Expert: Kevin Johnson - 5/30/2005

Question
In late June/early July, my son and I will be renting a car in Berlin and taking two days to drive to Munich. We plan to stay overnight in Eisenach (to see the Wartburg). We would like to spend some time in the Thuringer Wald, or perhaps the Harz Mt area on the way, but I don't know what the roads are like off the autobahn. Would it be possible for us to take a drive through the countryside, maybe hike for an hour or so in the forest, then get to Eisenach in the evening, not too late? I am used to long car trips in the US, but this is my first trip to Germany (I do speak a little bit of German). Can you give me some suggestions? Thanks!  

Answer
Hello Jane Thorngreen,

The road conditions are usually very good or even excellent. If you take the Autobahn for the longest part (distance-wise) of your trip, you should need less than 4 hours from Berlin to Eisenach and less than 5 hours from Eisenach to Munich. Try to take the Bundesstraßen (federal highways) - they are numbered with a B at the beginning. But even the Landstraßen are usually in very good condition and you can safely travel at up to 100 km/h if there is no speed limit.

So you should have plenty of time for a detour and a brief hike in a scenic forest. You should inquire at the local tourist information or Wanderverein (hiking club) about short hikes that are worthwhile. There are lots of marked hiking trails and their lengths vary from 30 minutes to 20 days!

I have not yet hiked that area, so I cannot give any insider tips.

Have a nice trip and

Peace,
Kevin.