I was all packed and ready to leave Denver on a trek to Germany, but first...waiting for the bus...and the train...and the airport shuttle...and the airplane...and the train...and so on. The most affordable airfare to Germany  from Denver at the time of booking was on Lufthansa to Frankfurt.  The flight was a 9-hour, 35-minute non-stop to Frankfurt on an Airbus A340-300.  This plane has a great seating arrangement in economy, with a 2-4-2 seating.  This is the best arrangement you'll find on any long-haul economy flight. Arriving in Frankfurt allowed  for a short three day vacation visiting a few towns and Christmas markets along the way to Munich. Deutsche Bahn was super easy and convenient and stopped right in the city center in every town.   Christmas market stops were made in Wurzburg, Nuremberg, Regensburg, and the final destination before starting the tour, Munich.   A hotel stay was made in Wurzburg for the first night after a brief 2 hour train ride that left right from the Frankfurt airport.  There was no transfer needed and seat reservations are highly recommended in advance, as this train was really, really crowded.  The market in Wurzburg was open late and was surprisingly packed with people and the merchant stalls filled many, many streets in the city center. After a nice overnight stay at the Dorint Hotel Würzburg, next up was  an enjoyable stop in Nuremberg at the popular Christmas market. After a couple of hours of food and shopping at the market,  it was back on the train to Regensburg. The Regensburg Christmas market charged a small fee for admission and this was payable in advance online.  Again, highly recommend making the purchase before you arrive to beat the crowds.  This market was located on the grounds of the Thurn und Taxis Castle, which provided a great atmosphere for the market.  A comfortable night at the ibis Regensburg Zentrum, and after three days of exploring several fantastic Christmas markets, eating food, and watching the entertainment, the next stop on the train  was in Munich and the start of the "Best of Munich, Salzburg & Vienna in 8 Days" tour.