Garmisch-Partenkirchen Transportation

Renting a car in Garmisch-Partenkirchen is an easy and recommended way to get around. It costs around 65euro per day for an automatic that seats 5 people. Try EuropCar or Hertz. EuropCar offers discounts for US Military members. Numbers for rental services will be available at your hotel.

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Finding the base station for the Wankbahn is probably the hardest part of the journey to the top of the Wank. It's tucked away in the forest on the north east tip of Partenkirchen, and only intermittantly signposted. If you head in the direction of the prominently white St Anton's church on the same hillside and take a left down Philosophenweg, you will get there eventually. Allow yourself a good half hour walking if you are heading from the center of town.

The Wankbahn operates a gondola system, so there is no time that you need to turn up. There is a constant rotating stream of cabins going up and down the mountainside, and there will always be one waiting for you when you arrive. The cabins just keep rotating all day (from 08:45 until 17:00 in the summer). Outside of those times you'll be walking, so make sure you don't miss the last one unless you are planning a hike down the mountain.

The journey takes about 18 minutes each way and costs 16 euros return (for an adult) and 10 euros for a single journey. You can also buy cheaper tickets to the half-way station.

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Unlike the Wankbahn, finding the Zugspitzbahn station is easy, but getting to the top can be a little confusing and needs a little explanation. There are a number of alternative routes to the top, and I will explain the simplest, quickest, option.

The journey to the Zugspitze summit involves three parts:

1. A cog wheel train to Grainau.
2. Another cog wheel train journey from Grainau to Eibsee.
3. An aerial tramway from Eibsee to the Zugspitze summit.

These elements are never explained clearly anywhere, so they are worth noting otherwise you might end up wasting time like I did.

The station for the aerial tramway in Eibsee is separate to the cog wheel train station, and you need to take a short walk through the trees outside the station. It's not far, so if you find yourself wandering too long, go back and try again. You should be able to just walk out of the front of the station and take the path right there. It has a small sign post so look out for it.

The Eibsee Seilbahn is an aerial tramway, not a gondola system, so there is only one cabin on each of the two ropeways. Each cabin crams in about 30 people squashed together like sardines.

The dramatic journey to the top takes about 10 minutes, and in normal circumstances the cabins are going up and down the mountain every half hour. Towards the end of busy days, however, there are more people wanting to come down than the cabins can carry and so you will need to book ahead. Again this isn't made very clear (until it is too late) so be aware. If they are calling out ticket numbers, make sure you go and get one before trying to go back down to Eibsee. Otherwise you might get stuck up the mountain for an hour or so longer than you intended, like I did.

The journey all the way to the top costs 44 euros for a return. The last train to the Eibsee leaves Garmisch at 2.15, and the last one from the top on the Eibsee Seilbahn should leave at 5pm, but they keep it running a bit longer if there's a jam.

The train from the Munich Hauptbahnhof to Garmisch-Partenkirchen is the perfect, stressless way, to get to the Alpine town.

Here is an example from Deutsche Bahn www.db.de

München Hbf track 27-36
to Garmisch-Partenkirchen
departure 03.09.04
arrival 03.09.04
depart 11.34 a.m.
arrive 1:23 p.m.
approximately 2 hours
price 14,20 EUR
one way, tourist class

Tickets can be booked in advance either online, in person at the HBf, or even bought on the train. Return fare is double, unless you book a special fare. Please enquire directly at www.db.de

The route takes you through some picturesque Bavarian towns, and along the shores of Starnberger See, as well as, through Murnau on the way to Garmisch. If it is a clear day, you will have the panorama of the mountains the whole way.

Gute reise

Once you reach Garmisch-Partenkirchen you will want to access the slopes via the Zugspitzbahn and connected systems of cable cars and lifts.

The Bayerische Zugspitzbahn Bergbahn AG is located behind the Hauptbahnhof in Garmisch, about 2-minutes walk from the main arrival and departure tracks. Just walk under the tracks, away from the HBF and you will see it on your left as you step out into sunshine.

No fewer than eight cable cars and gondolas await you, giving you access to locations at differing altitudes. You have your choice of the Hausberg, Kreuzeck, Oesterfelder or Zugspitze. You cannot reach the Wank from here, so you will have to take a taxi from the HBF. The Wank is now closed during most of the winter months, except occasionally during peak holidays. It is open all summer and serviced from the Wank Bahn.

Travel on the Zugspitzbahn is free with a valid ski pass.

TAKE THE KREUZECKBAHN TO GO ON THE PEAK OF 1340 METERS , BUT IF YOU WANT TO HIKE THIS WAY IT TAKES ABOUT 3 HOURS , THE CABLECAR BRING YOU TO THE PEAK IN 10 MINUTES , SO YOU CAN HIKE MORE IN THE HIGHER AREA

We made use of the bus service on a daily basis to visit nearby attractions and towns. We were four ladies travelling together so we use to buy the Bavarian tickets which worked out a lot cheaper than buying individual tickets.
the day tickets costed us Euro 28

We made use of the regional busses for our day trips. Ask the driver for the bayerntickets if you are two or more travelling together. It works out a lot cheaper than buying individual tickets, just you have to travel together all the time.