Dear Travellers,
We are arriving in Germany on 16 April landing in Dusseldorf. We spend 1 night there before heading to Cologne for 1 night. All good till this point. Our dilemma is we want to explore the Black Forest (using either Baden-Baden & Freiburg as base) and then travel on to Fussen & ending up in Munich where we catch our flights on Friday 24th. Research shows hiring a car is best for the Black Forest to Fussen but we are wary that this could be a costly option firstly & secondly there doesn't appear to be a place to drop off the car rental in Fussen. Any idea of which car rental company has dropoff points in Fussen? Else is there somewhere close to Fussen we can drop off the car and then use a Bus or Train to head into Fussen. We will use a train from Fussen into Munich. Also is there a suggested route to take to see some spectacular scenery and do all we want in 5 to 6 days. Our Accommodation is not yet confirmed from Cologne onward so we are flexible on where we can stop & stay over at this point. Any info much appreciated.
Posted by
Paradise
6637 posts
"Research shows hiring a car is best for the Black Forest to Fussen..."
You haven't said what town you plan to stay in for the Black Forest. Let's use Gengenbach, a commonly-suggested Black Forest base town, and examine the facts.
It's 4 hours, more or less, pure driving time to Füssen. But then you also have pick-up time and drop off time, possible traffic delays, wrong turns, road stops for fuel and WC needs, finding parking, etc. I think it's fair to add at least 30 minutes for this.
The train takes roughly 6 hours, according to DB.
So I have to question how critical the extra 90 minutes on the train might be - is it really enough to justify the trouble you will go to switching to a car and back?
Also, it would be incorrect to think 3 nights or so in the Black Forest would require a car. The whole BF is criss-crossed by train routes, including the scenic Black Forest Railway, and using the trains is free (when you stay in any of the 130 KONUS-promotion towns.)
Map of BF rail lines
Black Forest Railway
KONUS flyer
I would also point out that when you head south from Cologne, you'll be traveling right past the most densely-castled region of Germany, the Middle Rhine Valley. You might solve the trip to Füssen problem by stopping over in this lovely region, where the castles are 800 - 1,000 years old.
Middle Rhine towns
Middle Rhine castles
Füssen's Neuschwanstein, if that's your purpose there, is a faux castle - not a castle in any sense other than surface appearance. It was built in the late 19th century by a theatrical set designer, its sole purpose being a private residence for Bavarian King Ludwig II for the final 6 months of his life. No knights, no armor, no fortifications, or any of that...
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
"Research shows hiring a car is best for the Black Forest to Fussen"
Please quote the source of your "research". I've spent months in this area, and my research shows that hiring a car is a waste of money.
Germany as the most concentrated rail system in Europe (2nd to Switzerland by only 1%). You can get anywhere in Germany, usually for less € than driving.
Posted by
Salt Lake City
1481 posts
We lived in Germany for 6 years and traveled with our own a car.
We have vacationed in Germany 10 times in recent years, always taking the train. We prefer train travel to renting (as opposed to owning) a car.
That said, the Black Forest (Schwarzwald) does have some wonderful drives in my memory with great places to pull off and picnic. I have found the Michelin Green Guide and the ADAC StraßenAtlas to be the best guides for picking out scenic driving routes.
If you do drive from the "Schwarzwald" to Füssen, I would recommend a stop at the Ottobeuren Abbey outside Memmingen. The abbey is one of the most beautiful buildings that I had the opportunity to visit in Germany. It can be reached by train and bus, but only with a significant expenditure of time.
As I have not rented a car in Germany in over three decades, I can not help with that. I believe many rent through a jobber like Gemut or Autoeurope, which can steer you to companies that serve where you want to go.
I will stick with public transportation as it is more convenient and more interesting for us. Still, there is a sizable number of folks that love auto travel in Germany. I am sure that you will enjoy yourself either way.
Posted by
Munich, Germany
102 posts
For your itinerary, a car sounds like a good idea. You’ll be able to see more, save time, and possibly save money.
It’s about a 3 hour drive from Köln to Baden-Baden. As others have suggested, you could take the longer scenic route through Koblenz and the Rhein valley, stopping at a castle and grabbing lunch in St. Goar or Bacharach.
Having a car is a great way to explore a rural area, like the Black Forest.
It’s around a 3 hour drive from Baden-Baden to Füssen. Try to avoid high traffic times going though Stuttgart, they’ve been doing a lot of construction. I drove through a week ago and didn’t have any problems.
It looks like Avis has a station right near the train station in Füssen. But, do you have to drop the car in Füssen? Could you stay in Füssen a day and then take the car back to Munich and drop it there? Having a car with an extra day in Füssen allows you to drive around the country and see the area. Garmisch, Ettal, Oberammergau, the Wieskirche, etc…
For a car rental, you’re probably looking at 50€ a day if you book now and prepay. You should be able to manage the whole trip from Cologne, through the Black Forest, and Füssen on one tank of gas, so budget maybe 75€ for that.