Hello, I'm posting in regards to a trip in Sept/October of this year. My question involves a segment of the trip from Salzburg to Garmisch. My original plan was to spend all day friday and sleep overnight in salzburg. Then, leave in the early afternoon on the train to Garmisch via Innsbruck with maybe a few hours stopover in Innsbruck. I chose this route assuming the scenery is prettier then to go back to Munich and up to Garmisch. However I'm working out rail pass vs ticket situation and finding that the 6 day 1st class Czeck-German rail pass(which would include Munich-Salzburg only) at $776 for 2 is much cheaper than the $912 7 day select 1st class pass that would include Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic. Also if I choose the Czech-Germany pass I can go 2nd class for $666 for 2 of us. So my question is twofold. First is the scenery worth it to go through Austria to get to Garmisch? And second if its not and I stick to the Germany-Czech pass is the 110$ worth the 1st class pass? If it helps below is the full itinerary Sat :Arrive Munich and sleep/adjust, Sun-Thursday: Munich including Oktoberfest Friday-Saturday: Salzburg Saturday afternoon: To Garmisch Sunday: Garmisch/Mittenwald (rent car) Monday: Neuschwanstein in the morning drive to Rothenburg overnight there Tuesday:drive to Trier stay for afternoon then drive to Nurburgring Wed-Thur: Nurburgring Friday:drop off car in Cologne and catch train to Hamburg sat-Sun: Hamburg Sunday night-Friday morning: Berlin (include day trip to Wolfsburg VW fac)tory Friday morning to Monday: Prague
Monday afternoon: fly home Any other suggestions are more then welcome as well and thanks for your time!
Posted by
Los Angeles, California
1986 posts
have been in Innsbruck. Although we found the Austrian (mountain) scenery to be very striking, I would not go out of my way to spend any more time in Iinnsbruck. The old town scenic area doesnt seem that large.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
There are three routes to consider between Salzburg an Garmisch-Partenkirchen. You can go: 1. from Salzburg to Munich, via Rosenheim, and then to GaP (~4 hrs), needing only Germany, 2. from Salzburg to Innsbruck via Rosenheim and up the Inn river via Kufstein, and to GaP via Seefeld and Mittenwald (also ~4 hrs), (probably want Austria, too) or 3. Salzburg to Innsbruck via Bischofshofen and Zell am See (~6 hrs), (needing Austria). Of the three routes, I would say that #1 is the least scenic. There is really nothing of note between Salzburg and Rosenheim (routes 1 & 2), or Rosenheim to Munich to GaP. I've done the Inn route from Innsbruck to the German border at Brannenburg. That was nothing noteworthy, either. I think the most scenic route into GaP is over the mountains via Seefeld (routes 2 & 3). (I've been on the Seefeld to GaP part of that route.) The most scenic route to Innsbruck would be to go around Berchtesgaden, via Bischofshofen. The schedules are shown on the German Rail (Bahn) website. Putting in Salzburg to Innsbruck will get you the route via Rosenheim unless you specify Bischofshofen as a via (no stopover time).
Posted by
OP
Denair, California, United States
3 posts
Thank you very much. I've looked into the bavarian pass and will instead buy individual tickets and not go through Innsbruck. Thanks for the advice I figure if we want to see more beautiful mountain passes we"ll explore around Garmisch with the car :-)
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
"I've looked into the bavarian pass and will instead buy individual tickets and not go through Innsbruck." That doesn't make sense. First, the Bayern-Ticket (Bavarian Pass) is not valid in Innsbruck. (Maybe you mean will not buy the Austrian pass?) If you buy individual tickets you can get from Salzburg to Munich faster on an express train, but Munich to Garmisch-Partenkirchen is by regional trains anyway. With a Bayern-Ticket, it might take ½ hr longer to get to GaP, but it will only cost €29 for both of you. I would suggest that while in GaP you take the train to Mittenwald and from there to Seefeld.
Posted by
OP
Denair, California, United States
3 posts
I'm going to return from Salzburg to Garmisch through Munich and avoid having to get an Austria pass. I'll be doing individual tickets for the entirety of the trip now and use the Bayern pass twice, once to go down to Salzburg and again to go from Salzburg to GaP. I've decided to buy 2nd class tickets in advance it should be around E363 or $475. We could get even cheaper by doing regional trains for everything, but I've opted for ICE trains for Cologne - Hamburg, the Wolfsburg trip and Berlin to Prague. We'll be renting a car once we get to Salzburg, so can explore some of the Austrian Alps that way if we decide to. Thanks