusted with thousands of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and semiprecious stones. It's perhaps a foot tall but absolutely breathtaking. It was absolutely my favorite thing in Munich and reason enough, by itself, to visit the city.
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en
It looks like the trip can be made non-stop in about 3 hours and costs between 121 and 162 euros, with a current exchange rate of 1.34559 (ouch!).
It appears there is a short train ride to Dachau from Munich, but since I haven't visited Dachau, I can't help you as to whether the train is the best way to go.
My only recommendation for Munich is that you not miss a visit Schatzkammer (or treasury) in the Residenz Palace, to see at least the 1incredible 6th-century Renaissance statue of St. George Slaying the Dragon. George sits atop a horse made of gold, encrusted with thousands of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and semiprecious stones. It's perhaps a foot tall but absolutely breathtaking. It was absolutely my favorite thing in Munich and reason enough, by itself, to visit the city.
May 28th, 2007, 06:29 AM
#3
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 824
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Someone else suggested a good guide book in answer to another of your questions, I would second that.
Munich is a beautiful place. We are starting our next vacation there. But, it is not the greatest budget location in Germany and expensive to reach from Frankfurt.
From Frankfurt there are other quite wonderful places that are cheaper to reach and easier on the pocketbook once you are there. The nearby Rhine/Mosel Rivers with their castles have bargain overnights. Rick Steve's books has some budget bed and breakfast suggestions but there are many more that a tourist information office in say Bacharach could help you find. Bavaria Ben had some budget recommendations ("Accommodations"
on the Rhine as well:
http://www.bensbauernhof.com/
Würzburg is a nice town a fairly short ride from Frankfurt, though not as close as the Rhine. Likewise Heidelberg.
You might check these "Destinations" above or look at Rick Steve's web sight:
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/desti.../germ_menu.htm
Regards, Gary
Munich is a beautiful place. We are starting our next vacation there. But, it is not the greatest budget location in Germany and expensive to reach from Frankfurt.
From Frankfurt there are other quite wonderful places that are cheaper to reach and easier on the pocketbook once you are there. The nearby Rhine/Mosel Rivers with their castles have bargain overnights. Rick Steve's books has some budget bed and breakfast suggestions but there are many more that a tourist information office in say Bacharach could help you find. Bavaria Ben had some budget recommendations ("Accommodations"
on the Rhine as well:http://www.bensbauernhof.com/
Würzburg is a nice town a fairly short ride from Frankfurt, though not as close as the Rhine. Likewise Heidelberg.
You might check these "Destinations" above or look at Rick Steve's web sight:
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/desti.../germ_menu.htm
Regards, Gary
May 28th, 2007, 09:00 AM
#4
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,833
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The chearper way to travel to Munich for less is to do it on Saturday and return on Sunday or the following weekend using the Happy Weeekend Ticket costing 33 euro per day. You can share the ticket with 4 other travellers for free.
http://tinyurl.com/3b3p7r
http://tinyurl.com/3b3p7r
May 28th, 2007, 10:01 AM
#5
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 8,247
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Howdy Tex!
I'm a local from Munich.
If you're looking for budget accomodation try http://www.aohostels.com/en/
At least one of their places is in walking distance of Munich's Central Station.
Another option is www.hrs.de (works like hotels.com) - don't worry, the site is also available in English: Change language/location to English US in the upper right corner, next to the "login" button.
For local transportion the is hardly any cheaper option than getting a day (or multi-day) pass for the Public Transport System (Light Urban Railway, subway, streetcars, buses). It's cheap if you stay within the city limits (Munich Inner Zone), but Dachau is not in that inner zone, so you need a day pass "Munich XXL" to go there. The Concentration Camp Memorial is in walking distance from the local train station.
If you plan to sample the local food, look out for lunch specials in the historic downtown area, often advertised quite visibly.
But as others said, Munich is not a budget location - not even for those who get paid in Euros ;-)
by the way: don't overtip in restaurants as service is always included! If your bill is 8.50 euros, round to the next euro and it's fine. In general: More than 10 percent would be extremely unusual. And no tip at all is also fine.
Anyway, hope you'll have fun here.
I'm a local from Munich.
If you're looking for budget accomodation try http://www.aohostels.com/en/
At least one of their places is in walking distance of Munich's Central Station.
Another option is www.hrs.de (works like hotels.com) - don't worry, the site is also available in English: Change language/location to English US in the upper right corner, next to the "login" button.
For local transportion the is hardly any cheaper option than getting a day (or multi-day) pass for the Public Transport System (Light Urban Railway, subway, streetcars, buses). It's cheap if you stay within the city limits (Munich Inner Zone), but Dachau is not in that inner zone, so you need a day pass "Munich XXL" to go there. The Concentration Camp Memorial is in walking distance from the local train station.
If you plan to sample the local food, look out for lunch specials in the historic downtown area, often advertised quite visibly.
But as others said, Munich is not a budget location - not even for those who get paid in Euros ;-)
by the way: don't overtip in restaurants as service is always included! If your bill is 8.50 euros, round to the next euro and it's fine. In general: More than 10 percent would be extremely unusual. And no tip at all is also fine.
Anyway, hope you'll have fun here.
May 28th, 2007, 10:07 AM
#6
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Cowboy1968. So you live in Munich? We will be there Sept 24 to Sept 26 and would like to hire a private guide for one day to show us the non tourist side of you wonderful city. Do you do that kind of thing?
May 28th, 2007, 10:32 AM
#7
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 8,247
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
@ idaho_jaane:
Nope, haven't thought about that field of work yet ;-)
But there are professional tour guides for individuals:
http://www.johns-bavarian-tours.com/
or check out the summary of individual tours at Munich's tourist information site:
http://www.muenchen.de/Rathaus/touri...uehrungen.html
Nope, haven't thought about that field of work yet ;-)
But there are professional tour guides for individuals:
http://www.johns-bavarian-tours.com/
or check out the summary of individual tours at Munich's tourist information site:
http://www.muenchen.de/Rathaus/touri...uehrungen.html
May 28th, 2007, 10:39 AM
#8
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,421
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I hope the trip to Munich is not a day trip just to see Dachau. That wouldn't be worth all the time.
You can get to Munich for a lot less by using a Bayern-Ticket. The Bayern-Ticket gives you unlimited use of regional trains in Bavaria all day long, after 9 AM on weekdays, from midnight on weekends. For a single person it costs €19; for up to five people it costs €27. You can buy the Bayern-Ticket from one of the red/white/blue DB automats, the ones with the touch screen display, or, for an extra €2, from a DB Reisezentrum.
The border with Bavaria is a lot closer to Frankfurt than people think. If you take the train to Würzburg, Kahl is the first stop in Bavaria. You can buy an RMV (Frankfurt metro) ticket to Kahl for €6,60 and use the Bayern-Ticket from there.
You can get to Munich for a lot less by using a Bayern-Ticket. The Bayern-Ticket gives you unlimited use of regional trains in Bavaria all day long, after 9 AM on weekdays, from midnight on weekends. For a single person it costs €19; for up to five people it costs €27. You can buy the Bayern-Ticket from one of the red/white/blue DB automats, the ones with the touch screen display, or, for an extra €2, from a DB Reisezentrum.
The border with Bavaria is a lot closer to Frankfurt than people think. If you take the train to Würzburg, Kahl is the first stop in Bavaria. You can buy an RMV (Frankfurt metro) ticket to Kahl for €6,60 and use the Bayern-Ticket from there.
May 28th, 2007, 11:04 AM
#9
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 8,247
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Only one thing to keep in mind when using the "Happy Weekend" or Bavaria Ticket:
Both are ONLY valid on regional or local trains and NOT on long-distance trains like Intercity or ICE services.
You can choose that option when checking out connections on German Rail's website which post #2 mentions.
(choose 'local transport only' under 'Connections')
So you just should not mind to spend a bit more time on the train(s) and to change trains twice on your way from Frankfurt to Munich.
Both are ONLY valid on regional or local trains and NOT on long-distance trains like Intercity or ICE services.
You can choose that option when checking out connections on German Rail's website which post #2 mentions.
(choose 'local transport only' under 'Connections')
So you just should not mind to spend a bit more time on the train(s) and to change trains twice on your way from Frankfurt to Munich.
May 28th, 2007, 06:43 PM
#10
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,421
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you want to do the trip a little faster (3:56), book a round trip with a Saturday night stay in Munich using a SparPreis 50 fare. If you go by IC, the fare will only be €64 round trip, €32 each way. If you want to go by ICE, it will take about 3:10 and cost €40,50 each way. SparPreis fares require a 3 day advance purchase and are train specific. SparPreis fares are non-refundable and can only be changed by paying a €15 fee plus the difference between the full fare and the SparPreis fare.
