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train/transportation pass advice

Posted by on

I'm trying to figure out the best passes to buy for our family's summer vacation in Europe. We are 2 adults and 2 kids (ages 7 and 9). Here's the itinerary:

Day 1: arrive Munich airport
Day 2: Munich -> Salzburg
Day 3: Salzburg -> Fussen (Bavaria), Germany (rent car in Fussen)
Days 4-5: Bavaria w/ car
Day 6: return car Fussen -> Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Days 7-10: Lauterbrunnen and Gimmelwald (multiple cable cars and buses involved in plans)
Day 11: Gimmelwald -> Frankfurt (rent car in Frankfurt)
Days 12-13: Rhine Valley w/ car
Day 14: return car Frankfurt -> Berlin
Days 15-17: Berlin
Day 18: Berlin -> Munich
Day 19: Fly home

All connections listed above will be via train, plus we will be using public transportation at all points when we don't have a car rented. This gets pretty complicated, especially when considering the 2 kids and the various options (Eurail, point-to-point, Bernese Overland Pass, or some combination of multiple ticket types). Anyone with expertise or experience want to provide any guidance? All advice is appreciated!

Posted by
25 posts

My current plan is as follows:

2-country (Switzerland and Germany -- Salzburg included) 6-day flex Eurail pass, 2nd class
Total Cost: $614
This will cover the following train connections: Days 2, 3, 6 (to Interlaken), 11 (from Interlaken), 14, 18

6-day Bernese Overland Pass
Total Cost: 680 CHF
This will cover most of the transportation we utilize in BO days 6-11 including connections between Interlaken and BO on 1st and last days in that area.

Posted by
8889 posts

I think the best option, is a Berner Oberland pass as you suggest, but for the other rail trips, buy advance purchase tickets, not a pass.

  • Day 1: Munich airport to city - this is cheap
  • Day 2: Munich - Salzburg. I would do this as a day trip from Munich, returning to Munich that night. saves moving hotels. Use a Bayern Land one day Pass.
  • Day 3: Pick up car in Munich and drive to Füssen. Should be more choice of car companies.
  • Day 6: Return car in Lindau (Germany, on Swiss border, worth a visit). Ticket to Bern (start of Berner Oberland Pass area).
  • Day 11: Berner Oberland Pass covers you to Bern, buy advance ticket Bern to Frankfurt am Main. Will you be staying in Frankfurt? May be better to train to where you are actually saying and hire car there.
  • Day 14: Advance ticket Frankfurt (or wherever) to Berlin
  • Day 18: Advance ticket Berlin - Munich. But, why not fly home from Berlin direct?

You can look up train times, prices, and buy advance tickets fro the trips in (or to) Germany on the German Railways website: https://www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml

Posted by
2478 posts

Especially considering your suggestion of staying in Munich, this saves train travel as well.

Driving to Füssen and back to Munich and then again to Lindau is time consuming backtracking. I'd rather stay in Füssen or, even better, in a lake front hotel Lindau, wich would save one day car rental and give you more than half an hour for exploring Lindau.

Posted by
25 posts

We were planning to stay in Reutte during the time in Bavaria. Your suggestion of doing the final night of that leg in Lindau makes sense as well. I can easily get 3 hours in Lindau without that, but we'd be with luggage in tow (one roller each). I'll need to think about that. Thanks!

Posted by
19261 posts

Munich airport to downtown would be a Gesamtnetz Gruppen Tageskarte (Group day ticket for unlimited travel in the entire MVV for two to five adults - children 7 and 9 are considered ½ an adult, but it still three adults, same price). Price is 24,30€. This ticket will also cover any other travel by conveyances of the MVV for the remainder of the day.

Munich Hbf to Salzburg: The Bayern-Ticket (31 euro for two adults and two under 25 children) is one ticket that can be used to Salzburg; the Meridian Guten Tag ticket for 29 euro is another. The Bayern-Ticket includes use of MVV conveyance, the Guten Tag ticket does not, so only if you are withing walking distance of the station is the Guten Tag Ticket better. Neither ticket can be used until after 9 am on workdays. The 9:55 Meridian train gets to Salzburg at 11:42, which doesn't give you a lot of time to see Salzburg. However, you can also buy 4 Kurzstrcke (short trip) tickets for 1,50€ adult, 1,40€ child, to get you to Munich East (Ost) Bahnhof from which the 8:56 Meridian train leaves at after 9. Or, you can go on a weekend day.

Salzburg to Füssen: Makes for a long day, but doable. Leave Salzburg around 9 am and have lunch at the Munich Bahnhof's food court when you stop to change trains to Füssen.

What do you intend to "see" in Bavaria that you think you need a car? Public transport (including RVO buses) go everywhere in that area. In over 100 days in Bavaria, I've never needed to rent a car. You might consider staying here, in Pfronten. Pfronten is a short bus trip from Füssen and on the Außerfernbahn rail line that goes from Kempten to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. You can use the Bayern-Ticket from Salzburg to Pfronten via Garmisch-Partenkirchen instead of Füssen (the Bayern-Ticket includes the Außerfernbahn). Then the next day go to Füssen using the bus pass you get with your overnight accommodations in Pfronten.

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