Train Travel from Florence to Bavaria?

Have you looked on the dbahn website? A random date showed only a couple of trains that would make the trip in daylight hours. The shortest was 11hr14min leaving at 10:45. It requires 3 train changes, 1 being in Munich.

It is difficult to get to Füssen from the south. That large mountain behind Neuschwanstein that you see in all the photos is a the main ridge of the Alps, which marks the border between Germany and Austria. Must rail routes in the area head north to Munich. Coming from Austria by train you have to go to Munich and double back.

You can look up train times on the DB website here: https://www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml

For info on the trains with photos, see here: https://www.seat61.com/international-trains/trains-from-Florence.htm#Florence-Munich

I haven't looked, by my nose says that a slightly counterintuitive way might work.

Can you go Firenze - Verona - Innsbruck - the little train along the valley from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Reutte and then a bus across the border to Füssen? It ought to do the trick, I would have thought. Yes, it will be convoluted. Trying to get around those big mountains again...

Surely it is possible to start north earlier than late morning, with hourly trains all over?

Is it better to travel to Munich and then to the Fussen area?

No. It might save you one or two transfers but no time. I'd make an scenic ride of it and take the train leaving Firenze at 8:03. There are transfers at Bozen / Bolzano, Innsbruck, Seefeld, Garmisch and Reutte. Beginning from Rovereto (shortly after Verona) you will have a full day of beautiful alpine scenery. you could have lunch on the EC from Bozen/Bolzano to Innsbruck.

sla019 and me writing at the same time - how'd that happen?

Trains go to the Austrian side of the border at Reutte in Tirol (covered in Rick's books), usually with transfers at Innsbruck and Garmisch-Partenkirchen or that one at Munich. To reach Fuessen for sightseeing, you'd switch to a local bus (4-6x/day) or taxi.

sla019 and me writing at the same time - how'd that happen?

And on top of that with the same idea. What a praisworthy case of congeniality. ;)

Fly from Florence to Munich then train down. Save you some time.