Is there a an easy train ride from Munich area back up to Essen. I have planned a long trip from Rhine/Heidelberg/Black Forest/Eagle's Nest and we are driving for the most part. I am afraid that within my 15 days or so we are going to run out of time to get back for my outbound flight from Dusseldorf! I am starting to think after the drive we should just find the fastest route to zoom back up. I was thinking of going down and over and up. I did not plan well!
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
I'm looking at the Bahn website and they show a direct Munich to Essen train in 5½ hrs. The standard fare would be €129 per adult (15 yrs and up). Any child under 15 would be free. And, if you book in advance, online from the Bahn, the adult fare starts at only €29. Again children under 15 are free if shown on the ticket. These tickets are date and train specific and non-refundable, but you seem pretty sure of when you want to travel. You said the one daughter was 9; how old is the other? When would you travel? That's a popular run, the Munich to Frankfurt part, so tickets will sell out at the lowest price soon after sales start (92 days in advance). I saw a fare for late August, 2 adults, one child, for €109.
Posted by
OP
sugar land
34 posts
I am thinking we may need to resort to this. I think we will be completely wiped out by then and need to head back fast. Does it pay to get a Bahncard? I don't know if that would make anything cheaper. I am mapping out the route 2 nights on the Rhine,2 nights Heidelberg,possibly 3 around Black Forest and 3 around Ludwig's castle. Trying to figure out if we can do the Castle and Eagle's nest from one hotel base. I am really leaning toward the train. I think we would go all the way up to Koln on the ICE. That seems to be the fastest route in under 5 hours. I then have to face a nine hour flight back to the states. Don't know if my body can take it all. So, you are saying it is wise to book in advance rather than just purchase upon arrival in Munich? I will tell my daughter that if they rent a car she should advise that we might return it in Munich. Thanks for the info.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
Just make sure you can commit to that time because those tickets are non-exchangeable, non-refundable. But you can actually go from anywhere in Germany to anywhere else in Germany that day for the same fare. One leg of travel has to be on a train of the Bahn (ICE/IC/EC), but as long as you book it that way, you can use any number of regional trains to get to and from the express trains. In other words, you don't have to start in Munich. You can start in Berchtesgaden (assuming there is a place to return the car there). It looks like you could also start in Salzburg on that fare. But Salzburg is in Austria. Returning a car there might add to the rental cost. See if you can return it in Freilassing. That's directly across the river from Salzburg.