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Salzburg to Fussen

We’re going from Salzburg to Fussen to Munich but want to have a car in Fussen. Should we pick the car up in Salzburg, drive to Fussen, and then drive the car to Munich OR take the train from Munich to Salzburg, take the train back to Munich, pick up car, drive to Fussen, drive back to Munich. The first option costs about $400 more than the second option (because it we’re picking up and dropping the car off at different airports) but seems to save time and hassles. Thoughts?

Posted by
4761 posts

Either way you would be taking the train from Munich to Salzburg? The first costs more because you are dropping off in a different country. Is the hassle of taking the train into Munich from Salzburg worth $400? It would be for me. The time difference isn't staggering. Best estimates would be 2 1/2 hr by car, 3-3 1/2 hr by train/car.

Alternatively, pick up the car when leaving Munich and have it for the whole trip. Of course it would cost extra for the extra days rental, vignette, and parking in Salzburg.

Posted by
8094 posts

I would pick the car up in Munich and head southwest into Bavaria and into Austria. Make a circle thru Innsbruck which is about 2 hours by car up to Salzburg. It's then about a 2 hour drive back into Munich from Salzburg.

Touring The Alps is so much easier and scenic when you have wheels under you. We like to get up on the side of the mountains and go from village to village.

We've made the detour to Fussen, and didn't find Neuschwanstein that desirable to see. I'd rather spend the afternoon at Andechs drinking "nectar of the gods" produced by the monastery in an authentic German beer hall.

Posted by
6591 posts

We’re going from Salzburg to Fussen to Munich but want to have a car
in Fussen. Should we pick the car up in Salzburg, drive to Fussen, and
then drive the car to Munich

Why not this?

1) Take the train from Salzburg to Füssen. (€34/2 on a Bayern Ticket; by car, the gas alone will cost this much.)
2) Rent and drop a car in Füssen for whatever your car specific needs are (Autoeurope has a rental provider there.)
3) Catch the train to Munich or Munich airport (€31/2 on a Regioticket Werdenfels)

If Füssen isn't a good place for you to pick up a car for some reason, you might instead look into picking up in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which is probably one of the towns you'd be driving to anyway at some point. The train ride to G-P is the same price and the trip is shorter than the trip to Füssen.

Posted by
10 posts

Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions. I think the best option might be to rent a car in Munich and drive to Salzburg and Fussen.

Posted by
2376 posts

Look at renting the car across the border from Salzburg in Germany. Then drive to Fussen and to Munich

Posted by
321 posts

Hi Mike- If your trip starts and ends in Munich then you have selected the transportation that "...seems to save time and hassles..." but is probably more expensive.

Have a great trip!!!

Posted by
166 posts

Hi there- We are heading this way in a week and are planning on picking up our car in Freilassing Germany. It is right near Salzburg. We will use it in that area and will drive down to Garmish as well as Fussen before dropping it in Munich. Only negative is we will need to pick up the Austrian toll sticker at a gas station on our way back into Austria but Freilassing is literally 10-15 min by train or a 15-20 min cab ride. This will save you the country to country drop off. I had considered dropping in Innsbruck and training into Munich but the only drop off options I was getting was the airport. Enjoy your trip!