melissa

Do we need a car or can we see Bavaria in 4-5 days via the rail alone? Where are the best towns to stop?

uncle sam

Melissa,<BR><BR>I believe that you can see the best of Bavaria without a car OTOH it might be more convenient if you had one.<BR><BR>1. Munich is worth at least two days...no car needed.<BR><BR>2. Dachau...can be reached without a car<BR><BR>3. Ludwig's castle Neuschwanstein...can be reached I believe by bus or train (?)...I've only been by car.<BR><BR>4. Rothenburg can be reahced by bus or train.<BR><BR>You can see Bavaria without a car. However I would suggest all five days in Munich and rent a car for a couple of days worth of days trips. <BR><BR>The scenery is beautiful south of Munich and the car allows more felxibility.<BR><BR>You can rent a car on the 2nd floor of the hauptbahnhof and then you walk about a block to actually get the car. <BR><BR>Driving is relatively easy and the trip to Fussen from Munich takes you through some very pretty villages and scenery.<BR><BR>Just MHO!<BR><BR>US

Ron

The answer depends - if there are only two of you and you are somewhat light packers - traveling by train is very nice and economical. More than two - then a car is better. <BR><BR>Are you flying in to Munich or Frankfurt? If you fly into Frankfurt, I would suggest you spend the first night in Wurzburg or Rothenburg before driving much further.<BR><BR>Four or five days in Munich would be about right with a couple of day trips thrown in. Munich would be somewhat frustrating to drive around in and the public transport system is very people friendly.<BR><BR>Many side trips are very do-able by train. I would suggest Chimeasee (I never remember the spelling) and/or Garmisch.<BR><BR>A day in Salzburg might be nice, but I found Mozart Square overrun by tourists and kitschy.<BR><BR>Good luck, Ron

bill

Of course, you can't really see Bavaria in 4 or 5 days by either car or rail. But what you can see does not require a car. Personally, I don't like to drive on vacation--can't really look at the scenery while driving and have to worry about routes, reading signs, wrong turns, traffic, gassing up, parking, etc., etc. But as we did want to get off the main byways, we did rent a car for a bit over half of our trip last June. But with only 4 or 5 days you aren't going to stay in more than 1 or 2 cities anyway. I agree that you should plop down in one city and take day trips. Munich would work very well as there's plenty to see and do there for most of that time, plus there are several good day trips to take if you are so inclined. If you do stay in Munich, certainly the daytrip to Ludwig's Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles is a good one. If you are flying into Frankfurt, you might want to stay in the northern reaches of Bavaria (I'm assuming you've already seen areas like the Rhein and Mosel Rivers). If that's the case, then you can easily spend 4 or 5 days among Wurzbg, Bambg, Cobg, Rothenbg, and Nurnbg. You'll be fully bg'd.

Nick

Ron is wrong (unless the ticket no longer exists) re:train economics. there are tickets for the day - Bayern Tickets where up to 5 adults travelling together have a one ticket price for travel anywhere in Bavaria (pay supplement if fast interregional or intercity trains, but no need to use them). In 2001 this was about $17 (DM35, maybe DM30 if my memory is correct). there is no way you can hire a car for that - the petrol will cost that or more for the day. I think as a stranger, driving around gives some flexibility but around and getting out of a city is a hassle. Depending on travel time driving is not fun - (Salzburg to Munich motorway at 730pm when all the trucks are there can be horrendous - unless being forced to overtake at over 180km per hr into a 15 slot between trucks in bad weather because you have a flashing Merc up your backside is your idea of fun).<BR>You can definitely stay all the time in Munich and do day trips - pretty convenient for not tracking around with luggage and changing hotels, or jsut stay in Munich - lots to see and do.<BR>Some of the nicer towns for me - F&uuml;ssen, obviously to see castles, but nice town in own right; Berchtesgarden for Konigsee and countryside (Hitlers Eagles Nest is chronically overrated - great for scenery but do not expect much history as most of it was destroyed deliberately after the war); Lindau for super pretty town jutting out into Lake Constance; Starnberger See - easy day trip, go to Bernried perhaps (prety little town and exquisite church) or Tutzing (by Sbahn -45 min or train 20 mins) and go for long lake walk perhaps.<BR>Nuremburg as alternative city to Munich has nice centre.<BR>Priem am Chiemsee to see Herrenchiemsee Palace (Versailles copy) on an island in Chiemsee.

Paige

Oberstdorf and Mittenwald are perfect little mountain villages, just a couple of hours south of Munich, easily accessible by trains. Enjoy!

Snoopy

Rarely on this forum do I see responses that say that you need a car. Perhaps it's a matter of economics, or perhaps not. But there certainly seems to be a bias against renting cars. I don't really understand that. I have spent lots of time on trains in Europe and have driven thousands of miles in a variety of cars. If you are just trying to get from, say, Southern Europe to Northern Europe, take the train. If you are trying to explore a region, rent a car.<BR><BR>I could make some silly remarks about being on a train and seeing the scenery whipping by at 80km and sitting next to a person who hasn't bathed in a couple of years. But the fact is that you should do what's comfortable for you. Yes, renting a car just to see Munich would be pretty dumb.<BR><BR>I think the Alpinstrasse is a beautiful drive . . . The road between Garmisch-Partinkirchen and Fussen is pretty . . . Garmisch to Mittenwald is interesting . . . and there are lots of roads to branch off and explore. Dont limit yourself with a train, get a car and go where you want when you want.<BR><BR>Your post doesn't say anything about trying to save money, so I don't presume to include that in my opinion.