Travel within Germany
Mar 3rd, 2012, 02:14 PM
#21
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Nuremburg is a really bad example if someone is trying to show that train stations are far from the Altstadt in German towns. The train station is connected to the Altstadt by a pedestrian tunnel - the exit for which is no more than a 5 minute walk from the train platforms. There are Altstadt hotels literally a few meters from the exit if that tunnel. And because Nuremburg station is a hub, it makes a great base for day trips by train to other towns in the region.
Mar 3rd, 2012, 05:09 PM
#22
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I was stationed in Germany for 6 years. I had a car and loved to travel that way. However, I avoided cities for all the one way streets, parking issues and pedestrian zones. Navigating those cities was almost grounds for divorce between my wife and I. Still, we saw many wonderful small towns and rural places.
Going back, we travel by train; and we love it. (I do not love car rental agencies.) We tend to stick to towns. We pack light and walk from the train station to our hotel; that has included Nürnberg (3 times) and Bamberg. Bamberg was a pretty good walk but even a 65 year old with arthritis in his knees could make it. You could take a taxi if you thought that was necessary.
Flexibility. That is tricky. As I said, we avoided towns when traveling by car. That was not very flexible. Still, trips to small rural places were easier by car. You could see more of those small rural places in a given day. I think it depends on which way you need to be flexible.
We tend to focus on an area of the country and use Länder Tickets on the trains. We are able to travel very cheaply that way.
Regards, Gary
Going back, we travel by train; and we love it. (I do not love car rental agencies.) We tend to stick to towns. We pack light and walk from the train station to our hotel; that has included Nürnberg (3 times) and Bamberg. Bamberg was a pretty good walk but even a 65 year old with arthritis in his knees could make it. You could take a taxi if you thought that was necessary.
Flexibility. That is tricky. As I said, we avoided towns when traveling by car. That was not very flexible. Still, trips to small rural places were easier by car. You could see more of those small rural places in a given day. I think it depends on which way you need to be flexible.
We tend to focus on an area of the country and use Länder Tickets on the trains. We are able to travel very cheaply that way.
Regards, Gary
Mar 3rd, 2012, 05:26 PM
#23
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Here is an actual scenario I have been working on for a trip this summer.
Mittenwald to Schloss Linderhoff:
Bus 9608 departs Post Bahnhof at 10:05am
Arrives Garmisch Post Bahnhof at 10:30am
Bus 9606 departs Post Bahnhof at 10:40am
Arrives Klostergasthof, Ettal at 11:04am
Bus 9622 departs Klostergasthof, Ettal at 11:40am
Bus 9622 arrives Schloss Linderhof at 11:58am
These times do not include time spent getting from a hotel to the bus station or getting from a bus station to the final destination. In this example, though, those times are very brief (from what I can tell.). So total time spent is estimated at about 2 hours, with a 36 minute layover in Ettal while waiting for the bus.
According to Google Maps, drive time is 43 minutes.
Even allowing for the fact that we're not in a tremendous hurry, that is a big time difference. I don't mind taking a relaxing ride through the countryside on a train, but I also don't want to spend twice the time on traveling as opposed to enjoying the destination.
Using a rail discount allows the trip to be quite inexpensive (about 29 euros for a family of 3), which is a big plus, but I have to decide whether the time difference is worth spending more money on a rental car.
I've enjoyed the back and forth on this topic and it's nice to know that I have a choice, but there are down sides to either option. Most advice I've read online is to take public transportation, but all advice I've received in person from people who have visited the area is to rent a car. So I can see why it's a popular discussion.
Mittenwald to Schloss Linderhoff:
Bus 9608 departs Post Bahnhof at 10:05am
Arrives Garmisch Post Bahnhof at 10:30am
Bus 9606 departs Post Bahnhof at 10:40am
Arrives Klostergasthof, Ettal at 11:04am
Bus 9622 departs Klostergasthof, Ettal at 11:40am
Bus 9622 arrives Schloss Linderhof at 11:58am
These times do not include time spent getting from a hotel to the bus station or getting from a bus station to the final destination. In this example, though, those times are very brief (from what I can tell.). So total time spent is estimated at about 2 hours, with a 36 minute layover in Ettal while waiting for the bus.
According to Google Maps, drive time is 43 minutes.
Even allowing for the fact that we're not in a tremendous hurry, that is a big time difference. I don't mind taking a relaxing ride through the countryside on a train, but I also don't want to spend twice the time on traveling as opposed to enjoying the destination.
Using a rail discount allows the trip to be quite inexpensive (about 29 euros for a family of 3), which is a big plus, but I have to decide whether the time difference is worth spending more money on a rental car.
I've enjoyed the back and forth on this topic and it's nice to know that I have a choice, but there are down sides to either option. Most advice I've read online is to take public transportation, but all advice I've received in person from people who have visited the area is to rent a car. So I can see why it's a popular discussion.
Mar 3rd, 2012, 05:39 PM
#24
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I GOT NERVOUS JUST TRYING TO READ THIS THREAD! It's all over the place. Literally.
For starters, just where do you think you want to go, and for how long? Two weeks is NOT enough time to make this long thread worthwhile (i.e. wondering about train vs. car. A week in Berlin is almost not enough, and you wouldn't need a car inside Berlin or even to go to Potsdam.
I've been to Germany many times as my in laws are there. We usually have a car, but often take public transport depending where we are going as parking can be a big problem.
I advise you to first figure out where you want to go and then come back here.
Everyone here is on a different wavelength because you haven't provided any ideas about where you really want to go.
Pick one area you want to meander through and get a car there, and travel by train between your main cities.
It's easy enough to rent a EuropCar in the cites.
But do come back here with your ideas so people can get specific.
For starters, just where do you think you want to go, and for how long? Two weeks is NOT enough time to make this long thread worthwhile (i.e. wondering about train vs. car. A week in Berlin is almost not enough, and you wouldn't need a car inside Berlin or even to go to Potsdam.
I've been to Germany many times as my in laws are there. We usually have a car, but often take public transport depending where we are going as parking can be a big problem.
I advise you to first figure out where you want to go and then come back here.
Everyone here is on a different wavelength because you haven't provided any ideas about where you really want to go.
Pick one area you want to meander through and get a car there, and travel by train between your main cities.
It's easy enough to rent a EuropCar in the cites.
But do come back here with your ideas so people can get specific.
Mar 4th, 2012, 05:50 AM
#25
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Traveler_A: This corner of alpine Germany is generally less convenient for those using public transport, and your particular trip is one where public transport is unusually ineffective. It might be good to work in a car rental for a day or two if you've got other nearby destinations that are similarly difficult. If it's this one trip that's a pain, another option is to see a palace or two elsewhere - there are of course many, many palaces in Germany - one that is more conveniently located.
If Linderhof is a must, you might also consider staying in Garmisch, which might make for less arduous individual daytrips by train/bus to M'wald and to Linderhof. It's worth noting that the bus connection between Garmisch and Linderhof allows for time to see Kloster Ettal - which is more convenient if you don't have luggage with you.
If Linderhof is a must, you might also consider staying in Garmisch, which might make for less arduous individual daytrips by train/bus to M'wald and to Linderhof. It's worth noting that the bus connection between Garmisch and Linderhof allows for time to see Kloster Ettal - which is more convenient if you don't have luggage with you.
Mar 4th, 2012, 11:39 AM
#26
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Thank you for the feedback, Russ! I've been working on an itinerary and determining our routes to and from places and that one in particular seemed the most arduous.
Our lodging is in Mittenwald for three nights before moving to Salzburg for four nights. On the Germany portion we'd like to check out Schloss Linderhof because it is supposed to be a nice one, visit Leutasch Gorge, do the Karwendelbahn, a toboggan ride near Alspitze (or the Sommerrodelbahn), visit Oberammergau, the Ettal abbey, brewery, and cheese factory, and just generally enjoy some light hiking, scenery, and relax.
Then we'll go to Salzburg and check out the city, Berchtesgaden, the Hallein salt mine, maybe the Keltenblitz toboggan slide, and the Hohenwerfen Castle and falconry show.
From what I can tell, the trickiest part of doing these things by public transportation is the Linderhof part and the fact that the train ride from Mittenwald to Salzburg is a long one. Otherwise I think we can access things fairly easily by bus and train. Please correct me if I'm wrong! So maybe we should rent a car for a day (or two?) for the Linderhof visit. Are there any other times during this itinerary for which a car would be particularly advantageous?
Which toboggan slide gives us the most bang for our buck?
Thank you so much for the feedback as I work out the transportation details!
Our lodging is in Mittenwald for three nights before moving to Salzburg for four nights. On the Germany portion we'd like to check out Schloss Linderhof because it is supposed to be a nice one, visit Leutasch Gorge, do the Karwendelbahn, a toboggan ride near Alspitze (or the Sommerrodelbahn), visit Oberammergau, the Ettal abbey, brewery, and cheese factory, and just generally enjoy some light hiking, scenery, and relax.
Then we'll go to Salzburg and check out the city, Berchtesgaden, the Hallein salt mine, maybe the Keltenblitz toboggan slide, and the Hohenwerfen Castle and falconry show.
From what I can tell, the trickiest part of doing these things by public transportation is the Linderhof part and the fact that the train ride from Mittenwald to Salzburg is a long one. Otherwise I think we can access things fairly easily by bus and train. Please correct me if I'm wrong! So maybe we should rent a car for a day (or two?) for the Linderhof visit. Are there any other times during this itinerary for which a car would be particularly advantageous?
Which toboggan slide gives us the most bang for our buck?
Thank you so much for the feedback as I work out the transportation details!
Mar 4th, 2012, 04:34 PM
#27
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"Which toboggan slide gives us the most bang for our buck?"
I've no idea about toboggans or the Keltenblitz place.
It actually sounds like you have a packed 3 days for the Mittenwald area. I also think you're probably fine without the car in that limited area.
Are you planning a "Bavarian Evening" meal at the Fraundorfer in Garmisch? Fun.
http://www.gasthof-fraundorfer.de/english/index.php
Linderhof: If you do decide on a car, and you are going to stay in Mittenwald for sure, and the 4+ hour train ride to Salzburg doesn't like what you want, it might be worth looking into keeping the car when you head east - to visit Berchtesgaden, on the way to Salzburg. Get an early start that day, and take a drive to the nearby Königssee as well if you love the mountains as much as you seem to. I would try to drop the car in Freilassing, just across the border from Salzburg - then hop a train into Salzburg from there (12 min.)
I've no idea about toboggans or the Keltenblitz place.
It actually sounds like you have a packed 3 days for the Mittenwald area. I also think you're probably fine without the car in that limited area.
Are you planning a "Bavarian Evening" meal at the Fraundorfer in Garmisch? Fun.
http://www.gasthof-fraundorfer.de/english/index.php
Linderhof: If you do decide on a car, and you are going to stay in Mittenwald for sure, and the 4+ hour train ride to Salzburg doesn't like what you want, it might be worth looking into keeping the car when you head east - to visit Berchtesgaden, on the way to Salzburg. Get an early start that day, and take a drive to the nearby Königssee as well if you love the mountains as much as you seem to. I would try to drop the car in Freilassing, just across the border from Salzburg - then hop a train into Salzburg from there (12 min.)
