German Road Trip

[wrp96]

MSNBC had an article today from BudgetTravel about a relatively inexpensive road trip in Germany. Wish I could take advantage of it, but alas I cannot. However, someone else might be interested. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27186277/

[bodega]

And this can be booked through your local travel agency:)

[msnovtue]

Did I hear my name??? :D

It looks like a really good deal, but based on my own personal "travel rules" for Germany, I offer these two points:

1. The car you'd be renting is a VW Polo manual... a car that not only most Americans couldn't drive (manual), but probably shouldn't. The Polo is one step above a bottom-of-the-line Fiat for rental cars. I would be *extremely* hesitant to take it anywhere near an autobahn.

My recommendation? Get at least a compact car. Yes, a small car is better for driving in Europe, but given the nature of the autobahns and the possibility of mountain roads, people are best off with something a bit more horsepower & better handling. Being able to *accelerate* out of a problem or situation is much more critial on German roads. The next level up, e.g. a VW Golf, Opel Astra, or similar is fine. But I'd be wary of anything smaller.

(And, if you splurge a little & get a low-end Audi or BMW.....*Boy*, can you have some fun.) :D

2. They recommend driving between Berlin, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, or Munich-- those are some awfully long hauls for road trips, and gas is even more expensive than in the US.

Plus, (using the Munich hotel as an example), the hotels are all in the center of town. Only those who have no choice or don't know any better drive in central Munich. Traffic is very congested, and the streets can be very confusing.

My preferred options? I use the train to get between fairly distant towns, use the excellent and cheap public transportation in cities, and use the car for touring the harder-to reach places.

The train is at worst on par with driving cost-wise, and unlike driving, much more relaxing. That way, I save my energy for exploring where I going to, not in just getting there. The train may often take longer, but with good planning, the difference is negligible.

Especially in cities like Munich & Berlin, Public transport is the way to go. It's cheaper, just as fast (and frequently faster) than driving, and *much* less hassle.

Another thing to keep in mind is that when renting a car, *don't* rent it at the train station or airport if possible. The are substantial extra fees & taxes slapped on for renting at these locations.


That said, Germany is a fantastic place for road-tripping---but keep in mindthe while driving in Germany is fun, it's also often much more demanding & triring.

To anyone considering a trip, I say, "Gute Fahrt!!!" (Good travels!)

[wrp96]

Did I hear my name??? :D


Absolutely!!!:D

Thanks for the advice about German roadtrips. When I finally get back to Germany (it's been more than a few years since I've been unfortunately), I plan to let my friends do the driving for me anyways but it's always great to hear an experts perspective.

[msnovtue]

Thanks for the advice about German roadtrips. When I finally get back to Germany (it's been more than a few years since I've been unfortunately), I plan to let my friends do the driving for me anyways but it's always great to hear an experts perspective.

I'm hardly an expert -- I've actually only been there 4 times. However, every single one of my Grandparents, *plus* my father were native-born Germans. So suffice it to say, I'm very experienced at dealing with them, & knowing how they think.:p

But for those few trips, I've done my homework and definitely learned some things the hard way. Driving I learned not only from driving there, but from my Dad teaching me to drive in general. He held me to a much higher standard of discipline and car control than what a US liscence requires.

Also? the thing about renting a slightly "higher-level" car? All Dad. When we visited in 1990, he'd reserved a rental car. We walked out of the Munich airport to find a tiny Fiat waiting for us. Dad took one look at that thing, swore, and marched back into the rental counter. We ended up with a VW Golf, and I was glad we did, after watching him drive.:eek:

My recommendations are based on practical experience and my own preferences. Driving is fun, but it really wears me out on long trips-- which is why I take the train in between cities. If someone prefers driving and it doesn't wear them out like it does me, then go ahead & drive.

My other "big" piece of advice to people traveling in Germany: Avoid the big chain hotels and stay at the local B&Bs, or Gasthofe. They've frequently cheaper, and generally very nice--often more "homey" than a generic hotel room....

[jjjenny]

It is actually easy to drive on the autobahns. Their highways are so much better than ours and are built so that cars can drive at high speeds. The smaller cars are okay on the autobahns and it is easy to get on and off of them. One thing to remember, when getting off the autobahn, SLOW DOWN! There are many exits where they go into a dangerous turn almost immediately.

Some of the prettiest drives are on the smaller highways that will take you through small villages, past rivers, and through some woods. On one such drive, we decided to have a picnic along a river. My daughter and her friend were wandering around near the water and found a bomb from WWII that had not exploded. This was near Schwabisch-Hall, where the first jet was being manufactured and they were bombed there.

The signs are really good in Germany and it is fairly easy to drive to the city center and find what you are looking for.

Yes, the gas is expensive. We got a taste of that just a while back here in the U.S.

Train travel is interesting. Once I was chaperoning my daughter's class on a trip to Nuremberg. Out in the middle of nowhere we passed a sheepherder. I felt like I was in a Heidi film. He was on foot, had a long white beard, and carried something that looked like a long staff. He was of course surrounded by sheep and dogs.

[msnovtue]

I didn't mean to imply it's unsafe-- the autobahns are anything but. But it does require a level of concentration and discipline I don't see in a lot of drivers from the US.

It is high-speed driving though, and I personally feel safer with a slightly more powerful and responsive car. Then again, if I'm not driving with the general flow of traffic, I feel liike a rolling speedbump.;) And the side/back roads are fantastic-- trust me, I took a 3-hour detour into Austria and back in freezing/rain snow. (Did I mention I was actually trying to get from Garmisch to Chiemsee???):eek: