Driving in Bavaria

Hi Nancy,

Driving is as easy as here in the U.S., except more civilized. People stay to the right, except when passing and even use the directional signals. It's amazing to see.

The roads are in general, excellent. You'll have no problems.

Not sure if you can pick up a car in Fuessen, but you can get one in Garmisch, about an hours scenic drive away. We use www.gemut.com (Andy Bestor) for our car rentals.

We haven't been since 12/2013, but I can't imagine long waits or any waits or checks at all going from Fuessen into Austria.

Paul

I've traveled by train (Ausserfernbahn) through Austria from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, to Pfronten, Germany, with two border crossing between GaP and Erwald, Austria, and between Reutte, Austria, and Pfronten, and you never would have known you crossed a border.

I've also travel by road (bus) from Salzburg to Berchtesgaden, and I wasn't even aware of where the border was.

I've traveled all over that area using only public transportation (rail and bus) and never had any problem getting to where I wanted to be. That area probably has the best public transportation in Europe. By my calculations, I've probably spent a third to half as much that way as I would have vs. renting a car. My advice would be to first figure out where you want to go, then look for public transportation. You can PM me for help. Only if there is someplace you want to go that you can't get to with public transportation, should you rent a car.

Getting from Munich to Füssen by rail is simple and cheap. As long as you don't leave Munich before 9 AM on a weekday, a Bayern-Ticket (28€ for two) lets you ride unlimited regional trains and buses all day long anywhere in Bavaria. The train gets you to Füssen in two hours, where you have 15 minutes to catch the bus in front of the station. The bus drops you off in Hohenschwangau, just down the hill from the ticket kiosk. No need to find a parking spot.

Most of the route from Munich to the castles consists of rural secondary roads. Very easy to drive, but make sure you understand the rules for speed limits...the change within town boundaries is not always explicitly posted, and you'll see the flash of the speed cameras if you don't know where to slow down.

If you drive into Austria, you will need to purchase a vignette. You can buy these at fuel stations on either side of the border.

Picking up the rental car as you leave Munich is a reasonable option, but under no circumstance would I want a car while lodging in the city.

PS- Munich is in Bavaria...

Hi Nancy,

dont be worried. The public transport as well as the streets are in good condition and easy to use. Driving shouldnt be so different from driving in the us. You will need a few minutes to get the right feeling. Therefore i would recommend to get your rental car in the outskirts of Munich or in Füssen. It will be less traffic there and that will give you time to get used to it, without having to orientate in a bigger city.

The time to cross the boarder between austria and germany depends on the time of the day. It is something between 20 minutes and an hour. As you are on vacation and without a schedule you might want to time your boarder crossing around lunch or in the early afternoon.
It isnt a big problem. Most of the cars dont even get checked. Nevertheless it is a pity that the boarders arent as open as they have been only a year ago.
But dont hesitate. Use the chance to visit Salzburg. It is amazing and always worth a visit. If you like chocolate and you visit the "Hofbäckerei Demel" or the "Hotel Sacher" in Salzburg eat a piece of Sachertorte. You wont forget it. Ever!

Have a nice trip and dont forget to visit a Biergarten in Munich. Stay safe and enjoy your trip!

I crossed the boarder driving to and from Austria two weeks ago on 23/167 south of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, DE to Berwang, AT. No boarder control and no wait. It was as if there was no boarder at all. All of Bavaria is beautiful to drive, except when stuck in Stau on the Autobahn. The secondary roads are in great condition. Driving through Munich can be a hassle, but completed new road construction helps. Have a good Navi.

It is easy to drive in Germany! The main thing is to watch your speeds. Unlike here in the US the speed limits change often. My husband drives and I watch and navigate. You can be driving the highway at one speed, or even on the autobahn where there is no limit, then it changes, then changes again, etc. So just watch and be aware. If you go over you may end up with a ticket in the mail, you won't be pulled over. So, just watch that and you will be fine. Also, always drive in the right lane. The left lane is ONLY for passing.

We always get a car. It is so nice to not be on a set schedule of public transportation. We have never had a problem and so fun to just explore around!

And one more thing: Make sure you learn the road signs. They are all symbols so you want to know what they mean. RS has most of his in the back of his books.

We were in France, and came upon a road sign we didn't know. No one was in back of us so we stopped and quickly looked it up in the back of his book. The symbol was : NO STOPPING! We had a good laugh!

I would also add: get a GPS so you don't have to worry about directions. I always have a map on my lap and follow along to double check we are on the right route, so my navigation is really minimal, but I am on the "look out" for anything hubby may not see and call out speed limits to make sure he sees them - until I drive him crazy, then I stop :-)

"If we don't drive what are people's experiences with public transportation in the area? I would appreciate any advice."

Well, I'll share my experiences.

When I first took my wife and daughter to Bavaria, we rented a VW Polo and drove from Augsburg to Oberammergau, Füssen, Hohenschwangau, Linderhof, and eventually Salzburg, Hallstatt, Berchtesgaden, Passau and Straubing. We saw a couple of unnerving wrecks on this trip but had a nice time overall and no major problems to speak of except for a few traffic jams. The roads were fine, the countryside pretty. We have returned several times as a family and as a couple to Europe and Germany (and to Bavaria) since then; except for one week on one trip that took us through some of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and some of Germany's Eifel region, we used the train system (plus a bus or two here or there, as one must do to reach Neuschwanstein.) Our experience nudged us into an affection for train travel that pretty much means we won't be renting cars again unless we have no alternative.

It's not that German driving or the roads are awful - they're not. It's just that train travel is so darned enjoyable for us, and especially for the driver, who no longer has driving duties, of course. The trains are generally frequent, dependable, comfortable, and relaxing. We can enjoy each other's company more fully without being strapped into a car seating arrangement as trains often have opposing seats, tables or mini-tables (which can mean cards, mini-picnics, or a Russ-Bier-und-Brezel-Fest.) We can people-watch - or strike up a chat with other passengers - get up and stretch out, waddle down to the dining car or snack bar, read our guidebooks or novels, or just look out the window at the asphalt-free countryside. Unlike cars, trains tend to have far fewer potential pitfalls (like accidents, road congestion, insurance-company conversations, shady rental agents, traffic tickets, parking, etc. etc.) than cars do. That said, I did travel once during a train strike period a couple years ago - but my trains were unaffected; because of the agreement reached, there is no such strike in the foreseeable future for any trip you might be planning now.

We book rooms within walking distance of the stations we plan to use, and we pack using Rick Steves guidelines, which makes porting our things within stations and to/from hotels and inns very doable.

I try not to cross boarders. Sometimes they lash out. :-)

while train travel is cheaper and often more practical than auto travel, one must remember that, on a train, you will be schlepping your baggage on and off the train. This can be problematic if you have more than a simple carry-on or if you are not especially mobile. With a car you can carry anything you want and not worry about bags except at the destination. In addition, cars will take you , generally, right to the door of your hotel or stop, whereas a train will drop you off at the Bahnhof and you either take a taxi or walk. For oldsters like myself this could be a problem.