Munich or Zurich?
 

Hello all,
I'm new to the forum - so here goes.
I need to choose one stop en route to Prague from Paris next July.
I can stay 3-4 days. I am considering either Munich or Zurich,
but am open to suggestions.
I will be travelling by train, ideally night trains.
I like walking a city, discovering its neighborhoods, markets, fairs, and anything artsy.
Thanks in advance.
LuLu

Munich for many reasons. The first would be that it would be so much cheaper than Zurich and the other reasons would be that there is so much history there that that alone could keep you busy.
It has wonderful neighborhoods along with the various markets and would be a great place to do day trips if you wanted to.
Zurich is lovely but is ridiculously expensive.Most airline crews love the city but don't want to stay there as the prices of everything will break the bank!

there is no overnight train between Paris and Switzerland anymore so maybe Munich is the best for that criteria and many others - not only is there loads to do in Munich itself but it is a great base from which to hop to many nearby neat sights.

Munich is also smack on the way to Prague - with buses from it there taking 4-5 hours or so - Prague is a long way from Zurich.

Many people are nonplussed by Zurich but IME it can be a fascinating city - I would really suggest if you have never been to Switzerland I would go to the fabulous Jungfrau Region - the essence of the dreamy Alpine Wonderland Switzerland perhaps etched in your mind's eye but which will not be fulfilled by Zurich - a nice but very modern city.

Spending 3-4 days in this awesome area with so many varied things to do would to me be the best of bet of all.

And there is a direct overnight train from Zurich to Prague and Zurich is only a short enough train ride from the Jungfrau Region around Interlaken.

So consider the Jungfrau Region for a fantastic 3-4 days then take the overnight train to Prague from Zurich.

For lots of great info on European trains and overnight trains I always spotlight these IMO fantastic sites: www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. For Switzerland trains - www.swisstravelsystem.com.

Some images of the Jungfrau Region (only about 4-5 hours from Paris by TGV train to Bern and then local train to Interlaken.

https://www.google.com/search?q=jung...=1600&bih=1075.

so for cities most will say Munich has more to offer for 3-4 days but if not bent on a large modern city consider the Jungfrau Region.

As the adage says, Zürich is two times bigger than Vienna's cemetery, but only half as fun.

Zurich is primarily a business city and while there are a couple of museums - Munich and the immediate surrounds have a ton more to see and do - and are a lot more lively.

Neither Zurich nor Munich are along the Paris - Prague itinerary. May be you check Dresden or some smaller towns in Thuringen, like Weimar and surroundings.

Munich is pretty much on a Paris to Prague itinerary - well if you want to nit-pick the direct line yes may go thru Nurnberg, a tad north of Munich - Dresden would be a major detour - the fastest links between Germany and Prague go from Prague - via direct bus or even from Munich by direct bus.

And given the preference for taking overnight trains this is only possible from Zurich not Munich so that with that requisite makes the most sense.

But eschew Zurich for the Jungfraujoch area or other area more fulfilling the Switzerland you dream about but will not see in a modern bustling city like Zurich.

<i>Munich or Zurich?
Posted by: FrenchLuLu on May 3, 14 at 2:23pm
I need to choose one stop en route to Prague from Paris next July. I can stay 3-4 days. I am considering either Munich or Zurich,but am open to suggestions. I will be travelling by train, ideally night trains.</i>

You can poke around on the German Rail site www.deutschebahn.com and find a number of options. Night trains are a good choice, when there is one available. In your case you might consider backtracking a bit. You could take a night train to Vienna, stay a few days, take another Nacht Zug to Zurich, then take a TGV into Paris. For an illustrated introduction to night trains see http://tinyurl.com/y57vft.

Vienna satisfies your interests: <i>I like walking a city, discovering its neighborhoods, markets, fairs, and anything artsy.</i>. Sample the coffee houses (search this forum for a recent thread on that subject) and have a chat with locals at the wine bar Wein & Co. You also have opportunities for good music, though that is seasonal.