Hope you can help...we are a group of 8-10 50 somethings planning a trip next Sept. After a cruise that disembarks in Venice, we want to check out Oktoberfest, our discussion has been where to stay. Do we try to get rooms in Munich or do we stay outside of Munich? Where would be a good base? Salzburg has been suggested. Is it too far a trip to go to Munich for a day of Oktoberfest and then back to Salzburg. We are planning to be in the area for 3-4 days before returning to the US.
Some want to fly Venice-Salzburg, others want to drive to enjoy the countryside. Some of us have been to that area before, but for most it's their first trip. I know this forum has the knowledge to point us in the right direction! Thanks!

Munich is 2 hours by train from Salzburg. Trains run once per hour.

When you stick to the Regional Trains five people can travel on a day pass for the Bavarian rail network for € 27 altogether.
Since Oktoberfest gets really crowded in the evenings, and also closes quite early (around 10.30pm), you won't miss a lot if you left for Salzburg around 8 or 9pm.

There are other alternatives for staying closer to Munich - but since you will be coming from Italy, Salzburg is not a bad idea.

From where will your flight back to the US depart?

Not sure yet, looking into RT from Venice, or possibly fly into Venice and back to US from Salzburg or Frankfurt, have heard that if we drive it is very expensive to rent in one country and return to another, really in beginning planning stages and want to compile lots of info before deciding..

Salzburg sounds like a good option because it is beautiful with lots to see..we may be 30 years too late for Oktoberfest so 1 day may be enough!

Sounds fine. We did Oktoberfest as a day trip from Nuremberg and it was no problem. We just wanted to see what Oktoberfest was like (and once was enough), it wasn't a high point of the trip. Afterwards, we wished we had spent the time in Munich itself rather than at Oktoberfest. So we built another day trip to Munich into our schedule and really enjoyed the city.

True, international drop-off charges can be very expensive with a rental car.

The routing from Venice to Salzburg, and especially in the Austrian Alps, is quite scenic. But it's not exactly a leisurely drive through the countryside as the whole trip is done on motorways. Depending on when you plan to take that drive (weekends?), traffic can be quite heavy.

There are numerous alternative routes avoiding the motorways, but those will cost extra time.

The by far most scenic route to cross the Alps IMO is to take the Grossglockner (Toll) Road:
http://www.grossglockner.com/

Another option would be the train from Venice to Salzburg.

Definitely interested in the Grossglockner route, being from Illinois, we don't get to see Mtns too often! Working on car rental prices now and places to see on the way and in the area. We are a fairly active group, have enjoyed hikes in the Tetons and Yellowstone so any suggestions to that end in and around Salzburg and/or Munich would be much appreciated! We also like our beer so know we are in the right part of the world for that! Thanks again for your insights!