My husband and I will be traveling to Germany this September and I have a couple of questions for the group:
We will not be renting a car.
1) From Wurzburg to Rothenburg ob der Tauber - suggested method of transportation? Train or private transfer?
2) Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Fussen - suggested method of transportation? Trains or private transfer?
Any small multi day tours that may go to these locations if not as another method?
Train for both trips. Never had any problems doing so. While not really needed, if you wish to have a private driver, then that's a great way to go.
Private Transfer?
When in Germany, you might as well do as the Germans do. Use the train for distances like this. It's easy and cheap.
"Any small multi day tours that may go to these locations..."
Tours from where? There might be DAY tours from Munich to Füssen. Not from Rothenburg or Würzburg. If you want MULTI-DAY tours, those are available from the Rick Steves:
2023: https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/germany/best-germany-tour-2023
2024: https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/germany/best-germany-tour
It sounds to me like you aren't quite sure where to go / what to do / how to get there and are just gathering ideas.
First of all, if you are doing this trip independently, then when in September will this trip take place? How many days do you have? You can pretty much depend on the train system to get you around. But you likely need help figuring out how to use the system. It sounds like you are interested in Bavaria. What other destinations besides Würzburg, Füssen and Rothenburg are under consideration?
Also, how (and from where) are you getting to Würzburg? - and what are your sightseeing plans there?
Thank you for your replies.
1) Was luggage an issue on any of the transfers?
2) Yes We are concentrating our time in Bavaria
We fly into Frankfurt and go directly to Wurzburg. We are staying 2 nights there. Then going to Rothenburg staying 2 nights there, then Fussen for 2 nights. After that we will head to Munich for 5 nights. I have a rough itinerary of things we want to do. What I meant by tours are one day local ones.
We want to do some wine tasting, see the castles by Fussen, take the nightwatchman tour in Rothenburg, go to Munich Oktoberfest for one day, take a bike tour in Munich
The Deutschland-Ticket - if you are able to subscribe to it, pay for it, and cancel the subscription appropriately - is valid for one month at €49 per person for the trips within Bavaria that you have planned. The Deutschland Ticket is always valid at any hour of the day during the month it is valid for. Having read the T/A forum recently I know you are arriving from FRANKFURT. So the Deutschland-ticket will cover the trip to Würzburg also. You do not say where you are flying home from, but if it's MUNICH, you can sue the D-Ticket to ride the train to the airport.
https://www.bahn.com/en/offers/regional/deutschlandticket
Without the D-Ticket... basically this is a Bayern (Bavaria) Ticket trip (buy one of these for each day of travel for the Würzburg > Rothenburg > Füssen > Munich travel legs. 3 days x €36/day = €108.
https://www.bahn.com/en/offers/regional/regional-day-ticket-for-bavaria
These 3 trips can begin at any hour on Sat or Sun but on weekdays must begin from 9 am onward. (Without your dates, I cannot say which trips can be done before 9 am... that'll be your task.) You can buy the ticket at ticket machines at train stations in Germany as you go or using the DB app. It is unwise to pre-purchase these tickets as they are non-refundable... FRA > Würzburg tickets: As stated before, the Deutschland-Ticket covers this on regional trains. Without the D-Land ticket, the Day Pass for Germany (€51/2) will cover this ride on regional trains. Buy at the station or on the app, observe weekday after-9-am rule. The long-distance trains can get you there too at greater expense (see discussion at T/A thread.) Munich > MUC airport: https://www.mvv-muenchen.de/en/tickets-and-fares/tickets-daytickets/airportplus-ticket/index.html
You need to find SCHEDULES that suit you. Use the DB itinerary search page. As you will see, the Rothenburg > Füssen journey will require 4.5 hours or so and 4-5 different trains. There is no high-speed train option.
https://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en
Click on "only local transport" to find the right trains when using the Bayern Ticket, the Deutschland Ticket, and the MVV ticket to MUC airport.
"What I meant by tours are one day local ones."
That's different. One-day tours are not multi-day tours.
Your best bet is to look up the Rothenburg, Füssen, and Munich official Tourist Information Office webpages. If tours are available, the Tourist Office can provide further information
The transfer at Steinach to the train to Rothenburg does require you to use the cross-over tunnel at the station. down a flight of steps and then walk about 30 feet, then up another flight of steps to the new platform. It is a 13 minute change time, so not tight.
But- you must each be able to manage your own luggage if you're using the trains!
Russ, is Steinach one of the stops that have that luggage escalator next to the steps?
1) Was luggage an issue on any of the transfers?
The best you can do to prevent luggage issues is follow Rick Steves' packing advice. Make sure you can walk comfortably for a few hundred yards and up and down staircases with your luggage before your trip. If not , reduce your load until you can.
Russ, is Steinach one of the stops that have that luggage escalator next to the steps?
One of these things, right?
https://www.onetz.de/f/ic/ga-large/articlemedia/2018/04/06/839584_orig.jpg
Someone who's been there recently might remember. I've never had occasion to use one of those cute little things.
I don't know the Steinach station well, but those little luggage belts frequently do not work/are under repair/etc., so people should not count on them, and should plan on being able to carry their suitcases up and down the stairs.
Russ, yes, I had never seen those before and was intrigued.
Azra, I agree, it takes skill to use the luggage belts, and doesn't relieve one of handling their own luggage on stairs.
Wurzburg to Rothenburg is easy. Unless you are overburdened with luggage, the connection is easy.
From Rothenburg to Fussen with the train you go thru Munich. There can be several changes of trains so it is good to pack light
DB is currently routing Füssen-bound passengers to AUGSBURG for a change of train there rather than Munich. But the principle of efficient packing applies whenever and wherever the change of train takes place.
It looks like the normal route from Rothenburg to Füssen has changes in Steinach, Treuchtlingen, and Augsburg. The change in Treuchtlingen is quick, but it seems to be cross-platform (no stairs, no tunnel) so shouldn't be a problem. The change in Augsburg requires a change in platforms, but there's plenty of time to do it.
I think that sometimes the train from Treuchtlingen to Augsburg splits somewhere (Donauwörth?) with one section going to Munich, the other to Augsburg, so you want to make sure you get on a coach going to Augsburg.
I think that sometimes the train from Treuchtlingen to Augsburg splits somewhere (Donauwörth?) with one section going to Munich, the other to Augsburg, so you want to make sure you get on a coach going to Augsburg.
No. Perhaps you are confusing this with the fact that sometimes northbound trains are split in Donauwörth (one part of the train goes to Ulm or Aalen, the other to Treuchtlingen). Trains on the (southbound) line Treuchtlingen - Augsburg- Munich (line RE 80) do not split in Donauwörth. That would be pointless, because the train to Munich must also pass through Augsburg.
BTW, some trains of the RE80 line go directly from Steinach to Augsburg, so there is no need to change trains in Treuchtlingen. This applies, for example, to Steinach dep. 9:25 and 11:24 (the Rothenburg shuttles dep. 9:05 and 11:05 feed into that trains).
Altho apparently not a problem on this route, the splitting of trains can be a surprise. My first German train ride was in 1970 from Munich to Salzburg. Thank goodness the conductor got us in the right car. Schlepping the old fashioned suitcases thru several cars.. what fun.
Often there is an indication on the coach, but I’m not sure it is always clear. Last trip taking the train from Cologne to Bacharach, the last cars stopped in Remagen. There was an announcement, not very clear but I did manage to get an idea of what it was. Almost all of those in my coach had to get off and board other cosches.
