Frankfurt to Fussen to Vicenza?

"...our only goal on this leg of the trip is Neuschwanstein." Since you have lots of time before you leave, I would encourage you to reconsider your travel goals. N'stein is one of the most visited locations on the planet, but one of the least visit-worthy, IMO, an absolute paradox. It's not a genuine castle, but a palace of sorts built less than 150 years ago; Ludwig lived there for a mere 6 months, after which it became a tourist attraction. On repeat visits, the 45-minute N'stein tour was for me hugely disappointing. The tours are crowded and conducted in unintelligible English, in my experience. The interior was nothing terribly special, as palaces go. The place is stunning from outside, but it's flanked by t-shirts and trinkets and hordes of tourists who don't know what they are there to see but are just dying to see where Cinderella really lived :) . It takes 5 hours minimum by train at who knows what cost to reach Füssen from FRA, and now you're going to backtrack another 2 hours to Munich to catch a train to Verona. Maybe all this would be OK if you were going to see some other stuff there, but not just for N'stein. I am jealous that you'll be in Verona during the opera season - I guess you're seeing Romeo and Juliette - but I am not the slightest bit jealous of your visit to N'stein and would suggest 2 options. 1.) Fly straight from FRA to Verona. 2.) From FRA, take a train to Braubach on the Rhine (1.5-2 hours) to tour a real medieval castle, and stay overnight there; then fly out of FRA or Frankfurt Hahn (probably cheaper) the next day: http://www.marksburg.de

First, there is little reason to backtrack to Munich. That CNL night train goes through Innsbruck (22:58-23:05). You could meet it there. There are trains from Garmisch-Partenkirchen in about 1h20m. IMO, the best way to get to Garmisch from Fuessen is to take the RVO bus, the same one the brings you out to Hohenschangau. The last one of the day leaves Fuessen Bahnhof at 17:16 and stops at Hohenschwangau a few minutes later. That bus arrives in Garmisch-Partenkirchen with 40 min to buy you ticket to Innsbruck. The trip from Hohenschwangau to Innsbruck via Garmisch takes only a few minutes longer than backtracking through Munich but is a much more scenic trip. However, that CNL train gets into Verona at about 2:30 in the morning, hardly a night's sleep. There are also 5 daytime Eurocity trains per day from Innsbruck, one every two hours starting at 9:27, to Verona. You could get to Verona at a more workable time. BTW, I can't agree with Russ regarding Neuschwanstein. It's the same age as the Eiffel Tower, but people visit the Eiffel Tower, too. I've been there twice. I don't think alone I would go there again, but if I were traveling in Germany with someone who had never seen it, it would be on the itinerary. If you know the story, that Cinderella didn't live there but Ludwig did, briefly, it's interesting. I particularly enjoyed Ludwigs living quarters - his bedroom with the carved bed, the living room, with it's Wagner theme, and the study.

Russ, thanks for the feedback. This stop has sentimental value for me. I visited there as a child with my parents and I'd like to do it with my kids. When we go to Grandma's house they'll be able to compare their pictures to the old ones my Mom has, but theirs will be on the iPad and Moms will be a bit faded from the old Kodak days, hehe. They're excited about it and we know what to expect based on several reviews. We'll be seeing castles near Frankfurt (Rheinfels Castle and Burg Eltz). I realize this leg is not the most efficient way to get from one location to the other but I'm looking for the best way to do it. If there are other sites to see here I'd love to hear the suggestions. I don't have to back track to Munich if that's not the best way. I could take a bus or train. I'd prefer not to drive. Thanks for the tip on the Opera, I just booked tickets for July 14th! I had no idea.

Lee I was posting at the same time you did. Thanks for the info. In your opinion, what trains should I be looking at to get from Frankfurt to Fussen on Wed July 11th? I don't really want to get into Verona at 2:30 am (and I would still have to get over to Vicenza). What would you suggest to get me into Vicenza - say - before midnight (Thursday the 12th) assuming we visit the castle (palace) first thing in the morning?

David, It always puzzles me why people take a hating to Neuschwanstein. I suppose I could understand if they got there not knowing it's back-story and then found out and felt they were somehow "tricked" into thinking it was a "real" castle. But if so, that's their own fault for being lazy trip researchers. And I can understand being a grump about "touristy" places. But if we cast aside every sight that is popular with tourists, that negates a pretty big chunk of Europe. I think it's a great place to a memory (and isn't that really what we are all looking for). The setting is lovely. I urge you to give yourself an extra hour or two to add a little hike to your experience there; Follow the crowd behind the castle to Mary's Bridge - take your photos there - then keep going. Follow that path as it winds it's way up the hill next to the castle. After about 30-40 minutes, there will be branches off to the left (toward the ridge). Follow one of those and eventually you will reach the ridge with a view high above the castle that few of the other tourists will see. From there you can see both castles, the lakes and the mountains in the background. That way you can add something a bit more unique to your experience and get a little workout, too - not just sit in a train and/or stand in line all day.

As for the entire route, either Fuessen to Garmisch via the bus through Oberammergau or by bus to the Ausserfernbahn (Pfronten or Reutte), then by rail to Garmisch, normally I would say to use the German Rail website, but right now, due to schedule changes, it is not showing those RVO buses. The schedule could change a little by July, but probably not much. The last of those ECs arrives in Verona at 20:58 (just before 9 PM). It leaves Innsbruck at 17:27. German Rail shows taking a 14:04 regional train from Garmisch, arriving in Innsbruck at 15:23. That's a 2h04m stopover in Innsbruck (time for an early dinner?). There should be a 16:04 train from Garmisch, arriving at 17:23. Apparently the Bahn doesn't think you can make that connection in 4 minutes. In this case it might be faster, although not as scenic, to backtrack through Munich. If you backtrack through Munich, you would leave Fuessen at 13:05. If you stay the night before in Fuessen and tour the castle in the morning, you should have plenty of time to catch the 13:05 train to Munich.

Lee, thanks again. Here is what I see (knowing the RVO busses are being re-scheduled) I assume Verona is Verona Porta Nuova, not Verona Porta Vesco? Jul 11 Frankfurt 10:54 arr Fussen 16:56 Jul 12 Fussen 13:05 arr Verona 20:58 (thru Munich) or Jul 12 Fussen - Garmish RVO TBD Garmish - Innsbruck 14:04 - 15:23 dinner in Innsbruch
Innsbruck to Verona 17:27 - 20:58 Then I just have to get from Verona to Vicenza, it says there is no route avalaible?

I assure you there are, and will be, routes available from Verona Porta Nuova to Vicenza. You've picked an awkward time to look at schedules. All the railroads in Europe upload new schedules to the database in mid December, and, as usual, Italy is slow, so a lot of their trains are not shown. Try December 3.

RE: Neuschwanstein. It makes the biggest impression if you pre-arm yourself with some knowledge of King Ludwig's life, and Wagner's operas. I find the castle a fascinating psychological projection of the mind of one of Europe's strangest monarchs. A modern equivalent would be if Obama re-decorated the White House in a Star Wars theme, with the Oval Office becoming the Jedi inner sanctum. Who cares if it's not a medieval castle, most "authentic" medieval castles, with a few exceptions, are nothing more than ruins. And I second the recommendation of following the trail up the mountain from the Marienbrücke. I took a relative to Neuschwanstein recently, and while she toured the castle, my dog and I hiked up the trail. The view is stunning, although my dog was more interested in digging through the leaves.