mast

is parking a problem in germany? when visiting cities like Munich, Berlin etc, is it a better idea to find a place to park the car and use local transport? is the parking charges high? <BR> <BR>Thanks and regards, <BR> <BR>mast

Tanyia

We found that parking in the bigger cities to be a royal pain. On the autobahn into Munich there are several signs for park and rides. Park way out and take the train in. They normally have fantastic fare on the weekends (they don't want the traffic hassle either!)

Maira

Tanyia's advice is right on. A good idea is to have a map way ahead of time and see where the Parking lots are. Munich is a, much like any major European city, a nightmare for parking. There is a reasonably priced parking lot by the Theater/Opera House. About 10 minute walk to Marienplatz

Ken Horn

Mast- I have never paid a parking garage <BR>to park my car in Berlin or Munich. I have always found parking on the street <BR>close to the hotel I was staying at. I supose it could save time to use a parking garage if you are only day tripping into either of these cities. <BR>In contrast, it is a B---- to park in Vienna without using a parking garage. <BR>Do use local transportation in these cities once you park your car. It's usually a lot quicker. <BR>

Nissa

This continent and most of its communities were developed before the automobile. Parking is a problem in EUROPE,in the cities you list, and even the little towns. You might call ahead to each hotel and ask about parking. Usually we take the hotel's advice, park the car and get it again when we leave town. I don't want to discourage you from utilizing the flexibility that having the car will give you! Just expect parking to be...interesting. Once we got to park in a charming ancient barn in Rothenburg.

mast

<BR>We will be visiting Berlin,Nurnberg, Regensburg,Heidelberg, Stuttgart, Baden Baden, Rothenburg, Hameln, Garmisch and Munich. We will make some day trips from base town like Garmisch. So, do you think that it is better to take train instead of self-drive? Our main concern is going back to the base hotel at night------the local transport might be hard to get. But if parking is really a problem then it won't save us too much trouble as well. <BR> <BR>thanks. <BR> <BR>mast

bo_jack

Maybe we have just been lucky. But in the past two years we have driven and stayed in Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Vienna and Garmish -- among other German and Austrian cities. We really did not find the parking to be significantly more challenging or costly than in many major US cities. I agree that once in a city it is best to park the car and use local transportation; but that my preference in the US also. However, there seemed to be garages or lots available in most places. Even managed street parking for three days in Vienna with no great difficulty. We tend to travel in the "shoulder" seasons when things are not so crowded -- so maybe that's the difference from the other reports above.

Paulo

Mast, we've driven to Nurnberg, Regensburg, Heidelberg, Rothenburg, Garmisch and Munich and had no problems parking either at the street or at an open parking lot. I don't remember having used a garage in these cities. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>

Nissa

I'd tend to use trains for day trips when a city CENTER is your destination. If you are going to Fussen to visit Castles, you need the car. They have a point...New Orleans can be just as challenging for parking as any place in Germany. It sounds like flying into Berlin and training to Nurnberg (do see the German National Museum), then renting a car upon leaving Nurberg might work for you. That parking lot underground at the Munich Opera House (by the Residenz) might work for you. Do ask your hotels for their advice. You might ask about parking if you telephone or fax for reservations.

Mary

We usually have no problem parking the car. What we do is when we get near where we "think" we should be is find a large "P" (parking sign), park the car, then find our hotel, which usually has a parking lot, and if need be, go back and move the car. This always works for us. <BR>Good luck.

Bob

Don't give up the flexibility of your car because you are concerned about parking. I live in the San Francisco area and it is just as tough as any city in Europe, but we always find a spot. In Munich we stay in the suburbs and subway into town. Other towns you mentioned are sometimes crowded, but spots always seem to appear. Go for it! Use your car and don't get married to the trains.

mast

<BR>Thanks guys! <BR>We might self-drive all the way if travel by car is fine. one more question: are most of the roads lit up when it gets dark? if not, is it still safe to drive? <BR> <BR>mast