Is train travel included?

Yes. All high-speed rail tickets (ICE and Rail Jet) between the six cities, from Frankfurt Airport to Nuremberg and onward, plus the final transfer to Frankfurt Airport, are included. The price covers 2nd-class unrestricted tickets.

Is this tour escorted?

It is self-guided with day-by-day itinerary and tour information sheets provided. Two exceptions: Day 5 includes a 4-hour guided Sound of Music tour in Salzburg, and Day 7 is an all-day escorted coach tour to the Royal Castles.

Which trains are used?

ICE high-speed trains connect Frankfurt Airport, Nuremberg, Regensburg, and Vienna. Rail Jet trains link Vienna to Salzburg and Salzburg to Munich. An InterCity/EuroCity train runs from Munich to Heidelberg.

What is included in the price?

All rail fares, 8 nights hotel accommodation, buffet breakfast daily, the 48-hour Vienna Card (museums and public transit), admissions to Nuremberg Imperial Castle, Munich palaces and museums, Neuschwanstein and Linderhof castles, and the Sound of Music tour.

What meals are included?

Only breakfast each morning. Lunch and dinner are not included and must be arranged separately.

When does this tour run?

Travel to Europe publishes no current departure schedule in the tour materials. Contact the operator to confirm available dates.

Travel to Europe (To-Europe) · Independent rail circle tour

9-Day Germany and Austria Rail Circle Tour (9R02)

Nine-day rail circle through Bavaria and Austria: Nuremberg, Vienna, Salzburg, Munich, Heidelberg.

Travel to Europe offers a 9-day self-guided rail tour beginning in Nuremberg and ending in Frankfurt, looping through six cities across Bavaria and Austria. High-speed ICE and Rail Jet trains carry you from Nuremberg eastward to Vienna and Salzburg, then southward through Munich and Heidelberg, with one or two nights in each city. The itinerary balances independent exploration with two included group experiences: a guided Sound of Music tour in Salzburg and an all-day escorted coach excursion to Neuschwanstein and Linderhof castles from Munich. Day-by-day information sheets allow you to explore at your own pace. Hotel stays include breakfast; admissions to major sights such as Vienna's Hofburg Palace, Munich's Nymphenburg Palace, and Nuremberg's Imperial Castle are provided. This tour suits first-time rail travellers seeking structure without a tour manager, repeat rail enthusiasts comfortable navigating cities independently, and budget-conscious couples wanting to see the highlights of Central Europe without rushing.

What to know before you look closer

The single supplement is high: $3,039 from versus $2,059 double, nearly 50% more than half the double rate.
Most days are self-guided; only Day 5 (Sound of Music tour) and Day 7 (Royal Castles coach tour) include a guide.
Lunch and dinner are not included, only breakfast each morning.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Nuremberg
Nuremberg
High-Speed 'ICE' train from Frankfurt International Airport (via the AiRail terminal) to Nuremberg, under 2.5 hours. Visit the Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle) and medieval Old Town.
Day 2railovernight: Regensburg
Regensburg
High-speed train (ICE) from Nuremberg to Regensburg, under an hour. Explore the best-preserved medieval city in Germany.
Day 3railovernight: Vienna
Vienna
High-speed train (ICE) from Regensburg to Vienna, about three hours. Visit the Hofburg Imperial Palace and State Opera House using the 48-hour Vienna Card.
Day 4overnight: Vienna
Vienna
Full day of sightseeing in Vienna with the Vienna Card, including the Ringstrasse and Schonbrunn Palace and Garden.
Day 5railovernight: Salzburg
Salzburg
High-speed 'Rail Jet' (RJ) from Vienna to Salzburg, about 2:40 hrs. Afternoon 4-hour English-speaking Sound of Music tour.
Day 6railovernight: Munich
Munich
High-speed 'Rail Jet' (RJ) from Salzburg to Munich, about 1:40 hrs. Sightseeing and self-guided walking tour of the city center.
Day 7overnight: Munich
Escorted coach tour to the Royal Castles
All-day escorted coach tour via Oberammergau to Linderhof Palace and Neuschwanstein Castle, including a guided tour of the castle interior.
Day 8railovernight: Heidelberg
Heidelberg
InterCity/EuroCity train from Munich to Heidelberg (under 3 hours, passing Ulm and Stuttgart), plus taxi transfer to the hotel. Walking tour of the Old Town and Heidelberg Castle.
Day 9rail
Frankfurt Int. Airport
Tour ends. Transfer from Heidelberg hotel to Frankfurt International Airport by rail or private airport shuttle (about an hour).

The moments this trip is built around

Day 1Arrive via ICE high-speed train from Frankfurt Airport in under 2.5 hours and visit Nuremberg's Kaiserburg Imperial Castle and medieval Old Town.
Day 3Three-hour ICE train ride from Regensburg to Vienna; explore the Hofburg Imperial Palace and State Opera House on arrival.
Day 5Rail Jet train to Salzburg followed by a 4-hour guided Sound of Music tour in the afternoon.
Day 7All-day escorted coach tour via Oberammergau to Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace, with guided castle interior tour included.

Included

Unrestricted High-Speed 'ICE' rail ticket from Frankfurt Int. Airport to Nuremberg, including admission to the Imperial Castle, Deep Well and Sinwell Tower
High-Speed 'ICE' rail ticket Nuremberg to Regensburg
High-Speed 'ICE' rail ticket Regensburg to Vienna
48-hour Vienna Card (unlimited public transport plus 200+ discounts)
High-Speed 'Rail-Jet' ticket Vienna to Salzburg, plus 4-hour Sound of Music tour
High-Speed 'Rail-Jet' ticket Salzburg to Munich, plus ticket for unlimited public transportation within Munich
Admission to Munich Residence Museum, Treasury, Cuvillies-Theatre, Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria, Nymphenburg Palace and Park, Marstallmuseum and Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain
All-day escorted coach tour to Oberammergau and the Royal Castles (Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace), with admissions
Speed 'IC' rail ticket Munich to Heidelberg, plus taxi transfer from Heidelberg Central Station to hotel
Rail transfer from Heidelberg to Frankfurt Int. Airport (optional upgrade to private airport shuttle available)
Buffet breakfast daily
8 nights hotel accommodation per itinerary

Not included

Airfare from/to your origin to/from Frankfurt International Airport
All meals other than breakfast
Gratuities (tips)

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?: Yes. All high-speed rail tickets (ICE and Rail Jet) between the six cities, from Frankfurt Airport to Nuremberg and onward, plus the final transfer to Frankfurt Airport, are included. The price covers 2nd-class unrestricted tickets.
Is this tour escorted?: It is self-guided with day-by-day itinerary and tour information sheets provided. Two exceptions: Day 5 includes a 4-hour guided Sound of Music tour in Salzburg, and Day 7 is an all-day escorted coach tour to the Royal Castles.
Which trains are used?: ICE high-speed trains connect Frankfurt Airport, Nuremberg, Regensburg, and Vienna. Rail Jet trains link Vienna to Salzburg and Salzburg to Munich. An InterCity/EuroCity train runs from Munich to Heidelberg.
What is included in the price?: All rail fares, 8 nights hotel accommodation, buffet breakfast daily, the 48-hour Vienna Card (museums and public transit), admissions to Nuremberg Imperial Castle, Munich palaces and museums, Neuschwanstein and Linderhof castles, and the Sound of Music tour.
What meals are included?: Only breakfast each morning. Lunch and dinner are not included and must be arranged separately.
When does this tour run?: Travel to Europe publishes no current departure schedule in the tour materials. Contact the operator to confirm available dates.