Family road trip Switzerland, Austria and Germany

There are a couple of Micheldorfs in Austria, which one?
You will need a big car for 7 people with luggage, a van really. Where do you plan to fly in and out from? You do know that besides the expense for a van, you have to pay extra if you rent in one country and drop in another. it has to be transported back to its home country and you pay for that.

Thank you, yes, we know all that. Have all that figured. I was more wondering about the stuff I asked about.
Specific hotels along the route, interesting places to see and stop, good towns to visit...

abby, some folks may not be familiar with your previous series of posts - all about aspects of this trip

Which Micheldorf? I'm trying to imagine your routes in my head. Are you still going to Regensburg?

I don't remember us getting into the specifics of car rental internationally in the past messages - since you don't want to discuss it I won't, just to tick boxes I know we talked briefly about car seats and international drop charges, but I don't think we discussed the need for IDP in Germany, nor Umweltplakette in Germany nor Vignette in Austria (presumably the Swiss Vignette will be on a Swiss car). And because it is a Swiss car going into the EU which Switzerland isn't you may need to show papers at the border checks.

So far as hotels and waypoints, do you have your itinerary in an order you can share?

Are you considering going to the Salzburg (Berchtesgaden) area via Innsbruck or via Munich?

I wish you good luck. We did a 3 week road trip through these areas with 6 adults in a full size van. A European minivan is too small for 7 + luggage, so be prepared to drive a full sized beast. Thankfully my brother drove one every day for work. Get the zero deductible insurance. Be aware of the environmental restrictions and toll stickers. Plan parking in advance.

On a separate road trip, we spent 5 nights near Hallein, just south of Salzburg, with our two teens. Fabulous location. We went paragliding over Salzburg (one of my all time travel highlights) to Eagle’s Nest on a crystal clear day (WOW!), to Hallstatt (including the salt mine), and rode a sommerodelbahn. The area is stunning. We also enjoyed the Red Bull Hangar on a rainy day.

Innsbruck would be a good stopping point also. Or you could venture into the Dolomites in Italy. Stick with the mountains as it will be very warm at that time. Or visit some of the water parks!

Thanks for the feedback
Micheldorf Upper Austria, near Linz.
I was thinking we would take the route near Salzburg/Innsbruck rather than Munich. It looked like that would be out of the way.

I think we must be in the minority for a lot of things.. Planning to bring personal items and 1 carry on per person. No large luggage, no checked baggage. I have ridden in 7 person European vehicles. I think we should be fine.
We have a week in Emmental, an open week, a week in Abtenau, a few days in Scheidegg Germany and another week outside of Bern (countryside). It is that second week that I need to figure out.

Since the Swiss part of the drive is the less streamlined, I thought about Lake Constance for a waypoint. Bregenz or Lindau seem convenient halfway points - possibly also Meersburg or Uberlingen, which I am more familiar with. Visit Mainau Flower island with a family pass or Reichenau Monastery on the way or via a cruise.
It is possibly a little late in the year for a dip in the lake, unless you are lucky with the weather, but a lake cruise and the start of the harvest season with onion quiche and very new wine/cider might be a nice addition…

Driving a European minivan with seven people will be an experience and I would add that the most experienced and most calm driver should drive. Be prepared for expensive gas and rental insurance and multi country fees tacked on. Also get an international drivers license.

I wish you luck and it should be an adventure for sure.i will never forget the American couple I saw in Granada city centre whose car got stuck between two bollards that went up and down to block the street. The wife ended up getting out of the car and screaming at her husband while locals gathered and shouted advice. It was a scene out of a movie and the couple is either divorced or has a vacation horror story.

so sorry - I forgot to mention the mandatory car seats and boosters for the little'uns. The police in all of those countries are super strict about that, and won't hesitate.
The trip's making more sense to me me now.

Did you consider a salt mine? Sliding down the banister and riding on an underground lake might be fun for the older kiddoes... too "touristy"? I liked it and I'm a lot older....

since you are asking about hotels - I'm trying to work out how you'll divide yourself up. Hotels have strict occupancy laws to follow - even a "Family" room usually only will take two adults and one child on a rollaway. Undoubtedly with such a large family you will have ways, but you should know that all people staying, even the little'uns need to be registered. It isn't like the US where you buy a room and fit however many in as you can...

Yep, not planning on lying to the hotels. Pretty sure this what "Family Apartments" are for. Thanks for that. I am also aware that kids need car seats, they do in my home country as well. Yes I am aware they will be different car seats to EU standards.

Pretty sure it would be an adventure for us to take public transit the whole trip too. Life is an adventure though. What is the alternative, stay home?

It is very possible that I have misinterpreted the point of these forums. I thought people would answer primarily in response to the questions asked not to simply find any perceived flaws with the poster's current plan. That is what seems to be the main function...

Thank you, " l-b_m
12/26/25 10:04 AM
114 posts
Report
Since the Swiss part of the drive is the less streamlined, I thought about Lake Constance for a waypoint. Bregenz or Lindau seem convenient halfway points - possibly also Meersburg or Uberlingen, which I am more familiar with. Visit Mainau Flower island with a family pass or Reichenau Monastery on the way or via a cruise.
It is possibly a little late in the year for a dip in the lake, unless you are lucky with the weather, but a lake cruise and the start of the harvest season with onion quiche and very new wine/cider might be a nice addition…"
I will look into those places. That sounds like stuff we would like. I have been looking in those areas. I found the Scheidegg place for the route back to Geneva and was thinking that would be a good base to check out Meersburg and Lake Constance.

It is very possible that I have misinterpreted the point of these forums. I thought people would answer primarily in response to the questions asked not to simply find any perceived flaws with the poster's current plan.

as far as my comments, not intended to find flaws - just trying to save you money and embarrassment. I want you to look at your best in front of the kids, saving you fines or being turned away.

I don't know which laws you might be unaware of, and since people read other people's threads and learn from others' experiences my comments are also for their benefit. That's why all the posts are searchable all the way back to 2007.

You are posting on an open forum and people in their own way are trying to be helpful. There are a lot of well traveled people on here but we all just ‘volunteer’ advice mostly based on experiences. The Rick Steves organization use to offer a service where you talked to a travel consultant for a small fee but it doesn’t look like they have resumed this since COVID. If you’re frustrated with the comments you are receiving then you might try a travel agent where you pay for and just receive the specific advice you want.