Munich to Nuremberg Train: 7 Trips by Rail

The Munich-Nuremberg train is the first of seven rail trips on this list, and it takes under two hours. This list gives the fastest time, the number of direct trains and a sample fare for each, as the Deutsche Bahn pages show them.

Four of the seven work as a day trip: Nuremberg, Regensburg, Rothenburg and Herrenchiemsee. Prague, Vienna and Berlin are better with a night away. If you would rather have a guide, tours in Germany from Munich cover the towns where the train is awkward.

Key Takeaway Nuremberg and Regensburg are under two hours by direct train, while Prague at 5 hours 37 minutes needs a change and an overnight stay.

1. Munich to Nuremberg train: 1 hour 41 minutes by ICE

The fastest Munich to Nuremberg train takes 1 hour 41 minutes, and Deutsche Bahn lists up to 39 direct trains a day. Deutsche Bahn counts about 51 connections a day in all, and the earliest train leaves at 04:11. It gives no distance in kilometres, so the travel time is your measure.

Fares depend on the day and the hour. The samples for 3 November 2026 were all ICE trains. The 18:34 started at €17.98, the 06:13 at €33.99 and the 10:41 at €34.99, so a one-way ticket costs from €17.98 and up to about €35 in these samples. The Bayern-Ticket is not valid on ICE or IC trains, so for these samples you need a normal ticket. It covers regional trains in Bavaria and costs €34 for one person in second class, and weekday use starts at 9:00 according to its FAQ, though the page header says otherwise, so check before you travel. No Deutsche Bahn page read here gives a time or fare for a regional train on this route, so the two cannot be compared exactly. The ICE is the fastest option listed and the only one with a time and fare here. Pick the ICE if you want a firm time and a low sample fare of €17.98. A regional train with a Bayern-Ticket only makes sense if the pass also covers other trips that day, so look up its time in the planner first.

Pro Tip Compare the evening and morning ICE fares for your date, because on 3 November 2026 the 18:34 started at €17.98 and the 10:41 at €34.99.

Nuremberg is easy to do in a day. The Old Town walking tour, from €16 per person, lasts 1.5 hours and meets at the Tourist Information on Hauptmarkt 18. The guide speaks English or German, groups hold up to 20 people, cancellation is free, and the tour is rated 4.6 from 2,749 reviews. Wheelchair users are not a fit, says the page.

The second reason people go is history. The Rally Grounds walking tour, from €13 per person, lasts 2 hours and meets at the Documentation Center. Geschichte Für Alle e.V. runs it, with a 4.7 rating from 2,085 reviews. People with mobility impairments are not a fit, says the page. The site was built for Nazi Party rallies, so go with care and time to think.

2. Regensburg: 1 hour 23 minutes, with 22 direct trains

Regensburg is the shortest ride on this list, at 1 hour 23 minutes on the fastest connection. Deutsche Bahn lists about 37 connections a day, and up to 22 of them are direct.

Sample fares on 4 November 2026 were €32.00 for the 18:44 and €41.60 for the 04:44 and 06:04. The 06:04 needed one change and took 1 hour 56 minutes. The page does not say which trains accept a Bayern-Ticket, so ask before you buy a day pass.

The old town walking tour that GetYourGuide lists is in German only, so no Regensburg tour is picked here. Deutsche Bahn's pages give nothing on Passau here, so check the Deutsche Bahn planner for it.

3. Rothenburg ob der Tauber: no direct train, so a coach day is easier

Rothenburg has no direct train from Munich. The town's tourist office says to travel to Würzburg or Ansbach, then take a regional train via Steinach. The old town is a short walk from the station. That means changing trains at least once. The page gives no total time, so check the Deutsche Bahn planner for your date.

The train is the wrong choice here if you want a simple day. A coach has no changes. The Rothenburg and Romantic Road day trip costs from €82 per person and lasts 10.5 hours. Gray Line Munich Day Tours runs it in English and German, and it has free cancellation. It is rated 4.5 from 2,572 reviews. With a named operator, free cancellation and thousands of reviews, it is a safe pick. Ratings and review counts are as shown on GetYourGuide on 28 October 2026, so check them again before you book.

The coach meets at Sonnenstraße 3 in Munich, and hotel pickup is not included. You get a coach seat along the Romantic Road, time in Rothenburg and a stop at Harburg Castle. Entry there is not in the price, and the listing says it costs €12 by card.

Rothenburg's tourist office also lists a Romantic Road coach on Sundays from early May to mid-September. That public line is seasonal, so it does not help in autumn or winter.

4. Herrenchiemsee: train to Prien, steam tram, then boat

Herrenchiemsee Palace takes three steps from Munich: a train to Prien am Chiemsee, a short tram ride and a boat. The Chiemsee-Bahn page says the Meridian runs regularly between Munich and Prien, and Deutsche Bahn runs trains there sometimes. It does not give the travel time.

From Prien station the 1887 steam tram runs 1.8 km to the harbour at Stock, but only on a summer timetable. Then you take a boat to Herreninsel. The operator's price list, valid until 31 December 2026, shows Prien/Stock to Herreninsel at €12.20 return for adults and €6.10 for children aged 6 to 15.

The palace is about a 15-minute walk from the pier, and the island page says to allow at least 2 hours. Guided tours show about 20 rooms, and the palace has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2025.

If you do not want to plan the three steps, the Herrenchiemsee day trip by train and boat costs from €59 per person and lasts 9.5 hours. Radius Tours GmbH runs it in English, with up to 25 people and free cancellation, and rated 4.9 from 150 reviews. The listing leaves out the palace entry of €11 and a boat fee of €19, so read what the boat fee covers. The listing text read here gives no meeting point, so check it before you book. Book ahead in summer, when the steam tram and boats run on their fuller timetable.

5. Prague: 5 hours 37 minutes at best, and not a day trip

Prague has no direct train from Munich. Deutsche Bahn says you change at least once, and lists about 15 connections a day. The fastest takes 5 hours 37 minutes.

The sample for 7 November 2026 shows how mixed the trip can be. The quickest option had two changes and a bus leg, and cost from €55.00. Another needed three changes and took 8 hours 24 minutes. Plan a night in Prague, and book the return too.

6. Vienna: 4 hours 16 minutes, with 13 direct trains

The quickest train from Munich to Vienna takes 4 hours 16 minutes, and Deutsche Bahn counts about 32 connections a day. Up to 13 of them are direct.

Sample fares for 3 November 2026 ran from €39.99 for the 06:04 direct train, which took 4 hours 28 minutes, to €128.60 for the 18:44 with one change. That is a long day for a round trip, so stay a night.

7. Berlin: 4 hours 35 minutes, with 23 direct trains

Berlin takes 4 hours 35 minutes on the fastest connection, and Deutsche Bahn lists about 28 connections a day. Up to 23 of them are direct.

The quickest sample for 3 November 2026 had one change. The direct 18:34 ICE took 4 hours 49 minutes and started at €57.99, which was the lowest of the three samples. The 06:13 needed two changes and started at €99.99.

A town under two hours away is a day trip, and a town over four hours away is a short break.

How to choose a train trip from Munich

The best day trip for most people is Nuremberg, the easiest ride. Pick Nuremberg or Regensburg for an easy day with a direct train, Herrenchiemsee for a lake and a palace, and Rothenburg only with a coach. Choose Prague, Vienna or Berlin when you can stay a night. The table puts the numbers side by side.

The Best Travel Destinations' count of GetYourGuide listings for the Munich area on 28 October 2026 found 15 listings that name Nuremberg, Regensburg, Rothenburg, Augsburg or Bamberg in their title, and they start at €11 per person.

A tour is worth it when the train needs changes, as in Rothenburg, or three steps, as at Herrenchiemsee. A tour costs more (from €59 or €82 against a €17.98 ICE sample) but removes the changes and gives you a guide, while the train costs less and lets you set your own hours. For Nuremberg and Regensburg, the train is simple and a walking tour only adds a guide. For a longer trip over the border, Munich to Salzburg takes 1 hour 43 minutes by train, and the Salzburg day trip guide covers it. More ideas sit in our list of day trips from Munich.