Train Fares in Germany

RWR.BAD,
Are you sure you are putting in the correct Rothenburg? Rothenburg ob der Tauber from Munich on regional trains is only 25 euros for a train tomorrow at 10:27 am. So no it should not be 130 euros. If you cannot figure out the website you may purchase on the day of travel at the train station since these trains are frequent and no reservations are required.
Good Luck and I hope you have a great trip!

I looked up for tomorrow (Tuesday) and saw Saver Fares (Sparpreis) from EUR 45,90 single trip.
The best way though is to use regional trains (RE, RB) with the Bayern Ticket: EUR 25 (EUR 7 for an additional passenger). Those are day passes, so also valid for the return trip. On weekdays only valid from 09:00.

I just did a search on bahn.de for tomorrow and saw tickets for 45,20 euro. On a random day next month they are as low as 29.90 euro.

I'll bet you input Rothenburg Switzerland by mistake, that's about what that trip would cost.

Or you are imputing several people and that is the total price for your party and not a single ticket price. You cannot rent a car for $13/day. But are doing something wrong. Give you exact dates of travel and number in your party and someone will run it for you.

Here's what I wrote in response to your previous post about rail passes:

You should provide your travel legs within Germany and within
Switzerland - and from one country into the next - if you would like
some ticketing/pass advice from those who have gone before you.
Passenger info and dates will help also.

Getting fare and other information from the DB site involves a BIG learning curve. So to avoid more frustration, I encourage you to do as I previously suggested - share the details of your trip here and let us help you.

Thanks to all

I checked several car rental companies including Auto Europe, which compared rates from 5 major rental companies, and for the smallest car, in and out of the Munich Hbf, the lowest rate was $306 for 13 days. And, ViaMichelin estimates the cost of fuel from Munich to Rothenburg odT at about $25, one way.

The least expensive rail fare from Munich to Rothenburg would be by Bayern-Ticket, an all-day, unlimited travel pass, for €25 ($27.64) for one person, €7 added for persons 2 to 5. €25 for a Bayern-Ticket is nearly the same cost as just fuel for a car, one way, and with a Bayern-Ticket, you could make the trip RT in one day (although I would not recommend it).

So, rwr would decide to rent a car based on a lack of knowledge about the cost of both rail tickets (high estimate) and car rental (low estimate), which confirms my suspicions, widely criticized on another thread, that travelers, due to a lack of knowledge, make decisions that make their cost of traveling and staying in Europe higher than it needs to be.

There are several other incidental expenses that come with a rental car as well.

"Thanks to all"

Really? It doesn't sound like you've gotten what you came here for yet. But OK. Gute Reise!

Personally, Lee, I think there's more to these decisions than just the lack of pricing information. Often it's because train costs and other information are not in an easily-digestible format and are nontransparent at first glance - and it seems too much trouble to go through (and it is a good bit of trouble.) Or maybe the OP has an inclination toward driving in the first place, or apprehensions about public transport (pretty natural for North Americans.) Then there are the doubters... "What Lee says isn't quite what Rick says, and it sounds too good to be true, so it probably is." And then there's our strong economy and the strong dollar/euro exchange rate - some couldn't care less about costs.

I'll bet you input Rothenburg Switzerland by mistake

I don't think so, since the DB cannot give you a fare to that place. Most often such astronomical prices are the result of incorrect spelling of the destination. Just leave out the -h- (typing "Rotenburg") and you will be offered a connection from Munich to Rotenburg an der Wümme near Bremen (> €120). I met once a truck driver who had typed into his navigation device a route from Hamburg to "Eichstätt". He was sent to Eichstätt in Bavaria, but his destination was Eichstädt near Berlin. So he missed his destination by 500 km.

I do find fully-flexible, fares for Munich to Rothenburg odT (one way) on the Bahn website using long distance trains (like ICEs) for a little over €65 (half of €130). Perhaps he was looking at a fully flexible fare for 2 people.

Because the ICEs go to Nürnberg, which is a roundabout way, you save less than an hour (per person) for about $100 more.