Hello all,
I have a 2 day block inbetween leaving Lucerne Switzerland and a stop at Passau for 2 nights. Where would be a good (classic) Bavarian town to stay two nights? I love the look of Rothenburg ob der Tauber but have read it can be very crowded. Will be there mid September.
Suggestions? Also, train (which one(s)) or should I rent a car? Guessing it may be complicated to rent in Switzerland and return in Germany.
Thank you!
Last year wife & I drove from Lucern and spent a night on the Lindau island on Bodensee. Very cute old Bavarian- feel cobblestone Dorf. Highly recommended. Drove from there to Schwangau next day. Seemed like right amount of time driving.
Guessing it may be complicated to rent in Switzerland and return in Germany.
Yes, and expensive.
Lindau is a good suggestion. Next day you can travel to Passau on a Bayern Ticket, 25 EUR for the 1st person and 6 EUR for each additional person up to 5 traveling after 9 am weekdays. Single change at Munich Hbf.
Jules, please don't highjack other people's topics.
The regional ticket coverage maps are in the German-language version of DB: https://www.bahn.de/p/view/mdb/pv/deutschland_erleben/allgemein/tickets/pdfs_laender-tickets/2015/mdb_190311_streckenkarte_bay_2015.pdf.
This map shows all the rail lines in Bavaria.
https://bahnland-bayern.de/files/media/bahnland-bayern/service/streckennetz/beg_streckennetz.pdf
A few towns just outside Bavaria, like Sonneberg, Crailsheim, Lauda, Kufstein, Austria.
You all are being so helpful! I can't thank you enough.
Ruth
As Sam suggests. Switzerland is about expensive as it gets for car rentals even without a one way drop-off fee. Bear in mind that It's about 5 1/2 hours from Lindau to Passau by train, taking up most of your second day.
Now I'm torn. I guess I didn't realize the train was that long to get to Passau. Suppose that rules out going further north to Rothenburg then. I probably should've stayed another night in Lucerne and an extra night in Vienne (going after Passau).
Passau wasn't my pick. : (
So I get to pick the 2 days prior.
Ruth, Lucerne to Vienna will take all day by train. It's not clear if you have two full days aside from the day of travel. Either way, Salzburg would be good for one or two full days.
When we leave Lucerne, there will be a 2 night stay somewhere and then from there, travel to Passau and then from Passau to Vienna. The mention of the economical train someone stated sounded good. I had originally thought Salzburg but then since we're going to Passau, I figured somewhere West of there between Lucerne. Perhaps Saltzburg is still an option. I need to get my map back out.
I can't thank you all enough. I've traveled to Scotland a few times, but that's the extent of my international travel. And I drove there the entire time.
Looking at some of the rail looks a few of you provided.
In looking on:
https://bahnland-bayern.de/files/media/bahnland-bayern/service/streckennetz/beg_streckennetz.pdf
It looks like where would be tons of stops or switching trains between Landau (2 days) and Passau? And I reading it correctly?
My other alternative is go to Innsbruck (2 days) and then to Passau. It looks like the rail system may be easier./less transfers?
Sorry for my questions, first trip to Europe and I didn't use rail in Scotland.
Thank you,
Ruth
That depends on the connections you choose. But first of all: please look for trains from Lindau (not Landau, which is in the Palatinate). There are direct trains from Lindau to Munich and from Munich to Passau, so it should be possible to make do with one change in Munich. However, this summer there are construction works between Munich and Freising, so that an additional change may be necessary. On the route via Innsbruck there are at least two transfers, namely in Salzburg and in Linz. The Lindau - Munich trip Passau can be done on a Bayern Ticket (€25/1, €31/2) while for the trip via Salzburg and Linz you would need a more expensive international ticket.
It seems there aren't trains from West to East in southern Germany. Do all trains need to go thru Munich and then back S or SE? That is a great train fare and more than likely what we'll do. Thank you for your help.
Ruth
Yes, sorry about the typo. Lindau on the Bodensee. One wrong letter and and the location moves 200 km.
If you look at a map of Germany, Munich is pretty much half way on a straight line between Lindau and Passau. So I don't think any new rail lines are in the offing, but they are working on the tracks between Lindau and Munich to increase the speed limit. But that will be in the future.
