Hello. We are traveling to Frankfurt later this month. We found cheap tickets to fly into Frankfurt. My husband and I are divided between taking an ICE train to Amaterdam and then traveling by train to Bruges, Brussels renting a car and traveling on to Bastogne, Trier and up the Rhine up to Frankfurt. Alternatively, my husband likes the idea of taking a train to Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Prague and then back to Frankfurt. Any suggestions based on anyone's experience will be greatly appreciated!!
Posted by
back in the Americas
723 posts
Gosh, hard decision. Both would be lovely trips. How much time do you have for your travels? You are trying to cover a lot of territory in each option so do you have enough days to allocate to each place? Have you been to either area previously? Are you comfortable renting a car and driving or do you prefer to use public transportation? If you rent a car you will probably pay more to return it to a destination other than the place you originally rented from. Also be prepared for road tolls, particularly in France. On the other hand a car gives you a little more independence and the chance to visit smaller places off the beaten track. It may just come down to your personal preference if you are okay with the logistics of both options. If I had never been to either and I had the time I would go with your second option. I love that area. The mountain scenery of Bavaria and Austria is beautiful. I find train travel in Europe to be budget friendly, comfortable and convenient. From Munich to Salzberg or for Bavarian daytrips from Munich take advantage of the Bayern Ticket. Let us know what you decide.
Posted by
Fort Lauderdale, FL
1241 posts
Yes, a hard decision! What we usually do is go on youtube, look at tons of videos of each place we want to visit, then try to decide. It all depends on your interests.
Also, a train is easier, but a car gives you a little more freedom. But, it can be very expensive to rent in one country and drop off in another.
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8319 posts
I've been there, and traveled both itineraries numerous times.
I prefer Munich, Salzburg, Vienna and Prague any day. The Austrian Alps are incredibly beautiful.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thanks for the replies. We have 11 days. I already booked an ICE train to Amaterdam on our arrival day, so we definitely have to start there. What do you think about taking a fast train from Brussels to Munich. Is it too much?
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Hi,
Given the two choices, I would choose Munich, Salzburg, Vienna. On this last trip less than a month ago, I spent a week in Vienna, including day trips.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32353 posts
Both areas are beautiful but my suggestion would have also been Munich, Salzburg, Vienna and Prague. There's a greater degree of diversity in the scenery (alpine areas, lakes, etc.) and a nice combination of city and rural areas. In that part of Europe, Hallstatt is one of the most incredible and beautiful places I've seen in Europe.
I don't think you have time to see both areas in such a short time frame.