lovisa

You can also start your train trip in Verona. All trains through the Brenner Pass go through Verona. If you start in Florence, you may well have to transfer in Bologna and/or
Verona anyway.

In Italy, most car rental places close at 12:30 or 1:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, and do not open again until Monday. The exceptions are big cities, major train stations and airports.

TAW

Thanks. I'm going to rearrange our schedule so that we're not picking up or dropping off a car on the weekends. Is it a fairly easy drive from Umbria to Verona? I'd like to get from Umbria to final destination (St Gilgen) before dark, if possible.
It looks like about 4-5 hrs from Umbria (Assisi) to Verona by car and then about 2 hrs by car from Innsbruck to my hotel in St Gilgen. And the train is about 2 hrs. So I'm looking at 10+ hrs travel time before I get where I'm going. Maybe I should just overnight in Verona and get train next morning? That's a thought. AAAArrrrggghhh, why is everything so complicated? OR, just drive to Florence and bite the bullet and change trains on way to Innsbruck. That can't be that hard to do. It's just dealing with the luggage. We each have a 22in bag and that's all except for my purse which is very small. Which would you do? Thanks

lovisa

I see you are asking in another post about a place to stay in Oberammergau. If that's part of your itinerary, it makes sense to go there right after the Italy portion of your trip, and then continue East.

You will have a miserable day if you drop your car in Italy, continue by train, and pick up another car - the day would just be too long. I would drive from Bevagna to Bolzano, drop the car, and spend the night there before continuing on by train. I think it makes the best "half-way" point. You'll find find mileage and trip times on the mapping feature at Via Michelin:

http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/viamich...Page.htm?ck=OK

Either pick up a car in Innsbruck, and ultimately return it in Salzburg, or pick up a car in Garmisch Partenkirchen (take train from Innsbruck) and drop it in Munich or Munich airport. It really depends on your itinerary. But in either case I would do the Oberammergau portion right after Innsbruck, as it makes more sense geographically.

I do not believe that driving to Florence to turn in your car will help. It's a more trying place to drive in, and if you make a mistake and end up in the ZTL (zona traffico limitato) you'll end up with an expensive ticket.

bobthenavigator

Or, if you have the option to change the entire itinerary, this is what I would have done from scratch:

Fly into Munich
Spend 8 days exploring the Romantic Road, Bavarian castle country, and Salzkammergut.
End in Munich--drop car--and fly to either Bologna, Florence, or Perugia to start your Italy sojourn. Get car on arrival.

You take it from here--you get the idea.

TAW

yeah, that sounds easier...oh well, back to the drawing board

bettyk

Bob's right. There are so many cheap airlines now that would allow you to fly rather inexpensively. It certainly saves the hassle of dealing with picking up and dropping off cars and juggling all that luggage.

I'd also recommend that if you have the time, you consider spending more than 8 days in Germany and Austria.

lovisa

Another possibility, if you are going to have a rental car a total of at least 17 days is a Peugeot Buy Back, or, for at least 21 days a Renault short term lease. You would have to pay the pick-up and drop-off charges outside France, but it might be simpler. You could Pick-up a car at Rome Airport, and drop it at Munich or Frankfurt Airport.

The options are explained here:

http://europeforvisitors.com/europe/...ar_leasing.htm

TAW

Well, I think I'm going to skip Germany/Austria...I have looked at at least 7 "cheap" airlines to find MUC to FLR or somewhere close, or even MUC to FCO...NO CHEAP flts.
I started this with just wanting Rome & Umbria and maybe a day or 2 in Florence and fly home from there. It has snowballed into something I can't handle anymore. This is nuts. Maybe I'll just go to the Grand Canyon instead (& jump off) LOL
Thanks everyone for all of your help.

bobthenavigator

So, where did you look?
I will give it a try.

bobthenavigator

OK, this is not super but not bad.
Germanwings has flights from MUC via Cologne to Verona for 54E on M_W_F---they take about 5 hours.
See if this URL will copy.
http://www.germanwings.com/skysales/Select.aspx
With security hassle etc. I am not sure that the train may not be better. Let me check that---to Verona.

bobthenavigator

OK--I am not surprised.
The train from Munich to Verona leaves 09:32 and takes 5:29---with no train changes. I would prefer that with some great scenery over the Brenner.

bobthenavigator

Oops ! The cost is 81E.

lovisa

The train from Munich to Verona takes 5:30 hours.

I don't think you necessarily have to scrap your original plan.

How about drive from Bevagna to Verona? According to ViaMichelin it's 414 km (about 250 miles) and takes 4:20. Turn your car in and spend the night in Verona.

The next day take a train from Verona to Garmish (1 transfer in Innsbruck, takes 5 hours). Pick up a car and drive to your base for Oberammergau/Neuschwanstein, etc.
As Bob has mentioned Karen Brown, you might look at this itinerary for inspiration:

http://www.karenbrown.com/Travel_Pla...Bavaria/35.php

From Oberammergau drive to St Gilgen, and finish in Munich.

This would mean nixing the Romantic Road, but I think it's one destination too many, anyway.

If you haven't discovered it already, the easiest place to check train times and connections is the German rail site:

http://www.bahn.de/international/view/en/index.shtml

TAW

Thank you!
OK, here are the sites I looked at:
www.ryanair.com
www.easyjet.com
www.go-fly.com
www.flybmi.com
www.opodo.co.uk
www.europebyair.com
http://www.thalys.com

Your website connected but when I put in a M or W date in Nov from MUC to Verona it searches and says "done" but its blank. But I'll keep trying that site, thanks.
BTW, just told DH I can't do it so he suggested do the original Rome/Umbria/Florence in Spring and then in Fall or following year go to Germany/Austria...if I live that long LOL

TAW

Tomorrow I will look into what you & lovisa have suggested. Thanks for so much help. You don't know how much I appreciate it. Maybe it will work afterall!

bobthenavigator

The site you want is www.whichbudget.com but the navigation can be a bit tricky. Lovisa has some good input here. It will work both directions. Good luck !

TAW

Please take a look at this itinerary and comment, please.

Since we're going in May I wanted to start in the south and work towards the north, hence the start in Rome.

Is there enough time at Oberammergau & St Gilgen?

Day 1 Depart US
Day 2-6 Rome
Day 7 train to Umbria;pick up rental car, stay 7 nights
Day 14 drive to Verona; drop car; O/N in Verona (somewhere near train station)
Day 15 train Verona to Innsbruck; pick up rental car; drive to Oberammergau; 3 or 4 nts?
Day 18 (or 19) Drive to St Gilgen; 3 or 4 nts?
Day 20 drive to Salzburg; drop off car; train to Munich; stay O/N
Day 21 depart for US

If this looks OK, then the only other thing I need is to find lodging in Verona near train station. I'll figure out the train tickets when I'm there. Next is reserving lodging & rental cars.
Thanks and I look forward to comments.

bobthenavigator

I like it !
That will work. You have been paying attention. Have a great time.

bobthenavigator

You will be happy to learn that the train options look good.
From Verona, there is a train at 12:59 and another at 14:59--both take 3:34 to Innsbruck at a cost of 60E 1st and 40E 2nd class. You will want to buy in advance in Italy and try for the Amica discount fare. We stayed at the Golden Adler our only time in Innsbruck. We may not be totally current since that was in 1961.

TAW

Well I have you & others to thank! I think I want an early train to Innsbruck. I think I saw a 0900 arriving around 12:30, then we can get car & be on our way to Oberammergau & get settled in wherever we decide to stay.
What do you think about the #days in Oberammergau & St Gilgen? I'm leaning towards 3 in Oberammergau & 4 in St Gilgens.
Oh, yes one more question...if I get a late flt out of MUC leaving at 4:30pm could I make it from St Gilgen and avoid coming in a day before and staying in Munich? That would mean drive to Salzburg, drop car & train to airport. What do you think?
Thanks again for all your help!