Quick question - we are staying in Rothenburg for one night (taking train from Frankfurt) and want to head to Garmisch. Trainline puts it at 4 hrs. and 15 minutes. If we were to break this trip up to cut down on travel time between the two, any thoughts on a good place to stay in between for a night? Is the drive scenic? Not sure there would be a place to even rent a car in Rothenburg. We want to bypass Munich as we will be there after Garmisch.
Posted by
Paradise
7077 posts
"We are staying in Rothenburg for one night (taking train from Frankfurt) and want to head to Garmisch. Trainline puts it at 4 hrs. and 15 minutes."
Just getting to Rothenburg in the first place will cost you about 3 hours. It's at the end of a trunk railway, so it adds a lot of time getting there and leaving there.
You can travel from Frankfurt or FRA airport to Garmisch in 5 hours. I'd probably do that.
There's nothing very scenic about the Frankfurt - Rothenburg - Garmisch trip until you begin the approach to Garmisch (that same 5-hour route.) Garmisch and surroundings are where the real scenery is.
You may just want to skip Rothenburg or see it later.
If you really want to spend 2 nights somewhere prior to Garmisch, a smart alternative is Nuremberg, which is right on the high-speed train route Frankfurt - Munich, then Garmisch. Stay in the old town zone for 2 nights. Take an old-town walking tour. Visit the Imperial Castle. Tour the Kunstbunker. Enjoy the brew pubs. Have a walk through the Handwerkerhof on your way to/from the train station. Nuremberg is a fun and lively place with a large zone for pedestrians only, a great place to wander. On our most recent visit we stayed at the Burghotel-Nuremberg, great old-town location and fantastic breakfast, reasonable prices.
Posted by
613 posts
Since you mentioned driving, rent a car in Frankfurt. It's a straight shot by expressway to Rothenburg. Then follow the Romantic Road to the Royal Castles near Fussen & link to the German Alpine Road to Garmish. Stay where ever you fell like it. You must get the Michelin Green guide for the Romantic Road & German Alpine Road routing and sights.