Train travel or car rental?

Posted by maestrojohnnyj (Paso Robles, CA) on 04/05/24 04:27 PM

I usually rent a car, but have been planning to travel by train between cities, which I’ve not done much of before. I’m lost as to where to begin and how to best plan/make reservations, etc., - need guidance! I’m planning: Vienna - Budapest - (then we have a river cruise, ending in Vilshofen, Germany. From there, train to Salzburg, then Salzburg to Munich, then Munich to Stuttgart to catch flights home.

How should I best plan? Should I do trains everywhere (and what’s the best way to plan that?) or, would it be better to rent a car at some point and deal with parking, etc. Before and after the cruise, we (my wife and I) have 3-4 days in each of the places we’re visiting. Trip is planned for June 12 - July 1.

Posted by Badger

Sweden

04/05/24 04:53 PM

6418 posts

If you're just going city to city, the train is the better option.

For Vienna-Budapest: Look up schedules and buy tickets at www.oebb.at

For the trips in Germany and to/from Salzburg, use www.bahn.de

Posted by Lifetime travel

04/05/24 05:43 PM

99 posts

We are auto people most of the time. If our plans are to big cities not so much. If I were you, it would be trains all the way. The train from Vienna to Budapest is about 3 hours max. The Salzburg to Munich train is about 1 hour and 30 minutes and the train from Munich to Stuttgart is 2 hours and 30 minutes. Train it.

Posted by MarkK

Berlin

04/05/24 06:15 PM

2267 posts

Agree to Badger.

Cars are really not an advantage in Munich and Stuttgart; although BMW and Mercedes Museum are worth a visit.
Link to DB english: https://int.bahn.de/en

Posted by Tim

Wyckoff, NJ, USA

04/05/24 07:15 PM

7324 posts

Our host has lots of good travel tips in his blue menu top left of Desktop view. He does spend a bit too much time on Rail Passes, which are seldom the best bet for 99% of posters on this particular newsboard.

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/trains

Do you have to fly home from Stuttgart? I'm sure Lufthansa has lots of flights from Munich. After dozens of European trips, we now (admittedly, East Coast USA) embrace two segment flights. We've had good experiences, and very low costs. (Lufthansa is a United partner, for example.)

Because you are traveling at a peak period, you have to decide whether you want to buy the fastest trains, with likely required seat reservations, or whether you prefer absolute flexibility with the chance of not getting a seat all the way. (No recent personal experience.) The reserved seat trips are often VERY cheap when bought far enough in advance, but of course the tickets can't be changed to another departure for free.

You may find train travel to be relaxing, if you go with it, instead of feeling like you are not the master of your own mighty vehicle! Because you have only mentioned major cities, I would try an entire trip without a car rental. Germany has especially good local trains. But you don't say if your mission is to visit three tiny cities a day from each base-hotel. It's hard to achieve that without a car. But a car in a major European city is quite an annoyance. (Opinion.)