re: Munich/Salzburg

Is it worth the hassle? Yes. It is not that big of a hassle. I have to say that I made that trip on a tour bus so I can't comment on the details of driving a car, but I did not notice any problems at the boarder. And Salzburg is well worth visiting. I suggest that you then continue on to Vienna. You can get off the highway at Melk and drive the rest of the way through the Vaccau Valley wine country on the road that runs along the bank of the beautiful blue Danube (which is actually a greyish green). The scenery is beautiful and that is the next best thing to a Danube cruise. Don't worry about the boarder crossing.