Guidance travelling through Germany in June 2019

How old are you and your friend?
What do you like to do? Hike? Drink beer? See museums, castles, historical sites?

Hi, Brett. Welcome to the forum.

"- What to do in those areas"

This is probably something for the two of you to figure out independently - and probably even before you decide on the towns and cities in your itinerary (why go someplace if what you want to do isn't there?) There are dozens of great resources you can use to inform yourselves, and you have lots of time to plan. In addition to the R. Steves materials, grab some guidebooks from the library or a bookstore and head to Tripadvisor and the other online compendiums of travel information to read up on the options. Maybe you have specific personal interests... the German automobile industry? Architecture? Winemaking? Medieval history? A forum like this can be good for feedback once you have specifics in mind, but a general question like yours will likely produce a scattered and unfocused set of personal responses that probably don't fit you.

7 nights = closer to 6 days since Day 1 is always compromised. This isn't much time. I would focus on fewer overnight destinations.

"- Train vs rental car"
"- When to buy train tickets"

The car is a poor option for big cities like Nuremberg and Munich. A car is possible but not necessary for most smaller towns - trains go nearly everywhere. Get your activities and your destinations pinned down before the transport decision. The towns and cities you mention in your post are all well connected by rail. Any towns without a rail station are normally reachable with a short bus connection. A long-distance trip like Bacharach - Nuremberg might call for an advance-sale "saver fare" ticket from DB if you want a bargain price. The other trips you mention would probably be best using local tickets and day passes (like the Bayern Ticket) bought on the day of travel from a ticket machine. Anyway, don't sweat any of this until you have a firm itinerary.

"- Train to Bavaria/Tirol staying in Fussen (2 nights)"

From Munich? Munich is already in Bavaria. So is Nuremberg for that matter. I am certain you plucked this wording from Rick's materials somewhere. But it's just wrong. Traveling "from Munich to Bavaria" is just as geographically goofy as traveling from Philadelphia to Pennsylvania - so do take my advice on using additional guidebook sources!

Map of Bavaria, with train lines

@ Russ: "Munich is already in Bavaria. So is Nuremberg for that matter." I hope you are aware of the reaction if you tell someone from Nuremberg that he is Bavarian :-) Even if correct from state administration view, the hearts are beating differently - for Franconia.

For those who don't know what Markk is talking about, here's a map of the area known as Franconia that shows its position - largely within Bavaria - and its much smaller overlap areas in Hessen, Thüringen, Saxony, and Baden-Württemberg. Like it or not, there is no "Land" (state) of Franconia and the vast majority of Franconians live in the state of Bavaria.

Like it or not, there is no "Land" (state) of Franconia and the vast majority of Franconians live in the state of Bavaria.

From the day on which the Bavarians take seriously the preamble to the Treaty of Ried solemnly proclaimed by themselves (1813, "invalidity of all measures of Napoleon"), there will be one.
Whether Russ likes it or not, we are here. ;)
Greetings from Franconia!

@OP: for an itinerary of Nürnberg look up here (4th posting).

Yeah, the folks in Aschaffenberg aren't excited about being Bavarian either, after being Hessisch for so long.

Thank you for the assistance and comments, much appreciated.

To expand a little......Interests include mountains and rivers, wine, beer and castles. Two guys @ 50 years old.

Hey Russ
Thanks for the detailed response!

I’d take the train from Amsterdam to Bacharach rather rhan hassle with a short plane trip and then the train.

For the purpose of travel, all that matters is that Nuremberg is in Bavaria and the Bayern Ticket is what you need for travel to Munich.