We are taking a family trip to Germany next summer, and are trying to decide between renting a car (there will be 3-4 of us traveling together) or getting a rail pass. Any thoughts on expense and convenience comparisons? thanks!
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What it should boil down to is are you visiting only major cities (then the train as a car is an inconvenience in them (both the driving and expensive parking) with the cheap excellent local transportation); or will you be spending most of your time in smaller towns and the countryside where having a car would be an advantage letting you see things at your own pace and being able to stop whenever and wherever you wish. Of course you can also do both. Travel about between major cities by train if you%26#39;re not planning to stop between them, and rent a car for those times that you are going to be visiting the countryside.
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Hi emdee-4good,
I am a huge fan of the trains, and I always advocate using them!
For one thing, using the trains is a lot of FUN. Everyone can just sit back and enjoy the scenery, maybe share a gourmet picnic, read, listen to tunes, talk, ask your neighbors a question (many speak English), and people-watch. To me, using the trains makes even transportation a fun part of my holidtay rather than a necessary chore.
Trains are also very convenient; they run frequntly so you aren%26#39;t stuck wondering and hoping. You can get all the connection possibilities online to make your trip smooth. To my mind, using trains is a whole lot more convenient than getting lost, hunting for parking, etc.
You haven%26#39;t said where you live, but for many of us, taking the train is an adventure we couldn%26#39;t get at home. For many places, a road trip is nothing new or special, but a train trip is practically impossible. If this is you, taking the train would be another wonderful part of your vacation!
You may find that you don%26#39;t need a rail pass at all. There are special fares at the German rail site (www.bahn.de) where you can travel anywhere for 29E. You have to buy in advance, though, and they do sell out.
I moved to Bavaria from the US, and I don%26#39;t have a car. I can get everywhere I want to go very easily, both in the countryside and to the major cities. I really do recommend using trains.
Plus, they%26#39;re more **green** hooray!!
s
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This the Bavaria forum, so are you indeed visiting Bavaria? Only Bavaria?
Germany is pretty big, so a bit more info could allow people to give you more focussed advice or views.
I agree with both previous posters. Trains are good, but maybe you need a car to visit out of the way places, or to travel between places not easily connected by rail.
Train: Luggage might be an issue, depending what you carry, and where you stay.
Car: driving in towns can be a pain; on the autobahns can be dull.
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We base in 2-3 cities over a 10-14 period and use public transport as we prefer not to drive. It%26#39;s really a matter of travel style but we enjoy the trains (so much nicer than anything we have here in the US), the views and not having to worry about parking, etc.
I can see where a car might be nice in the countryside but we generally go in winter and do not want the hassle of snowy and unfamiliar roads.
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Forgot to say that passes might not be the way to go and advance purchase tickets are generally a big money saver. They are non refundable and non changeable so perhaps for any major legs where you want a high speed train at a good price, they are worth looking into. Fares can be up to 70% lower IME.
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Agree with Marcopolko. You could have an itinerary that gets you into Munich and spend a couple of days there w/o rental car and then pick up a car and head south to Garmisch, Mittenwald, Wieskirche, Fussen, etc. in which case the rental car comes in handy in getting in and out on your time schedule. I would look at what you want to see, where you want to go and base my decision on car/no car based on that.
I have a friend leaving on Monday, flying into Munich, 2 days there, train to Garmisch, picking up car there and seeing the sights for 2 or 3 days in that area with car picked up and returned at Avis in Garmisch then train to Paris.
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We just returned from a week-long stay in Franconia. We had a car and most of oour travel was between small villages and towns where trains were not as convenient. However we did plan to drive to the nearest train station (Ansbach) and then train to a Nurmberg. Parking can be expensive and may not be convenient to your true destination.
If you do have a car, I strongly, let me repeat - STRONGLY - recommend having a GPS system. Great for traveling on the small roads and makes getting to city centres much less stressful. Just learn how to program it before you leave the car rental office and then do what it says. You may occasionally go in a circle but you wll get to your destination.
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One item you forgot to mention is what age group are we talking about. Are there small children involved? If so, taking the train is an huge plus. Riding the trains is more relaxed, everyone gets to look out of the window, which if you were in a car, the driver has to concentrate on driving. You also don%26#39;t say when in the summer? School vacations can make the autobahn an absolute nightmare, with traffic jams 10-40 km long on a very regular basis. This is not where or how I would want to spend my vacation.
There are so many good train ticket specials, riding the regional trains, that it makes renting a car look really expensive. You can easily travel all over Germany with a group of 5 for no more than 28-54 euro per day, depending on which ticket you buy.
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I%26#39;ll be traveling from Baden Baden to Garmisch Partenkirchen by train and was considering renting a car in Garmisch as well. This way I could have more mobility in the area. I%26#39;d love to see Mittenwald, and of course I want to visit Neuschwanstein. I%26#39;ve actually booked a hotel in Mittenwald because it looks like such a charming and quiet little village, but I also know it%26#39;s not quite as centrally located as Garmisch or even Fussen when it comes to visiting the castles.
Is staying in Mittenwald feasible when it comes to driving to Garmisch and then on to Neuschwanstein Castle? How far is it between towns for those of you who know the area, and what will the roads be like in late March/early April? Or what could they be like? I know it%26#39;s too far out for weather reports.
I thought I might then drive down to Innsbruck and take the train to Salzburg from there? Would that be recommended, or take the train up to Munich instead for my transfer to Salzburg? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated and very helpful. Thanks!
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%26gt; Is staying in Mittenwald feasible when it comes to driving to Garmisch and then on to Neuschwanstein Castle?
Yes.
%26gt; How far is it between towns for those of you who know the area, and what will the roads be like in late March/early April?
The roads should be clear this time of the year.
A route planer
http://www.viamichelin.com
%26gt; I thought I might then drive down to Innsbruck and take the train to Salzburg from there? Would that be recommended,
Not recommended. Will add an international drop off fee. Which can be quite prohibitive.
Munich - Garmisch - Mittenwald - Innsbruck is served well by trains. Up to Mittenwald hourly. To Innsbruck 2-hourly.
Where are car comes handy is if you travel in east-west direction. E.g to Füssen. You could also follow the German Alpine Road eastbound and return the car in Berchtesgaden or Freilassing. From there by bus or train to Salzburg. Both towns are already part of the Salzburg local public transport network.
German Alpine Road
http://www.yougosave.com/alpine.html
Berchtesgadener Land
http://www.berchtesgadener-land.info
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