Car or train for "Bookthetrip" (Sarah) to Rothenburg

I'm not keen on the fly all night and half the day and then try to drive.

At least if driving on the Autobahn the constant high level of concentration required may keep them awake for a while, and if they are going to crash at least all the traffic is going in the same direction on their side. If using the B roads there is a much higher chance of a head on collision or running off the road into a tree - fewer guard rails if any. Then there are the cross roads for which the speed must be lowered significantly at every junction, and the towns and villages with the speed restrictions too.

I don't really like the idea at all to be honest. I've had to attend too many aftermaths.

The train is very straightforward and allows scenic viewing and napping as desired. RodT is a dead end so can't oversleep.

Train from Stuttgart Hbf to RodT is only 2:42, easy changes at Ansbach and Steinach. I just don't see how train + bus or car beats that.

I would never drive after a night flight, also not over the B14, which is densely used up to Backnang and afterwards in parts not well developed and requires no less concentration than the autobahn (and which forces you onto the autobahn in Schwäbisch Hall anyway, because from there to Aurach (near Ansbach) B14 and A6 are identical).

I'd suggest changing your plan in one point: instead of the taxi, taking the S2 from the airport to Waiblingen (the usual transfer point for regional trains towards Crailsheim / Ansbach / Nürnberg) and board the RE to Dombühl there. That way, one can avoid Stuttgart Hbf, which is still an unpleasant major construction site.

Thanks, sla019: With sample date 24 June I'm only finding some U-6 + S-2 or S-3 connections to Waiblingen of 52 minutes (VVS trip planner.) Construction. Then RE + bus transfer in Dombühl. All results seem to require 3 changes.

What do you think about a taxi to Waiblingen instead of Stuttgart Hbf?

Nigel, thanks for the input. I'd do the same myself if it were my trip, though I'd probably swap the IC segment in your calcs for an RE segment (adds just a few minutes of travel time) for savings.

Is that station STILL not finished. It looked a proper mess when I was there for the Cannstatter Volksfest in 2019. Still a mess??? G'Grief.

@Russ
I'm sorry about the thing with the construction work. The question about the alternative, cab to the main station or to Waiblingen, I cannot answer unfortunately, because I have no experience with cabs at Stuttgart airport. In any case, the cab to Waiblingen would be at least 50% more expensive because W. is further away and because it is outside the city boundary, which always makes the fare higher.

Still a mess???

Still a mess, getting worse every day, as predicted 10 years ago. Estimated construction costs now at 9 billion, a 100% increase over the originally planned 4.5 billion. But as always, the DB can act according to its proven principle: Someone will pay.

Listen to Nigel!! His advice is spot on. I wasn't too keen on driving some of the lesser roads when I lived there. Definitely will not do so after an overnight flight.

RodT is a dead end so can't oversleep.

Well, yeah, Rothenburg odT is at the end of the line, but the line is a short spur line that comes up from Steinach on the main line between Treuchtlingen and Würzburg. So if you fall asleep on the train that's coming to Steinach, you could end up not getting off there and waking up at the end of the line in either Treuchtlingen or Würzburg. And you had better be alert when you get to Steinach, particularly coming up from Treuchtlingen; you'll only have 5 minutes to make the connection. If you are still sitting half awake in your seat when you get to Steinach, you might not get on the connecting train in time.

I'd drive. But I'm comfortable driving in Germany and don't get jet lag moving east. Autobahn 6 & 7 are not that hard to drive on; they're good roads. 14 is too. Myself I'd probably take 29 over to Schwabish Gemund and then to 7 and head north. The problem with taking B roads is you do want to stop, especially if you're new to the area. Remember also, June is prime time for road repair.

The regional train from Rothenberg to Nuremberg can be slow. You might consider a taxi to Ansbach; it's not that far and the train runs from there to Salzburg many times a day.

Honestly? Just take the train from Stuttgart to Esslingen and stay there your 1st night. Problem solved and you get to see an original, gorgeous, medieval town. Train takes about 15 min.

Thanks, Jo. Esslingen is a very good suggestion, one I didn't make mainly because it's not Rothenburg, but it's a fine place that ought to be on the table along with other overnight options in between STR and Rothenburg. Maybe it will pique Sarah's interest.

There are actually direct buses between STR and Esslingen (45 min. ride or so) in lieu of the STR > Stuttgart > Esslingen route - convenient for Day 1, anyway.

Esslingen also has the advantage of blending medieval and modern really skillfully. Love the sculpture of the man standing in air. And the wall which goes down the hill. So much there. And Wieblingen Waiblingen, of chain saw fame is another beautiful with another wall which can walked inside, like Esslingen. They are quite close to each other....

Wieblingen, of chain saw fame

Wieblingen is a suburb of Heidelberg, the suburb of Chain Saw City is Waiblingen. ;)

thanks... and I've only stayed there just 4 times!!!

Hi everyone -

Y'all are amazing, and I'm getting dizzy from all the options. I have looked at Esslingen but leaned away from it because my daughter, who is studying abroad nearby, may have already seen it. I am trying to hit new places. If you had to leave Rothenburg out completely, what towns could actually fill the gap? I want to walk to wall in Rothenburg, stopping to see sights along the way - that sounds like a perfect day to me.

Our family lived in Kenya and drove the crazy roads there, so we are not new to roads outside of the States, but those were not high speed situations. Dangerous, yes, but not high speed. I don't want to be stupid, and we prefer public transportation overall - if there is a good option there, we'd prefer it. We don't arrive Stuttgart until around 2pm - hopefully only carryons and backpacks. My husband is proficient in German but not fluent (can read signs - lol).

We are pretty open to all options for getting between Stu and Rothenburg (or other option) and from there to Salzburg. We are backtracking for sure, but some of that is how I made the plane reservations to begin with, which wasn't the wisest or best thought out plan (very unlike me - but my daughter needed her ticket asap for her program).

I cannot thank everyone enough for their wise and thoughtful input! I am going to look harder at this tonight and tomorrow and nail it down. Do I need to get the 9Euro tickets now?

Thanks again!
Sarah