Germany March-13-21

We're leaving March 19 for a 16-day trip to Germany. We're flying into Berlin, then back home from Frankfurt.

We will be spending a few days in Berlin, then renting a car to head west and then south along the Rhine. My family really wanted to see Bavaria, but I told them that would be another trip, as it's almost a separate country in itself.

I think if you have 7 days you don't have to spend it all in Berlin. Berlin is a huge city (I think Samantha Brown said it's like 8x the size of Paris). Berlin is very different from other parts of Germany and you will probably want to see the smaller picturesque town and villages as well. Since you have no time for Munich and southern Germany, I would definitely see the Rhine and visit castles and the Cologne Cathedral. And somewhere between Berlin and Cologne you might check out Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp. We visited it 20 years ago but they have since built a new museum/memorial and we will go again on this trip.

Weather-wise, I'm thinking it will be cold, but not as cold as when we visited in December. Looking at the weather website, this week in Berlin the highs will be 20's-low 30's and snow. I wonder just how much warmer it will be in just another month. I'd pack REALLY warm clothes.

It can be cold and rainy in much of Germany during March. Also windy. Or it could be sort of nice out. It is the end of winter, blustering into spring.

You only have 7 days, base in Berlin in an apt. and do day trips to the many towns around Berlin, like Dresden, or Potsdam (though the park at the palace won't be near as nice)

Since it sounds like you are in college, you can't get any better than Berlin. Food is cheap there too, and lots and lots of partying as well as tons of cultural stuff too, enough to satisfy anyone.

I'll second Jo's recommendation (And... Thanks to Jo for treating me to the word 'blustering'. That was a veritable auditory delight.)

Since weather could be a factor in March, focus on destinations that are less effected by weather. Berlin is rich with activities that don't require you to be outside, but offers enough outside activity to enjoy if you get a nice day or two.

Munich is my personal favorite destination... possibly in the world... but can't recommend it for March (I spend 90% of my time outside when I'm in/near Munich). If you're bent on seeing both, fly open jaws into one and out of the other, and plan for most of your time in Berlin (split maybe 2 Munich / 5 Berlin with side-trips).

Not in college, just high scool teachers! I read the weather might be a little cold but that would not bother me. I was looking at the Rail Europe site and it looked like train tickets to places like Munich and Frankfurt were outrageous, is this normal? I know Rail Europe is more $$ but is it because it is so close to the travel dates?

Can you even cruie down the Rhine River that time of year? We though about spending a few days in Berlin, a day or two in Munich, and the rest on the Rhine, flying out of Frankfurt. I am sure people will tell me this is too much, but I thought it might be done. I am very interested in WWII and Cold War history so any suggestions there would be appreciated.

Jim, why no Munich in March? Will the weather possibly be that bad? I guess I should do a little more research into weather. What all do you suggest in Munich? I have guide books but I like to hear what you guys think. Thanks again.

First -- Thank you. Teachers have and hold my highest respect. For all you do, thank you. (...and... high school? You deserve a Purple Heart...)

Ah. RailEurope is part of the problem. Go to www.bahn.de to research your rail. You can book tickets up to 92 days in advance, and the best rates do sell out, so you may need to move quickly -- some of those rates could be because of closeness to travel dates, but some of it is that RailEurope tends to show the faster trains only, where on Bahn.de you can intentionally pick the train with 3 connections and takes an hour longer (which can be fun).

I don't think the K-D cruises on the Rhine run in March -- I think they start in April. Here's the KD Rhine Website -- I couldn't quickly find the dates, but I'm sure it's on there somewhere.

You're right. That is too much. ;)

If you're keenly interested in WWII history, Jo will be one of the ones to help you focus in your trip. Flying into Berlin, to Munich, to Frankfurt and home -- with a couple of carefully selected other sites enroute -- could be a workable trip.

I can't, personally, see how the Rhine piece can fit logistically if you want to include both Berlin and Munich -- -- you'll end up spending so much time in transit that nothing is fun.

Ooops... didn't see your other question.

The weather is not that terribe in Munich, but in March the weather there is very similar to Ft. Worth in late February. Good days exist, but rain and bleary blah prevails. Besides, it is my opinion that Munich is best experienced outside and in a biergaarten. Or, doing side-trips to rolling hills outside Munich for a picnic, or seeing castles outside, or in a biergaarten in a small village (did I already mention the biergaartens?) That's why I'd spend time in march in a different place -- and do more Munich at a better time of year for Munich... like September... (aaaahhh... September on the Viktualienmarkt....mmmmmm)

Now knowing that some of your interest is military history -- Munich would be hard to pass up.

I'm anxious to see what Jo adds -- or if Lee will weigh in on this topic (or Frank, or the other Frank, or Ed....)

Rail Europe only sells tickets for the fastest, most expensive connections (and then not all of them) and charges more than the counter price over there.

There are a lot of ways to "beat" the system. For travel within an individual state, you can get a Länder-Ticket, an all-day on/off pass for regional trains in the Land. Those Länder-Tickets are valid from midnight (AM) on weekend days, from 9 AM workdays, until 3 AM the following morning and are valid for up to 5 people traveling together. Länder-Tickets are unlimited in quantity (never sell out); you can always buy them the morning of travel.

Full fare prices are always the same; they never go up just before the date; many promotional fares are limit in quantity at each price tier, so as the cheaper ones sell out, the "price" goes up.

For longer trips on Express trains (ICE/IC/EC), there is the Sparpreis, an online, advance purchase (3 days min) ticket which can have legs on regional trains but must have at least one leg on an Express train. These tickets are date and train specific, have limited refundability, and go on sale 92 days in advance for €29 one way pP. When the €29 tickets sell out, the next ones are €39, etc. That's for the first traveler; additional travelers (Mitfahrer), up to four, are €20 if ticketed together.

"I don't think the K-D cruises on the Rhine run in March -- I think they start in April.

Correct. When I was there in 2004, K-D started on the first Saturday in April. For their schedule, see www.k-d.de.

ETA: Just looked at their schedule. This year, Nebensaison (limited schedule) starts Apr. 2. Hauptsaison (full schedule) starts Apr. 24.

Must be the other Ed. I get slapped silly by that crowd every time I open my mouth about Germany. Sometimes it's better just to take notes.

Jo, however, lives real close to Ramstein. I have begun stalking her with a kidnapping intent so she can lead me around on the next trip and do something about my pitiful lack of knowledge of the place.

I knew Lee would clarify the schedule and train questions.

No -- you're the Ed I wanted -- sometimes someone just has to say "that combination doesn't make sense" -- and you're just the guy for the job.

So if the Rhine cruise is out should I just focus all my time in Berlin and Munich? Is Frankfurt worth the trip or save it for another time?

If you arrive on the 13th and leave on the 21st, that's only 7 full days. I'd just do two towns. I'm not familiar with Berlin, but if I were taking someone to Munich, I could find enough to do (castles, Garmisch, Salzburg, Berchtesgaden, Rothenburg, Nürnberg, etc) around Bavaria to fill those seven days.

Ok, first of all, I don't live close to Rammstein and have in fact never been there. (where do you guys get this from???) I know Frankfurt pretty well and a few other choice spots kinda, sorta, like Berlin, Rüdesheim, Cologne, Heidelberg, and then I know a few other spots just a little bit, enough to give a tiny bit of advice on.

As I said in my other post, staying in Berlin is probably your best bet. If you have to leave from Frankfurt, look into flying there with Berlin Wings possibly, spend a day or two here, and then fly home. Your 7 days are just not very much time, to be going down to Munich too. That is just my own opinion, but I think you will be extremely happy staying up in the Berlin area.

There are a handful of WWII related sites -- very good ones -- in Frankfurt, and the city itself has a lot to offer. It's a tough call on how to walk the fine line between seeing one more great site, but not getting the trip over-packed.

Even with other cruise options possible, the Rhine is a truly 'outdoor' experience -- and is a compromised outdoor experience that early in the spring. Couple that with the logistic issues of getting there and I'd say save it for a time when you'll be back for better weather.

Your initial reaction was Berlin-Munich-maybeFrankfurt, right? I'll stick with that and try to work out what makes sense in line with that initial gut desire.

A spit-ball schedule in my brains is starting to look something like...

3/12 depart DFW.
3/13 arrive Berlin -- day in Berlin, mostly outside.
3/14 Berlin.
3/15 Berlin.
3/16 Berlin. Night train to Munich.
3/17 Munich.
3/18 Munich. Side trip Dachau.
3/19 Munich. Noon-ish train to Frankfurt (3 hrs).
3/20 Frankfurt.
3/21 Fly home.
3/22 Continue to change the world, one child at a time.

Or fly home from Munich and extend your time in one/each city.

I'm certain there's a non-stop night train Berlin-Munich, but for some reason I can't find it on Bahn.de. On the train note, in Munich the train station itself is a WWII memorial of sorts -- it is an iconic image of the prosperity that Hitler's infrastructure projects brought to the country (the invaluable tool later used for the sinister plot).

If you are in Berlin, then please set aside some time to go visit the Sachsenhausen Concentration camp. Ravensbruck, the womens camp, is very close to this too.

For smaller towns near Berlin, have a look at Quedlinberg, which is a UNESCO site or the Spree Wald.

The town of Potsdam is interesting in itself, not just for the Sans Soucci palace. It is just an S-bahn trip away.

http://www3.quedlinburg.de/neu/englisch/