After landing in Frankfurt on July 27, allow the full three hours for passport control, luggage collection, customs, finding the Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbahnhof, and boarding your reserved ICE. Do not plan a tight rail connection after the overnight flight. The ICE journey to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof will take approximately 4½–5 hours depending on the service; reserve seats together and keep passports and rail tickets easily accessible.
From Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, allow another 30–45 minutes for the local transfer or taxi to your hotel. Check in, leave your luggage, and take about an hour to shower or rest. This is a substantial travel day, so keep the sightseeing gentle and flexible rather than trying to cover major museums or attractions.
If everyone still has energy, walk from the station toward Hamburg Rathaus for a brief look at the grand exterior and central square. Continue through Speicherstadt, following the canals and warehouse streets toward HafenCity. The route is mostly straightforward but involves several kilometres of walking, so use local transit or a taxi if jet lag catches up with you.
Continue to the Elbphilharmonie Plaza for harbor views and the late-evening light. Plaza access is free, although timed entry may be introduced when busy; reserve a ticket in advance if required for your travel date. Check the actual sunset time shortly before the trip, as late-July daylight lasts well into the evening.
Finish in the Portuguese Quarter, particularly around Ditmar-Koel-Straße, where you can choose among Portuguese and seafood restaurants. Reserve a table for four if possible, especially for the evening rush, and budget approximately €25–45 per person before drinks. After supper, take a taxi or local transit back to the hotel rather than extending the walk; tomorrow’s Bremerhaven day trip is best started rested.
Leave Hamburg Hauptbahnhof around 7:30–8:00 a.m. on a regional service via Bremen Hauptbahnhof; allow roughly 2–2½ hours including the connection. Check DB Navigator on the morning of travel, since regional platforms and connections can change. A regional day ticket or group fare may be roughly €25–35 per adult, with reduced fares sometimes available; confirm the best option for your party. From Bremerhaven Hauptbahnhof, take a local bus or taxi toward Havenwelten, allowing about 15–20 minutes.
Your main visit is the German Emigration Center, where exhibits follow emigrants from departure through arrival and settlement overseas. Allow about three hours, including the multimedia sections. Check the 2027 opening schedule and reserve admission if timed entry is offered, particularly during the summer period. The museum is large enough for everyone to explore at their own pace, so it is worth resisting the temptation to rush through the personal-story displays.
Travel by local bus or taxi to Schaufenster Fischereihafen, allowing approximately 15–20 minutes from Havenwelten. Several seafood restaurants and casual counters operate in the old fishery district; allow approximately €18–35 per person for lunch. Afterward, return to Havenwelten for Klimahaus Bremerhaven 8° Ost, whose interactive route through different climate zones should appeal to both adults and the teenager. Plan around two hours, and check its closing time before leaving Hamburg, as this is the most schedule-sensitive part of the day.
Finish with an easy walk around Bremerhaven Havenwelten, taking in the marina and harbor architecture without adding another major attraction. Keep enough time to reach Bremerhaven Hauptbahnhof for a late-afternoon or early-evening regional train via Bremen to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof. The return journey again takes roughly 2–2½ hours, so plan on a simple supper near your hotel or around Hamburg Hauptbahnhof rather than scheduling anything formal.
Allow about 30 minutes to reach Hamburg Hauptbahnhof from the hotel, and arrive 20–30 minutes before the reserved ICE. A departure around 07:00–08:00 is sensible; the direct journey takes roughly 5¾–6½ hours, with arrival at München Hauptbahnhof in the early afternoon. Reserve seats together through Deutsche Bahn or the DB Navigator app, preferably around a table, and bring breakfast and water. Advance fares are often approximately €60–120 per person, but depend on availability.
From München Hauptbahnhof, take the U-Bahn or tram, or walk for roughly 20 minutes, to Hotel Hauser in Maxvorstadt. Allow about an hour to check in, leave luggage, and freshen up. Then head toward Karlsplatz (Stachus) for an easy first look at the city centre and Karlstor before continuing on foot through the pedestrian streets to St. Michael’s Church. Allow around 45 minutes inside, while checking the current visiting arrangements because sightseeing may pause during services.
Walk approximately 10–15 minutes from St. Michael’s Church to Augustiner am Platzl for dinner. Expect about €20–35 per person for a main course and drink; an early dinner or reservation is wise, especially for a family of four. Afterward, continue to Marienplatz to see the illuminated Neues Rathaus and its Glockenspiel from outside. The Glockenspiel performance takes place during the day, so treat this as an evening exterior visit rather than a show. Return to Hotel Hauser by U-Bahn or on foot, keeping the remainder of the night restful after the long rail journey.
After breakfast at Hotel Hauser, the two adults visiting BMW should take the U-Bahn toward Olympiazentrum, allowing roughly 25–30 minutes door to door. Begin at BMW Welt for about 1½ hours, then walk next door to the BMW Museum for approximately two hours. BMW Welt is generally free, while the museum requires admission; reserve a timed museum entry and confirm the current Friday hours before travelling.
The other adult and the seventeen-year-old should leave München Hauptbahnhof early for Salzburg Hauptbahnhof. The train journey is roughly 1½ hours, but allow extra time for reaching the station, finding the platform and meeting the tour. They should follow the confirmed meeting instructions for the Salzburg Panorama Tours Sound of Music tour; the excursion is booking-dependent, so check its finishing time before choosing the return train.
The BMW pair should continue to the BMW Group Plant Munich tour in Milbertshofen. This must be an advance weekday reservation, and participants should bring the required identification and wear practical shoes. Allow 2–2½ hours including check-in. A simple lunch at BMW Welt or nearby can be budgeted at approximately €12–25 per person.
After the tour, the Salzburg pair can walk from the tour drop-off area into the Old Town for coffee and strudel at Café Tomaselli, allowing roughly €8–15 per person. They can then spend about an hour along Getreidegasse, with time to browse the side lanes and historic shopfronts without adding another major attraction.
The Salzburg pair should return to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof with at least 20 minutes before their selected train. The journey back to München Hauptbahnhof takes about 1½ hours, though a flexible ticket is sensible because the tour’s exact finish and traffic can vary. The BMW pair can return from Milbertshofen by U-Bahn after the factory visit.
Keep the evening relaxed after the split day. Secure both the BMW factory-tour booking and the Salzburg Panorama Tours reservation before the trip, and avoid tightly timed non-refundable rail tickets until the Salzburg tour schedule is confirmed.
Start around 9:30 a.m. with a gentle walk through Rindermarkt and the surrounding old lanes. This keeps the morning atmospheric rather than overly scheduled, with time for photographs, small shops, and a coffee stop. The compact centre is easy to cover on foot, but allow extra time for Saturday crowds and occasional street activity.
Continue to Jüdisches Museum München at St.-Jakobs-Platz for about 90 minutes. Its exhibitions provide useful context for the city’s Jewish history and the community’s contemporary life. Check the museum’s current opening hours and any timed-entry requirements in advance; admission costs are generally in the low single-digit to low-teens euro range, depending on age and ticket type.
Walk south toward Damenstiftstrasse and Sendlinger Tor, allowing roughly 10–15 minutes between stops. Browse the smaller shops and residential streets before taking a coffee or light lunch break near the gate. A casual lunch should usually be around €12–25 per person, while a sit-down meal will cost more. Since it is Saturday, reserve flexibility for busy cafés rather than planning around one particular venue.
Spend the afternoon in Hackenviertel, where the pace is calmer than on the major shopping thoroughfares and the family can dip into boutiques, galleries, and courtyards at its own speed. Allow about 90 minutes, with a longer stop if the group wants to shop. From Sendlinger Tor, most of this route is walkable; otherwise, the U-Bahn provides a quick alternative when feet are tired.
Finish back around Rindermarktbrunnen, a practical meeting point for dinner and an easy route back to Hotel Hauser. Budget approximately €20–40 per adult for a casual-to-mid-range dinner, with lower-cost options available for the teenager. Keep the evening unhurried and confirm the next day’s BMW and Salzburg arrangements, since those are separate plans and the BMW factory visit depends on the advance-booked tour slot.
Start around 9:00 a.m. with an easy walk through the English Garden, entering from the southern side near Odeonsplatz or Universität. Sunday morning is especially pleasant for the quieter paths, open lawns, and shaded river trails. Allow about 1½ hours at an unhurried pace, then continue to the Monopteros, a short uphill walk with attractive views toward central Munich and the park.
Walk north through the park to the Chinese Tower Biergarten, aiming to arrive around 11:30 a.m. or noon before the busiest lunch period. Spend 1½–2 hours here over Bavarian food and drinks in the communal seating area. Allow approximately €15–25 per person for a main dish and drink; typical choices include sausages, roast chicken, pretzels, salads, and vegetarian dishes. Check the current Sunday opening arrangements and weather before setting out, since outdoor service can be reduced in poor conditions.
After lunch, walk south through the English Garden toward the Eisbachwelle, allowing roughly 25–35 minutes depending on your pace. Spend about 30 minutes watching the surfers, staying behind the barriers because the current is powerful and the riverbanks can be slippery. Continue into Lehel and stroll along Maximilianstrasse for about an hour, leaving room for photographs, window-shopping, or a café stop rather than adding another scheduled attraction.
Make your way to Hofbräukeller in Haidhausen for supper, either walking for approximately 25–30 minutes from Maximilianstrasse or using public transport in about 20–25 minutes. Reserve ahead if possible, especially if you want garden seating. Budget approximately €20–35 per person for a main course and drinks. After dinner, return to Hotel Hauser by tram, U-Bahn, or taxi; check the Sunday evening service frequency before leaving, as connections may be less frequent later at night. Keep luggage and travel documents ready for the early start from Munich to Lindau on August 2.
After breakfast at Hotel Hauser, leave around 6:15–6:30 a.m. for München Hauptbahnhof. This is the end of the four-night Munich stay: the three full Munich days are July 30, July 31 and August 1, with the family departing on August 2 as requested. Allow time for the walk to the platform, luggage and finding the correct train; the journey to Lindau-Insel takes approximately 2½–3 hours, making the full hotel-to-arrival transfer about 3½ hours.
On arrival, use luggage lockers if available and explore Lindau Old Town on foot. Walk to the harbor for the Bavarian Lion and Lindau Lighthouse, then follow the waterfront and colorful island lanes. Allow about 1½ hours, including coffee or a light snack, but keep the ferry timetable in view. A light meal or snacks bought in Lindau will generally cost about €10–20 per person.
Take the seasonal Lindau–Rorschach ferry, which takes roughly 2–2½ hours. Confirm the operating date, departure time and weather-related service status shortly before travel; the ferry is the key dependency in this route. Bring a layer for the open deck, and carry sandwiches or snacks because onboard food service may be limited.
After arriving at Rorschach harbor, allow 30–45 minutes for a waterfront stretch and refreshment if the connection permits. If the ferry is late, continue directly to the station. The SBB train to St. Gallen takes about 20 minutes, but allow 45–60 minutes door to door for walking, waiting and reaching the hotel. The German train, ferry and Swiss rail legs will commonly total approximately €60–100 per person, depending on advance fares and the ferry operator.
After checking in and freshening up, walk toward Marktplatz St. Gallen for dinner and a short Old Town stroll. Allow approximately CHF 25–45 per person for a casual Swiss or European main meal, with drinks and specialties extra. Keep the evening relaxed after the long transfer; save the Abbey Library and Mühleggbahn for their planned days.
Book the Munich–Lindau train through DB Navigator or bahn.de, verify the ferry schedule with the Lake Constance operator, and use sbb.ch or the station machines for the short Rorschach–St. Gallen connection. Buy the ferry tickets in advance if required by the operator, especially during the August travel period.
Leave St. Gallen around 7:30–8:00 a.m. for Wasserauen, travelling via Appenzell on the Appenzeller Bahnen network. Allow roughly 1½ hours door to door, including the connection and the walk to the Ebenalp cable car. Check the timetable and cable-car operating status the evening before; mountain services can be affected by wind or maintenance. A regional day ticket may be better value than separate fares, depending on the final itinerary.
Ride up to Ebenalp, then follow the signed, uneven trail towards the Wildkirchli Caves and Berggasthaus Aescher. Allow about two hours for the walk, cave passage, viewpoints and photographs. The route includes steps and exposed mountain sections rather than being a flat family stroll, so sturdy footwear and a light layer are important. The cave can feel cool even in August.
Take a coffee break at Berggasthaus Aescher, budgeting approximately CHF 8–15 per person for drinks or a light snack. Then return by the Ebenalp cable car to Wasserauen. Arrange the Seealpsee Express Alpine Taxi in advance if possible and confirm the pickup instructions; availability is seasonal and can be limited on clear summer days. Without the taxi, the walk to Seealpsee adds a substantial uphill section and would make the day more tiring.
Have lunch beside Seealpsee, allowing around 1½ hours for the meal and an easy shoreline walk. Expect a lakeside meal to cost roughly CHF 20–35 per person. Avoid planning the full lake circuit, as you will need to allow time for the return taxi and onward train connections. Keep some Swiss francs available as a backup, although card payment may be accepted.
Take the Alpine Taxi back to Wasserauen, then travel to Appenzell village before continuing to St. Gallen. If the connections leave 30–45 minutes, wander through the compact centre and admire its brightly painted façades rather than adding another major stop. Return to St. Gallen in the early evening for an uncomplicated dinner near the hotel; after the hike and mountain transport, a relaxed evening will be welcome. Check the final train and taxi times before departure, particularly if the Seealpsee Express reservation is fixed.
Start around 9:00 a.m. in the compact Abbey District, walking from your hotel to the St. Gallen Abbey Library. Allow about an hour, including the required protective shoe covers. Check the official schedule and reserve a timed entry if available, since opening arrangements, admission rules and photography policies can change. Admission is commonly in the CHF 15–20 range for adults, with reduced rates sometimes available for younger visitors.
Continue directly into St. Gallen Cathedral, beside the library, for 30–45 minutes. Check that no service or rehearsal is taking place before entering. Then walk a few minutes to the Mühleggbahn Funicular. The uphill ride takes only a few minutes, but allow around 30 minutes overall for finding the entrance and waiting; a local transport or short-trip ticket may be needed.
At Drei Weieren, follow the easy paths around the ponds and pause at the viewpoints over St. Gallen and the surrounding countryside. Allow roughly 1½ hours, and bring water if the weather is warm. Some paths can be uneven or slippery after rain. Return by the funicular, then walk back through the historic centre to Gallusplatz, leaving time to browse the narrow lanes and old façades.
Finish with coffee and lunch at S’Bohne, allowing approximately CHF 15–30 per person depending on drinks and the meal. The main stops are walkable once you are in central St. Gallen, so no additional transport is necessary. Before the day, verify the library’s opening arrangements, cathedral access and funicular service, since religious events, maintenance or seasonal schedules can occasionally affect the visit.
Allow approximately 1¼–1½ hours on the train from St. Gallen to Zurich Airport, but budget roughly 2–2½ hours from leaving the hotel to reaching the airline check-in area. Walk to St. Gallen station and check the SBB Mobile app the previous evening. Some services are direct, while others require a change at Zürich Hauptbahnhof, so leave around four hours before the scheduled flight if possible.
Keep passports, boarding details and any VAT-refund paperwork accessible. Train tickets are commonly around CHF 30–45 per adult, depending on the fare and available reductions; allow extra for local transport if the hotel is not within walking distance of the station.
Complete baggage drop and security promptly at Zurich Airport, aiming to arrive about three hours before the long-haul departure unless the airline gives different instructions. The airport is straightforward but can involve a long walk or an automated-train transfer after security, so allow time to reach the gate. Cafés and shops are available airside, though prices are generally higher than in St. Gallen.
Check the airline app and departure screens for the final gate and boarding time. Keep medication, chargers, travel documents and a change of clothes in cabin luggage rather than checked bags.
Board the confirmed Zurich–Calgary flight according to the airline’s current schedule. Verify the operating airline, baggage allowance, check-in requirements and whether the service is nonstop or connecting, since these details can change before departure. On arrival at Calgary International Airport, allow time for Canadian immigration, baggage collection and customs before arranging onward transport.
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