BIG family trip - 27. We have a morning flight into Munich from CDG. We will be visiting Dachau and then thinking of going to Rothenburg ob der Tauber (worth it?) or should we just head straight to Heidelberg? We will only be here for 3 full days. Suggestions for other two days? Dad had mentioned Maginot Line? Welcome any suggestions. We are renting vehicles if anyone knows of any 15 passenger vans.
Posted by
Green Bay
21166 posts
Just check the airport car rental agencies. I'm not up on German auto reg's, but there is a limit of how many people can travel in a vehicle where the driver is not a licensed bus driver, and I think 13 or 14 will exceed that. So you might need 3 9-passenger vans. And you'll need room for all that luggage.
Posted by
Paradise
7072 posts
Attempting to transport that many people and all their stuff to Heidelberg or to the Maginot line is hugely expensive and complicated - the job of charter bus companies, really.
You don't explain what happens after "the other two days" - are you going home or traveling elsewhere?
The far more reasonable thing to do (since you aren't sure what to do) is probably to spend your 5 nights in MUNICH - and use public transport to visit other places that are easy to get to on day outings... there are some good options...
Herrenchiemsee Palace in Prien (1 hr. away)
Landshut (1 hr.)
Landsberg (1 hr.)
Garmisch-Partenkirchen (1.3 hrs) and/or Mittenwald (30 minutes further)
Salzburg (1.75 hrs.)
You can do these trips on day passes designed for groups. Break up in groups of 5 and do your best to sit near one another when you board the trains.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
We are already booked for Heidelberg and will be there for 3 days. The flying home out of Frankfurt. First part of the trip is in France
Posted by
Uppsala, Sweden
6985 posts
If you start in Paris and want to see Heidelberg and the Maginot line, flying to Munich is a huge detour. Stopping along the way to see the line would be a lot better.
As for transport, yes in order to drive a vehicle with room for more than 8 passengers you need a bus licence (class D). But if there are 27 of you, renting a coach with driver can make sense.
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11884 posts
I see a need for four ( 4 ) vans . 3 for people, one for baggage.
Exploring a charter bus my be the thing to do. RS tours usually have 28 max on a tour, so it is not an off the wall concept.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19275 posts
Paris to Heidelberg by train is about 3½ hours, and you cannot fly directly there because there is no "Heidelberg Intl A/P", so even if you fly to FRA, you'll still have about an hour to get to Heidelberg. And the combination of airfare to FRA and the train to Heidelberg will undoubtedly cost more than the train from Paris to Heidelberg. So, since you are already booked for Heidelberg, just go there.
Dachau is closer to Munich, but Rothenburg is more interesting. However, I don't think either is worth the detour through Munich.
Posted by
8248 posts
The Romantic Road is loaded with medieval walled towns like Rothenburg.
https://www.romanticroadgermany.com
You could pick up the Romantic Road at Augsburg, a city founded over two thousand years ago and named after Emperor Augustus Caesar. If you go there, visit the City Hall and the Fugeri, one of the oldest settlements for the poor in the World.
Dachau, I would not recommend taking pre-teens to that site.
Heidelberg is worth a stop.
Posted by
Paris
7304 posts
Why are you flying? Taking a train from Paris to Mannheim followed by a quick transfer and local train to Heidelberg is much faster and easier... I'd bite the bullet and cancel the flights : at least you'll get the airport taxes back, which might be a significant portion.