3 Best Day Trips to Rothenburg from Munich

Located just three hours from Munich, Rothenburg offers unique beauty in the state of Swabia. This walled city will amaze you with its perfectly preserved medieval centre and open landscapes, and is an ideal destination for a visit from the Bavarian capital, taking you along Germany's Romantic Road, full of mountains, villages and castles.

There are many ways to get to Rothenburg, but whether you do so on an organised tour, by train, bus or car, you will find that it is a visit you should include on your list of things to see and do in Munich.

Below, I'll tell you about the best excursions you can choose to discover this medieval paradise and the wonders along the way, because Rothenburg is just the last stop on a route that includes many magical places.

This is the most common excursion to visit Rothenburg because it includes a stop at Harburg Fortress and Castle, one of the largest in Germany.

This organised tour usually includes return transfers from Munich, all on a bus tour with the assistance of an expert guide.

This excursion usually starts at a specific point in the old town and takes you along the Romantic Road, through Bavarian villages, mountains and forests, to the first stop in Harburg.

You can access the castle without queuing, but bear in mind that there is a steep walk from the bus to the entrance of the building. After visiting Harburg, the tour continues along the same route to the next destination.

In Rothenburg, these excursions include a complete tour of the city, including the city walls, the historic centre and the viewpoint. This tour lasts approximately three hours, after which the bus returns to Munich. This type of organised tour usually lasts approximately eleven hours.

This is an interesting option because, in addition to the tour of Rothenburg and Harburg, it includes stops for lunch and shopping along the way.

Although it is a full-day excursion , it allows you to do it in an orderly and relaxed manner, with several hours at each destination.

Details of interest

• Price... These excursions with return transfers from Munich usually start at around £56.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately eleven hours in total.
• Departure point... These tours start at a specific point in the historic centre and some include hotel pick-up.

This excursion is one of the most popular in winter, especially in the run-up to Christmas, because in addition to a visit to Rothenburg , it offers a tour of Heidelberg, the city with one of the largest Christmas markets in the country.

These excursions are conducted in private minibuses and are very popular with groups, as visitors often want to travel along Germany's Romantic Road.

In Heidelberg , you will feel like you are in a fairy tale, especially if you take this type of excursion at Christmas, as the city has a Christmas market with over a hundred stalls and an Advent festival.

The tour then continues to Rothenburg and all its attractions, including the city walls, the old town and the viewpoint.

Due to its length and to allow you to enjoy both destinations, this type of tour lasts two days, although the price of the tour does not usually include hotel accommodation or meals.

If you are planning to visit Munich in winter and are looking at what the city has to offer at Christmas, a tour like this could be perfect for you and your group.

Useful information

• Price... This type of two-day private tour with transfers and an expert local guide starts at £650 for the whole group. It does not include meals or hotel accommodation.
• Duration of the tour... Approximately ten hours each day.
• Departure point... These tours usually include hotel pick-up.

If you are travelling in a group, you can opt for a private tour by minibus with an expert guide to visit Rothenburg, Dinkelsbühl, Harburg and the Bavarian mountains along Germany's Romantic Road

These tours, which usually include hotel pick-up, are a private alternative that will allow you to get the most out of your destinations with the convenience of adapting the tour to your own pace.

On these tours , you can choose between a ten- or twelve-hour tour , deciding how long you want to spend at each stop. It is an expensive but relaxing alternative for those travelling in a group who may find it difficult to get space for everyone on an organised bus tour.

These private tours also include a stop in Dinkelsbühl, one of Germany's ancient knight towns. There you can visit St. George's Cathedral, the city gates and the wine market.

Private tours of Germany's Romantic Road are very popular, as many visitors come in groups to explore it. Rothenburg is the destination of choice for all tourists, but the route has many magical stops to offer.

Details of interest

Price... This type of private tour with transfers and an expert local guide starts at £470 for the whole group.

• Price... This type of private tour with transfers and an expert local guide starts at £470 for the whole group.
• Duration of the tour... Ten to twelve hours in total.
• Departure point... Hotel pick-up is usually included.

Although organised excursions or private tours are the best options because they include the assistance of an expert local guide, which saves time and allows you to visit other towns along the way, there are also options for getting there by train, public bus or rental car, although these can be inconvenient or a little expensive.

Train journey from Munich to Rothenburg with a change in Nuremberg

If you are on a tight budget or prefer to visit Rothenburg on your own, you can take the train from Munich Central Station to Nuremberg, boarding service 41 towards Essen Hbf. In Nuremberg, take service 61 towards Ansbach and from there the RB80 train to Steinach. The last part of the journey is on the RB82 to Rothenburg.

As you can see, with tickets starting at £39, it is an economical option, although it will take more than five hours and you will have to make several transfers, which makes it a somewhat inconvenient alternative.

You should also bear in mind that you will miss much of Germany's romantic route and will not see essential destinations such as Harburg, Dinkelsbühl and Heidelberg.

Once in Rothenburg, you can explore the city on your own or take a guided tour of the historic centre. Train tickets can be purchased on the official Deutsche Bahn website or directly at Munich Central Station.

Useful information

• Price: The train journey from Munich Central Station to Rothenburg with transfers starts at £39.
• Duration of the excursion... It can take more than five hours.
• Departure point... Munich Central Station.

Travel by bus and train from Munich to Rothenburg

Travelling from Munich to Rothenburg by bus and train is not a recommended option because it requires many stops and transfers, which will not only leave you very tired, but also won't save you any money.

If, despite this, you still want to choose this option, you should take the FlixBus from Munich Central Station to Nuremberg and then the train to Ansbach, where you will take bus 732 to Rothenburg.

The price for the entire trip is around £47 and tickets can be purchased on the official website of the train service and the bus company. Once at your destination, you can explore the city on your own or hire a guided tour.

This option is not very common because those who opt for an organised tour use the tourist bus service, and those who travel on their own usually prefer to travel by train, unless they want to avoid changing trains in Nuremberg.

Useful information

• Price... The train and bus journey costs approximately £47 in total.
• Duration of the excursion... It can take more than five hours.
• Departure point... Munich Central Station.

If you have rented a car in Munich or plan to do so to travel along the romantic route through the Bavarian mountains, you can take this direct option, although it is a little expensive compared to those offered by tourist services.

In this case, the best option is to take the A9 motorway. You can also take the A8, combining it with the A7 or A9 and then the A6.

The journey by car at normal road speed should not take more than three hours, and once in Rothenburg, you can explore the city on your own or hire a guided tour to visit the main points of interest in the historic centre and the city walls.

If you have time, you can also make the most of your trip and visit the Dachau Concentration Camp, which is on the way, as well as the cities of Aalen and Dinkelsbühl.

Interesting details

• Price... The rental of a medium-sized car starts at £75 per day.
• Duration of the trip... This will depend on the stops you make, but if you travel directly from Munich, you can reach Rothenburg in less than three hours.

You can do this directly online or once you arrive in Munich. I recommend booking your excursion in advance, as the visit to Rothenburg is very popular with visitors, especially during the high season in Munich.

If you are travelling on your own, once you arrive in Rothenburg you can choose to explore the city on your own or book a city tour with an expert local guide to discover the historic centre, the city walls and the viewpoint.

The duration of the excursion will depend on the means of transport you choose, the stops you make along the way and also how long you decide to stay in Rothenburg, if you are travelling without an organised excursion.

On average, tours last between ten and twelve hours, including three hours each way from Munich. The average stay in Rothenburg on organised tours is three hours to see the whole city. When the tour includes intermediate villages such as Harburg or Dinkelsbühl, these stops last between one and two hours.

If you travel by car, the journey can be made faster, especially if you are planning a short stay in the city. Here is a list of what you can see and do in Munich in two days.

On your excursion, you will travel back in time along the Romantic Road, losing yourself among the mountains and villages of the Bavarian hills. You will discover the Swabian region, Harburg Castle and the medieval town of Rothenburg, with its historic centre, city walls and viewpoint.

Whichever way you choose to go to Rothenburg, you will find a town preserved in time , untouched by the damage of the Second World War and boasting one of the most beautiful medieval centres in Europe.

I recommend booking your excursions in advance, as this is a very popular route with tourists, especially during the high season.

Also, if you decide to travel to Munich with children, be sure to choose this tour. Rothenburg may sound boring for children, but it has landscapes and colours that will amaze even the youngest ones. And they'll love Harburg Castle too!

I also advise you to bring cash, as some shops and cafés in Rothenburg and Harburg do not accept credit cards or electronic payments, and you may have to pay an extra fee at ATMs .

The excursions are mainly focused on the towns of Rothenburg and Harburg, but there are several others that you should consider if you have time and can visit them.

Aalen is a very picturesque Bavarian village and Dinkelsbühl is considered one of the most beautiful towns in Germany, which is why private excursions often include it in their itineraries.

If you are travelling by car, you can also visit the Dachau Concentration Camp, the first of all those that were later built. Even if you are travelling by train or bus, you can make the most of your trip by visiting Nuremberg and Ansbach.

Rothenburg is a medieval village that remains intact, nestled in the Bavarian mountains and alongside a road renowned for its beauty. The journey from Munich to Rothenburg is an experience at every turn, with attractions in every town along the way.

If you are visiting Munich and have time for a day trip to the surrounding area , don't miss out on seeing a different side of Germany, with its medieval houses and villages lost in the mountains.

Rothenburg is not a very large city and you can cover it without the assistance of a local guide, but you will miss many of the secrets hidden in its medieval streets. Whether you are travelling with an organised tour or have planned your own trip, I recommend that you opt for a guided tour to get the most out of your trip.

The assistance of a guide will also help you avoid missing out on the villages hidden in the mountains and their stories.