Autobahn/sightseeing

Alex, you can certainly hire a car and drive the autobahn but keep in mind:

1. The entire autobahn network does not have unrestricted speed limits. Many sections have a maximum speed limit of 130 km/h, and some sections around cities are even lower.
2. There is often heavy traffic which makes going fast dangerous.
   
3. On the unrestricted sections there is still a recommended limit of 130km/h. If you are going over this and have an accident you can safely assume you will be held at least partially responsible for any accident (assuming you live).
4. Also, if you are going over 130km/h good luck getting your car hire insurance to cover you if you have an accident (the policy will almost certainly be annulled).
5. Driving at high speed is a skill and German drivers have to undergo much more extensive training to obtain a license. Have you done an advanced driving course? Do you know what it feels like to try and brake from 200 plus km/h?
   

You can't drive any unlimited speed as the Autobahn myths go. Keep watch for speed limits and heed them. Consider traffic, weather conditions, and your own skill at high speeds. Before leaving home, be sure your life insurance is paid up and an adequate amount. Also, be sure to buy travel short term medical insurance. Avoid risks. It isn't worth the thrills. Drivers on the autobahn can drive just like crazy American drivers and at high speed, it is far more dangerous to make one single mistake.

You certainly could rent a car for a day for a drive down to the Fuessen area--and back to Munich. But while you're so close to the Alps, rent the car for numerous days and take a circle route through Southern Bavaria, Western Austria (Tirol).and back into Munich. A rental car is the way to see any mountainous area.

While driving the autobahns at warp speed sounds great, most people will rent a compact car with 100 hp. You're not talking a BMW or big Mercedes driving from Stuttgart to Munich in an hour flat. Last time I got in the left lane on an unlimited autobahn in an econobox, the Big Boys were all over me.flashing lights, etc.

Terri. What does your first sentence mean? If you are saying that there are no sections of autobahn that are unrestricted you are incorrect. You can, however, still be booked for dangerous driving if the police deem your speed to be dangerous in the prevailing conditions.

I think David and Jeff said it well. You "can" drive as fast as you want but do you really want to. When I drove the Autobahn I discover a few things. There were a couple of time I push the speed up to 150 KMH but it does feel scary. The whole road is not unrestricted as the myth wants you to believe. You will have to slow down for tunnels, near town exits, road mergers and splits and where there is construction zones(which there were a lot of those). Most cars on the road do not drive to break the sound barrier. Take the suggestion to drive back through Tirol to enjoy the scenery. What would be the rush to return back to Munich? Also, if you're renting an expensive car you will be driving 2 hours to Fussen, parking for 3 hours or more if you see both castles and eat lunch to then drive back 2 hours. Not a good use of your money. Have a safe trip and enjoy.

"I was thinking renting car in Munich, driving 2 hours or so to Neuschsanstein castle and back in a day. I'm finding rental prices for one day for a BMW around $100. Any suggestions??"

Yes, a Bayern-Ticket would cost you 28€ for two, and the train will get you there just as fast. Add another 40€ or more for gas RT for that BMW.

According to ViaMichelin's route to "favour highways", you'll go 133 km in 2 hours for an average speed of 42 mph. 80 km of the route will be on motorways for 52 minutes, or 57 mph. I figure about 68 km, 40 min, on the A96 for 59 mph.

I road raced for five years in SCCA; to me the Autobahn is a bore, more like driving from Denver to Colorado Springs on a Sunday afternoon (bumper-to-bumper at 80 mph).

Being an SCCA and IRCD (International Race Drivers Club) driver of a Formula Ford AND having driven the "fast" roads in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Austria, Italy and Switzerland, AND having driven the Nurburgring in Germany, my husband agrees with Lee's comment.

If you want to go fast and have fun, with a few caveats, go to the Nurburgring and drive the Nordschleife -- http://www.nuerburgring.de/en/fans-info/race-tracks/nordschleife.html. You cannot drive a normal rental car there. In fact, the agencies supposedly check the parking lots to be sure their rental cars are not even parked there.

You can rent a specially prepared rental car to drive the Green Hell. My husband rented from Rent Race Car -- http://www.rentracecar.com/. If the link goes to a German page, click on the British flag. He went plenty fast and was happy with the 8 laps he did in a Suzuki Swift, but you can go with the higher end cars if you want. It just costs more money and you may not go any faster. There will be other cars and motorcycles, slow and fast, on the one-way road. It is NOT a boring drive like the autobahn.

We did European delivery of a BMW and one of the routes we took was to Garmisch. Its the same general area as the Neuschsanstein castle. Which doesn't make me an expert in all things German driving, but a few observations to help adjust your expectations. Inside urban areas there are speed limits. The roads are in fantastic shape because they maintain them. In summer, when the weather is usually nice and they can work on the roads. Which is when you'll be there. We encountered many miles where one lane (of the 2 lane each way) road was shut down and traffic was slow. There are still stretches where you can drive fast, and I have to say spending even 15 minutes at a time at speeds that will get you arrested in the states is a thrill! If you've always wanted to drive on the autobahn then why not do it?

If you go read up on the rules of the road and the road signage. Always stay in the right lane except to pass. If approaching more than 1 car at high speed I'd recommend slowing down before passing rather than swinging into the left lane at full speed; you never know when the 2nd car is going to decide its time for him to pull out and pass. We saw this happen more than once. And keep in mind weather in Europe is variable; if you're unlucky then the day you've planned to rent a car will be a day it rains.

...and the German police are merciless should you miss a reduced speed sign or fail to be at the posted speed when you get to the sign. I have a hard time convincing people that "autobahn" is the German word for highway, not a special road for speed demons.

... and not wishing to pile on, it is worth your while learning and understanding the STAU.

The other thing is to practice and hone your reflexes; you will need them when the traffic suddenly stops or slows right down for no apparent reason out in the middle of nowhere. Going from high speed to stop in just a couple of hundred metres will get your attention. And you need to hope that the driver(s) behind you have the same reflexes or better.

Sometimes it doesn't work out. I've seen some pretty horrific wrecks on various autobahns around southern and western Germany.

There is a reason why they have so many billboards along the sides of the autobahns. It is not only the tourists who like to drive fast, sometimes too fast.

One particularly impressive billboard was one of a series which showed the Titanic sinking with the legend "Auch zu schnell?" "Also too fast?"

One last thing - tyres (tires) are speed rated. Make sure that the ones one your car are rated high enough - at least "V".