another train question (sorry)

If you buy early enough, buying in advance is a great bargain, much better than the regional ticket. HOWEVER, you are restricted to a single train . . . too bad if your plane is late. That's what happened to me on my last trip.

I have since found out about the Fly & Train program which allows for travel on any train on the day of arrival or the next day for the same great price. Datails are on the bahn.de website

Using local transport will take 6 to 6 1/2 hours vs 3 1/2 hours with a direct ICE train. The best savings fare available appears to be 69 euro if you go out 90 days and they are few and far between, mostly 89 euro and up. The full fare ticket is 202 euro [total for 2 people].

If you take the local transport option, the QdL ticket is 52 euro M-F, and the Schoenes Wochende ticket is 44 euro Sat & Sun. If you want to go to the trouble, you can buy 2 tickets to Kahl(Main) for 8.10 euro each from an RMV vending machine and a 2 person Bayern Ticket from a DB vending machine for 28 euro, getting you a total price of 44.20 euro M-F.

The Fly&Rail looks like it must be booked with the airline, so I don't know how viable an option this is.

I once called Lufthansa here to ask about the Rail&Fly offer, and the agent I got knew nothing about it. Then I went to a local travel agent, and she said because airlines no longer paid commissions she would have to charge me something ridiculous, like $100 to book airfare for me. She couldn't tell me in advance if she could book the Rail&Fly. I've never been able to find out if there is a price advantage to the Rail&Fly, or if it is just that they give you one set of tickets that cover both you flight and the train.

Of course, the first question is why you don't just fly to Munich in the first place. They have a great airport. Oh, of course. Your frequent flyer miles don't include Munich. One of the many advantages of FF miles.

Instead of going directly to Munich, consider going to somewhere close the first night, say Bacharach, the traveling the next day to Munich when you can safely use one of those advance purchase tickets for a little as 29€. Frankfurt Flughafen to Bacharach takes about 1-1½ hrs by regional train and RMV tickets cost 11,60€/pers.

I also try to fly as close as possible to my first destination. The Rail & Fly program displays a list of partner airlines at http://www.bahn.com/i/view/GBR/en/prices/germany/rail_and_fly.shtml, but I'm guessing that it works better for German residents than for visitors; at least it's described assuming that you'll start in Germany.

If you want to use the ICE on your arrival day without locking in tickets in advance, you can do so with a German Rail Pass, starting from $168 per person for three days of travel within a month, sold here for home delivery or also sold in Frankfurt airport train station. I don't know whether you're planning other train rides that could be covered by the pass. Otherwise, the full fare ticket at 101 euros/person is cheaper.