Visiting - Need Help!

Are you taking two 70 lb luggage bags on this trip? If so, you will likely want to limit the number of cities/hotels you stay at. Find a town you can use as your basecamp and do trips from there.

Are you a member of any European hotel clubs (e.g., Accor/Ibis)?

Some credit card points will redeem train and public transit.

 

The last many times we have been just going to the HBF to get on the train to Bamberg.

 

In that case a Bavaria ticket would be the most affordable way to go especially if it more than one of you. The Bayern ticket isn't valid for an ICE train but it is for the RE (Regional Express). If opting for the ICE train option then a Sparpreis Ticket option includes a couple of features such as the City Ticket. A City Ticket enables you to take public transit at the destination, e.g., in Bamberg one of the buses to your hotel or to the further side of the city, e.g., Klosterbarueri, and then you can stroll back hitting a few of the pubs along the way.

 

You're preaching to the choir.

 

Limit your bags to essentials. For a 2 week trip you can do that in a backpack. Sport complicates that but stay under 50 lbs and max bag size.
Limit your travel as it's a time hog. There will be a 49 euro ticket in may for ulimited travel (no ICE trains)
Having work pay for the ticket and your phone is ideal.
Use as much vacation around your work trip as possible as the worst part of going is the plane ticket. Skyscanner, google flights to watch prices then book direct.
Figure out one country to navigate in then spread out later. English isn't a problem for the most part but learn basic questions and answers. Youtube is your friend.
Eliminate jet lag by getting up at midnight the week before you go so you're already adjusted to the time change. No naps on your first day.
It's not that complicated. Learn some basics on custom, travel, be friendly and not an ugly Ami.

 

Whew, Zurich to Paris to Berlin to Bielefeld is A LOT of time on the train, (high speed Euro trains can get costly).

I agree w/ several of the other posters, you are really trying to pack in a lot of places in a relatively short time. I have travelled all over Europe on many occasions & trust me when I say, too many places will wear you out!!

So many great places to see & visit, but it's best if you can narrow it down to just a couple outside of Bielefeid.

Since you now have the Delta AM card, (I have the same thing & it's great for travel). I would consider either flying in & out of Amsterdam or into Amsterdam & out of Paris. Both Paris & Amsterdam are Delta hubs w/ co-shares on KLM, (Dutch) & Air France, so that really makes things easy.

The fact that Bielefeid is in the northern part of Germany makes Amsterdam the best big city to fly into, (0nly 4 hrs by train).

Consider limiting your travels to the Netherlands, (Amsterdam is a great city) northern Germany, (Dusseldorf is close) & possibly Brussels BE, (another fantastic city).

Delta airlines (your AM card) & proximity to Bielefeld makes Amsterdam your best option for arrival & departure.

Good luck & enjoy your trip!! Cheers

 

I'll also add my two cents. If I were you I would definitely see Berlin. It isn't typical Germany but it is a really cool city, great vibe, super easy to get around and there is a ton to see. The bars there are fantastic and it's a lovely place when the sun is out. I also agree with the suggestions about going to the Rhineland, it's super easy to take a day trip from Düsseldorf to Köln and vice versa, the beer is great in both places, and there is a lot to see, especially in Köln with the cathedral. Don't sleep on Hamburg either, there's a solid craft scene there and it's another city with a super cool vibe and good food, plenty to see. There is no need to sweat traveling by train, just take an ICE between your main cities (and make it easy on yourself and reserve a seat for five euros), and basically everyone in the train stations speak English, there are announcements and signage in English too. Germany is a very easy country to visit for an English speaker, and even if you aren't necessarily revolving your trip around beer you should still be able to get a feel for the beer here by what's on tap in restaurants. The one thing about northern Germany is that it is pilsner dominated, and while I love pilsner, many of your options (Krombacher, Holsten, etc) you can pass on. Plenty of local/regional breweries beyond the macro pilsners, so there will be plenty for you to try that is of a higher standard than much of what you might see on a kiosk shelf. Also, you can open carry alcohol here, so buy a bottle of beer at a kiosk and take a walk and just enjoy it

 

Regarding WWII, the Eagles Nest is near Berchtesgaden, in the extreme southeast area. Way too far for a day trip. Bastogne is about 4 hours away.... Likely still too far. Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp is about 2 hours away to the northeast, just north of Celle. That town is extremely picturesque.

I can look for more WWII suggestions when I get on my PC at home later...

Prosit!

 

I have rarely seen "inexpensive" rental cars in Germany but me in your shoes, I'd still use the rail/bus system instead of renting a car. It really is easy to traverse and just about everyone speaks a bit of English if you get stuck.

 

First off, if going to the Louve in Paris to see the special exhibit, I'd highly recommend going online to learn about the particulars for making a reservation within your travel parameters. Going to Paris or not could open an entirely different set of travel options.

Berchtesgaden (and Eagles Nest plus Obersalzberg Documentation Center and Bunker) makes for a great visit. You may overnight in Berchtesgaden or nearby Salzburg (and visit Augustiner Biergarden) and plenty of other sights. But its a long ways away from your final destination.

Dacau is near Munich. In Munich there is a Documentation Center (Museum), Munich Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism at Königsplatz. Formal Name: NS-Dokumentationszentrum
Address: Brienner Straße 34, 80333 Munich
Visit the famous site of the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923. Many other WWII sites in Munich. Plus bierhalls and biergartens.

Nuremberg has the Documentation Center & Parade Grounds--afterwards you will want to visit Bräustüberl Schwarzer Bauer (Altstadthof) - http://www.altstadthof.de/ Address: Bergstr. 19, 90403 Nürnberg.

Also in Nuremberg is the memorial site for the Nuremberg Trials and tour. Allocate a hour or two. Then walk a couple of blocks to the
Schanzenbräu Schankwirtschaft, Address: Adam-Klein-Strasse 27, Nürnberg 90429 -- http://www.schanzenbraeu.de/

 

Arnhem, Nijmegen and Heteren are nearby in Netherlands. The latter is near the site of the Crossroads episode from Band of Brothers... this museum in Heteren is also A1.... https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/286/Betuws-War-Museum-The-Island-1944-1945.htm

 

Speaking of which...there is a Band of Brothers Marathon going on right now on AMC. I watched a couple of episodes.

Now off to mow the lawn.

Cheers!

P.S. Maybe a 'lawnmower' beer afterwards!?!

 

Consider landing in Paris to visit the Louvre (weekday probably better, check best way to access), walk the Champs and to Notre Dame to get the feel of it and then from there you can catch a train to Brussels - walk around and get a feel for the city, eat chocolate, visit the TinTin Shop and drink lambic! From there you can catch a train to Cologne and thence to Bielefeld. Unless you leave from Munich, getting to Dachau and the Eagles Nest (by Berchtesgaden) is difficult unless you extend your trip for a day or two. As for WW2 sites, Bergen Belsen was already mentioned, but there are Dragon's Teeth (tank barriers) in the vicinity of Aachen and a couple of fortifications in the Rheinland-Pfalz and the Saarland - again a long way from where you will stay. Highly recommend extending in the front or back to get some of those trips in you want. The other option is to come back on a "fun" trip later.