For visiting large cities, the train is the best option. A car is an expensive nuisance in a large city. For visiting small towns and out of the way places, a car is best.

Google "Rick Steves" and check out his website for a good primer on railpasses. If there are two of you, be sure and read about the "Saverpasses" as two people travelling together can save a lot. Also, don't waste your money on First Class.

At roughly $8 a gallon for gas, I've never considered a car and always use railpasses.

Railpasses are cheaper when bought in the US. Car rentals can be made on the spot (just like home) but you are likely to get a better deal reserving in advance.

The rail station in Salzburg has a German component. Any German rail pass is good into Salzburg. It used to be that you'd have to get off the train in the German part of the station, go through Customs and Passport Control and then emerge into the Austrian part of the station. That is all gone now, but the German part of the station remains. Think of it as a little bit of Germany in Austria.

All of the cities and towns you mentioned, except Salzburg, have chapters in Earl Steinbicker's "Daytrips Germany". I've used his guides for all my trips and he has never let me down.

Train is good for Mittenwald, and I'd stay there. Hotel Rieger is good sas is Alpenrose. I find Post is stuffy and overproiced.

I'd drive to Rothenburg, and also stay there. Iusually stay in goldener Greifen or Sptzweg; both have very nice owners who speak Englsih, and noth are inside the walls. But you could take the train, it's just that you'd miss out on other towns en route.

For Salzburg, either car or train is good. Train is cheap and efficient and gets you straight there with good views on the way. Car would allow you to drive the German Alpine Road, which is stunning.

You could actually drive Munich to Mittenwald (stay there), then to Salzburg along Alpine Road. I know I said train above, but this is perhaps a more efficient option.

Europcar, Hertz, any of the biggies are fine and available at Airport.

For train: BayernKarte won't restrict you.

Sorry; still not pushing you one way or 't other.

I would suggest renting a car a Frankfurt Hahn airport which is in the middle of nowhere. There are public transport options, you will have a to take a bus first and then the train and the whole journey will take you nearly 6 hours.

If you rent a car, you could do the rural Bavaria first and then give your car back in Munich and spend a few days in Munich without the car.

G

We were in Bavaria two years ago and got around exclusively by train and bus. Since we planned ahead it wasn't too limiting. You can use the Bayern ticket to travel to Salzburg, too. We stayed mostly in small towns where the bed-and-breakfasts were near the train stations.

Since there was a threatened train strike we made car reservations with Gemut. They were very easy to deal with and refunded our deposit promptly when the strike didn't happen.

Another place you might want to visit is Lake Chiemsee, about an hour southeast of Munich. You can see the foothills of the Alps from the lake, and there is an island on the lake with one of Ludwig's castles.