Need Help With Train Travel, Please.

You can help yourself to understand what questions to ask by looking at www.seat61.com It offers explanations and advice, with links to the various national train services you will use. One conclusion you may come to is that you are going to spend a big chunk of your vacation on trains, seeing the countryside flash by. I'd do half as many stops, expecting to be twice as happy.

Yes, Salzburg should be a daytrip from Munich...that is if you really must go to Salzburg. What is it you want to see? Yes, it's Mozart's town and home of the Salzburg Salt Mines and an EXCEPTIONALLY touristy old city with Sound of Music posters and tours everywhere.

I would say travel from Munich to Lauterbrunnen perhaps spending a night or two at the base of Castle Neuschwanstein. From there you can go onto Lauterbrunnen.

One of the reasons we like to stay in Lauterbrunnen is that it is easy to go both to Muerren/Schilthorn as well as Wengen/Jungfraujoch and all the lifts and trails on both sides of the valley. Yes, in Muerren you are looking right at the Jungfrau, but the travel convenience makes us choose the valley. Also, we dislike changing lodging every couple of nights. I would locate myself in Lauterbrunnen all 4 nights, 5/20-24.

Joy,

Not to worry, this is all very easy.

A few thoughts on the points you asked about....

• Salzburg - I'd suggest spending at least two nights there (one night stops are such an ordeal). If you only want a brief look, then just make a day trip from Munich.
• Train to Salzburg - this is easy. There are numerous trains on that route every day, with a travel time of about 1H:45M. Use the BAHN.DE website to plan your rail journeys just about anywhere in Europe. If you want to buy advance tickets, I'll provide more information on that below). When you arrive in Salzburg, it's a bit of a walk to the main part of town (although if I can do it, anyone can). Using a Taxi is quick and efficient and not too costly.
• Train from Munich / Salzburg to Lauterbrunnen Valley - making that trip from Munich will likely be shorter, so something to keep in mind. That's going to be a full travel day and I'd probably use a train departing Munich HBf at 07:17, arriving Interlaken Ost at 13:57 (time 6H:40M, 2 changes at Zürich and Bern). When you arrive at Interlaken Ost, you'll transfer to the small Berner Oberland Bahn for the short trip to Lauterbrunnen (about 20 minutes). Be sure to note the destination on the small display on the car when you board, as the train sometimes splits to different destinations.
• Train from Berner Oberland to Lucerne - that will likely be the easiest and shortest of your trips. There are numerous direct departures from Interlaken Ost to Lucerne, with a travel time of 1H:51M.
• Travel from Lucerne to Zürich - EASY! Depending on what time your flight departs, you could even travel directly from Lucerne to the Zürich airport on the same day as your flight. If you use one of the direct trains, the trip is 1H:03M, right to the airport!

Are you clear on how to access Lauterbrunnen, Mürren, Schilthorn, etc.? If not post another note and one of us here can provide a more detailed description.

You might consider staying in Lauterbrunnen, for the reasons that Laurel mentioned. If you're planning to visit both sides of the valley, that makes the most convenient central hub. If your main focus is on the Schilthorn, then you could certainly stay in Mürren as that will make your trips there cheaper and easier. Relocating to Wengen for one night is not the best idea. There's no need, especially if staying in Lauterbrunnen as Wengen is easily accessible in a few minutes on the cog wheel train.

Regarding advance purchase of tickets for trains originating in Germany, I'd suggest using www.captaintrain.com. It's a very user friendly website! Unfortunately, they don't handle tickets for Austria or Switzerland at the moment. If you want to buy tickets a the Munich Hbf, I'd suggest theEurAide office. They have English-speaking staff and I've always found them to be very helpful.

You certainly do not need to relocate from Mürren to Lauterbrunnen or Wengen while you are in the Berner Oberland. Spend all your nights there in one place. Mürren to Lauterbrunnen is about 20 minutes, and Lauterbrunnen to Wengen is about 15 minutes. So, you can get to all these places (as well as the Schilthornbahn and the Jungfraujoch) from wherever you are staying.

Unless your plane leaves very early from Zurich, you can spend your last night in Luzern. There are regular trains from Luzern right to Zurich airport that don't require changing, and even more with a change at Zurich's main station.