Fancy a day trip to the highest mountain in Germany? Not a problem when you’re in Munich!
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-The Zugspitze - day trip to Germany's highest mountain
- By train to the Zugspitze
- Hikes to the Zugspitze
- Winter magic around the Zugspitze
- Zugspitze: How to get there from Munich
While Zugspitze in the Wetterstein Mountains may not be one of Munich’s local mountains, it is a mere 90 kilometres away from the Bavarian state capital, making it easy to reach by car, train or straightforward on a guided trip. The border between Germany and Austria runs across its summit. At the top of the “Top of Germany“ is one of the last glaciers in Germany. Like many others, it is threatened by climate change.
Whether you decide to conquer the 2962 metre summit by foot or in the comfort of a cable car or the cog wheel railway, a breathtaking panorama is always waiting for you at the top. From the lofty AlpspiX viewing platform, you can enjoy an exciting view of the surrounding mountains and down into the Höllental valley, 1000 meters below.You also have a wonderful view from the various restaurants on the Zugspitze, such as the Panorama 2962, the Sonnalpin or the Glacier 2600.
A more comfortable way to scale Zugspitze is with the cog wheel railway that travels from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the station at the summit in 75 minutes. The Eibsee cable car gondola takes you to the summit much faster, in just 10 minutes. Here you will find all the information you need to travel to the Zugspitze from Germany. There is also the option of taking the Tiroler Zugspitzbahn from Ehrwald in Austria to the Zugspitze.
More adventurous visitors can opt for one of the five hiking routes to the top with varying degrees of difficulty – from easy (A) to very challenging (E).
Route A: Reintal
Route B: Ehrwalder Alm und Gatterl
Route C: Österreichisches Schneekar
Route D: Höllental
Route E: Jubiläumsgrat
However, hikes to the Zugspitze should only be attempted by experienced hikers in good physical condition. The demands of the mountain are often underestimated. Even the two easier tours via the Reintal valley, starting at the ski stadium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and via the Ehrwalder Alm and the Gatterl from the valley station of the Ehrwalder Almbahn in Austria, cover up to 21 kilometers, over 2000 meters in altitude and are in alpine terrain!
And, of course, Zugspitze is also worth a trip for winter sports enthusiasts: The Glacier Ski Resort Zugspitz Arena Bayern-Tirol offers skiers and snowboarders 20 kilometres of prepared pistes of natural snow at altitudes of between 2000 and 2720 metres above sea level. Ski fans are not the only people who will enjoy their trip to Zugspitze: Germany’s highest glacier also attracts visitors with its three toboggan runs, which sometimes stay open until summer if there is enough snow. You can also go ski touring, cross-country skiing or winter hiking with or without snowshoes.
Train connection: approx. 1.5 hours from Munich main station to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Information at bahn.de
Zugspitze by car: approx. 1 hour via the A95 motorway to the Zugspitzbahnhof car park in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
