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Train from Munich to Salzburg to Innsbruck instead of a car

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I am in the transportation part of my travel planning. We fly into and out of Munich, and I am planning on a good chunk of time in Slovenia where we will have a car.

After talking to a friend who's a fan of Innsbruck, and to limit my husband having to drive a ton, I am thinking of picking up the rental car in Innsbruck. That would mean a few days sightseeing without a car in Munich and a few days carless in Salzburg, then taking the DB train Munich-Salzburg then Salzburg-Innsbruck. Does this make sense? When we are done in Slovenia we'd drive back to Innsbruck and train back to Munich. It's about $300 more to drop the car in Salzburg.

I rather planned on having a car in Salzburg and doing some day trips, but it seemed like a lot of driving to then drive from there to Innsbruck and then down to Slovenia (Kranjska Gora).

I would imagine there is some sort of transit pass that would take in all the travel for our first few days, but I haven't looked into that yet.

Thank you.

Posted by
6392 posts

I agree that Innsbruck is worth it, but it is a bit of a detour to have to return to in Innsbruck just to return the car. Have you considered renting the car in e.g. Villach instead?

What kind of day trips are planning from Salzburg? There are trains and buses that will take you to many interesting places. But if a car really is vital for a day trip there is nothing stopping you from renting a car for a day.

Posted by
8145 posts

You really don't require a car in Salzburg or Munich. And the train connections between them is good.

You could pick the car up in Innsbruck and head east and south.

The Grossglockner High Alpine Highway goes south of Zell-am-See, and it opens the end of May. It goes over one of the highest peaks in Europe, and is honestly the most beautiful place I've ever seen in my 50 years of travel. It's easy to get to Udine, Italy where you could go east toward Slovenia.

Posted by
4412 posts

A car in Salzburg is useless, and not needed in Munich. For daytrips from Salzburg, you can take a bus (for example, I did the Wolfgangsee via bus and ferry and you can do Hallstadt that way too).

Are you sure the rental company will let you take a car into and out of Slovenia?

Posted by
1774 posts

Innsbruck, IMO after having visited and passed through half a dozen times, is not a particularly worthy place compared to other destinations in the Austrian Alps. Particularly if you're visiting Salzburg already - you've got your Austrian mountain city covered, and better. And particularly if it would then cause you to have to take a long out of the way diversion just to drop off a car. It's more than a 2-hour drive.

Why not go to Zell Am See or Garmisch P or the like? The Alps are (much) more dramatic in those places, mind-blowing baroque churches in beautiful little towns surrounding them. Not far from Munich or Salzburg and accessible by public transit. You can rent a car for the day out of those towns no problem.

Posted by
1774 posts

I'm not saying Innsbruck is a bad place - but I think it is both bigger than most people imagine, and far more industrial (it's an ag and extraction industrial hub and frieght rail hub), and located in a broad valley that doesn't have particularly good views compared to most other places you might visit in the Alps. Innsbruck is certainly no kick in the teeth, but I feel like on vacation you can do better.

Posted by
18 posts

Hank, I like the suggestion of Zell am See, thanks, plus I want to drive over the Grossglockner High Alpine road which seems to be on the way south to Slovenia.

Perhaps I will pick up the rental car in Salzburg. Anyone know off the top of the head which company would allow Austria and Slovenia both?

Posted by
2908 posts

I like the Zell am See and then into Slovenia idea. While we love the zimnsbruck area (have stayed on 5 trips), Zell am See, the old town, the setting, the high alpine backdrop is stunning!

If you’re in the U.S., check www.gemut.com for rental cars. In the past, every time we planned on driving from Munich to Slovenia we never encountered a problem with allowing us to take the car there.

Paul

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