e6t

ok

rsyed

Austria all the way.

For munich, head to salzburg first. enjoy the town for a few days. then head to the "lakedistrict" (salzkammergut) - loads of lakes and mountains. fews days there and then on to vienna. From vienna head to Prague - provided you park in garages with security you will be fine. from Prague you drive over to dresden and by then you have hit the magical 1500km mark. from dresden, you "race" down to munich...

Michiganmike

Auto theft is a concern in some European countries, particularly in or near Eastern Europe. There are several Eastern European countries that rental car companies often restrict taking their cars. Luxury cars are a target for professional thieves. If you go into the Czech republic the advice to park only in garages with security is sound. In certain other areas pickpockets and thieves that will break into cars looking for valuables is a problem. Your export plate may mark you as a tourist and your vehicle as a target. Prague is beautiful, but it would not be on my list to visit with my new BMW for this reason.
http://www.ideamerge.com/motoeuropa/theftsafety/

If you drive into Austria or Switzerland be prepared to buy a road tax (vignette) sticker for each country. http://www.wickedgoodtraveltips.com/...oad-tax-stamp/

If you plan to drive in mountains where there is a risk of snow in November or later in the winter season, be aware that use of snow tires in many European countries is mandatory. http://blog.theeuropetraveler.com/20...in-europe.html You may be subject to fines or discover that your insurance will not cover damage if you drive in snow without snow tires.

High speed driving even on Autobahns in Germany can be a challenge due to traffic congestion and speed limits in many areas. http://www.german-way.com/autobahn.html In some cases your best opportunity to drive at high speeds on the Autobahn may be late at night when traffic is lighter. Be aware that fog and rain are common in certain areas in Germany late in the year and may also limit high speed driving.

e6t

i really appreciate all the advice.

i could never get this from a travel agent.

Thanks!

stoic1

This is what I would do. I would plan to spend some time for touring in my new car, the rest would be by train. The ICE (Inner-City-Express) is a great way to get to major cities quickly.

sdg1871

Yes the ICE train is an amazing way to travel from city to city in Germany. It got me from Berlin to Koln and then from Koln to Munich in no time. Very much like the TGV and Thalys in France and the Shinkansen in Japan. And of course, being in Germany, the ICE is very much on time (at least when my wife and I used it).

Michiganmike

I agree that trains in Europe can be a great way to travel between cities. However, in my humble opinion most Americans picking up a new BMW in Europe are going to want to experience the joy of driving their vehicle in Europe. It would be difficult for me to park my new BMW in order to take trains. Plus you had better take care about where you park the BMW. Alternatively, you might spend a few days traveling by train and then go pick up your car, but this would try most owner's patience. My view, take the train on a future trip and enjoy your BMW.

Take a look at the sampler driving tours suggested on the BMW site and then tell me you would rather park your new BMW and take the train.
http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...eOverview.aspx

Here is a driving loop that draws upon some of the sample driving tours and some places that I enjoyed in Europe.

Day 1 - Pick Up Your New BMW in Munich. Tour BMW Welt.

Day 2 - Begin your second day driving to Bregenz where you can enjoy lunch by Lake Bodensee which is the size of an inland sea. Continue a short drive through Friedrichshafen to Konstanz where you will spend your second evening. Bregenz borders three countries - Austria, Germany and Switzerland. You will cross over the famous Bodensee Lake to Konstanz for your overnight at Steigenberger Insel Hotel. Here you can enjoy a leisurely nightlife while strolling through the town.

Day 3 - Your third day drive will take you towards west along the borders of Switzerland and Germany until you reach the very famous Weil am Rhein via Schaffhausen to see the water falls of the Rhein River. Stay overnight near Zurich or Winterthur.

Days 4 and 5 - Tour the old part of Zurich on foot. Eat at the Zeughauskeller in Zurich. You might drive along Lake Zurich on See Strasse. Stop in Kilchberg at the Lindt chocolate factory there. Then drive to Luzerne and spend the evening. There is a lovely drive around Lake Luzerne (Vierwaldstattersee). You might drive to Ibach and visit the Victorinox factory store to pick up souvenirs or go to Hergiswil and watch glass works made at the factory and buy some souvenirs there. If the weather is clear take a ride to the top of Mount Pilatus on the steepest cog railway in the world. http://www.lakeluzern.ch/en/page.cfm...ghlights/12928 Alternatively, you might visit Einsiedeln and see the abbey there or take a boat ride on the lake. http://www.sacredsites.com/europe/sw...insiedeln.html

Day 6 - Drive to Interlaken and tour the city and see the beautiful lakes. http://www.interlaken.ch/index.php?L=3

Day 7 - Drive to Lauterbrunnen and park at the train station. http://www.isyours.com/e/guide/berne...erbrunnen.html Take the train to Wengen and then the aerial cable car to the top of the mountain ridge line. Weather permitting you can walk along the ridge line to Kleine Scheidegg with beautiful vistas along the way. Kleine Scheidegg is at the base of the Jungfrau, Monk and Eiger mountains. You can take the Jungfraujoch railway up the mountain or return by train to Lauterbrunnen.

Day 8 - Drive to Gruyere and see the castle perched atop a mountain outcropping and sample the cheese made there. http://www.isyours.com/e/guide/lake_...lagruyere.html Drive to Montreaux and tour Chillon castle and sample the local wines. http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/dest.../montreux.html

Day 9 - Drive to Lausanne and tour the Olympic museum. http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/dest.../lausanne.html

Day 10 - Drive to Geneva and tour the city. http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/dest...nd/geneva.html

Day 11 - Drive north through Basel and into the Alsace region of France. More good food and wine in little villages like Kayserberg, Riquewhihr and Ribeauville. Tour Strasbourg. http://gofrance.about.com/od/otherci...strasbourg.htm

Day 12 - Drive to Baden Baden and tour the city. http://www.baden-baden.de/en/tourism...5/indexen.html Drive into the Black Forest region in Germany. You might pick up more souvenirs in Triberg and visit the museum there. http://www.visiting-germany.de/triberg.html

Day 13 - Return to Munich. Drop off your car for shipment and tour the city.

Day 14 - Return to the U.S.

Michiganmike

http://www.jungfrau.ch/en/desktopdef...261_read-6532/

The above link provides additional information on hiking trails in the Jungfrau region. Open the pdf file or continue to related links on the web page. The hike from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg is a memorable experience.