Munich and Prague Dilemma!! Help Please

We will be coming from a river cruise in Passau to Munich.

DH wants to see Dachau and I want to go to Prague.

We get off the ship in Passau on Sunday morning and we have to fly home on Wed.

The ship offers an extension to Prague but since we would like to make a stop at Dachau we won%26#39;t be able to go with the ship extension.

My question is: Is Passau to Dachau to Prague doable in the time limits that we have? If so, how should we get around, trains, rent a car, etc? And how much will it cost?

Or should we skip Dahau and go to Prague?

I%26#39;ve got to decide soon as I%26#39;ve got to book airfare. Thanks for your help

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Can%26#39;t see the point of going to Dachau - i would not go to Guantanamo either - so go to Prague. It%26#39;s crowded w tourists but very beautiful.

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You could possibly rent a car and drive to Dachau, tour it, drive to Prague--but if you are flying out of Prague the out of country drop off fee would be very expensive.

You could look for a bus tour of Dachau and see how the return lines up with your planned transportation to Prague. Most of the experts posters state that the train is easier, faster, and cheaper than a flight.

Do you just want to see a concentration camp or specifically Dachau? I believe there is another concentration camp just outside of Prague--that of course, I can%26#39;t remember the name.

Dachau is closed on Mondays.

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I believe that any camp will be fine. Personally I don;t want to go but my DH does. I%26#39;m just going to stand there an cry!

I didn%26#39;t know that there was one outside of Prague I%26#39;ll see if I can find out the name. Thanks

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The name of the concentration camp near Prague is Terezin (Theresienstadt),

Please go to Prague. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.

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I recently faced this dilemna and decided to go to Munich (5th visit) rather than Prague. Flight options are better and though we have not yet been to Prague and did want to visit, some of what I have been reading just put me off.

We are getting off a river cruise in Nuremberg and training to Munich. From there we will do day trips to Mittenwald and Regensburg and then fly home.

As for Dachau, I have been twice and found it very moving. So I disagree with Frank who feels the opposite. I went for the first time at 16 and then again 5 years ago at 47. Both times I was affected by the experience.

Munich is less touristed than many large European cities and we really enjoy it and are looking forward to this return trip.

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Do you have a favorite place to stay in Munich?

What have you read that%26#39;s put you off of Prague?

I haven%26#39;t booked the air yet so I%26#39;m still open.

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Yes, we love the Sofitel Bayerpost for convenience, amenities and service. Le Meridien is my second choice.

I read quite a few posts and trip reports here and on Fodors.com that spoke about how tourists were being treated and how over touristed Prague has become over the last several years. It turned me off. I am sure it is a lovely city but just did not want to deal with that after what I am certain will be a lovely visit to Germany.

Germany has never disappointed and I prefer a city that has a more residential feel which we have found to be the case there. I also find it to be very clean and friendly and a perfect base to day trip into other parts of Bavaria - even Austria.

Also the airport in Munich is organized and excellent.

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Below is a link to the tour of Terezin from Prague:

tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g274710-d545…

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I thought the question was Dachau or Prague not Munich or Prague.

If you are seeing Munich anyway, adding another city would be far preferable IMO, Prague is a wonderful place to visit, I wouldn%26#39;t be put off by what people read in books.

Yes Prague is touristy but so is London, Rome %26amp; Paris. You can move away from the tourist throng quite easily. Missing Prague for the sake of visiting a concentration camp? Well you%26#39;d have to have a special family or personal reason to do that IMO. Maybe that%26#39;s why yor DH wants to go in which case some find a visit to Dachau essential.

Salzburg is also close by with easy rail link from Munich.

Stoofer

Hamburg or Lubeck

Myself and 7 friends are going to Hamburg first week December for 6 days. We are all in our early 40%26#39;s. What is the best area in Hamburg to stay or is it better to stay in Lubeck?

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you could stay in Hamburg and explore Lübeck on a day trip?

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Thanks for this. Do you have any idea which is the best area in Hamburg to stay? I have been told St. Georg is a great area. Somewhere where there is plenty to do and see or somewhere where there are plenty of cafes, bars, restaurants.

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Hello!

I would also recommend to stay in Hamburg and go to Lübeck for one day. Lübeck is a very nice city, but of course there is more to do in Hamburg.

St. Georg is in the centre (backside of the main station). There are lots of bars, also many for gays. But it is also known as red light district.

I would recommend the Eimsbüttel, Hoheluft or Eppendorf district. Those are fancy places close to the centre with a good connection by metro or buses. All of them have lots of bars, restaurants and nice small shops.

Trains from Hamburg%26#39;s main station to Lübeck take around 40 minutes. You can use %26quot;Schleswig-Holstein-Tickets%26quot; which cost 30 € and are valid up to 5 persons. They are valid a whole day, so you can use it for both ways, if you only stay in Lübeck for one day.

Enjoy your time in Hamburg!

OHCharlotte

(Oh-Holidays)

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Thanks very much Charlotte. This is a great help.

Derag Max Emanuel

Is there anyone who is familiar with the hotel Derag Max Emanuel in the Haidhausen neighborhood? Two of us (separate rooms) are heading to Munich for six days before Christmas and the rate for this hotel (and what reviews we can find) look great. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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Since nobody has replied, I%26#39;ll give you an almost answer. I stayed at a Derag Hotel in Berlin, and it was perfect. Standards are usually %26quot;standard%26quot; among brand names, right?

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Thanks. I agree with the propositin that name brand hotels are usually consistent in most cities. The pruce at this hotel was so good (couldn%26#39;t stay at a cheap Motel 6 in the States for the price), I think I will go with it.

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I stayed there in July this year. I was quite happy with the choice. Quiet location except that they tore down an apartment block next to the hotel. I had requested a quiet room, though, and they gave me one on the opposite end of the hotel so that wasn%26#39;t an issue.

Room was a bit outdated but surprisingly large (23 m2) with balcony and a kitchenette (yay!). I saw some stains on the carpet, otherwise it was very clean. Breakfast buffet was excellent. I would stay there again.

Internet access was quite expensive (lobby) for 15 minutes but ok for an hour (weird rates).

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have never stayed there, but its round the corner from my flat, so I can tell you its a great, central location.

You can walk to the Marienplatz in about 10-15 minutes and it is minutes away from the Rosenheimerplatz S-Bahn (2 stops to Marienplatz).

There are a few nice restaurants very close by and many more within easy walking reach.

There is a big building site going on next door and will not be finished by the time you come here.

Closeby alternatives are the Holiday Inn and Novotel. The novotel is apparently really nice, has a pool, sauna, fitness etc.

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Thank you all for your responses. Given the noise issue with the cionstruction, I decided to go with another hotel which has gotten near universal rave reviews and for which I got a great price: the Flemings Hotel Munich City. I hope that it was a good choice and will report back on it.

Trams In Munich

Can someone tell me if the tram construction project for Tram Line 17 has been completed? I wanted to take Tram 17 from Schloss Nymphenburg to the Deutsche Museum but read on the Museum website that tram construction was scheduled through September. Thanks!

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MVV timetable

http://www.mvv-muenchen.de/en/home/index.html

From: Schloss Nymphenburg

To: Deutsches Museum

Seems to be running (the MVV timetable is the most reliable source on this). However various other connections which are not slower either.

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Visited Munich during Oktoberfest and the only construction we noticed that impacted tram service was at Karlsplatz.

The first two underground levels at Karlzplatz are being renovated and this spills over to the stairway for the south above ground tram stop. Trams 17,17,18 and 27 still operating.

We rode the #17 from the Hbf to Tivolistraße.

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Thank you. It appears that the Trams are up and running and I shall use them. I must say that the Munich transportation system looks incredibly efficient (and cheap with partner tickets).

Traditional German Music

Hello,

I will shortly become an occasional visitor to Bonn (every couple of months).

I know it%26#39;s a bit touristy but I love Oompa Bands, Polkas, Alpine music (and the odd stein of good German Bier). While this is more widespread in Bavaria (which I visited and loved) are the any places in Bonn where I could see and hear this sort of band or group.

Thank you in advance.

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The Germans practice this with gusto during Oktoberfest, Karneval, Weinfest, Bierfest and whatever Fest needs to be celebrated. and while on holiday,, especially in Palma at the famous Ballerman on Playa de Palma. Drinking beer from the Stein is common and none of this is neither kitschy nor touristy either but part of german custom well liked by all levels of society and all ages.

Ask around while in Bonn, your hotel receptionist should be able to help.

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This kind of music will not be played in pubs or similar. Unless you come across a Volksmusik concert somewhere, chances are slim. The average German under, say, 70 hardly ever listens to this kind of music, with the exceptions mentioned in the first post.

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I am going to agree with Blandine, this kind of music and atmosphere is NOT enjoyed by groups of all ages and all over Germany. I have never seen people drinking from beer steins at any fest at all, and unless you are an old person, you do not listen to this kind of music.

Along the Rhine, you are more likely to see folks drinking wine than beer, though of course beer is popular too. Around Bonn, it will be Koelsch, and this is drunk from small glasses.

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My favored hang-out is the Bitburger Wirtshaus in Trier a short ride down the road where I live and half the beer there is consumed in Steins. Last week I was at a Brauhaus in Kaarst-Büttgen and they served beer in Steins. I should be in the Bonn area next week-end and I will have a look around.

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Thank all you guys for your advice.

As I am a senior citizen, I fall into the category of %26quot;oldie%26quot; I just love the music and spend far too long on YouTube or listening to my collection of German CD%26#39;s. Can%26#39;t beat the real thing though!

HikeyH

Which cities in January?

Planning a midwinter vacation. Only have time to visit two cities in Central Europe. Which two would you choose: Prague, Munich, Vienna, or Budapest?

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This is like asking a stranger to guess if you want orange juice, grapefruit juice or milk for breakfast... Read some guide books my friend...

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I%26#39;d want Prague and Budapest because these are the two I have not yet visited - but this is of no use to you, I%26#39;m afraid. No one here can tell you what YOU want...

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It%26#39;s true that travel choices are highly personal.......It can also be very weather-dependent, and I was hoping for some insights into the complications/benefits/advantages(?) of these cities in the middle of winter.

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The only advantage I see in visiting any of these cities in winter is that there should be fewer tourists clogging up the places you may wish to visit. Personally, I would now visit the two cities that I would least like to visit in the Summer if returning to Europe in the future. Perhaps places lacking in gardens you might like to visit under better conditions. Of course the logical choice to minimize travel time and expense would be Budapest and Vienna. (Of course, there are a lot of other places you could also choose from, or pair up with one of those other cities.) Actually I like to visit more rural areas in the months when the leaves are not on the trees, as now you can see the forest without the trees%26#39; foliage blocking it (castles, palaces, mountains, etc. are much more visible), and to me having snow on the ground instead of rain adds to the experience.

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Architecturally and atmospherically, Prague stands out in the snow and winter IMO. No guarantee of snow but Prague lends itself well to a cold winter visit, frosty roof tops, muled wine in the square etc. . Personally I prefer Munich in good weather to indulge in the beer garden culture.

Therefore this time of year Prague would be my first choice and Munich, actully my last choice, much though I love visiting Munich and this is Munich forum. If it was me, It%26#39;d be Prague and Budapest.

Stoofer

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Very helpful considerations. Thanks for your thoughts!

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My vote would also be for Prague, fantastic in the wintertime when its all snowy and cold (of course no guarantee of snow). Had a long week at the end Dec/Jan two years ago for a wedding and there is so much to do and see.

2nd choice would be for Munich, I could visit this city anytime of the year and not be disappointed. Of course you cannot sit out and enjoy the beer gardens but you can have a nice cosy warm inside one!

Been to Vienna many many times to visit family, and really don%26#39;t like the overall atmosphere for some reason, but that%26#39;s just my own personal opinion.

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Scotlandscout

Funny place Vienna. Marvelous, stunning architecture etc, nice people, clean etc. But I agree with your observation, it%26#39;s a must visit city but it lacks something, some chemistry or atmosphere - I can%26#39;t put my finger on what it is that%26#39;s missing.

It%26#39;s very strange to visit a truly great and impressive city, thoroughly enjoy a few days and then not want to go back, but that%26#39;s how I feel about Vienna.

Stoofer

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Stooferuk..

Glad to know its not just me then!

Must admit I also feel the same way about Salzburg, so very twee for all the wrong reasons. We had a very nice visit but there was just something not...right.

Well that and apart from an absolute lunatic going mad shouting and generally making a a**e of himself, in the bar/cafe we were sitting in and everyone was too scared to move until the police came all this at 3.15 in the afternoon, not the genteel view of Salzburg one was expecting!

But hey thats travel for you, if we all liked the same place....

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Again, thanks very much for your thoughts.

Prague sounds like a must do. (Though another thread in the Prague forum makes the Prague-ites sound grasping and unfriendly, I think I can get around that.....)

Your comments about Vienna ring true (I visited there oh 35 years ago and got rapped on the back (literally) by a Staatsoper usher with a long pole, because I had the temerity to sit on the step of my %26quot;stehtplatz%26quot; during an interminable performance of %26quot;Parsifal.%26quot; The culture was great; the vibes were not.)

So what do y%26#39;all think about Budapest -- good or bad? (I know this is not the Budapest forum, but actually I might get some more objective reactions here.)

Advice with a 4 year old boy

What things are there to do with a 4 year old in the area between Cologne airport and Bruhl. we have been offered the chance to go to stay there for 4 days but it seems a long way to go from London. We know there is Phantasialand at Bruhl but we are wondering if there are other things we can do with him while we are in the area because we don%26#39;t want to spend all the time at a theme park. He%26#39;s quite active.

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There is a nice indoor playground in Köln-Porz:

http://www.okidoki-koeln.de/anfahrt.html

and another one in Bonn:

http://www.piratenlandbonn.de/

Also well worth seeing is the zoo in Cologne:

http://www.koelnerzoo.de/zoo-tierwelten/

In Colognes%26#39;s Stadtwald (urban forest/Kitschburger Strasse) you%26#39;ll find a petting zoo and pony trekking. (unless it rains)

http://www.pony-reiten.de/

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Thank you very much for this information!

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Thank you very much for this useful information!

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I%26#39;m sorry for the accidental posts, my computer went haywire! I was also going to ask if you can reach the pony rides by public transport at all?

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%26gt;can reach the pony rides by public transport at all?%26lt;

http://auskunft.kvb-koeln.de/

nach/to: Brahmsstrasse

Good Bar or Nightclub for Adults...

... that is %26quot;middle aged%26quot; adults.

A friend and I will be visiting and, while it is fun for two men in their late 40s to look at the pretty young women in their 20s, I feel like I am everyone%26#39;s father when I find myself in such a club.

I guess that we could ask everyone where their mother%26#39;s are partying, but that might result in a fat lip, most likely on me.

So would anyone be able to suggest a fun spot so we don%26#39;t have to spend 4 nights in a row at the Hofbrauhaus?

Thanks!

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The bar at Giselle%26#39;s Vinotek had a nice crowd of 30 and 40 somethings. Nicely dressed after work crowd and quite social.

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Try the bar at the Cortiina Hotel - right around the corner of the Hofbraeuhaus and a trendy hotspot.

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Hiya,

You could try eating at Kytaro, an upscale Greek restaurant on the Prinzregentenstrasse which has a really clubby and party like atmosphere later in the evening. Its quite chic though!

Same thing goes for Hugo%26#39;s pizzeria... its just near the Bayerische Hof hotel and has an amazing Truffle izza and the party and dancing gets started around 10.30-11.

This restaurant come bar come club scene is quite popular in Munich!

You can always try the club in the Bayerische Hof hotel, that has a slightly older crowd.

For Salsa and other Latino music, try Latinos on the Leopoldstrasse.

Funky and dark... Registratur Club near the Müllerstrasse.

And of course, the age old P1 on the Prinzregentenstrasse... all ages and large wallets!

Have a fun time!

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Being even old than vatom, I would want an oldster club to avoid the hip/hop and techno music my kids listen to.

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Thank you all for the suggestions, and a gold star to PatriciaF for recognizing that the trendiest spots are usually a bit too noisy and young for me.

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All the spots I posted are hot but not young. Not techno or anything similar.

So you should be fine.

Dresden or Frankfurt

Will be traveling from Prague at the end of our European vacation next spring. We are flying out of Frankfurt, departing at 5:25 p.m. We were originally planning on overnighting in Frankfurt the night before, but another option would be to overnight in Dresden, and then take the train to the Frankfurt airport the day of our flight. In our travel books, Dresden appears more charming (however, travel books can be misleading). On the other hand, if we do Dresden, we will be traveling by train straight to the airport, to get on a plane to San Francisco. That is a lot of time sitting. Thoughts?

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How much time will you have in Dresdon? Can you spend the day there and then take a late afternoon or early evening train to Frankfurt? Flying out the next day? I do think that Dresdon would rate higher on the charm list then Frankfurt, much as I love this city. :-))

I also would not want to be that far away from my city of departure on the day that I fly, let alone all the sitting that entails. You would have to plan on being at the airport by 14:30 or so.

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I agree with Bornheimgirl: I am nomally also partial to Frankfurt, but as a city to visit, Dresden has it over Frankfurt. But you should be able to spend at least a day in Dresden. There is so much to see and appreciate.

I would be very uncormfortable if I didn%26#39;t have at least half a day from my planned arrival in Framkfurt to my scheduled plane departure. Although German trains are usually very punctual, things can happen, especially if the Dresden - Frankfurt train originates somewhere east of Dresden.

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It can be done; I talk from experience: Check this web

myczechrepublic.com/czech-train-tickets.html

Take earliest train you can get from Prague, book a hotel close to station; book a ticket to the Airport in Frankfurt. Dresden is definitely more charming than Frankfurt...

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Dresden is far more charming than Frankfurt but deserves more than a few hours. The train ride to Frankfurt will be something in the range of 4.5 to 5 hours and that route is a bit notorious for delays. Generally speaking, I%26#39;d favour Dresden, but in your case I would recommend staying closer to the airport.

romantic road and german alpine road itinerary

We are trying to make last minute accommodation plans for a self-drive trip from Frankfurt to Munich combining the romantic and german alpine roads. Plan is to drive Frankfurt to Wurzburg to Rothenburg to Fussen to Bad Heilbrunn or Bad Tolz before heading up to Munich. We have Monday through Friday nights (will drive up to Munich on Sat). What towns should we stay in? We want to hit main sights of Residence, Rothenburg itself, Neuschwnstein Castle, but also have time for some leisurely stopping as interested, as well as seeing some alpine scenery. Staying somewhere more than one night has appeal but maybe that doesn%26#39;t work with this plan? Thanks for your suggestions--need to book ASAP!

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Two great places to stay on or close to the Romantic Road: Katzenstein Castle ( www.burgkatzenstein.de only in German ) from the 1100s west of Noerdlingen, and Villa Jaegerhaus in Hohenschwangau with excellent close-up views of lit-up by night Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Palaces (click on my name for my review- another reviewer has also taken some nice shots of this excellent small hotel and its surroundings),

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While checking the validity of the above web address I noticed that they now have an English version obtainable by clicking to the left of the Union Jack flag.

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Frankfurt airport to Wuerzburg: You have two options - Take the autobahn A-3 from the airport to the Waldbuettelbrunn Exit (#67). From Aschaffenburg to W. this road takes you across the Spessart (low) mountains. The road tends to get some of the famous German %26quot;Staus%26quot; (traffic jams). A more scenic, somewhat longer route is A-3 to the Stocksytadt exit (# 57) Unlike in the States, Autobahn exirs are numbered sequentially, not by distance.

From exit #57 take the Bundestrasse (Federal Highway) B-469 south to the turnoff to Miltenberg (37km from Stickstadt). Miltenberg is a delightful old town. From there, follow the Main river to Wertheim 36km). From Wertheim follow the signs to the A-3.

In Wuerzburg, hotels: Hotel Amberger, Ludwigstrasse 17. Within walking distance ofthe Residenz. More upscale: Hotel Maritim, Pleichertor Strasse 5. This is more of a business hotel, located at the Main river. Since the old part of Wzbg. is very compact, it is also within some walking distance of the old town and Residez.

Further afield, in a faux castle overlooking the city is the Hotel Schloss Steinburg, , Auf dem Steinberg.

To get to the Fastung Marieburg (big castle overlooking Wzbg.) I suggest you take the bus or a taxi to the castle and then walk down through some of the fortifications and vinyards to the old bridge.

Leaving Wzbg, for Rothenburg, either take thb A-81 to Tauberbischofsheim, and from there the Romantische Strasse to Bad Mergnetheim (spa with old town), Weikersheim (little palace) , Creglingen (famous altar in Herrgottskirche) and Rothenburg. The romatic highway itself is just a road, its claim to fame are the places it connects.

A more direct way to Rothenburg from Wzbg. is the B-13 along the Main to Ochsenfurt, again a nice old wine town, and on to the A-7, south to R.

From there you can either take the A-7 to Fuessen, or get off and on the A-7 to visit places like Dinkelsbuehl, Noerdlingem (see marcopolko%26#39;s

comments).

From Fuessen, to get some alpine country in: Take the B-314 in the direction of Reutte (Austria). From the B-314, either take the road to Plansee and Linderhof. This palace of King Ludwig, in my opinion, is more worth seeing than Neuschwanstein. From there continue on the same road to the B-23. Head south to Ettal and the Autobahn/Bundstrasse to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. By-pass GP on the B-2 and continue on the B-2 to where it intersects with e B-11, take that north to Bad Toelz. Or, from Reutte, continue on the B-314 to Leermoos, and then take the B-187/German 23 to Garmisch. This road leads aloing the Zugspitze, Germany%26#39;s highest mountain. You can access it from near Leermoos by cable car, or from garmisch by cog railway or by cable car.. The foloow the above directions from Garmisch.

Somewhere quiet and snowy for Christmas

Hi - my partner and I are looking for somewhere quiet to have Christmas. We were thinking maybe somewhere near Dresden but don%26#39;t really want to stay in a big city. Somewhere with snow also!

Any suggestions? Thanks.

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Like any large German city, Dresden has a pedestrian zone, and over Christmas from the afternoon of the 24th through 27Dec all stores will be closed which should also make it quiet. For more likelihood of snow, go to higher elevations along the border with the Czech Republic.

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As marcopolko said there are many small towns and villages in the mountains south of Dresden (Erzgebirge) that are quiet enough and usually have snow over Christmas.

The question is - how quiet and how far from Dresden? Towns to look at are e.g. Annaberg-Buchholz, Altenberg, Kurort Oberwiesenthal (a ski resort), Kurort Seiffen (famous for the wooden Christmas items) ... Also depends on the type of accommodation you%26#39;re looking for.

Please note that this is peak season and you%26#39;re already quite late for booking.

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I think you would find more snow if you go south to a small town in the Alps. Take a look at Mittenwald, just a few kilometers from the Austrian border. There are other small towns in the area. I believe the odds of your having snow are much better in that area than around Dresden.

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Zittau or cross over to Czech Republic - Krystofovo Udoli is in the valley of nice mountains; small village resembling Swiss Villages; 2 great pubs, several Bed %26amp; Breakfast places; the best kept secret; people from Prague often stay there as it is just over an hour from Prague. Closest town: Liberec. If interested, post it in Liberec %26amp; Prague forums too; mention close to Zittau %26amp; Liberec...

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Just in case you decide for Krystofovo Udoli CZ:

www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=177398

The pictures on the right would tell you that is the perfect place for xmas. However, book early, people from Prague are already booking the B %26amp; B%26#39;s!

krystofovo-udoli.ceskehory.cz/ubytovani/ use google to translate; prices are great; I hope there is still something available.

For Zittau: members.virtualtourist.com/m/4166c/11bc/

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Nice page on Zittau, that one on VT...

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You could actually do both: Zittau %26amp; Krystofovo Udoli near Liberec.

Check:

http://www.europe-east.com/czech/liberec.html

Scroll down %26amp; you will see Getting there / transportation

BTW nobody from PRG takes a train; student agency buses take 1 hr. 5 mins from PRG....

Also Zittau is not too far from the Polish border...

Google maps %26amp; see....

Advice needed

Hey guys,

I need some advice with the trip I%26#39;m planning. I have 9 nights and I want to do the following trip.

Arriving in the morning at Munich. Rent car and go to Fussen and spend 2 nights there.

From there go to Lake Konstanz and spend 2 nights there driving around the lake and on the other side to switzerland.

Then drive to Heidelberg and stay 1 night in that area.

From there to wurzburg and spend 1 night there.

From wurzburg head down the romantic road and spend 3 nights along the way.

Do you think it%26#39;s doable? or should I make some amendments?

Thanks a lot

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%26gt; Do you think it%26#39;s doable?

Yes.

%26gt; From wurzburg head down the romantic road and spend 3 nights along the way.

But I don%26#39;t think you%26#39;ll need 3 days for this. Also at the Southern end point (Füssen) you have been already at the begin of your trip.

You could e.g. include some place on the route from Heidelberg to Würzburg. E.g. Miltenberg and Amorbach.

Or from Würzburg to Bamberg.

http://www.bamberg.info

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It%26#39;s very doable. But why 3 nights on the Romantic Road? Besides Fuessen and Wuerzburg, there%26#39;s Rothenburg ODT, which is worth an overnighter. Then there%26#39;s Dinklesbuhl (worth an hour), Nordlingen (worth an hour), and that%26#39;s about it. Either use the additional days to spend elsewhere, or better yet see Munich.

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Your plan is certainly doable, and much better than most peoples. In and around anywhere in Germany should be easily a week or two of excellent things to see and do.

Some excellent things to do between Lake Constance and Heidelberg:

www.burg-hohenzollern.de fairytale-like Hohenzollern castle

www.tuebingen.de Tuebingen, our favorite town to visit repeatedly in Germany with its hilly cobblestone streets, half-timbered houses, castle, intersesting nontourist shoips, and one of Europe%26#39;s oldest universities

Bebenhausen Monastery (in www.schloesser-und-gaerten.de ) very pleasant well preserved medieval monastery just north of Tuebingen

www.stuttgart-tourist.de Stuttgart with its big city sights including the excellent Mercedes Benz and Porsche Museums, after all, Stuttgart is where the automobile was invented

www.ludwigsburg.de Ludwigsburg with Germany%26#39;s largest perfectly preserved Baroque palace (in www.schloesser-und-gaerten.de ), the Swabian Versailles, with extensive gardens and the longest and best palace tour that I have been on in Europe

lots of pleasant towns, castles and vineyards such as Besigheim, Lauffen and Bad Wimpfen between Stuttgart and Heidelberg along the Neckar River ( www.tourismus-bw.de for information on this German state in which all these places lie)

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%26quot;But why 3 nights on the Romantic Road? Besides Fuessen and Wuerzburg, there%26#39;s Rothenburg ODT, which is worth an overnighter. Then there%26#39;s Dinklesbuhl (worth an hour), Nordlingen (worth an hour), and that%26#39;s about it.%26quot;

There%26#39;s much more than that, my free booklet (obtainable from places along the route) I have on it lists 51 places to visit on or very close to it, so the OP could spend his entire vacation along it if desired. There are the three main sights, the Residenz in Wuerzburg, the walled town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and Neuschwanstein Palace which are considered the highlights, but there are many other excellent places along it besides the three walled towns (you left out Dinkelsbuehl), such as the castle at Harburg, and I think I would prefer most of them to either Rothenburg or Neuschwanstein with their tourist hordes in the warmer months.

For staying in a castle from the 1100s consider Katzenstein Castle ( www.burgkatzenstein.de in German only) fairly close to Noerdlingen (and having the only town walls that can be completely walked, that is much over an hour in itself if someone wants to do it), and of course also the museum has displays on the meteorite impact Ries Basin in which it lies.

But it%26#39;s true that Germany is full of other excellent places to visit, people don%26#39;t have to stick to the Romantic Road which is really just a very successful marketing gimmick.

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Thanks very much guys for your replies. Will look at the links you gave me and see whether I can amend my sleepovers a bit.

Thanks!

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Hey guys,

still working on my trip :-) Where should I choose to stay for a sleepover?

Dinkelsbühl or Rothenburg ob der Tauber?

Thanks :)

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RODT. You%26#39;re traveling all this way to get here, might as well see what the fuss is about.

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Touristy, I know, but I think Rothenburg is great overnight. You can do Nightwatchman walk.

I continually recommend Hotel Spitzweg inside city walls for great hospitality.

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Thanks guys!

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Me again :-)

My trip is in 15 days, can%26#39;t wait considering I%26#39;ve booked my tickets since April :-)

During my 2 nights stay at fussen, besides the castles, what are the must see places in the area? I will have a car.

Thanks a lot

Mondays are closed?

Its funny with all the study done on Germany that very little seems to give you the knowledge that Berlin is shut down on Mondays? Very unusual and difficult for travellers.

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That%26#39;s because it%26#39;s simply not true - it used to be that a lot of hair solons closed on Mondays, but there are only few that still do that. There are some museum that close down and there might be restaurant or two, but all in all it%26#39;s the exception and not the rule.

Where did you get that information anyway?

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This is a (very) long list of museums open on Mondays. I dare you to visit even a 10th of the list on one Monday...

museumsportal-berlin.de/besucherdienste/gut-…

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Museums in Europe generally, not just Berlin, have Monday as their closing day (ie if they aren%26#39;t open daily). However as Lylou says there are plenty in Berlin open Mondays (a few close Tuesday instead, others open daily).

melia

hi, anyone stayed here recently. Is it easy to get to from Schoenfield Airport?

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If you search, you can find lots of postings about the Melia, including a long one from me. I stayed there in August. Great hotel, great location. Didn%26#39;t fly into Schoenfeld, so not sure of ease, but it is right across the street from the Friedrichstr. station, which is one station from the main train station.

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Airport Express train (from DB platforms at airport station) runs half-hourly, leaving SXF just before the hour and half-hour, taking you to Friedrichstrasse in just over 20 mins.

Relatives of ours have stayed at the Meliá as have friends; everyone recommends it.

Lufthansa Airlines experience

My experience with Lufthansa was terrible. Never do business with Lufthansa!

In June 2007 I bought 2 tickets for a Lufthansa flight including a leg between Frankfurt and Prague for December 2007, 6 months in advance. In Frankfurt we were ticked, Lufthansa issued boarding passes and directed us to the gate. Twenty minutes before the flight took off boarding started. To our horror Lufthansa staff refused us to board saying that according to Lufthansa rules they couldn%26#39;t allow us to fly to Prague because we didn%26#39;t had a return airline ticket. They rebuffed the fact that we had a fully confirmed itinerary for the entire month for travel thought Europe that INCLUDED a 1st class train ticket from Prague to Vienna.

Whilst we were trying to speak to the Crew Supervisor or a Location Manager they said: %26quot;You left it too late to speak to anybody, you should have not had your boarding passes issued to start with [our fault?]. In fact, we don%26#39;t know how you got these boarding passes. You will not fly now.%26quot;

Then a man who presented himself as a Manager glanced at our itenary, paused in silence, and after perplexing for a minute continued: %26quot;You could of made it on this flight if you went and got 2 air tickets with Lufthansa and then cancel them and got refunds in Prague%26quot;, he laughed, %26quot;you only have 5 minutes before we close the gate, though%26quot;.

Having paid for 2 First Class train tickets reservation for Prague - Vienna in November, it was a perputing experience having to run across the terminal in order to give Lufthansa%26#39;s %26#39;gate keepers%26#39; what they asked for. I bought two fully refundable tickets for me and my mother from Prague to Vienna. They costed us about $1,450AUD.

As soon as we landed in Prague we went to Lufthansa ticketing window only to discover they were closed (as it was the last flight to Prague and 11pm at night).

I called the head office in Germany immediately and spoke to their Customer Service that cancelled these unused return tickets, gave me a reference number and asked to mail the originals in the post. Next morning I called Lufthansa again to re-confirm that the tickets were cancelled and that they wanted me to mail the originals as they instructed the day before. Customer Service representative confirmed cancellation, requested the mail to go to the Frankfurt airport address and suggested that I took a photocopy %26quot;just in case it went missing%26quot;. I followed this instructions and couriered the tickets to Lufthansa by EMS.

Having not received a reply to my note that I had attached to the tickets I called Lufthansa on 26 December and asked what happened to my refund?! Lufthansa responded that they usually took 3 months to process refunds and they cannot confirm the status.

In January 2008 having not received a refund I contacted Lufthansa%26#39;s Sydney and Melbourne offices, Frankfurt processing Centre. For the following 3 months Lufthansa created constant goal posting. First, they told me that Lufthansa never received the original tickets. Then, after I provided a photocopy of tickets, reference numbers and a receipt of delivery by EMS couriers, they said they din%26#39;t know how long it would take or where they are up to. Bizzare!

It has been 4 months since we were forced to buy tickets that we did not need and our family still suffers from this disgusting experience that was meant to be a pleasant family reunion.

Next time you fly, you must use Qantas or BA- we never had any problems with them! Avoid Lufthansa at all costs

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OMG so sorry. I have a one-way ticket from Frankfurt to Amsterdam. Going to be making some phone calls. Thanks for the information.

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%26quot;you must use Qantas or BA%26quot;

Good luck with finding a flight from Frankfurt to Prague with these airlines.

%26quot;To our horror Lufthansa staff refused us to board saying that according to Lufthansa rules they couldn%26#39;t allow us to fly to Prague because we didn%26#39;t had a return airline ticket.%26quot;

This is however strange. I know only about countries requiring such a return/onward ticket and punish the airlines if they fail to check this. However your train reservation should have been sufficient. Apart from this: in the mean time the Czech Republic is a member of the Schengen agreement. Thus no border controls between Germany and the Czech Republic anymore. Which also means no controls of return/onward tickets.

@luggageinhand

%26quot;I have a one-way ticket from Frankfurt to Amsterdam. Going to be making some phone calls. Thanks for the information.%26quot;

Kind of self-awareness trip if Lufthansa refunding policy will work better in your case?

a) There are direct ICE trains from Frankfurt Airport to Amsterdam main station. Travel time is 3:42. Fully flexible ticket is EUR 105,60. Specials start from EUR 39,00.

b) If you fly intercontinental to Frankfurt you can %26quot;fly%26quot; for free to Cologne. By ICE trains which also have Lufthansa flight numbers. This cuts the train costs towards Amsterdam as Cologne - Amsterdam is EUR 55,60 (specials from EUR 19,00). This service is called AIRail

bahn.de/international/…airail.shtml

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Abalada thanks for the great info. I%26#39;m flying directly from the US to Frankfurt. Staying in Frankfurt for three days and then flying to Amsterdam. I realized after checking my tickets yesterday after reading Leno%26#39;s post, I did purchase a round trip ticket, it was cheaper than the one way. The train info was a great plus.

Question, if you fly to Frankfurt on a Thursday and want to go to Cologne on Saturday, can you still use the combination discount with ICE?

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%26gt; Question, if you fly to Frankfurt on a Thursday and want to go to Cologne on Saturday, can you still use the combination discount with ICE?

No. It%26#39;s like a connecting flight. I.e. you luggage would be directly checked through to Cologne and you collect your luggage at the Lufthansa counter at Cologne main railway station.

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Abalada thanks. What a great service. I wish we had good train service in the US.

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I also find this very strange (requirement of a round trip ticket from Frankfurt to Prague); I have flown one way to Prague and %26quot;trained%26quot; it out of Prague. Maybe it has something to do with one%26#39;s citizenship; has Lufthansa rectified this? I travel alot and prefer to fly Lufthansa when available; sorry you had such a bad experience.

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%26quot;Maybe it has something to do with one%26#39;s citizenship%26quot;

I%26#39;m sure that many countries throughout the world have requirements that you have proof that you will be leaving their country, but their enforcement of them may be nonexistent, unless for some reason they may suspect that you are a possible overstayer. Nationality is one thing that can be a factor, especially if you are from a country that has a lot of overstayers and illegal workers (then even transitting a country in an airport may be impossible), and also how you look and dress another. It%26#39;s instructive to be waved through a border check point by car without having to slow down because you are a typical %26quot;European-looking%26quot; family, while a car load of darker skinned men may be stopped because they could be illegal immigrants from Africa or the Middle East.

As to the OP%26#39;s choice of airlines, I%26#39;ve never had any trouble with Lufthansa which I fly frequently, but with BA which I now refuse to use because of several past instances. For most people, most airlines will be equivalent to the others until you have a problem, then you find out which ones are really worth flying.

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What a terrible experience! And to have to chase up refundable airline tickets isn%26#39;t the best customer service. If you only have the Australian passport the Czec Rep states

Visitor must hold for immigration:

- all documents required for next destination; and

- return/onward ticket or sufficient funds to buy one; and

- sufficient funds to cover intended stay.

in any case Lufthansa reacted in this way as they would have been fined if they had of not rectified before depature as the airline who checks in a passenger with incorrect documents for the arriving destination gets the fine. Hope you get the refund soon it is the least that can happen. We have used Lufthansa, good experience overall but very very strict with hand luggage size/weight.

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sorry I meant to write it is strange the train ticket or sufficient funds were not enough to let you board the flight.

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I agree with re Lufthansa, we flew them once rd trip to frankfurt only because at that time my sons girlfriend worked for them, this was our first trip to Germany and I will not fly them again. We now fly AA since they are based out of DFW where we live and get better deals and we earned miles.

There was a child screaming across the aisle, the child behid us was continually kicking my husbands seat and the child in front of us was throwing fits for most of the flight. never again.

train schedule from Stuttgart to Frankfurt

I needed to know the frequency of trains departing early mornings from Stuttgart to Frankfurt Airport. I need to be at the airport in Frankfurt by 8:30A.M. on this coming Monday morning.

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The site you need for timetable info is www.bahn.de/international/view/en/index.shtml .

On this page choose %26quot;Stuttgart Hbf%26quot; as your start and %26quot;Frankfurt(M) Flughafen Fernbf%26quot; as your destination.

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Use the suggested website. All you need to enter is From: S To: FRA . Trains are hourly and take about 70 minutes.

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Thank you for your prompt reply and information. I really appreciate it. Regards, Steve

Costs?

How expensive is Berlin? for example, how much would a typical dinner be?

thanks for any responses!

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Hi Jennifer,

the daily costs in Berlin are really low. It%26#39;s much more cheaper than other capitals like London, Paris or Stockholm. I dinner in midrange restaurant costs around 10 Euro. But you get easily an snak or an typical curry-sausage for 1,50- 3 Euro.

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thanks for your responce! great to hear its not as expensive as Paris and London were when i went there.

Thanks again!

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I agree with previous poster. Berlin was even cheaper than Athens.

|||

And than Barcelona. In fact restaurants un Germany in general are pretty reasonable. Also portions tend to be large and you may get a salad included in the price.

In Berlin, lots of lunch offers well under 10€ though drink prices can be a big add-on. Sunday bruncj isa paericular bargain.

One place we go to regularly at night you get a pizza (huge choice) and soft drink for under 5€. And that%26#39;s sitting down being served.It%26#39;s at the bottom of Kastanienallee; several other eateries in the area similarly cheap.

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thank you! glad to know Berlin isn%26#39;t crazy expensive. how far is this pizza place from Berlin? or is it in Berlin?

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You go to Germany to eat pizza?????, although the pizza is good and usually made by the numerous Italians living there. Why not try more traditional German fare, it%26#39;s not that expensive and usually twice the amount that I really want to eat. What is expensive in Germany are the drinks be it water, soft drinks, tea, coffee, wine or beer, and the latter is usually the cheapest way to quench your thirst. Be careful about those drinks as they can easily double the bill.

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%26gt; thank you! glad to know Berlin isn%26#39;t crazy expensive. how far is this pizza place from Berlin?

Kastanienallee is rather central. Runs across the border between the districts Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg.

http://www.berlin.de/stadtplan/map.asp?start.x=5%26amp;plz=10119%26amp;str=Kastanienallee+37%26amp;grid=dedatlas10

%26gt; or is it in Berlin?

Sure. Berlin itself covers 1,5 times the area of Toronto city. The only difference is that outside Toronto you have the Greater Toronto Area while outside of Berlin you have *nearly* only forests, sand and water.

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Kastanienallee is on two tram routes from the centre M1 and 12: It%26#39;s a trendy street, sometimes %26quot;Casting Allee%26quot;.

We don%26#39;t just eat pizza though! For German food we go to Altberliner on the corner of Arkonaplatz about 3 mins walk from Kastanienallee. Good choices including seasonal menu and still pretty reasonable, and large portions.

You can eat German food at reasonable prices in the Nikolaiviertel near Alexanderplatz too; that%26#39;s really central.

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@marcopolko:

I%26#39;m not sure what the situation%26#39;s like in Stuttgart (I do know, though, that it%26#39;s over all different in the south), but at least here in Berlin it%26#39;s quite an achievment to find %26quot;authentic German food%26quot; (whatever that is ;-)) - I myself had my last (and first for a long time) German type of food when I was in Nuremberg this summer.

In fact, you could argue that eating out at any type of restaurant BUT a German one is part of the Berlin experience.

Italien, Greek, Chinese, Indian, South American.... you name it... you%26#39;ll get it somewhere in Berlin and it will be good quality food at a reasonable price, too.

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Janity,

My Swabian wife says that Swabians are the largest minority in Berlin! so you should be able to get some good Swabian food. I%26#39;m always surprised at the large numbers of African restaurants in Stuttgart, I think that they all must own one! I%26#39;m waiting to try the new one across the street from our apartment which advertises in their window a Swabian Kenyan kitchen! I do love Swabian food, especially Maultaschen, but our favorite restaurant is an Italian one which I can heartily recommend, but for visitors prefer recommending traditional old Weinstuben for their food and atmosphere. Yes, %26quot;German%26quot; food is hard to find seeing there is almost only regional fare, but there is always Currywurst for Berlin!

postage from Germany

How much does it cost to mail regular letter from Germany to the US?

thank you

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Perhaps one of the German forums would be better able to assist you on this?

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I%26#39;ve no idea. Have you tried the German Post Office? They should know.

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Oh, I%26#39;m up for a challenge! A quick google auf deutsch shows this:

Ein normales Brief (höchstens 23cm x 12cm) kostet 1,70€.

A normal letter (23cm x 12 cm) costs 1.70 euros

Alle weiteren Produkte: (All other products)

Postkarte: 1,00€ (Postcard)

Kompaktbrief: 2,20€ (These next 3 basically are different package sizes)

Großbrief: 12,00€

Maxibrief: 24,00€

Quelle(n): (source)

www.post.de

As the Meerkats say, %26quot;Simples!%26quot;

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%26gt; Postkarte: 1,00€ %26lt;

That%26#39;s outrageous! It%26#39;s only €0,95 from the Netherlands and a mere €0,85 from France.

New years around Bavaria

We are planning on staying in or around Munich through new years. It will be my girlfriend and I. We are looking to make it a great experience. Any suggestions on where to go, what to do and see during new years? Roamntic is good.

Nurnberg Day Trip

Hello. I want to thank everyone in advance for the great advice I have received on this site. My partner and I are goping to be in Munich from December 17 through December 23. Our definite plans are as follows:

(1) Three full days of sightseeing in Munich (including the museums , the palaces, the churches, markets, and a side trip to Dachau).

(2) One long day trip to Salzburg.

For the final day, we are considering taking a train that will get us to Nurnberg by 10:47 (so as to use the Bayern Ticket and its 28 Euro proce). We were planning on doing the following:

(1) Nazi Documentation Center and Rally Grounds

(2) Craftsman Courtyard

(3) St. Lawrence Cgurch

(4) Old Town Walk including Market Square (Christmas Fair)

(5) Germanic National Museum

We would then have dinner at Bratwurstglocklein and take a late night train back to Munich.

My question: do you think this would be a worthwhile day? Any suggested modifications to the plan? If you were in Munich would there be any other excursions in place of this? I know Neuschwansteing is often mentioned but it seems like a long trip to get to a castle where the entire interior tour last 30 minutes.

I%26#39;d appreciate any and all feedback.

Danke

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One of our most wonderful day trips from Munich over the past three trips was our day last December in Garmisch. It was picture postcard lovely and just a delight at the holidays.

This year we are doing Mittenwald and Regensburg as day trips and will be over nighting in Nuremberg before heading to Munich.

We love stunning scenery so a trip into the Bavarian countryside is a must for us.

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The Nazi Documentation center deserves at least two hours of your time, and that doesn%26#39;t include the parade ground. I have a review if you click my name. Also, the sun sets at about 16:30 in December. It%26#39;s going to get dark quick, so that needs to factor into your day trip.

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I would leave out the Documentation Center. Arriving at 10:47, you are already getting a late start and it would be a rush to fit in all the other Nuremberg sights.

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Thanks all. I have come up with a solution. I have rearranged schedule so I can travel to Nurberg on a weekend (Sunday) and thus take an earlier train still using the Bayern ticket (what a bargain). Thus, I will be arriving in Nurnberg around 8:45 AM and that should allow me to see the Documentation Center and also most of the Old City sites.

One question: while I would certainly walk around the outside of the Imperial Castle Buildings, most of the reviews suggest that the interior may not be worth the hassle, cost and time of taking one of the 90 minute tours (in German which I do not speak). What do you think? WOuld the extyra time be better spent, for example, seeing more of the Old Town or an extended visit to the Germanic museum?

Thanks

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After reading your last question, you asked about the castle tour! If I knew how to delete, I would. I have not toured the interior of the castle so I can not advise. On a side note, there are apparently four Starbucks in the altstadt, which made my wife happy.

German Rail Pass

I have plan travel around Germany by German Rail Pass . But when I check on DB website , There is train “ EC or Eurocity” run in Germany such as from Mainz Hbf to Koln Hbf . I am not sure that German Rail Pass can use for train “EC” or not. Any one please let me know

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Unfortunately Deutsche Bahn website doesn%26#39;t give you much info. I%26#39;d recommend to just get your ticket when you arrive. ICE trains ONLY run through major/ large cities, so depending on which one you%26#39;re visiting you will have to get appropriate ticket. I moved here from Germany in 2001 and heard that they have expanded their routes. ICE is nice and fast-but a bit more pricey. We%26#39;re going there for X-mas. Cheaper to buy Wochenende (weekend pass) ticket for 37 euro and travel accross the whole country on it. Once again, depends on time of your stay. Best would be to consult right at the window when you buy. They dont require sit reservations, you dont have to worry about that!

Good luck and have safe trip! :)

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EC (EuroCity) is the same asIC( InterCity) but a train that originates or ends in another country. Any ticket that is valid on ICE trains is also valid on IC and EC trains.

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%26gt; I am not sure that German Rail Pass can use for train “EC” or not. Any one please let me know.

EC trains are covered. 99,9% of all trains in Germany are covered by a German Rail Pass.

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Thank you, All your replied great helpful.

From Frankfurt to Lubeck- Which is cheaper?

I am a student going for a student exchange program in Lubeck from India. We are six students going together. We were planning to take a connecting flight from Bangalore to Frankfurt, and then Frankfurt to Hamburg. From there most probably we will take a train. However, we are contemplating on taking a direct flight to Frankfurt and then take a train to Lubeck. I want to know

1) What will be the fare for taking a train from Frankfurt to Lubeck

2) What will be the procedure for going by train to Lubeck after arriving at Frankfurt Airport, in case we buy the tickets only then

3) What in your opinion is the cheaper mode of transport: by connecting flights through Hahmburg OR by train from Frankfurt.

Please advice me on this, specially requesting those who have recently travelled from Bangalore to Lubeck

|||

Best deal from Frankfurt Airport to Lübeck will be Rail%26amp;Flight tickets.

bahn.de/international/…rail_fly.shtml

Prices are set by the airline (if taking part in this program at all).

E.g. Lufthansa sells these tickets for EUR 20.

Other train specials are only valid for the connection bought for - which becomes a problem if your plane arrives late. Standard fare (flexible) is EUR 114.

From Hamburg Airport to Lübeck you could travel using one mini group (5 persons) ticket (EUR 29,40) and one single ticket (EUR 11,90). You can buy these tickets on spot from ticket machines at Hamburg Airport train station.

Choosing a backpack for 3 week travel

Hello,

I am trying to choose a pack that I could use on a three week trip to Europe. I will be in Sweden for 5 days and the rest traveling around Germany by foot/train. The pack would be used for myself as the only luggage I will bring. I will be staying in hostels and hotels for the most part. I will not be bringing any camping gear, so do not need room for that. I will maily bring clothes, 1 pair of shoes, SLR camera, and other items. I will wash clothes as needed.

What size pack should I be looking at? 70 liter, 85 litre?

If anyone has experience with brands out there, let me know. Price is not really an issue. I want a good pack, that I will also use after the trip for general hiking trips.

Models that I have been looking at:

The North Face - Primero 70 or 85

Arcteryx - Bora 65, 80 or 95

Recommendations for Gregory or Mountain Hardware?

Other tips for packing?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

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Gregory and Arcteryx make wonderful, durable packs -- they%26#39;re pricier but you get better designed, high-quality products. If you plan on using the pack in the future to go hiking or whatnot for extended periods, you should shoot for something over 4500 cubic inches...like a Gregory Baltoro or Denali Pro...or an Arcteryx Khamsin, Briza, or Bora... I%26#39;d pay particular attention to how the interior is organized, the weight, and try it out at a store to see which seems to fit your build and needs the best. Hope this helps.

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Have a look at the Deuter range of bags. Great quality and lots of useful detailing.

New Train timetable period - 12th December

Hi guys,

I%26#39;ll be travelling through Germany mainly via the ICE train in mid December this year. Looking at the DB BAHN site, when i put the dates i want in it always says %26quot;Your input is not inside the timetable period between 14.12.08 and 12.12.09.%26quot;

And as a result it doesnt allow me to purchase tickets, find out how much they will be, or even give me train times. I%26#39;m finding the exact same problem with trains in late Decemeber in Austria as well: http://www.oebb.at/en/index.jsp - the exact same message when i try to get times/prices %26quot;..input not in timetable period..%26quot;

So a couple of questions,:

1) based on other peoples experiences do i have to wait until Dec 12th to be able to view times/prices for trains after this period? Or should a preview of the new timetable come on soon?

2) do trains as normal on christmas eve and on christmas day?

Thanks.

|||

They don%26#39;t post prices, etc until 90 days before if I am not mistaken. I am sure Abalada will know though.

Trains run on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but they will be on a special holiday schedule, so not so many or so often, especially the 24th, which is the really big day in Germany. Public transportation in the city will also be on special holiday schedules. For example. A subway that would normally run every 20 min. will drop down to just once an hour.

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The new schedule will come out between mid-October and early november. Don%26#39;t expect any large changes compared with today%26#39;s schedule. The schedule change is Europe-wide.

%26gt;And as a result it doesnt allow me to purchase tickets, find out how much they will be, or even give me train times.

You can find out how much the ticket will be by entering any day before 12th December as a date. And as already said, don%26#39;t expect any significant changes in the schedule either.

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1) the new timetable will be published in Mid October or so. Latest early November. Than you can also start booking.

2) Christmas Day is on a Sunday schedule. Christmas Eve on a %26quot;limited%26quot; Saturday schedule.

You can still check out the timetable for 24. and 25. Dec. 2008 to get an idea. To get an idea about prices and schedule try the same weekday before 12. Dec. 2009. There won%26#39;t be big changes - if at all.

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Thankyou for all the great replies.

Like many of you suggested, i have put in earlier dates to get a good idea of what times/prices there are. So yeah thanks for that.

I guess what i was worried about was not being able to book cheaper %26quot;saving fares%26quot; because i wasnt able to book ahead (because of the lack of new timetable).

Thanks for clearing it up.

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Hi, I%26#39;ve been having the same problem and also worried about not getting the cheap savers tickets and a bit confused about the timetable coming out in mid-October. I thought tickets were available from 90 days before travel and we%26#39;re already beyond this? By mid-October it will be more like 60 days? Thanks, F

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%26gt; Hi, I%26#39;ve been having the same problem and also worried about not getting the cheap savers tickets

Also the others - this includes also buying at a ticket counter - can%26#39;t book before the new timetable is out.

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I had exactly the same question and was about to ask it here until I decided to take a look to see if it had been asked already. Thanks folks for the information. I was trying to book for December 16th. Guess I%26#39;ll have to keep watching.

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I just checked and it looks like it is now open for reservations.

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The new timetable went online tonight, 00:00.

Around Christmas the cheap savers tickets were already sold out on some main routes one hour later. So if you want them, hurry.

DB timetable 2010 is online!

DB timetable

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

The timetable for 2010 valid from 12. December 2009 is now online.

Advance booking works thus now also past this date (as long as it%26#39;s inside the 89 days advance booking frame).

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Bumping to the top because this is important news

Normal to Prepay for Vacation Apartment?

Is it common practice to prepay the full fee via wire transfer prior to arrival? I%26#39;m renting an apartment for the first time and am feeling a bit apprehensive.

The rental company has positive reviews and looks reputable, but I%26#39;m still a bit nervous.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

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Although prepaying is common enough I%26#39;d NEVER pay using a wire transfer service - you have NO protection if something goes wrong. Personally, I%26#39;d walk away from anything that didn%26#39;t accept credit card payment.

|||

I must correct myself. The agency said %26quot;bank transfer.%26quot; Is this a safer transaction or should I still avoid?

Thanks!

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I must correct my earlier posting. The agency requested a %26quot;bank transfer%26quot; not a %26quot;wire transfer.%26quot; Is a bank transfer a safer option? Or should I look for another apartment that takes credit cards?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

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Could you maybe post a link to this company?

If not, what%26#39;s their name in address?

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Prepaying for a vacation apartment via bank transfer is quite common. Inside the EU bank transfer is the cheapest option for both sides. To accept credit cards here is rather expensive for the dealer and for owners of one or just a few vacation apartments not common at all.

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Germans make many payments by bank transfer where in other countries you wd probably use a credit-card eg charity donations. They never did pay by cheque the way we did in the UK (and to some extent people still do inthe UK).

We have even paid for furniture for our flat in Berlin by bank transfer to the furniture company, upon delivery; we also pay for Airberlin tickets from our German bank account.

However it isn%26#39;t normal to be asked to pay full fee for a rental until really near the date in my experience; in some places we%26#39;ve paid part in advance and the the rest on arrival.

Cheap Hotels

Hello,

just wanted to know of any good cheap hotels that are centrally located.

also are there any events happening in early november?

thanks

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If you use a site like www.booking.com or www.venere.com or any of the hotel booking sites, you can plug in your dates etc... and then search, The results can then be grouped by price from low to high. Or visa versa.

Thats the best way of getting the best hotel in your budget.

Clubbing this Friday night?

Hi all,

Could anyone suggest a good and convenient place for clubbing tomorrow night as I will be in Frankfurt?

I will be staying at either Hotel Monopol or Excelsior

House music or R%26amp;B music will be good.

Stuttgart, a big thank you!

My wife and I had a wonderful time in Stuttgart and it was made all the better by Marcopolko and others on this forum, who gave information so freely.

We thought everyone we met were friendly and so helpful, the wine and beers we had were second to none, as was the food. The wine walks and the wine festival we attended were super and of course the lovelly CannstatterVolksFest. We were very impressed with the whole city and its surrounds.

Thank You All.

%26lt;*))))))%26gt;%26lt;

Traveling to Spangdahlem

I am going to be traveling to Spangdahlem in june 2010 for two weeks. I am trying to figure out the cheapest way to get there. I am willing to fly somewhere well out of the way, and then take a train to Spangdahlem. I noticed that if I try to fly out of Atlanta, to Frankfurt, and I set the date to june, it says around 1,000$ a ticket, I know that there has to be a better way than this. Can someone with some experince give me some advice please?

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Frankfurt (FRA) is the closest airport with intercontinental flights. Other options would be Amsterdam (AMS), Paris (CDG or ORY), Brussels (BRU) or Munich (MUC).

DB timetable

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

From: FRA

From: AMS

From: CDG

From: ORY

From: BRU

From: MUC

To: Tor, Spangdahlem

Tor = Gate (of the airbase)

In case of Paris you%26#39;ll get only prices from Paris Est or Paris Nord train stations. In the case of Brussels only from Bruxelles Nord station.

From German airports a Rail%26amp;Fly ticket is the best option.

bahn.de/international/…rail_fly.shtml

As Spangdahlem is rather a small village, the bus connections are not the best. Closest train stations are Bitburg-Erdorf and Wittlich Hbf.

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I take it you%26#39;re visiting a friend at the Air Force base? Here%26#39;s driving instructions, if that%26#39;s an option.

To Spangdahlem from Frankfurt

1. Exit the airport and follow the signs direction Weisbaden Autobahn A-3

2. Stay on Autobahn A-3 direction Koblenz

3. Once in the vesting of Koblenz you need to take the Koblenz Autobahn A-48 exit

4. Stay on Autobahn A-48 direction Trier

5. Take the Burgweiler/Wittlich exit #11 to A-60, Bitburg

6. Take the Spangdahlem exit and follow the signs to the base

Here%26#39;s a link of attractions that the AF has put together.

…af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp…

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Thanks for the rail and attractions advice! Right now, What I am wondering about, what is the cheapest way to fly in? I noticed that if I look at the airline tickets for a flight next week, it is around $600, but if I try and book now, it is $1000-$1200. I am wondering if I am trying to book way to early, or I am trying the wrong airport? What kinds of prices were you guys able to get flying from the east coast of the US, to Europe, or visa verse?

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I was at Spangdahlem last month. Couple of options:

1. Try flying IcelandAir into Luxembourg

2. Try flying into Brussels on USAirways

I normally fly into Frankfurt and then drive to Mosel/Spangdahlem/Trier

The time of year you are flying is expensive so I would expect to pay between $800-$1,000 per seat. Luxembourg is the closest to Spang but service is limited. If you can get into Luxembourg there is a shuttle that will take you to Bitburg and from Bitburg it is only 15 minutes over to Spangdahlem via bus or if visiting someone, they can pick you up pretty easy.

Hope this helps.

day trips by train

We are planning a stay in Frankfurt in December to visit some nearby towns and a couple of christmas markets. I have searched for recommended day trips and would like to know how to get to these destinations by train and also what type of ticket should I buy, cost of ticket: to get to Heidelberg, Wiesbaden %26amp; Mainz, Rudesheim, Cologne, Marburg, Koblenz. Also if there are any town that could be combined in a day with the same ticket.

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You can get to Wiesbaden and Mainz with the S-bahn. Heidelberg, Marburg, Cologne, or Wuerzburg, you can take a regional train, using either the Laender tickets, Happy Weekend tickets or the Quer Durch Deutschland tickets. Depends on how many people are traveling, weekdays, etc. laender tickets cost between 28-30 euro, are good for the whole day and for up to 5 people. The quer durch deutschland cost 34 for the 1st person and 5 euro for each additional person, for up to 5 people total and are good for the whole day. Happy weekend are 35 euro and good for 5 people all day, anywhere in Germany.

I would also recommend Bad Homburg, Koenigstein, Buedingen, Schmitten, or Idstein. There are many small towns along the Rhine that are nice to visit, and which may be nicer than Ruedesheim, which is extremely touristy.

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Lander tickets is the best option so far for the close day trips.

You might check out europetrainsguide.com/200907153/Countries/Ge… for some ideas on rail travel

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All of the cities and towns you mentioned, plus Bad Homburg, have chapters in Earl Steinbicker%26#39;s %26quot;Daytrips Germany%26quot;. It is published by Hastings House and you can buy it on Amazon. It offers about 2 dozen trips from Frankfurt plus a walking tour of that city.

If you go to the Hastings House website, you can see a free example of one of the daytrips (from Berlin) to see how they are organized and what is offered.

I%26#39;ve used his guides for more than 20 trips to Europe, and he has never let me down.

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I%26#39;ll be in Frankfurt for a couple of days before the Xmas markets open (so they are not a consideration for me). Have you got any suggestions for places to visit by train, other than Koblenz and Fulda? Ideally not more than 1 hour away.

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Most of the places I mentioned in my first post are less than an hour away by train. Mainz, Wiesbaden, Bad Homburg, Schmitten, Königstein, Kronberg, and Heidelberg might be a touch more than an hour.

No one has mentioned going to Koblenz or Fulda, wondering why you have brought them up?

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Well, Koblenz was mentioned in the original post ;-)

I brought them up because I%26#39;ve been there and didn%26#39;t want anyone to waste time mentioning them.

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Are there ANY time restrictions or use restrictions on any of these rail tickets which may not have ben mentioned?

TR - great 1st time at Oktoberfest!!!

I thought I would write a quick review of our experience at Oktoberfest...

There were 4 of us who purchased an Oktoberfest Tour package through Ludus Tours (http://www.oktoberfesttours.com/). We went the last weekend of Oktoberfest and had an amazing time. The tour included:

-Hotel for 3 nights

-airport transfer to and from

-1st night meal - in our case a table reservation in one of the small tents

-Mike%26#39;s bike Tour (great!)

-Trip to Neuschwanstein castle

-table reservation in the Schottenhamel tent

Ludus was great and everything went very smoothly. We were pressed for time since it was only 3 nights but it was very worth it. An extra day or two would have made it even better. Since we were going to Prague and Innsbruck after Oktoberfest we kept it at the 3 nights...plus Oktoberfest ended on our last night.

We all stayed at the Hotel Uhland (one of the hotels Ludus used). I chose it based on the reviews here and how close it is to the Oktoberfest grounds. It is literally a block away! I will write a detailed review of the hotel when I get the chance but we had no real complaints with our choice

Mike%26#39;s Bike Tour - a great tour! I just wrote a review but it was probably the best thing we did our whole trip...outside of the beer tents of course

Neuschwanstein castle - a good trip although it took ALL day. We left early morning and didn%26#39;t get back until after 7pm. I am glad we saw it but it would have been nice if the trip was a little shorter.

Oktoberfest...ahhh...what can I say other than it was awesome!

The day that we got there (10/2) we went right to the Hofbraeuhaus tent. We got there around 2pm and quickly found standing room at the standing tables in the center of the tent. After a few minutes we were brought some liters and the taste of that first beer at Oktoberfest will be something I will never forget! The beer was cold and it tasted so good after the overnight flight. We stayed there a few hours until we had to go back to get ready for the night and we even ended back at the tent later that night.

Our second tent experience was at a smaller tent. It was at Pochner%26#39;s tent. It was part of our tour package also and a 1/2 chicken and 2 beers was included. The tent only holds about 350 people so it was vastly different than the Hofbraeu tent. The chicken here was delicious...although I am sure the several liters that day helped :) It was much better, food wise, than the Schottenhamel tent. After we ate and finished our beers we went back to the Hofbraeu to finish off the night

On our last night we had reservations in the Schottenhamel tent. Our table was upstairs, in the balcony, in the back. A cool experience to be up above everyone but kind of removed from all the %26quot;action%26quot;. After our 1/2 chicken and 2 beers (again included with our package) we made our way down to a couple open tables in the middle of the main section of the tent. There we drank more liters and sang along with the band until the tent closed. A perfect closing to our Oktoberfest experience!

Weather - we got amazing weather!!!! It was probably about mid 60%26#39;s to 70 every day it didn%26#39;t drop too much at night. They said it was the first time it didn%26#39;t rain at all for as far back as they can remember. I actually got a little color on my face which is something I didn%26#39;t expect. It also didn%26#39;t help that I was more prepared for cooler weather than what it was...but I am not complaining.

A couple of other notes:

Europeans love to smoke! The tents are a cloud of cigarette smoke by the end of the night. All my clothes stunk! They don%26#39;t smoke in restaurants in Munich but everywhere else it is much more prevalent than what it is in the US these days. Same goes for Prague and Innsbruck...it was far more worse than I expected. My lungs still hurt.

Bike path in Munich - watch out for bikers on the bike section of the sidewalk. More times than I can count I caught myself in the bike path side. Luckily I didn%26#39;t get run over :)

Expect plenty of broken glass in the tents. One or two people we were with got small cuts.

That is all I can think of at the moment. We wish we had a little more time to explore the grounds but I do not feel cheated. We were able to get into a couple of tents which was my main goal. I would definitley go back some day but not until my liver recovers a little :)

Let me know if there are any questions

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Nice TR srauhala.

hotel around charlottenberg

we are goin toberlin ;first time lookin for reasonable priced hotel[s] in or about charlottenberg

Overnight parking outside of the environmental zone?

We are travelling to Berlin by car next weekend and have just found out about the environmental zone. Is there a safe place to leave the car and then use public transport to get to the city centre / our hotel?

Thanks in advance for any help.

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Hello,

do not hesitate do enter the city without the %26quot;enviromental sticker%26quot;. There is absolutely no enforcement for the sticker, even for german cars.

Traffic is easy, compared to other million-citys, but public transportation spreads to every suburb, everywhere.

If you arrive from

north, try trainstation Zeltinger Platz

west or south, try trainstation Mexikoplatz

east, try subway Frankfurter Tor

Enjoy

Memmingen Airport to Munich Centre

Does anyone know the best way to get from Memmingen Airport (Ryanair) to Munich centre. Also can anyone recommend any Christmas Markets closer to Memmingen Airport than Munich. To my knowledge Ryanair do not provide a shuttle.

Thank you.

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There is a shuttle bus:

http://www.allgaeu-airport-express.de/

You can also use public transport

DB timetable

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

From: Allgaeu Airport

To: Munich

and select as means of transport %26quot;only local transport%26quot;. Than you can use the Bavaria Ticket for this trip. This ticket covers the buses from the airport to Memmingen station, the regional trains to Munich and all local public transport (S-Bahn, U-Bahn, trams and buses) in Munich. Bavaria Ticket is valid

Mo-Fr: from 9am till 3am next day

Sa,Su: from midnight till 3am next day

Bavaria Ticket Single (1 person) EUR 20,00

Bavaria Ticket (2-5 persons) EUR 28,00

Munich to Rothenburg via public transport?

Hello,

It%26#39;s been many years since I was last in Germany, and I%26#39;m looking to spend a week/10 days end of May/June time.

From Belfast, I can get flights to Munich, which I%26#39;ve not yet stayed in, so I plan on staying there for about 3 nights, but would love to return to Rotherburg.

Driving isn%26#39;t an option, so is it possible to travel from Munich by train, or perhaps bus?

I love Germany and it%26#39;s been too long since I%26#39;ve been back. I%26#39;ll be travelling on my own, which I enjoy, and would really appreciate any suggestions. I love the Rhine/Moselle and the beautiful old towns and castles.

As ever, I appreciate your advice.

Thank you!

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Reading through some other posts, I%26#39;d also appreciate any advice/suggestions as to other places to stay? I was thinking on basing myself in Rotherburg and travelling out on day trips from there - but would staying at say 1 or 2 other places for a couple of nights be better?

Again, thanks for your help

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I guess you DO mean Munich, not MOL%26#39;s %26quot;MUnich West (Memmingen).?

I think two nights in Rothenburg is plenty if you don%26#39;t have own transport.

I think 2-3 nights in Munich is also enough if you%26#39;ve a wanderlust, although you could stay a month in either place.

I don%26#39;t rate Wuerzburg much- although quite close to Rothenburg, but many do- it just doesn%26#39;t do it for me unless it%26#39;s just a day trip. Likewise Nuernburg.

You could stay around Fuessen (really Schwangau is the best place for castles etc), or in the %26quot;proper%26quot; Alps, Garmisch, Oberammergau and Mittenwald.

|||

Many thanks!

Yes - Munich - not sure of the other one?? :0)

I actually stayed in Wurzburg for a month, many years ago, it was from there I first went to Rothenburg. I think a few days in Munich and a couple in Rotherburg could be a plan.

Thanks again for the reply..

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Rothenburg ob der Tauber is very easy to reach by train from Munich.

Agree that two nights there is enough. I think that you could do a lot of nice days trips from the Munich area. Salzburg would be a great day trip.

Here%26#39;s my report about train travel in Germany. I%26#39;ve included it since it has links to the train websites.

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I would agree that reaching Ro-burg from Munich is pretty easy by train. However, be aware that you will almost undoubtedly have to change trains in Steinach..and that is EASY to do because

the Steinach station only has a few platforms and

depending on your timing, there is frequently a train destined for Ro-burg waiting on an adjoining track.

GO for it!

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I’m going from Munich to Rothenburg ob der Tauber myself in 2 weeks on the train. I found the www.bahn.de website very easy to use (just make sure you enter Rothenburg’s whole name as they are other cities in Germany with similar names) to look up train times. If you know your travel dates I’d recommend purchasing your ticket in advance on the website (that is what I did). The fastest way to get to Rothenburg by train is a combination of ICE %26amp; regional trains (takes 3 to 3 ½ hours) and if you book in advance you can get half off your tickets (29 euros versus 58 euros). If you need to be more flexible with your train times you can always purchase a full price ticket or use a Bavarian ticket (after 9 am on weekdays, all day on weekends; look for Länder-Tickets under Fares %26amp; Offers) for 20 euro, but using only regional trains, which the Bavaria ticket requires, will take you much longer.

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Many thanks for all your replies - certainly lots to work with!

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One bit of advice: try not to plan on taking the last train of the evening into Rothenburg. If any of your connections are late, you might have to scramble to get there. We missed a connection and were very lucky that the train agent was able to reroute us onto a train coming down the track at that very moment. Otherwise we couldn%26#39;t have made it there that day.