12-14 days Berlin, Austria Germany

14 days for Prague, Salzburg and Munich is fine and they are well connected by trains. Check out the German railways website www.bahn.de for all time tables. If you only want to go between big cities car rental is a waste of time and money.
Whether to visit these cities or use you time in a smaller are is your call. If you really want to see these places then it's certainly possible, but you will use a fair bit of time on transport. The smaller the geographical area, the less time and money is spend on transport.

It's always a compromise between what you want to see and the time you've got, but this isn't too bad. It allows you three or four full days for Prague (which it deserves) and another three full days for Vienna (if that is what you mean by »Austria«), a full day in Salzburg and the rest in Munich. You might even put in a day trip from Vienna to the famous monastery in Melk and a daytrip from Munich, such as Regensburg or Nuremberg (Nürnberg).
The only realistic way of getting around is by train. Advance booking for the longer journeys saves you a lot of money. (The 09.00 from Berlin to Prague can be as cheap as EUR 29, and from Prague to Vienna EUR 19.) Schedules for your whole trip on www.bahn.de/p_en/view/index.shtml, where you can also buy tickets for journeys in and from Germany. The rest can be bought at www.oebb.at/en/index.jsp

If all you want to see is Berlin, Prague, Salzburg, and Munich, I would suggest you do them in that order. German Rail runs a modern IC coach (bus) from Prague to Munich. It has first and second class seats, a bathroom, snack and drink bar, and an attendant. With sufficient advance purchase (starts 92 days in advance) the fare can be as low as 19€/person. The trip takes 4½ hours.

I'd like to see every corner of the area but need to reduce it to 12-14 days and want to choose wisely.

Whether 14 days is ample time depends on how long you spend in each city. I would not suggest the car rental. My priority is going Berlin-Munich-Salzburg-Prague, taking the CNL night train option Berlin-Munich, gives me an extra day in Munich or Salzburg. Where would you fly out of?

San Fran advisor- I will be in Berlin on 6/25 and wish depart early morning on the 26th, as I have an evening event on the 25th. . I can end in Berlin again on July 5 OR depart back for the states from Munich on this date. I like the idea of a night train maximize tour time.
Advice valued. Thanks.

More advisable to go to Munich first it Prague first? Will one route maximize touring time?

Hi,

When the German train system (DB) changes to its summer schedule, the connection between Berlin and Munich on the CNL night train is direct. If you have no problems with taking a night train, consider it as an option. I don't and took this CNL route at the end of May 2015, Munich Hbf. to Berlin Hbf.

Can anyone tell me how far in advance I should get train tickets to get the better rate AND make sure that tickets are still available between these cities?

To get an idea of the Austrian countryside, visit the Freilicht Museum outside Salzburg (easy day trip, even 1/2 day, by bus). You can also visit Berchtesgaden (Koenigsee, Eagle's Nest/Documentation Center) by bus. 2 days for the sights in the city is probably enough.

I think Vienna deserves 3 days at least, plus a day trip to Melk.

You could rent a car and take 2-4 days to drive from Vienna to Salzburg to see more of the country.

I'd allow 3 days for Prague, plus time for day trips. Terezin was fascinating.

If it was my trip I would do: 1) Berlin to Prague by train, 3-4 nights Prague. 2) Prague to Cesky Krumlov by shuttle, 1 night CK. 3) CK to Vienna by shuttle, 3-4 nights Vienna. 4) early train to Melk, visit Abbey, then boat to Krems, then train to Salzburg (long day but fun and enjoyable), 1 night Salzburg. 6) late afternoon train to Munich for the rest of the time and home from Munich.

Easy to change number of nights in each place to suit your needs or desires. I actually found 3 nights in Prague fine for a first visit and I loved my overnight in CK. You could also do 4 nights in Vienna with Melk as a day trip, then go directly from Vienna to Munich with Salzburg as a day trip from there - fewer hotel changes that way.

i am flying in and out of Munich from the US. I will be taking a flight from Munich to Berlin. How long will I need to get luggage, get through customs, and check luggage for new flight for Berlin??

Hi,

You're flying from the US to Munich, then you're connecting to Berlin. Isn't your luggage checked through to Berlin?

I have done something similar like that twice, ie, SFO to Frankfurt, then stay a night or two in Frankfurt before moving on by train, or SFO to Franklfurt, then after a couple of hours at Frankfurt Hbf, then take the 6 hr plus ICE train direct to Berlin Hbf, arriving prior to 19:00

Hey Fred-
No it is not connection in Munich. Rather, two completely different flights on different airlines. We are doing this as we will finish our tour in Munich and it was less expensive to find flights in and out of the same city.
Thanks for your input, Nancy.