I (arriving by train from Breclav, Czech Republic) will be meeting my husband and son in Vienna (arriving by plane). Can you recommend a hotel that will be easily reached by both parties upon arrival?

Next, I need your suggestions re: travel from Vienna to Munich. Having gathered WONDERFUL info from this forum page, I believe we will want to spend a night (maybe 2) in Salzburg. I also have determined that we should stay in Garmisch, from where we can see Oberammergau and Neuschwanstein. We would also like to visit Dachau.

We have only 10 days from our arrival in Vienna until our flight home from Munich. I'm thinking we should rail it from Vienna to Salzburg (or just across border into Germany), and then pick up a rental car. We have not driven in Europe before, but are willing to give it a try. I call upon all of you for your voice of experience. Hotels? Itinerary suggestions? Many thanks!!!

Vienna has several train stations.

The best way for your husband and son to get from airport to city center is by the CAT train to Wien Mitte, which is right on the ring road.

From Breclav, the faster Eurocity trains terminate at Sudbanhorf (yes, even though Czech Republic is to the north); while the slower and more frequent regional trains arrive at Wien Nord. If you take the EC, you can also get off at Simmering and switch to the subway (U-bahn) there.

Trains to Salzburg depart from the Westbanhorf.

So, as you see, you'll all be using several different train stations. The good thing is that they are all linked by the U-bahn and S-bahn; so as long as you pick a hotel that's near the city center or close to it AND have good access to the U-bahn, you're set.

Thanks, rkkwan, for your guidance. I appreciate your help. A friend of mine has suggested that we find a hotel in Bratislava rather than Vienna. She believes we would save $$, and could enjoy both cities from one location. Any thoughts?

Bratislava is an hour (by bus or train) and a border crossing away from Vienna. If you want to visit Vienna and enjoy the city, stay in Vienna. You have to figure it transportation cost for 3 persons, plus the cost of commuting.

Thank you. My friend thought Bratislava would be about a 20 minute ride from Vienna, which would not be bad. But an hour puts a different spin on things! I think that since my husband an son fly into Vienna that it makes sense to stay in the city center there. We can take a day trip to Bratislava.

Do you think that it makes more sense to rail or drive from Vienna to Bavaria? Once in Germany I would like to have a car so that we can explore off the beaten path, but to that point I am not certain what to do.

Ii really do appreciate your comments!

cindi,

if you're planning to rail it from Vienna to Salzburg, then you may also want to think about railing it directly to Munich, spend a couple of days there, and THEN rent a car to drive through southern Bavaria.

The reason I say this is that to get from Salzburg to Garmisch, you'd practically have to drive from Salzburg straight west into Munich on the A-8 autobahn and then clockwise around the outer ring (the A-99) and then straight south on the A-95. In other words, if you plan to visit Munich AFTER Garmisch, it would likely involve about 2 hours of back-tracking in the car.

The drive from Vienna to Munich (or Salzburg or Garmisch) is quite easy, in case you're wondering. Mostly highway the whole way.

I probably need to take a look at a "mapping" site to plot out the drive. In looking at the map I can see what you mean. Since we fly out of Munich, I was trying to plan an itinerary that would put us there at the end of our trip.

Taking into consideration any drop-off charges which I would incur should I rent a car in Austria and leave it in Germany, we may be time and $$ ahead to rail it all the way from Vienna to Munich, with a stopover in Salzburg. THEN we could drive through Bavaria. Of course, I am guessing at all of this. Where would I be without this web page!?

Thanks for your comments!

We stayed in Munich for four nights in mid-June, and had planned to rent a car there for two day trips, one to Salzburg and one to Fussen. However, we discovered the Bayern rail pass and decided to skip the car rental, in favor of taking trains each day. We were really happy with that decision, as the trains are precisely on time, clean, and very pleasant. The Bayern pass cost just 29 Euro for up to five people to travel in Bavaria for one day. Can't beat that price, or the convenience. You can get the pass at the rail station before catching the train. I believe trains run about every two hours. Have a great time!

You can easily take the train to Oberammergau from Munich and then a bus from Oberammergau over to the Fuessen-Neuschwanstein area..or a train to Fuessen and buss(es) from there in reverse.

While it is easier to get around the Neuschwanstein area by car you can also do it by rail if you plan correctly.

Depending on the drop off charge, I would consider picking up car in Vienna and driving west (www.autoeurope.com is good for auto rental). The drive is all "expressway" and I would consider stopping at the concentration/work camp at Malthhauzen (just off the Xway). Some folks think it is a more interesting tour than Dachau. I would spend one night in Hallstadt (austria) for incredible beautiful scenery. Then go on to Salzburg, Munich, etc.
Good site for maps, directions, driving times, mileage is www.viamichelin.com
If you go to Hallstadt, read up on it as far as getting reservations and where to park. In summer, it gets full, due to its small size.
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