Munich

Munich makes Germany's regional rail feel like an extension of its city transit. The S1 and S8 S-Bahn lines run from the airport into the center in about 40 minutes, and the Deutschlandticket monthly pass covers that ride along with local and regional trains across the country. That pass is what turns Munich into a base. Regional trains reach the lakes south of the city, the Alpine resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the town of Füssen, from which local buses climb to Neuschwanstein Castle, all without a single rental desk. The airport ride is the weak spot: it is long and slower than Zurich's or Vienna's.