26 days Berlin to Munich by train via Prague and Austria

Your itinerary looks good and doable. I would do just a small change. Salzburg is a relatively smaller town than B, P, V, M. I would allot 2 nights to Salzburg, 3 nights to Prague. Prague to Vienna is only 4 hours by train, I don't know about overnight train. Instead I would go by Student Agency bus (Yellow bus) from Prague to Cesky Krumlov (3 hours), stay 1 night and then go by shuttle to Linz where you can catch train to Vienna or go all the way to Vienna by shuttle. I would not do Switzerland on this trip. Too much travel time and too little time there. Third Reich related sights: St.Cyrill Church on Reslova Street in Prague. Heydrich assassins took their last stand against Nazis there. Terezin (model concentration camp to be shown to the Red Cross) as a day trip from Prague.

A side trip to Switzerland takes about 1.5 days just for travel time, half of the 3 days available. For instance, from Berchtesgaden to Luzern takes about 8 hours or to Lauterbrunnen 10 hours. Instead, you could add another stop in Austria, such as along the Danube Wachau valley at Melk. In the same region, see the Mauthausen Concentration Camp memorial (which was not prettied up for Red Cross inspectors). Those are accessible by train as well; you don't need to drive.

4 nights is far too long for Salzburg. The Altstadt isn't very big. I saw just about everything I wanted to in a few hours. I would give one of those nights to Berchtesgaden (always give yourself at least 2 full days in the Alps to avoid losing your entire time to bad weather) and maybe another to Dresden.

As noted, your itinerary puts you several hours away from the closest German-Swiss border point, and about an hour further beyond that to the first real Alpine scenery (presumably, why you wanted to visit Switzerland in the first place). You will have seen plenty of great Alpine scenery already in Austria and Germany, no sense in burning all that extra time just for a brief look at more of the same

Thanks so much for the ideas so far, early days in the planning but i think Switzerland can wait until next year, Salzburg i will cut down and i will jiggle around the days elsewhere, perhaps even throw in a night in Heidelberg on the way home.

Lija, thank you for mentioning Reslova Street and the events there, my next task is to read up on that.

Laura thanks as well, i may consider a car to get from Vienna to Salzburg as i fancy Hallstatt as well, i will start looking at options.

Tom, taking your feedback that on board, i do want to see Switzerland but will need more time, as always one trip seems to lead to another some day.

Berlin for 4 nights is a little skimpy for my tastes, but you've been there so you are the better judge, of course. Are you including a day-trip to Potsdam? I recommend 2 nights in Dresden, it is so lovely after dark and again, there's lots to see. Maybe add a night to Prague for a day-trip to Teresin.

I agree with Ilja, why take a night train with the possibility (probability?) of a lousy night's sleep when it's not a long ride. If you want to save sightseeing time, take an evening train and have a picnic dinner along the way.

I thought there was a lot more to see and do in Vienna than in Salzburg. Friends of mine had a great time traveling leisurely from Vienna to Salzburg by car and stopping along the way - 3-4 days.

A lot of people here recommend stopping for a night at Český Krumlov after Prague. (I haven't been . . . yet).

Chani

Thanks for your input. I think we might start in Munich as a base and go to Bertchesgarden and then Salzburg all by train.

I like the idea of driving from Salzburg to Vienna over 3 days.

I only thought of night train as i have never been on one, thought it might be a good experience-perhaps i will be best returning from Berlin on one.

After Vienna we will got to Český Krumlov, then onto Prague and finally Berlin. Yes i want to go to Potsdam for a day.

So thats my route, i just need to allocate the days.

Thanks again.

We are just now planning a similar trip for September. Starting off with two nights in Frankfurt, then by train, 5 nights in Berlin, then on to Prague for 4 nights, Vienna for 3 nights, Salzburg for 2 nights and Munich for 4 nights. Then rent a car and drive the the Romantic Road back to Frankfurt allowing 3 nights along the way to stay where the mood strikes us. I lived in Germany in the 60's, despite my numerous trips to Europe over the last 15 years, this will be my first return trip...with the addition of Berlin it will be a special trip for me as Berlin with off limits during most of the 60's for GIs not stationed there. If anyone has suggestions as to where to stay in Berlin, I would appreciate hearing from you. We typically stay in or near the city centers wherever we go (for example, mid town in Manhattan, the Latin Quarter in Paris, Barri Gotic in Barcelona, and Gamla Stan in Stockholm).
Bill

Bill

Sounds like a great plan, i've changed mine slightly now, down to 2 nights in Salzburg but stopping off at Hallstatt on the road to Vienna.

We were in Munich last year and its one of our favourite places (i love my beer and Munich does great beer). We visited Dachau on our own i.e. by train and got guide there, we did two of King Ludwig's castles with a very small tour company which was one of our best days on our holiday. We also did a bike tour of Munich on arrival, which was great fun and helped us get our bearings.

In Frankfurt we only had one night and we had a walking tour which was a great way to see the highlights quickly.

If i could put in one suggestion, if you can fit in Berchtesgaden please, please do, we had two nights and visited The Eagles Nest and Lake Königssee, one of the most beautiful places i have ever been and one i look forward to seeing again this year.

Cheers and happy travels

Paul