We will be flying into Salzburg and flying out of Amsterdam in Sept. of '08. My thoughts were to spend a few days in Salz without car, then take a train into Germany and rent a car once across the border. We will then drive through Germany up until Munich. From Munich we need to get to Amsterdam.

If I drop off the car in Munich, is there a good train (i.e. few if any connections) that we can take to Amsterdam? We will be spending a few days there, not flying out immediately.

Also, what is a good 'across the border' spot once in Germany to rent a car?

Freilassing is the first German town across the border from Salzburg.

There are two trains daily from Munich to Amsterdam without any change: 15:56 to 23:16 (arriving in Amsterdam very late) and the overnight train 22:40 to 8:56.

Other schedules are available with one change. Look at the German rail site:

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de

Hi J,

>We will then drive through Germany up until Munich.

Salzburg is only about 1:30 hr from Munich.

What is your German itinerary?

Ira - I don't have that all figured out yet - we will be doing some sort of circle from Salzburg (maybe visiting Tirol/Innsbruck and then heading north from there) and I do want to see Rothenburg which I know is north of Munich.

I have to work on the German itinerary part. Basically I have 7 days to get from Salzburg to Ams. and I want to spend at least 2 in Salzburg proper - maybe even 3.

Rothenburg can be done by rail from Munich although you would need to change trains at least once (depending on timings) in Steinach (an easy change). Some might advise you to drive to R--burg and eventually drop the car elsewhere in germany and rail from that point to A-dam.

I realize I don't know your specific interests but have you considered a visit to the palace at Herrenchiemsee between Munich and Salzburg?

If Rothenburg is a must, it might indeed be a good idea to have the car from Freilassing (or Berchtesgaden, another option for picking up a car near Salzburg) for that part of your trip.
You could drop it off in Frankfurt(not far from Rothenburg), and catch a direct ICE train from there to Amsterdam (quite fast, just 4hrs).