Munich – the Alps

Route

1. Munich Hbf

2. Garmisch-Partenkirchen

   Base for the Zugspitze cable car and cogwheel railway

3. Berchtesgaden / Salzburg Hbf

   Gateway to the Königssee and Watzmann

What you'll see

• Bavarian foothills give way to the limestone walls of the Wetterstein range as the train nears Garmisch
• The Zugspitzbahn cogwheel railway continues from Garmisch station up towards Germany's highest peak
• Towards Berchtesgaden, forested Alpine valleys and views of the Watzmann massif

Stopover ideas

• Garmisch-Partenkirchen — Partnachklamm gorge walk
• Berchtesgaden — Königssee electric boat trip to St. Bartholomä

Practicalities

Trains

RE regional trains Munich–Garmisch-Partenkirchen (about hourly) and the Munich–Salzburg EC/ICE line with a regional connection on to Berchtesgaden

Duration

about 1h20 Munich to Garmisch-Partenkirchen; about 1h40 Munich to Salzburg by EC/ICE, plus a further regional connection to Berchtesgaden

Best time of year

Winter for skiing around Garmisch; June–September for the Zugspitze and Königssee boat trips

Which ticket?

These are regional (RE) trains, so a Deutschlandticket (currently €63/month) covers the whole Munich–Garmisch leg with no extra fare. The Munich–Salzburg EC/ICE leg needs a separate long-distance ticket, or counts as a German Rail Pass travel day for pass holders.

Plan the exact connection on the journey planner or work out whether a rail pass pays off on the trip planner.