Planning a solo trip to Germany in September of 2024:
I don't drive so the plan is to use public transportation (train).
Thoughts?
No interests, no qualified feedback possible.
Most people spend more days in Berlin.
You could add more time to Berlin by seeing Nürnberg as a day trip from Munich.
Where are you catching the train for Munich? Coming from the Middle Rhine area, be prepared to spend a good portion of the day getting to Munich.
Dresden to Berlin is ca. 2 hours or so arrive there by noon and you'll have most of that day for Berlin.
what do you hope to see? All I see is a list of cities. Hard to suggest or criticise without any detail of why you have chosen these
Looks fine to me.
For the Bacharach to Munich train, I suggest the 8:39 train to Mainz, then the ICE 593 fast train to Munich. Book when first available and 1st class is only 10 Euro more than 2nd. I’d also reserve a seat. That gets you there just after 1:00 pm.
For a day trip from Munich, I would do either Salzburg or Neuschwanstein, depending on your interests
In Bacharach, I heartily recommend staying at Irmgard Orth’s small b&b. Nicest hostess anywhere ! Check it out on TripAdvisor since she doesn’t have a website. Eat at Cafe Bistro Noy one night.
Thank you so much for the feed back and advise. It will be my first time in Germany. I'm in my 50's so not as spry as I used to be. I am just hoping to get as full a flavor of German history and culture(s) as I can. I will take another look at adding one more day in Berlin.
I don't know your interests or particular vibes/memories/experiences you want so this is very top of the head:
I'm in my 50's so not as spry as I used to be. I am just hoping to get as full a flavor of German history and culture(s) as I can.
IMHO that is something you can better accomplish without so much moving around from place to place... you are instead spending too many hours trying to cover the country geographically... there's too much time checking in and out, unpacking and repacking, and getting to and from the train stations. Too many logistics, especially if you are feeling a little low-energy.
You are flying in and out of FRA. I would instead recommend that you base yourself in no more than 3 places, including Frankfurt (there are a few good outings from Frankfurt. A few days there rather than 2 would be smart.)
Other bases I would recommend that are DIFFERENT enough that you'll get variety of culture and maybe history...
Base 2: Bacharach (well... probably not the BEST base town for several reasons, so I'll just suggest...) the Rhine Valley.
That could include Rüdesheim, Rheinfels Castle, Marksburg Castle, Oberwesel... A town closer to the Mosel River than Bacharach would be wise.... BOPPARD qualifies and is an excellent choice in its own right with many hotel and restaurant options, including many that are right beside the river. Bopppard is also a good Rhine cruise base town.
The Mosel River is beautiful and full of history too; you might catch a train, boat or bus to places like Trier, Cochem, Burg Eltz and Beilstein
Base 3: Nuremberg
Lots of history and good museums here. Good day trips too... Munich is close enough. Other good places nearby include Bamberg, Iphofen, Würzburg, and Bad Windsheim. You will be spoiled for choice. But you don't have to see them all if you aren't feeling up to it. Nuremberg itself has enough for a few days.
You'll find it very easy to move on to Frankfurt from Nuremberg - it's only a couple of hours by direct train from there.
More wonderful advise. thank you! the reason for flying in and out of Frankfurt is because of the non-stop to SFO. I am now reconsidering the number of stops - thanks russ!
RE: "...to get as full a flavor of German history and culture(s) as I can ." Fantastic, that brings the aim of your trip into sharper focus.
You're doing this present itinerary under a definite time constraint. I've done likewise in Germany but given a couple more days.
If you're after the historical and cultural aspects, ( language too?) , especially your two listed aims, I would suggest concentrating on Berlin, Frankfurt, and more cities/towns in North Germany and east of the Elbe, above all, Weimar, Naumburg an der Saale, Potsdam, Dresden, Leipzig. True, you can't see everything even as overviews, in case certain priorities you have to decide on as to the cultural and historical sites.
Ordinarily, zipping back and forth on ICE trains, I don't mind provided I can spare the time. I would suggest changing the order in which you intend to this itinerary or drop a place or two to limit the zig-zagging rides.
Your outlier is Bacharach. Eliminate it and start from the airport in Frankfurt taking a train to Berlin. Follow something like this:
Frankfurt Airport to Berlin to Dresden to Nurenburg to Munich back to Frankfurt.
If you didn't buy your air tickets you could fly into Berlin and out of Munich but if you already did this is my recommendation.
Thank you, "Lifetime travel". That is pretty much the conclusion I reached last night.
If you are flying in from San Francisco to Frankfurt, it is wise to stay overnight in Frankfurt after that long flight. Get some sightseeing done, have a good meal, get a good nights sleep and then head to Berlin. You can get the cheaper train tickets then and not stress about being late, etc.
There is plenty to see here as this is a very old, historic city. It isn't just skyscrapers and banks.
How much more money/ hassle is it to fly into Berlin?
Flying in and out of Frankfurt is non-stop. Flying into Berlin adds a 2.5 hour layover, flying out of Munich adds a 2 hour layover. The Berlin/Munich flights would cost approx. US$325 (30%) more total.
