Germany/Austria/Prague Itinerary Review

Tiffany, you picked great places. I would recommend a combination of train / car. You could really cut down the time on a few of your routes by doing it by car. Particularly from Rhine Valley - Rothenburg - Ruette you would be better off doing by car. Munich - Salzburg - Prague - Berlin I would think there are great train connections.

If you decide to do it all by train I would recommend staying in Fussen vs. Ruette.

A change you might consider is Venna in lieu of Salzburg. I think you can get a night train Munich to Vienna which would mean more time on a train but less 'lost time'. I may be a lone wolf, but I found Vienna to be far superior to Salzburg. Vienna to Prague may not be much longer than Salzburg to Prague.

Prague is a magical city and very romantic, it's definitely worth going a bit out of your way. The Rhine is beautiful, I recommend taking the rhine cruise as per the guidebook if you can fit it in. Also, you will enjoy Rothenburg - very quaint, easy to see the whole town in just a few hours. Personally, I think you could make Rothenburg a stop between sights rather than an overnight. I agree with the suggestion of switching Salzburg with Vienna. Consider renting a bike - it's very bike friendly in Vienna, and you can see most of the city in a day, unless you choose to explore the many museums or go to the opera (if opera is your thing, check out the suggestion in the guidebook for VERY cheap standing room tickets in Vienna).

14 whole days in Germany, seven of them travel days. 15 nights in 7 places.

I think you are trying to do too much.

Think quality, not quantity!

Personally, I would NOT skip Prague. Regensburg is on the train route to Prague - not too far from the Czech border. We passed through Regensburg on our way from Munich to Prague.

Tiffany, Driving in Germany is not scary as long as you abide by the laws of the road. In the U.S we tend to drive in the left lane instead of using it only for passing. Here in Germany, you will be ran off the road by cars trying to pass if you are traveling in the left lane (if a car is behind you flashing their lights or using their left blinker, get out of the way!). Most of the time, Germans tend to drive at around 80 MPH (from what i've noticed). Only in the areas where there is no speed limit will you see excess of 100 MPH (my husband's favorite thing to do). Overall, Germans are extremely safe drivers! After driving in Italy, I love driving in Germany and do not fear the excessive speeds anymore!

Munich - Prague train quality. Does anyone have information on the quality of the train from Munich-Prague-Munich? Any information would be appreciated! Quality of train cars, amenities, differences between 1st and 2nd class. We will be traveling over the New year. Thanks!

Quite simply, with this itinerary involves too much traveling, whether by rail or by car. I agree with Lee, cut back. I might be inclined to leave Prague and Berlin for another trip, as these are the outliers in your itinerary. As for driving in Germany, it isn't that difficult if you know what the road signs mean, particularly the ones that mark priority. Just follow the signs and for the most part, you'll be fine. Rarely, like in a residential neighborhood, you'll come upon an unmarked intersection, and this is usually the only place where the "priority on the right" rule that Americans have trouble with comes into effect. Also, right turns at a red light are not allowed unless there's an arrow indicating you can. Also... well, I can go on and on, but overall, stay out of the left lane except when passing and follow the street signs. If you want a full explanation of all the German traffic regulations in English with a practice test, look up "AE Pamphlet 190-34 Driver's Handbook and Examination Manual for Germany" on Google. This was prepared specifically for US military personnel stationed in Germany, so you can ignore the sections on regulations for obtaining a US forces license and others that are military-specific. The practice test makes things seem much more complicated than they actually are on the road, but it does illustrate the general principles.

If you are planning another trip in the futrue I would leave Prague and Berlin for the next trip when you can do them with enough time to really see them. They are both worth 4 days. I would do the Rhine for a day and the Mosel for a day. They both have a different personality and charm. I would stay in Fussen vs Ruette. It has more personality and is convenient to the castles if you are going to go and see those. Munich is worth much more that a day trip. Salzburg is worth 3 days if you want to see the surrounding area which is breathtaking if you like forest trees mountains and lakes. Salzburg at night is romantic.Everything is lit up and all the other tourists are in their hotels. I would then do Vienna for 2 days and fly out of there. I would drive until Munich and then turn it in. Trains and buses from Munich/Salzburg/Vienna are fast and cheaper than car rental. Having to park in the city and have a car sitting there for a few days while you are in the cities is what I didnt like. Driving between cities is easy if you get used to the rules and their style of driving. Just like here they have traffic jams and construction that can chew up travel time. Have fun making your decisions and have a good trip.

Wow How stupid am I? i just noticed the year of the original post after I responded...lol...I hope Tiffany and her husband had a great trip

Tiffany, how did the trip go? The group that posted suggestions here would probably enjoy a "Just Back Report". Cheers!

I love Prague, but you'll only have a day and a half there, and it needs more time than that. I'd skip it, add the time to Berlin, take a daytrip to Potsdam instead.

Ron - if you want an answer to your question, start a new thread.

Hi Tiffany - we have almost the same itinerary. Fly into Frankfurt, but we come home from Prague. Our approach is to pick a number of home bases and take day trips from there. Like others I do find you will spend a lot of time traveling, and I don't think I would skip Prague. I have heard wonderful things about it, and personally is the one place I am looking forward to the most. Like with every big city, just be street smart and aware of your sorroundings.