THREE 7 DAY GERMANY ITINERARIES BY TRAIN
Are you looking for a 7 day Germany itinerary with the Deutschlandticket (Germany’s flat rate monthly ticket for almost all non-express trains)? Or are you interested in train itineraries in Germany in general? If so, read on as I have three great itineraries to choose from.
Find the perfect 7 Day Germany Itinerary for you
All three itineraries take seven days and all can easily be done without a car.
Obviously, there is so much to see and do in Germany that you could spend a lot longer in the country and still not cover everything. However, seven days should be enough for a good first impression.
There are many different travel styles so I have come up with 3 different itineraries for different types of travelers:
Itinerary 1 tries to cover all of Germany in just one week. This means a lot of time in the train and you will only hit the main highlights (and not all of those). Best for travelers who don’t mind a good amount of travel time and who want to check off the biggest sights in Germany.
Itinerary 2 concentrates on just the southern part of Germany. This itinerary covers the least number of miles. You will spend less time in trains but there will be a lot of changing of hotels involved.
Finally, Itinerary 3 also covers southern Germany but uses Munich as a base. So there may be a bit more time in trains but there is no need to check-in and out in hotels or to drag your luggage around with you.
Germany Itinerary 1: North and South – Munich to Hamburg
This is the most ambitious itinerary. It covers many of Germany’s major cities and famous sights. However, seeing everything in such a short time will mean that it is a bit rushed.
You will have to change hotels quite a lot and if you want to have enough time for sightseeing you will need to spend a good part of most evenings in the train, travelling to your next destination.
Itinerary at a Glance
- Day One: Munich
- Day Two: Bavaria’s Castles
- Day Three: Nuremberg and train to Dresden
- Day Four: Dresden and train to Berlin
- Day Five: Berlin
- Day Six: Potsdam and train to Hamburg
- Day Seven: Hamburg
Detailed Itinerary
Day One: Munich
Spend one day in Munich, the capital of Germany’s southernmost province Bavaria.
Visit the old town of Munich and see the Viktualienmarkt (a sort of farmer’s market), Frauenkirche (cathedral), Marienplatz, Karlsplatz, and the Residenz (Old Palace).
Eat lunch in a traditional German Wirtshaus.
In the afternoon, choose between a visit of Nymphenburg (if you love castles and gardens), a museum tour (especially if the weather is bad), or just hang out in the Englische Garten (biggest park in the city) if you are there in the summer and want to take it easy.
For the evening, a show at the opera or a concert would be ideal.
Long distance travel: None
Use of Deutschlandticket: Use any subway, S-Bahn, bus you want in Munich.
Day Two: Bavaria’s Castles
Take the train to Füssen to visit Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, two of the famous castles of Bavaria’s “Mad” King Ludwig.
Neuschwanstein is of course the best known sight in Germany – a fairy tale castle on which Walt Disney based Cinderella’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom.
Travel Time: The train to Füssen from Munich will take around 2 hours one way (you will have to change trains once).
In order to have enough time at the Castles it would be best to take the train at 7:39 am.
Day Three: Nuremberg and train to Dresden
After leaving your hotel in Munich, take the train to Nuremberg.
In the main train station in Nuremberg you will find plenty of lockers. You can leave your luggage there for a small fee.
Nuremberg, the second biggest city in Bavaria, has been rebuilt after the second World War and has quite a different look from Munich. Instead of grand plazas and wide avenues you will find timbered houses and an ancient castle.
Tour the castle, visit the old town, and maybe spend time at a museum. The Germanische Nationalmuseum is definitely worth a visit if you have time.
Make sure to try the local specialty, “Nürnbergerle”. The tiny sausages (about the size of a pinky) are famous world-wide and very tasty (best with Sauerkraut and mustard).
Travel Time:
From Munich to Nuremberg: I know it is early but if you can get the 7:04 am train you will get to Nuremberg in just 1:43 hours (most connections take an hour longer) and you will have plenty of time to explore this medieval town.
From Nuremberg to Dresden: This part of the trip will take around 4.5 hours (with one change of trains). If you took the early train from Munich to Nuremberg you can spend 7 or 8 hours exploring the Medieval town of Nuremberg and still make it to Dresden by 9 or 10 pm.
Day Four: Dresden and train to Berlin
Spend the morning and early afternoon exploring Dresden. The Opera House (Semperoper), the Cathedral (Frauenkirche), the Palace and the Zwinger are all worth a visit.
Travel Time: In around 3 h 20 min you can get from Dresden to Berlin.
Day Five: Berlin
Berlin, Germany’s capital, has so much to see and do that you could easily spend several days here. However, with only one day I would recommend you book a city sightseeing tour to hit all the major highlights.
Travel Time: No long distance travel today! You can use your Deutschlandticket to get around Berlin though.
Day Six: Potsdam and train to Hamburg
In the morning, take the train to Potsdam (about 30 minutes) to tour Sansoucci. If you have seen enough castles on this trip, you could also spend the morning in Berlin instead (there are plenty of exciting options).
Take the train to Hamburg in the early or late afternoon (depending on how much time you want to spend touring Sansoucci).
Travel Time:
Potsdam: About 30 minutes each way
To Hamburg: About 4 h. 20 min with one change of trains.
Day Seven: Hamburg
Hamburg is a Hanseatic City with a fascinating history based on trade.
On this, your last day of the trip, I highly recommend a boat tour in the Speicherstadt. You will see the old warehouses that once housed exotic spices and rare textiles as well as the modern container port.
In the afternoon, I recommend a visit at Miniatur Wunderland. Miniatur Wunderland is a museum with the most detailed model train scenes. It is one of the biggest attractions in Hamburg.
And if you are up for an adventure, you can end your trip with a visit to the infamous Red Light District of St. Pauli.
Travel Time: No long distance travel on this day!
Additional Info One-Week Germany Itinerary 1:
Of course you can also do this itinerary in reverse order (Hamburg to Munich).
If money isn’t too tight and you want to save some traveling time it might be good to splurge on ICE (express train) tickets to get from Nuremberg to Dresden, Dresden to Berlin, and Berlin to Hamburg.
Germany Itinerary 2: Southern Jewels – Frankfurt to Salzburg
This itinerary is a lot more limited in scope as it only visits destinations in Southern Germany (and Austria).
You will miss out on seeing the capital of Berlin, the fascinating Hanseatic City Hamburg, and the Eastern town of Dresden, but there are a lot less kilometer to cover so you will have more time to explore.
You also won’t have to spend your evenings in the train and there are only 3 (or possibly 4) hotels.
Itinerary at a Glance
- Day One: Frankfurt
- Day Two: Würzburg and on to Rothenburg
- Day Three: From Rothenburg to Nuremberg
- Day Four: Munich
- Day Five: Bavarian Castles
- Day Six: Mountains of Southern Germany
- Day Seven: Salzburg
Detailed Itinerary
Day One: Frankfurt/Heidelberg
If you have a whole day here you could take a trip to Heidelberg. As the oldest University in Germany, Heidelberg is world-famous.
But the town has even more to offer: the famous castle ruins, the Old Bridge across the river Neckar, and the Old Town are very close to how most people imagine Germany and well worth a visit.
If you have only half a day in Frankfurt (or if you are exhausted from getting there) my recommendation is a quick tour of the city itself and some time at the Palmengarten.
Travel Time: The train ride from Frankfurt to Heidelberg takes about 1.5 hours each way.
Day Two: Würzburg and Rothenburg
Your first stop today is Würzburg. This is another city heavily influenced by student life and the local university.
Highlights of Würzburg include the Marienberg Fortress and the Würzburg Residence, a large palace completed in 1744.
In the afternoon, make your way to Rothenburg. This small town is a picture-perfect German small town.
Rothenburg will remind you of fairytales and Disney’s Fantasyland. Don’t miss out on walking on the city walls!
The biggest negative about Rothenburg is that it is extremely popular and can be very crowded with tourists. However, by getting there in the late afternoon/early evening and staying overnight you will be able to enjoy this jewel of a small town without the crowds!
Travel Time: You can get from Frankfurt to Würzburg in about 1 hour 45 minutes. Onwards travel from Würzburg to Rothenburg will be about another 70 minutes.
Day Three: Nuremberg and on to Munich
Finish up your exploration of Rothenburg and take the train to Nuremberg.
In the main train station you will find plenty of lockers so you can leave your luggage there for a small fee.
Nuremberg, the second biggest city in Bavaria, has been rebuilt after the second World War – a stunning example of perseverance and the ability to overcome destruction!
Climb the hill to tour the castle with its beautiful castle garden, visit the Old Town with Gothic churches, and the beautiful Pegnitz river.
Don’t forget to try the local sausage, Nürnbergerle.
If the weather is bad you could also visit one of several famous museums. The Germanische Nationalmuseum especially has something for everyone – from music instruments to creches to tools.
In the late afternoon, travel on to Munich and check into your hotel for the remaining nights (yeah, no more changing hotels!).
Alternatively, you could spend one night in Nuremberg before moving on to Munich in the morning.
Travel Time:
Rothenburg to Nuremberg: It will take 1.5 to 2 hours to get from Rothenburg to Nuremberg.
Nuremberg to Munich: There are generally several trains per hour from Nuremberg to Munich. As they use different routes, travel times vary widely between 1 hour 45 minutes and almost 3 hours. So choose your train wisely!
Day Four: Munich
With just one day in Munich you will have to make some difficult choices – there is just so much to see and do here!
Explore the Old Town with Marienplatz and Karlsplatz as well as the Dom (Cathedral) and the Residenz (Old Palace) in the morning.
In the afternoon choose between one of the many museums, parks, and palaces. You can’t go wrong!
And if you are traveling in the summer definitely spend some time in one of the local Biergärten (beer gardens)!
Travel Time: No long distance travel (unless you chose to stay in Nuremberg the day before)
Day Five: Bavarian Castles
The Neuschwanstein Castle is probably at the top of the list for most overseas tourists. This prototype for what a fairytale castle should look like can easily be visited on a day trip from Munich.
Add on Hohenschwangau to get your fill of castles for the day!
It is a good idea to buy tickets for the castles ahead of time to avoid any disappointments.
Travel Time: You can get to Füssen from Munich in around 2 hours.
Day Six: Mountains of Southern Germany
In a little over an hour you can reach Garmisch-Partenkirchen from Munich. Here you have several great choices to experience the mountains.
Depending on your mood, hike and explore the Partnachklamm or splurge on getting up on the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain.
Travel Time: The train from Munich to Garmisch-Partenkirchen takes only about 1 hour 20 minutes each way.
Day Seven: Salzburg
Salzburg is a bit further from Munich but definitely worth the effort (depending on your plans afterwards you could also end your trip in Salzburg so you don’t have to take the train both ways).
The City of Mozart and the Sound of Music – Salzburg is known around the world.
Don’t forget to try some of the local specialties! Salzburg offers some wonderful sweet dishes like Kaiserschmarrn (kind of a torn-apart pancake), Marillenknödel (sweet dumplings with a fruit in the center), and Salzburger Nockerln (a souffle-like dish).
Travel Time: The train ride between Munich and Salzburg will take about 1 hour 47 minutes each way.
Germany Itinerary 3: Munich Explorer
This last itinerary centers around the city of Munich. The biggest advantage of this trip is that you will use only one hotel so there is no need to drag your luggage around or worry about finding a new place and checking in.
Though you will visit several major cities (Munich, Nuremberg, and Salzburg) there is a bigger emphasis on nature and outdoor activities.
Itinerary at a Glance
- Day One: Munich
- Day Two: Castles
- Day Three: Nuremberg
- Day Four: Munich
- Day Five: Ammersee and Kloster Andechs
- Day Six: Salzburg
- Day Seven: Mountains
Detailed Itinerary
Day One: Munich
This is the first of two full days in Munich. I would recommend a tour of the old town in the morning, either on your own or with an organized tour.
Enjoy a traditional German lunch at one of Munich’s brewery sponsored restaurants.
In the afternoon, visit a museum (good choices are the Pinakothek for art, the Deutsche Museum for science, or the BMW museum if you are interested in cars).
Travel Time: No long distance travel
Use of Deutschlandticket: Use any subway, S-Bahn, bus you want in Munich.
Day Two: Castles
This is a fairly long day – you will take the train to Füssen in order to see both Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, two of the best known castles worldwide.
Travel Time: The train to Füssen from Munich will take around 2 hours one way, so a good 4 hours of travel time.
Day Three: Nuremberg
Nuremberg, the second biggest city in Bavaria, is the capital of Franconia and has a very different vibe from Munich. Instead of grand plazas and wide avenues you will find timbered houses and an ancient castle.
After being largely destroyed in WWII, Nuremberg has been rebuilt and offers many impressive buildings.
Tour the castle, visit the old town, and . The Germanische Nationalmuseum is definitely worth a visit if you have time. Make sure to eat the local sausages. Tiny Bratwursts they are famous world-wide and very tasty.
Travel Time: I know it is early but if you can get the 7:04 am train you will get to Nuremberg in just 1:43 hours (most connections take an hour longer) and you will have plenty of time to explore this medieval town.
Day Four: Munich
In the morning, visit Nymphenburg. The palace is impressive but the best part is definitely the extensive gardens with the small castles within.
If you are interested in flowers and plants, you could also visit the nearby Botanical Gardens.
In the afternoon, choose between the indoor pool and wellness mecca Therme Erding (not cheap but very nice!) or spend the afternoon in the Englische Garten, one of the largest city parks.
Travel Time: No long distance travel today!
Day Five: Ammersee and Kloster Andechs
With the S-Bahn (commuter train) you can reach Herrsching am Ammersee in just 50 minutes.
Enjoy one of the boat tours on this stunning lake – a stop in Dießen would allow you to visit the gorgeous Marienmünster. This small church is one of the best example of Baroque architecture in Germany.
After the boat tour go on a small hike to Kloster Andechs (there is also a bus). This monastery is famous for its brewery!
Enjoy the view from the top of the church tower and then relax with a cold beer (or other beverage) in the beergarden!
Travel Time: About 50 minutes one way from Munich to Herrsching
Day Six: Salzburg
Salzburg is synonymous with music. The city of both Mozart and the Sound of Music has much to offer visitors.
See the Palaces Hellbrunn and Mirabell with their beautiful gardens, the Hohensalzburg Fortress, and Mozart’s birthplace.
A special highlight of any trip to Salzburg is the local food – enjoy Salzburger Nockerl, Kaiserschmarrn, or Marillenknödel.
If you would rather stay closer to Munich, Lake Chiemsee, Lake Tegernsee, or the Medieval Town of Augsburg would make good alternatives.
Travel Time: You can get to Salzburg from Munich in a little under 2 hours.
Day Seven: Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a great destination if you want to enjoy the Bavarian mountains.
Take the train/gondolas up to the Zugspitze, at 2,962 m the highest mountain in Germany.
Or explore one of the local gorges – Partnachklamm and Höllentalklamm are beautiful all year round!
Travel Time: In about 1 hour 20 minutes the train will take you from the bustling city of Munich to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Which 7 day Germany itinerary will you choose?
All three 7 day Germany itineraries can be easily done without a car.
If you use the Deutschlandticket you will only spend €49 for all your train travel! With the money you save on transportation you can indulge in plenty of delicious German food (you can read my post to learn all about German restaurant etiquette).
And it is easy to adjust these 7 day Germany itineraries to your personal taste. After all, these are only suggestions – there is plenty more to see in Germany.
Which itinerary is your favorite? Is there anything else you think should have been included?
