My entire family (15 people to include 4 kids) plan to visit Germany mid July 2014. We have come up with a tentative itinerary and want advice on whether it's feasible or not. Also, we're wondering if it would be worth it to stick with trains or just rent a few vehicles.

Fly into Munich on Saturday the 12th...Stay that night at the Hilton there.
13th - daytrip to Dachau
14th - Head to Garmisch and change to a hotel there
15th - 18th day trips to: Fussen; Eagle's Nest/Salzburg; and Innsbruck

We all depart from Munich on the 19th.

Are there any recommended places or hotels that you think would be good for a group our size?

Well you all can use the Bavaria Pass where I think up to five people can ride per pass unlimited for a whole day for 29 euros or about - trains, buses, city transports, etc. - Trains are restricted to regional trains which are fine for where you are going.

From Garmishc you'd take the RVO buses (I think that is the name) so check to make sure the Bavarian Pass is valid on those buses which I assume it is.

The pass I think is also valid on trains from Garmiswhc-P to Reutte, a short bus or taxi ride from Fussen and Neuschwanstein Caslte.

Check out www.bahn.de/en for train schedules. Trains and buses are easily done and give groups and individual flexibility but two vehicles may be more convenient and you can stop along the roads at some neat villages and things like the famous Weiss Kirche on the Romantic Road not far from Fussen.

Info on the Bayern ticket: http://www.bahn.com/i/view/USA/en/pr...a-ticket.shtml

Note conditions - good only on regional & local transport anytime weekends or weekdays after 9am. For 5 people the price is 39 euros. And while it covers trips to Austrian border it does not include trips inside Austria.

Dachau can be visited with an MVV day ticket: http://www.mvv-muenchen.de/en/ticket...ket/index.html

Check the train times and you'll find out that some of your day trips are not feasible by public transport. I'm not sure Garmisch makes a good base, and in general I think you're spending too much of your time in Germany in transit.

And while it covers trips to Austrian border it does not include trips inside Austria.>

Previous research suggests that it may be valid on Garmisch to Reutte trains via Austria because this is really a German train service Garmsich to Kempten - not sure but may be (unless oedipamaas is 100% certain it is not and may be). But I was told once by experts that it would be covered by a German Railpass and Bavarian pass but that may have changed.

I'm not 100% certain for that route, but DBahn does not show Bayern Ticket option for changeover through Reutte. And I don't see a direct Garmisch-Kempten train, but maybe I'm looking for wrong day or time.

"Fly into Munich on Saturday the 12th...Stay that night at the Hilton there.
13th - daytrip to Dachau
14th - Head to Garmisch and change to a hotel there
15th - 18th day trips to: Fussen; Eagle's Nest/Salzburg; and Innsbruck"

You need to re-organize this altogether. Public transport will work but not as you've planned it. You cannot do Salzburg or Berchtesgaden as daytrips from Garmisch unless you're content with 9 hours on the train to get there and back!!

Stay 4 nights in Munich, 2 in B'gaden/Salzburg area, 1 final night in Munich. I suggest you drop Innsbruck. My suggestion:

12-13: Munich and Dachau.
14: Daytrip to N'stein (5 hours train travel)
15: Daytrip to Garmisch (3 hours train travel)
16-17: Train to Salzburg or B'gaden for 2 nights; one daytrip.
18: Spend day in B'gaden or Salzburg; spend night in Munich or near MUC.

Instead of the daytrip to N'stein (too far to travel really and spend an entire day on a 30-minute tour) I suggest you stay in Munich overnight and see a palace there (Nymphenburg) or take a 1-hour train ride to Prien to visit Ludwig's Herrenchiemsee Palace and spend the late afternoon and evening back in Munich.

It is possible to use the Bayern Ticket for all these trips.

Salzburg or Berchtesgaden as daytrips from Garmisch unless you're content with 9 hours on the train to get there and back!!>

Salzburg is 'just' seven hours all told by train! Return. Actual train time.

BTW, the Garmisch-Kempten route (Ausserfernbahn) is covered on the Bayern Ticket. I've done it, and it's specifically named as a valid route for Bayern ticket users (under #4):

http://www.bahn.de/regional/view/mdb...b_dez_2013.pdf

OK, PQ, deepest apologies for my lack of clarity there, but my undoubtedly clear point (though perhaps not clear to you) was the absurdity of such daytrips. (It's 9 hours to B'gaden and "just" 7 hours to Salzburg - and what's your point??)

(BTW, Since the OP's post indicates with a slash that ONE daytrip might cover BOTH places, 9 hours actually underestimates his proposed time on trains that day!)

"Are there any recommended places or hotels that you think would be good for a group our size?"

You might consider DJH (official organization youth hostels,) which cater to families these days, so that you can all stay in one building, at least.

The München-Park hostel, for example, has many room options, including...

33 2-bed rooms
53 4-bed rooms
13 6-bed rooms

http://www.jugendherberge.de/en/host...h.jsp?IDJH=249

russ - my apologies for not making my satire more apparent - I was agreeing with you by saying it is only 7 hours return rather than 9 hours - sorry bout that - I did not mean that 7 hours made it any more feasible - sorry and I always respect your posts - always as I know they are based on lots of personal experiences.

I appreciate all the help! 7-9 hours will definitely be too long on a train, especially with a 2, 4, 7, & 9 year olds. Do you think Salzburg is too far of a day trip from Munich as well?

Salzburg is 1.5 hours or so by the fastest trains from Munich - if you do the Bavarian Pass you are restricted to regional trains taking somewhat longer - see www.bhn.de/en for times.

For Munich-Salzburg-Munich: It's true that the fast trains take 1.5 hours each way and that the "slow" trains ("M" trains) that you can use with the Bayern Ticket take a little less than 2 hours each way... but when you are talking about 15 people the savings will add up dramatically with the BT. For 5 adults, the Bayern ticket cost would 39€ total round trip. Without the Bayern ticket, the walk-up price for 5 adults would be 360€ round trip on the RJ trains. So 5 adults save 311€ by spending an extra 30 minutes on the train each way. And you have 15 family members, so...

There's a lot to see and do in Salzburg. It would be a long day, whether you take the fast or the slow trains. If you do a daytrip, you will surely want to get an early start, so try to schedule it on Sat or Sun. If you catch the Saturday morning 7:55 train from Munich, you'll be in Salzburg at 9:41. If you go on a weekday instead, when the Bayern ticket is good only after 9 am, the first train after nine leaves Munich at 9:55 and doesn't reach Salzburg until 11:41 - pretty late to be stepping off the train if you have only one day there.