LisaRau

Hello, I'm posting in regards to a trip in Sept/October of this year. My question involves a segment of the trip from Salzburg to Garmisch. My original plan was to spend all day friday and sleep overnight in salzburg. Then, leave in the early afternoon on the train to Garmisch via Innsbruck with maybe a few hours stopover in Innsbruck. I chose this route assuming the scenery is prettier then to go back to Munich and up to Garmisch. However I'm working out rail pass vs ticket situation and finding that the 6 day 1st class Czeck-German rail pass(which would include Munich-Salzburg only) at $776 for 2 is much cheaper than the $912 7 day select 1st class pass that would include Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic. Also if I choose the Czech-Germany pass I can go 2nd class for $666 for 2 of us. So my question is twofold. First is the scenery worth it to go through Austria to get to Garmisch? And second if its not and I stick to the Germany-Czech pass is the 110$ worth the 1st class pass? If it helps below is the full itinerary

Sat :Arrive Munich and sleep/adjust,
Sun-Thursday: Munich including Oktoberfest
Friday-Saturday: Salzburg
Saturday afternoon: To Garmisch
Sunday: Garmisch/Mittenwald (rent car)
Monday: Neuschwanstein in the morning drive to Rothenburg overnight there
Tuesday: drive to Trier stay for afternoon then drive to Nurburgring
Wed-Thur: Nurburgring
Friday: drop off car in Cologne and catch train to Hamburg
sat-Sun: Hamburg
Sunday night-Friday morning: Berlin (include day trip to Wolfsburg VW fac)tory
Friday morning to Monday: Prague
Monday afternoon: fly home

Any other suggestions are more then welcome as well and thanks for your time!

nytraveler

Granted we usually drive and I have limited experience with train costs - but those passes seem awfully expensive. Have you looked at the cost of individual tickets? And are you sure you need first class (do you have a ton of luggage? do you need extra space in the seats? do you not want to be near other travelers?)

logos999

1) Yes, some might consider the route through the inn valley scenic. It's a wide valley. If you were driving it would also be the fastest route. Salzbug to Munich is not particulary scenic.

2) Czech train tickets are unelievably cheap. A pass is a huge waste of money. You just have to keep one thing in mind.
The prices for cross border train travel are much more expensive than for journeys that start and end within CZ. You always buy two tickets when you plan to travel abroad. One to the border and one from the border. The cheap national tickets are only available WITHIN CZ.
And if you buy you ticket on the train in CZ have crowns at hand.

Cowboy1968

Even the 2 country pass sounds extremely expensive. With the limited number of rail trips you need, I guess you would get even the most expensive walk-up fares for less money.
Try bahn.com for discounted long-distance fares once you got 90 days to your travel dates.

While the side trip to Wolfsburg is just a 1 hour ride each way from Berlin, I was wondering if you could not incorporate it into the Friday, traveling to Hamburg.
You can go direct Cologne-Wolfsburg, see the VW factory and museum, and return via Hanover to Hamburg. It does require to backtrack from Wolfsburg to Hanover to catch the train to Hamburg, but less kms and time than spend one full day you could use better in Berlin.

AisleSeat

Just so you know. The bayern ticket, which is good from Salzburg to Munich and then Munich to Garmish is 29€ for up to 5 people and is good all day after 9am to anywhere in Bavaria. The Inn Valley is not that much prettier to make me choose that route. The ride from Innsbruck to Garmish is in the mountains and will be very pretty. Innsbruck itself is pretty low on my "must see" list. I would skip it.