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Munich to Salzburg by train with luggage

Posted by (Canada) on

I am planning a family trip to Bavaria and Austria for this June. The current plan is to arrive by ICE train from Würzburg, stay in Munich for 3 nights, then move on to Salzburg for 2 nights (and then onward to Vienna). I have a hotel booked in Haidhausen, meaning we will be staying closer to Munich Ost than Munich Hbf. I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons of different train options to Salzburg from Munich Ost. So far, I see there are three main options:

  1. Westbahn (pre-book)
  2. Bayerische Regiobahn (Bayern Ticket)
  3. DB EuroCity (least preferable option)

I will be travelling with my elderly parents, so there are a total of 3 in our group. They are in good health and can manage their own luggage but I'm trying to make sure the journey is as smooth as possible, which is why I'm mainly wondering what the BRB experience would be like with luggage (especially in June when it might be busy). BRB would obviously be the most cost effective option since we could use the Bayern Ticket but I am a bit concerned about seating and luggage storage. I'm also not opposed to booking the RailJet from Munich Hbf, but seeing as how we'll be within walking distance of Munich Ost I would rather consider the above options first.

Posted by
23268 posts

Not sure what the question is??? You either put your luggage, as most people do, in the luggage storage area, near the entrance or, if small enough, on the overhead rack. Anything over a carry on size is too big. We have the general storage area for 50+ years with no problems.

Posted by
30 posts

Sorry, the question is basically: What would people recommend, long distance train or regional? Is there plenty of space on those BRB trains?

@Frank - When you say you've been using the general storage area for 50+ years, are you referring specifically to the regional trains? I've been on Eurostar, Thalys, etc before and never had a problem with those, but the reason I'm asking in the first place is because I've heard some regional trains don't have those "general storage" areas.

Posted by
20103 posts

The regional train with the Bayern Ticket should be quite a bit cheaper. 49 EUR total for the 3 of you and it will include public transport to Ostbahnhof. Travel after 9 am weekdays.

Posted by
6396 posts

Is there plenty of space on those BRB trains?

I've never travelled on Bayerische Regiobahn between the cities, but you can probably assume there is luggage space. Modern regional trains often have a "flex area", i.e. a part with no seats that can be used for large luggage, bikes, prams, wheelchairs etc.

Posted by
2333 posts

The BRB has luggage racks and there is also free space in each carriage to store bicycles and luggage - altogether more than in the 2nd class of the Railjet, where it is quite cramped (it is much more comfortable in first and coach class, but these have their price). The disadvantage of the BRP is that there is no seat reservation. But if you go as far as possible to the front of the train in Munich East (eastbound), it shouldn't be a problem to find a seat, because at the main station, where it originates, most people board in the last carriages closest to the main platform. The Westbahn is rarely full, but even with a discount for four people it is easily three times as expensive as the BRB with a Bayernticket. Also, there are only 5 trains a day.

Posted by
30 posts

Thanks for all the replies everyone!

It's going to be a few months yet before I actually need to make a decision, but given the information I think what we'll end up doing is taking the BRB but taking it from Munich Hbf instead. As Sam pointed out, the Bayern Ticket also covers transportation to the station. Our hotel is practically on top of an S-Bahn stop. Upon inspection, it doesn't really make a huge difference time-wise on the S-Bahn which train station we use, and it seems Munich Hbf would make things easier for us.

Any other suggestions are still welcome, but I think I've got a decent plan now.

Posted by
32767 posts

if nobody has mentioned it in a previous comment - I haven't read them all back again - just to say that choosing to use the Hbf at the moment is less pleasant than it was and will be, we hope. It is being reconstructed while remaining open so is a really messy building site. Leave extra time to negotiate the place

Posted by
6901 posts

I really wouldn't bother with going to the Hbf if you are close to Ostbahnhof. It will be much smoother, and there is a lot of capacity on the Munich-Salzburg route so I would not worry at all. Westbahn trains are very spacious.

Posted by
980 posts

I used to live in Haidhausen and have taken the train many, many times to Salzburg.

I agree using the Bayren Ticket with a regional train from Ostbahnhof is the way to go. It is so much easier to connect from the S-Bahn to the regional trains at Ost as everything is on the same level. Sounds like you are staying at one of the hotels on Rosenheimer Platz so you are just one stop away from Ost. At the Hbf the S-Bahns are below ground and it is quite a walk from them to the regional trains, add the MAJOR renovations going on currently at the HBf and it is best just to avoid the area if possible.

DJ

Posted by
30 posts

@DJ - Well spotted, it is one of the hotels at Rosenheimer Platz. Good to hear everything is on the same level at Munich Ost, that should simplify things for us. Consensus seems to be to avoid Munich Hbf if possible, so that answers that question.

@balso - Westbahn does indeed seem spacious, but it's the spaciousness of the Bayerische Regiobahn (BRB) that I've been wondering about.

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