A two-week loop from Frankfurt: Heidelberg and the Neckar valley, the Romantic Road via Rothenburg to Munich, the German Alpine Road from Berchtesgaden to Lindau via Neuschwanstein, then the Black Forest. The motorways are toll-free and often have no speed limit; the small Alpine roads lead to the lakes and to Ludwig II's castles.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Frankfurt | Start |
| Day 2 | Heidelberg | 91 km · 1h05 |
| Day 3 | Rothenburg ob der Tauber | 203 km · 3h10 |
| Days 4 to 5 | Munich | 211 km · 2h55 |
| Days 6 to 7 | Berchtesgaden | 163 km · 2h10 |
| Day 8 | Garmisch-Partenkirchen | 244 km · 4h20 |
| Days 9 to 10 | Füssen | 72 km · 1h20 |
| Day 11 | Lindau | 132 km · 2h10 |
| Day 12 | Freiburg im Breisgau | 194 km · 3h25 |
| Day 13 | Baden-Baden | 157 km · 3h05 |
| Day 14 | Back to Frankfurt | 177 km · 1h55 |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
From May to September, when the Kehlsteinhaus is open (closed in winter) and the Königssee boats run as far as Salet (late April to mid-October). December for the Christmas markets, but in snow, tyres with the Alpine symbol are compulsory and the access roads to the Black Forest ridge road get jammed.
🚗 91 km · 1h05 of driving from Frankfurt
A5 motorway via Darmstadt. Slower alternative on the B3, the Bergstraße, among vineyards and orchards at the foot of the Odenwald.
🚗 203 km · 3h10 of driving from Heidelberg
B37 along the Neckar via Hirschhorn (Castle Road), Bad Wimpfen, Schwäbisch Hall, then the A6 and A7.
🚗 211 km · 2h55 of driving from Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Romantic Road via Dinkelsbühl, Nördlingen and Harburg (B25), then Donauwörth and the A8. Green sticker required in Munich.
🚗 163 km · 2h10 of driving from Munich
A8 via the Chiemsee, exit at Bad Reichenhall, then the B20. Satnav may route you via Salzburg: Austrian motorway, vignette required.
🚗 244 km · 4h20 of driving from Berchtesgaden
German Alpine Road: B305 via Inzell, Ruhpolding and Reit im Winkl, Aschau, the A8 to the Tegernsee, then the Walchensee. A long day.
🚗 72 km · 1h20 of driving from Garmisch-Partenkirchen
B23 via Ettal and Oberammergau, then minor roads via the Wieskirche. Possible detour to Linderhof from Ettal.
🚗 132 km · 2h10 of driving from Füssen
Alpine Road: Oberjoch Pass (B308), Bad Hindelang, Immenstadt and Oberstaufen, then the A96 to Lake Constance.
🚗 194 km · 3h25 of driving from Lindau
B31 along Lake Constance via Meersburg, the A98 and A81, then the B31 via Titisee and the Höllental valley.
🚗 157 km · 3h05 of driving from Freiburg im Breisgau
Minor roads to Triberg, the B33 via Gutach, then the Schwarzwaldhochstraße (B500), a ridge road, via the Mummelsee.
🚗 177 km · 1h55 of driving from Baden-Baden
Keep the Romantic Road and Neuschwanstein: Frankfurt (1 night), Rothenburg (1) via the A3, Munich (2) via Dinkelsbühl and Nördlingen, Füssen (2). Straight back to Frankfurt on the A7, about 4 hours of motorway.
| Car hire only, July (most expensive month) | ≈ €40 a day |
|---|---|
| Car hire only, November (cheapest) | ≈ €31 a day |
| Small car, annual average | ≈ €34 a day (Kayak, Frankfurt Airport, Sept. 2026) |
| Vehicle | Compact: the motorways are fast, but the old towns have narrow lanes and car parks. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | At Frankfurt Airport, on the morning you set off: Frankfurt is best seen on foot. It is a loop, so no one-way fee. |
| Green sticker | Check that it is stuck on the windscreen: Frankfurt and Munich require it. |
| Insurance | Damage and theft generally included with an excess, often from €800; excess waiver optional. |
| Age and card | Minimum age and young driver surcharge depend on the rental company; generally a credit card, not debit. |
| Austria | If your route crosses it, tell the rental company: some contracts restrict taking the car abroad. |
⚠️ With no limit on many stretches of Autobahn, cars come up very fast in the left lane: look well back in your mirror before pulling out.
Any valid European Union licence is enough, with no International Driving Permit. Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required.
As in mainland Europe. Unless signed otherwise, priority to the right at junctions.
No general limit on the Autobahn, but many stretches are limited by signs. 30 on many streets.
Zero under 21 and during the first two years of holding a licence. Cannabis: 3.5 ng/ml of THC.
Umweltplakette required in Frankfurt, Munich and Augsburg. €100 fine.
Within the zone, Mittlerer Ring included, even with the green sticker. Euro 5 and 6 allowed.
Move back right as soon as you have overtaken. Above 130, you may share liability in an accident.
Left lane moves to the far left, the others to the right. Fines of €200 to €320.
In snow or ice, tyres with the Alpine symbol. M+S alone no longer count since October 2024.
Also switch off speed camera alerts on your satnav or navigation app.
Compulsory on board. A first-aid kit is also required in cars registered in Germany.
≈ €2.35 per litre of Super 95, €2.46 for diesel
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 1,644 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €270 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
European Commission Weekly Oil Bulletin, 21 September 2026.
| German motorways | Toll-free for cars |
|---|---|
| Austrian vignette, if your satnav goes via Salzburg | €12.80 for 10 days (2026), digital |
| Rossfeld Panoramastraße | €9.50 per car and passengers |
| Kehlsteinhaus bus | €34.70 return per adult, lift included (2026) |
| Königssee boat | €23.40 return to St Bartholomew's, €29.80 to Salet (2026) |
| Neuschwanstein | €21, free under 18, €2.50 online booking fee (2026) |
| Linderhof | €11, €18 with the Venus Grotto in summer (2026) |
| Zugspitze | €78 return per adult, from 23 May 2026 |
| Heidelberg Castle | €11, funicular included |
| Kehlsteinhaus | Closed in winter; its road is closed to cars all year round |
|---|---|
| Königssee boats to Salet | From late April to mid-October only |
| Rossfeld Panoramastraße | Open all year round, toll road |
| Neuschwanstein | Closed on 1 January and on 24, 25 and 31 December |
| Partnach Gorge | Open all year round, sometimes closed during the snowmelt |
| Access roads to the Schwarzwaldhochstraße | Closed on some winter days, jammed with skiers |
Allow 10 to 14 days: this loop of 10 stages and 13 nights from Frankfurt covers about 1,650 km. In 7 days, keep the Romantic Road, Munich and Neuschwanstein. The German Alpine Road alone, from Lindau to Berchtesgaden, is about 480 km long and needs three to four days.
Car only in July: around €520 of car hire over 13 days (€40 a day, Kayak average), no motorway tolls, and around €270 of petrol at September 2026 prices for about 1,650 km. Add the admission fees: €21 at Neuschwanstein, €78 for the Zugspitze, €34.70 for the Kehlsteinhaus.
Yes, in the low emission zones (Frankfurt, Munich, Augsburg): you need the German green sticker, the Umweltplakette, sold by TÜV, Dekra or online on presentation of the vehicle registration document. Without it, a €100 fine. Heidelberg and Freiburg scrapped their zones in 2023 and 2025.
In part: there is no general limit, only an advisory speed of 130 km/h, but many stretches are limited by signs, especially near cities and roadworks. Above 130, you may share liability in an accident. Motorways are toll-free for cars.
Yes in summer: the tour, guided and at a set time, costs €21 (free under 18) plus a €2.50 online booking fee. Same-day tickets are sold at the Ticket Center in Hohenschwangau and often sell out early. Arriving late means losing your tour. The castle is closed on 1 January and on 24, 25 and 31 December.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/germany · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
