We'll be in: -Cologne,Due 9/28 thru 10/6 -train around Cologne and 1 day tour to Munich that week -10/6 train to Badgastein,AU til 10/13 -10/13 train back to Cologne and back to USA -planning on buying Germ/Aus 2 country saver pass($340/PP) -will this pass cover the Munich 1 day trip -and the Badgastein trip -and training around Cologne or -do we need point to point around Cologne Thank you for helping us novices. Dennis
Posted by
Redding, CA, USA
1568 posts
I would suggest you wait on buying any Rail Pass until the experienced travelers on this site have time to respond to your post.
Posted by
Green Bay
21166 posts
Sounds like your lodging is already set. It would make more sense to stay in Munich on the way to or from Bad Gastein, since doing it as a day trip from Cologne would only allow 6 hours in town with 9 hours of travel time. At any rate, that accounts for 3 of the 5 days on your pass. Use one day to do a Rhine Cruise by taking the train from Cologne to Bingen and the ride the K-D boat down through the Rhine Gorge, RS says the pass is good on the K-D boats. You might use the pass to do Salzburg from BG. In Colgne, look int regional passes or point to point. Looks like Cologne transit only offers one day passes or weekly regional passes the go Monday to Monday. Cost of the pass depends on how far outside of town you want to go.
Posted by
Calgary
2297 posts
Munich is not really a good day trip option from Cologne. The "best" train connection would still take 4.5 hours each way - 9 hours total. If you want to see Munich I'd re-arrange the itinerary and do it on the way to Bad Gastein.
Posted by
Paradise
7072 posts
If you go to Munich from Cologne you should stay in Munich. You might do better with a combination of 3-day German rail twinpass ($360 for two) and advance sale tickets at http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en Cologne-Munich: Use railpass Day #1 on the direct ICE 7:44 train - arrive 12:10. Munich to Bad Gastein on 10/6: 19€ each for adv. sale tickets on the direct EC train at 8:27. Buy ASAP for best price - prices rise as tickets sell. Bad Gastein to Cologne on 10/13: First leg, Bad Gastein to Munich: 78€ for two on the direct EC train at 10:17 (9.5 hour train ride.) Buy now. 2nd leg Munich to Cologne: Use railpass Day #2. So that's 97€ ($121) plus $360 for the German railpass = $481, and you still have an unused railpass day for a lengthy daytrip from Cologne. Other daytrips from Cologne can be done by daypass on local and regional trains.