I've learned to pack pretty light in the last few years of international vacations. I still use a medium suitcase for a multi week trip since I'll carry some nice clothes for dinner and such. I generally just take what I wear at home since I know I'm comfortable in it.

I've never had an issue with pickpockets or other crimes but I keep my wallet in my front pocket and stay very aware of my surroundings. I don't leave a cell phone sitting on my table when eating outside and my wife keeps her purse in her lap when sitting outside. Whenever I see someone scoping us out, I make eye contact with them and give them ol' "yea I'm an American and I will fight you look"

I carry a regular sized roller suitcase. They way I plan and pack is to lay everything out I think I need. Just the bare minimum. Then I put half of it back away and pack the rest. I always want room to bring stuff back I buy during the trip. I know I can always get some laundry done at a friend's house, and a when in Rome kinda thing, Europeans don't shower and change clothes every day. So I don't mind rolling that way when I'm there. Once I'm in my rental car, I leave the big suitcase in the trunk and, wherever I stop for the night, I take what I need out of the suitcase and put it in a backpack I take into the hotel or friend's house. That big suitcase never comes out of the car until I return the car at the airport.

Remember, Fanny in the USA means something different than England SmileWavy

just looked at bahn.com and a 7day rail pass is 215eu (x 3 = 645eu).

I'd rent a car and pay whatever parking costs. When you're in a city, just take the S/U bahn, but getting between cities, a car will be better, more flexibility. . . and autobahn.

sixt.com is showing an S6 avant for $93.78 / day, or a more modest Tiguan for $38.64/day.

Side note, don't forget about the Mercedes Museum, or BMW platz / museums.

The BMW Museum in Munich is called BMW Welt and factory tours need to be booked in advance. You can walk around the museum and showrooms anytime and they have a great indoor motorcycle stunt demo every few hours. That's at Olympia Park, but BMW has a large underground parking garage. Parking in Munich is hell on Earth, but the garages are way more reasonably priced than anything in the US. For one person a train might make sense, but for three, definitely do the car thing. You will see lots of great places along the roads to stop and visit. And lots of major tourist attractions are advertised on large brown road signs along the highways, sort of like the signs we have around national parks. Those places can be difficult or impossible to reach by train. If you're anywhere near the former inner-German border, I can't stress enough how awesome those rural Grenzland museums are. I don't think any are reachable by public transportation other than the Checkpoint Charlie Museum in Berlin.

Re: pants and not-jeans - I sometimes do take jeans on trips, but if so I wear them when I fly since they're bulky. But I'll throw out a recommendation for these:

https://swrve.us/collections/pants/products/mid-weight-wwr-trousers

I first bought them as "bike pants" and they're great for that - very comfortable on a bike with lots of subtle and thoughtful design features, plus they look like normal pants and fit me well - but I also found that they became my favorite travel pants, especially (in summer) the lightweight versions, which I am alarmed to have just discovered are being discontinued.

In general they look good, fit like normal pants (the knee darts are subtle), have big pockets, dry quickly when they get wet, weigh little and pack up very compactly, and are very comfortable. Also, they're MUSA, I believe. I've got like seven pair in three weights.

Don't get on a train from platform 19 at the Wannsee station. The trains apparently only go one way, ideal for resettlement in the East, and the rolling stock is not exactly luxurious.
I did enquire, loudlly in my best German so that the queuing ticket buyers could hear clearly, to the booking office, as to whether the railway company had yet started running return services from that station.I didnt get a reply, so one must assume not.

those look pretty good!!

i bet they are similar to the Prana stretch Zions. Zions are about $80. they are also a great bike commuter pant. i havent worn jeans since moving to Santa Rosa..almost 3 years now.

Wow, sounds like traveling in Europe has become sketchy in general. Protecting a backpack with security mesh? Yikes! I'll keep the dirty clothes at he bottom of the sack, thieves are welcome to it. LOL. I'll def keep valuables protected and on my person.

Diesel option if renting a car...
Thank me later

To the OP

Travel light!

Synthetic, quick-dry, do laundry in your room. No more than three total days inventory.
Pack for layers and have a warm hat.

My wife and I were on a three week trip like yours and our packs combined came in under thirty pounds. That was when I was poor and wore more cotton.

Less is more. Trust me.

3 of you, right? For a week? I'd get the value pack.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1521169137.jpg

Aint that the truth... every time I end up with a gas car in Europe, gas is my biggest expense... even more than hotel or tolls!

Its a nice feeling to be a little stinky, but unencumbered by too many bulky and heavy clothes :)

I have my moto-kit down to 2 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of underwear, 2 nice gray t-shirts and one pair of comfy travel pants. Of course, riding gear over all of that. My clothes take up hardly any room at all in a roll up compression bag.

I like these pants: https://www.amazon.com/WenVen-Mens-Running-Pants-Grey/dp/B06X9WQQTW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1521175474&sr=8-2&keywords=wenven+quick+dry+pants

^^^motion for the win!

Vash and I have discussed the topic of the best pants before....

I still love the Sitka Grinder pants for my international traveling. They pack small and seem to really stay clean. They aren’t the cheapest, but wear very well and last.

lol Magnum is icecream here.. quite similar in packaging colors, dark brown & gold letters

https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/a6d...0&odnBg=FFFFFF

This is excellent advice. Many AirBnBs will have a parking space as well included. The hotels not so much or they may charge but regardless, it frees you to your own schedule and not Deutsche Bahn's. The museums should be seen as well :)

Actually, the Welt is across the street from the museum. It is their central dealer and where you pick up your European delivery. Well worth a visit as well as the museum, though indeed. Your other recommendations are spot on.

Traveling in Germany is not sketchy. It is no more sketchy than traveling in the US. This is a developed country that is very wealthy. It has its issues like any other but don't let that scare you. Again, I second/recommend renting a car over the bahn card and just use the S-bahn/U-bahn when you are in cities to get around. Be vigilent of your surroundings and don't doing anything to make you stand out and you will have no issues. In fact, you should have a great trip!

Woah, when was your last visit to Germany? Or is this experience only from watching Youtube?
Train stations are no more sketchy than before, or in other words: not more sketchy than train stations usually are ;-)
I know of NY-people avoiding the Penn Station at all cost.

Viper, you will notice that the Youtube-/media- and fearmongerer-tales about the "guests" is extremely exaggerated by almost all non-Europeans! Europe (and in this case Germany) does not look different than before. I live here.

We move around as usual, also I have no problem at all with my daughter visiting friends and moving around (even alone) even after dark.

There have always been sketchy places, they have not become more or less after the "guests" came. I mean, what insane person visits Neukölln or some areas in the Ruhrgebiet even 10-20 years ago. Same as with the sketchy areas in the USA.
Dont let anybody tell anything about new "no-go" areas. You will not find other "no-go" areas then the ones existing since forever.
As a normal guest you will not find those sketchy "no-go" areas by yourself. You have to know where they are and you have to want to visit them!
You will not run into them by accident like can happen in the USA ;-)

Enjoy your visit! Have fun! And tell us about your trip!