Transportation Between Munich then Rothenburg then Zurich then Munich

I'd consider flying open jaw into Zurich, straight to Luzern 4 nights, then train to Munich with one day to Rothenburg odT (or overnight there first) Fly home from Munich. If you've already booked R/T to Munich, I'd still go to Luzern before Rothenburg, to be closer to Munich for flight home.

• Yes to open-jaw flights (into Zürich and out of Munich), if possible
• Definitely Luzern for your 4 nights, NOT Zürich.
• Rothenburg ob der Tauber (there is more than one Rothenburg in Germany, make sure you get the correct one) is north of Munich, opposite side to Zürich.
• I would do Luzern - Rothenburg ob der Tauber - Munich
  • Look up train times on the DB (German Railways) website: https://www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml
  • Luzern to Rothenburg ob der Tauber is 7 hours
  • Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Munich is 2½ to 3½ hours.

Thanks. We're already set with flights to/from Munich but the Rothenburg sequence can be switched. But we'd like to take the train between towns but I can't figure out the schedules. Do we just get tickets at the station the day of moving or purchase ahead. This forum has already convinced me not to get a railpass. Correct? ^Thanks again.

between Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Zurich or Lucerne, you can rent a
car and drive. The ride is around 4 hours.

Bad Idea! I don't understand why Americans always default to driving. I guess it is because that's what you have to do in this country.

But public transportation in and around Germany is really good. There is no reason to drive. Booked well in advance, the fare for Rothenburg to Zurich or Luzern is about €32 per person (€64 for 2 ? people). For that you get bigger, more comfortable seats than in a car, bathrooms without stops, and food service in the train. It will take about 2 hours longer (not counting the time to rent and return the car), but all people will get to watch the scenery, not just the passenger(s). And there is the cost - renting a car in one country (Germany) and dropping it in another (Switzerland) will cost hundreds of euro. Just fuel for the car will cost around half the cost of the rail tickets. Plus, I don't see any car rental places in Rothenburg; closest seem to be in Ansbach, so you will have time and cost to get to Ansbach.

To answer your question, buy advance purchase "Savings Fare" ticket from the Bahn website. Don't get the Super Saver Fares; they are non-refundable from the day you purchase them. Unless you are really sure you can make the specified (date and time) train, for a few (5?) euro more get the standard Saver Fares, which are refundable, with a penalty, up to the day before travel.

Oh, I guess this is why you defaulted to driving.

we'd like to take the train between towns but I can't figure out the schedules

I think the Bahn website is pretty self-explanatory, but if you need help, I'm sure people here will help you. If you put in "Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Zurich HB and the date, you will probably see, for instance, an all rail, 6H17 connection (2 regional trains and 2 ICs) leaving Rothenburg at just after 9 AM, with changes in Steinach, Ansbach, and Stuttgart for about €40/P.

"Currently our plans are to fly to Munich for four nights then one night in Rothenburg then four nights in Zurich..."

From Munich, Rothenburg exacts a price for very limited pay off. It's not expensive, but it costs you 3 hours on multiple trains to get to Rothenburg, then 3 more hours on multiple trains for the backtrack to Munich and then the trip to Zurich. Or you can go the Stuttgart route, where you get to ride the bus first and then do the train changes on what is still a long trip to Zurich.

And of course, Rothenburg is becoming "a medieval theme park" (Rick Steves' choice of words) with the crowds and heavy tourism that entails. Also, Rothenburg is promoted - I would say misrepresented - in the guidebooks (by Rick Steves and others) as the single most worthwhile small town in Germany. Rick calls it Germany's "best-preserved medieval walled town..." as though it were untouched by history.

https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/germany/rothenburg-ob-der-tauber

But in fact it is only partly preserved since it was nearly half destroyed in WW II as you see in this photo.

So I say skip it. Find a nice place to visit on the way to Zurich. Here's one suggestion... Mittenwald, near the Austrian border.

1.) Munich > Mittenwald (direct train possible, less than 2 hours.)
Guide to Mittenwald

2.) Mittenwald > Innsbruck, Austria (direct train possible, less than 1 hour.)

3.) Innsbruck > Zurich (direct train, 3.5 hours) Advance-sale Tickets: https://www.oebb.at/en/tickets-kundenkarten/oesterreich-europa/sparschiene/sparschiene-europa/schweiz.html

You can choose to overnight in either Mittenwald or Innsbruck - visit the other town on the way (drop bags in a station locker.)

The first two travel legs are available using cheap day passes bought at the station on the day of travel.

Thanks to all for the info! It really helps.

I would not call Mittenwald and Innsbruck "on the way to Zürich". Better choices for "on the way to Zürich" in my opinion would be Oberstdorf, Oberstaufen, and Lindau.

All are easily reached using a Bayern-Ticket or the slightly less expensive Regio-Ticket Allgäu-Schwaben.

Lee, you missed the point...
Mittenwald is about 1000% more "on the way" to Zurich than Rothenburg is - that's all.