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Help with Trip Itinerary - Germany, Austria, Switzerland

Posted by on

Hello Everyone,

My friend and I will be traveling from Aug 31 to Sept 13 in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. So approximately 13/14 days. We will be starting AND finishing in Munich. We would like to visit the following places but we don't know what order to do them in:

  1. Germany - Munich (to visit Dachau, Nymphenburg, BMW museum, Residenz)
  2. Germany - Fussen (to visit Neuschwanstein/Hohenschwangau castles & Garmisch-Partenkirchen?)
  3. Austria - Salzberg (to visit Sound of Music sites, Eagles Nest, Mirabell Palace, and Cathedral)
  4. Austria - Hallstatt (to visit either Ice Cave or Salt Mine and possibly stay a night there)
  5. Austria - Innsbruck (to visit ??? or possibly skip if we go to Garmisch-Partenkirchen instead)
  6. Switzerland - Grindelwald (to hike and relax)

We also considered skipping Innsbruck and instead spending a day in Garmisch-Partenkirchen when we visit Fussen. Can you please recommend the best route to follow and the number of days to stay in each place? We plan on taking trains and buses. Thank you very much!!!

Posted by
916 posts

Which one of these is not like the other? In other words, are there any outliers among your destinations that will add a lot of travel and effort on a short trip. The answer is yes, Grindelwald. It is a long way. Check out bahn.com for train travel times from Innsbruck... about 6 hours each way.

https://www.bahn.com/i/view/index.shtml

A circuit Munich to Fussen to Innsbruck to Salzburg (including Berchtegaden and Hallstadt) to Munich is probably the most convenient routing.... 4 destinations and three nights in each will give two full days of touring around... But each travel day takes up 1/2 day with checking out, moving, checking in... And you have 4 half-days of travel in your itinerary.

If it is a fun trip you will come back (as RS says), fun means enjoying what you see while you are there, so trim a bit more.

Have fun!

Posted by
4 posts

Thanks Nick for your quick reply! I agree with you, Grindelwald is definitely an outlier. Instead of going there, what if we went to Nuremberg AND Rothenburg ob der Tauber? How would that change your recommendation for the best route to follow and the number of days to stay in each place? Thank you!

Posted by
1952 posts

I agree with the route from NickB. I would also think in terms of nights instead of days. You really will only have 12 days of sightseeing minus travel times. As much as I personally love Switzerland, I'm afraid that it is way out of your plan route. I would suggest staying a night in Hallstatt. It literally is a different place after 5pm and before 9am. During the day because of the number of bus tours, it is hard to appreciate the beauty of the place.

Posted by
1952 posts

I just saw your follow up question. You will just be adding more train travel to go to Nuremberg and Rothenberg and hotel changing. It will eat more time of your vacation.

Posted by
4 posts

Thanks Threadwear for your input as well! Okay, so I think I will drop Grindelwald and Nuremberg since they are both out of the way. But now I was thinking whether or not I could somehow squeeze Vienna into the picture.

Germany - Munich (we would spend 3 nights here)
Germany - Fussen/Garmisch-Partenkirchen (we would spend a night in one of the 2 towns)
Austria - Berchtegaden/Salzberg/Hallstatt (we would spend a couple of nights in Salzberg and 1 night in Hallstatt)
Austria - Vienna (we would spend 3 nights here)

At the end we would either fly or take the train back to Munich from Vienna. I don't know how long a train ride would be from Vienna to Munich? Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

Posted by
1952 posts

Your amended itinerary is quite busy, but doable. Vienna is a great city.

Posted by
916 posts

Adding Nuremberg is easy enough since it is only about an hour from Munich on the fast train. But going there, looking around and going back will require a full day, and you are already pretty busy. Adding Vienna will add a 2.5 hour trip to get there and add 4.5 hours to go from Vienna back to Munich. Also remember that the Munich airport is quite a way out of town so most folks stay near the airport on the night before their departure.

I suggest that you pick an itinerary of stops, and get on the bahn.com website and figure out how long it takes to get from place to place... Fussen to Garmisch-Partenkirchen via Reutte still takes about 2 hours. Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Salzburg is 3.5 hours. Etc.

https://www.bahn.com/i/view/index.shtml

Also Neuschwanstein has admittance times and you will have to program in travel time when getting a time assigned.

https://www.schloesser.bayern.de/englisch/palace/index.htm

https://www.schloesser.bayern.de/englisch/palace/objects/neuschw.htm

Tickets for Neuschwanstein Castle are sold exclusively at the ticket centre:
Ticket-Center Hohenschwangau
Alpseestraße 12
87645 Hohenschwangau
telephone 08362 93083-0
www.ticket-center-hohenschwangau.de
You can buy tickets during the following times
April-15 Oct: 7.30 am-5 pm
16 Oct-March: 8.30 am-3 pm
Reservation of tickets
Tickets with a specific visiting time can be reserved for an additional prepaid charge two days before the desired castle visit (3 pm local time) at the latest. The visiting time can only be changed or the ticket cancelled up to 2 hours before the start of the tour (also by phone).
General information on opening times and admission charges

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