My daughter & I will be in Germany for 5 days and in Munich for 3 1/2 of them. She would like to see Salzburg and Zugspitze while we are there. Would we be better off purchasing a 5 day German railpass and planning our own day trips or purchase quided tours from Munich? We read about Maria's bike tours in Salzburg but do not know if we can make it to Salzburg by 9:00 am by train from Munich.
Posted by
OP
Flower Mound, tx
11 posts
My daughter is 22. We are flying into Frankfurt on a Monday, stopping in Rothenburg for 1 night and then on to Munich. If we have a 4 day 2nd class twin railpass, will that allow us to travel earlier than 9 am? Will it be cheaper than purchasing separate tickets to each location?
Posted by
Denver, CO
796 posts
Hi Pam, I looked at the bahn.de website for the train schedules, and there is a train leaving Munich at 7:27 and arriving in Salzburg at 8:57. The Maria's bicycle tour leaves at 9:30, so this should work! It looks like from June-August there is also a 4:30 tour, if you'll be traveling in the summer and this time works better for you. Have fun! Hopefully Lee will be along to help you with the various ticket options in Germany (rail passes are rarely an economic option).
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
That 7:29 train is a RailJet (RJ), a fast express train that makes the trip between Munich and Salzburg in record time because it doesn't make any intermediate stops in Germany. You didn't mention the age of your daughter, but assuming she is 15 or older, she needs an adult fare. Normal full fare is 35€ per adult one way (140€ for both, RT). However, if you can commit in advance to a time and date, you can order a ticket online from the Bahn for as low as 29€ for both of you each way (return to Munich using a RJ, IC, or EC). Or, if she is 14 or younger, she travels with you for free; then the advance purchase ticket would be 19€ for you each way, and she comes along gratis, if listed on the ticket. It looks like the only regional option for getting to Salzburg before 9 AM is a 2h47m connection through Mühldorf leaving Munich Hbf at 6:06. On a Sat or Sunday, you could take that train to Salzburg with a Bayern-Ticket for 26€ for two of you (all day price), and the Bayern-Ticket would also cover your return that evening to Munich on any regional train. For your trip to GaP and the Zugspitze, you can do the round trip with a Bayern-Ticket using regional trains (about the only trains that go from Munich to GaP). You could leave Munich at any time on a Sat or Sunday, but the Bayern-Ticket is only valid after 9 AM on workdays. You can get around the 9 AM restriction and leave on the 8:33 train if you also purchase local MVV tickets from Munich to Tutzing Bhf for 7,80€ adult, 1,30€ child 14 and under. The 8:33 train leaves Tutzing at 9:01. There is no need to get off the train. Use the local ticket up to Tutzing, then the Bayern-Ticket after Tutzing. The Zugspitze Bahnhof is adjacent to the regular Bahnhof. When you get your ticket to the Zugspitze, show them you Bayern-Ticket for a discount.
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8319 posts
Salzburg would be a great day trip if you got out of Munich early. Same with Innsbruck and the Alps by train. You can also take the train down to Garmisch. Fuessen would be another good day trip. And Dachau is another good day trip closer to Munich. If you're just 3 1/2 days in Munich, you've got Nymphenburg Palace and the downtown royal residence museums that are must see's.
There's enough to do in Munich to take 4-5 days alone.