Zugspitze near Garmisch: How to get there, mountain railroads, tour tips

Panorama, alpine pastures, mountain sports: the highlights for visitors

• As Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze offers a spectacular panorama in good weather: from the summit terraces the view stretches across more than 400 peaks in four countries, from the Wetterstein range in the foreground to the Eastern Alps.
• Not far from the summit station, visitors can stop for a bite at Panorama 2962 – or at the Sonnalpin glacier restaurant down on the Zugspitzplatt.
• Among the highlights of Zugspitze are the many sports on offer in summer and winter: Climbing, paragliding, trail running, skiing and snowboarding, tobogganing are just some of the many opportunities for sports on the mountain.

With the cable cars up the Zugspitze

The historic Bayerische Zugspitzbahn cogwheel railway went into service in 1930. It starts next to the main train station in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and calls at Hausberg, Kreuzeck-/Alpspitzbahn, Hammersbach, Grainau, Eibsee and Riffelriß before reaching its terminus at the Zugspitzplatt, a high plateau at 2,588 meters. From there, the Gletscherbahn cable car takes over for the last stretch to the summit.

The Seilbahn Zugspitze cable car is the faster option: it starts at the Eibsee and runs directly to the summit – and back down again. A third approach comes from the Austrian side, where the valley station of the Tiroler Zugspitzbahn is located in Ehrwald/Obermoos.

The Zugspitz Gletscherbahn connects the Zugspitzplatt with the summit. Opened in 1992, the cable car covers 1,000 meters of distance and 360 meters of altitude in just four minutes.

Hiking through the Reintal or over the Gatterl to the Zugspitze

It takes about 11 hours through the Reintal – the easiest but by far the longest route to the Zugspitze. From the ski stadium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the trail first leads through the wild Partnachklamm gorge, then along forest tracks to the Bockhütte at 1,052 meters.

An easy mountain path continues to the Reintalangerhütte at 1,369 meters. If the tour is too much for one day, this is the place to stop for the night. It then gets steeper up to the Knorrhütte, which also offers overnight accommodation, before the route opens out onto the wide Zugspitzplatt.

After the Sonnalpin station, things get sweaty: a scree field leads up to the summit ridge. The path is secured in places, especially in the upper section. Anyone who isn't entirely comfortable with exposure should end the tour at the Münchner Haus, just below the summit cross.

A shorter alternative is the Gatterlroute: It leads from Ehrwald to the Knorrhütte. From there on, the tour is identical to the Reintal route. The Knorrhütte can be reached from the valley station of the Ehrwalder Almbahn. From the mountain station you continue to the Pestkapelle. There begins the climb to the "Gatterl"- a saddle, which is reached at the end over easy rocks. In this area there are wire rope belays. Then it goes over the Plattsteig to the Knorrhütte. If you still want to shorten the tour, which takes about 7 hours, you can use the Ehrwalder Almbahn to save just under 400 meters in altitude.

Quick check: The most important information about the ascent:

• Altitude gain: approx. 2,200 vertical meters from the ski stadium
• Duration: approx. 11 hours via the Reintal, approx. 7 hours via the Gatterl
• Requirements: sure-footedness and a head for heights

For experienced: Ascent from Höllental and Stopselzieher

The tour over the Austrian Schneekar and Stopselzieher is with a good 5.5 hours the shortest way to the Zugspitze, but also very demanding:

From the Eibsee or alternatively from Obermoos, the paths go steeply to the Wiener Neustädter Hütte at 2213 meters. There then begins the via ferrata (difficulty levels A and B) - appropriate equipment is urgently required. Spectacular is the passage of the Stopselziehers - a natural rock tunnel. Through terrain that is secured in many places, the route then leads to the ridge and summit.

The most eexciting ascent is via the Höllental:

From Hammersbach, the trail leads through the impressive Höllentalklamm gorge, but this can also be bypassed on the Stangensteig trail. At the Höllentalangerhütte, climbers must decide whether to reach the summit in one day or two.

In any case, you should be fit, because after the hut it gets tricky: The "ladder" and the exposed "board" are key passages. The latter is equipped with steel pins as footholds. Over scree it goes to the Höllentalferner, where you need crampons in parts. In addition, you should definitely walk there on a rope because of the danger of crevasses. The summit is then reached via further climbing passages and the ridge. The tour has difficulty level C in some places and is only suitable for experienced mountaineers.

Quick check: The most important information about the ascent:

• Altitude profile: Stopselzieher approx. 1,730 vertical meters, Höllental approx. 2,200 vertical meters.
• Duration: approx. 6 hours from Stopselzieher, or approx. 8 hours from Höllental.
• Requirements: Climbing experience, sure-footedness, no fear of heights.

With children on the Zugspitze: Info for families

• Can I climb the mountain with children? Even the shortest walking route, the Gatterl approach, takes around seven hours and calls for good stamina – the classic Reintal route takes about eleven. With smaller children, the mountain railways are the better choice, or plan the hike over two days with a hut stay. For the final stretch to the summit cross, children need to be sure-footed and comfortable with heights.
• Which highlights should the children not miss? The historic cogwheel railroad, summit adventure trail for kids, ski kids' land and watching athletes climb and paraglide.
• Is there a tip for our family hike? A spectacular panorama without much effort is offered by a ride with the Zugspitzbahnen directly to the summit.

Climbing, paragliding, trail running

 Athletes also find ideal conditions on the Zugspitze:

• High-alpine tours, via ferratas and climbing gardens offer a special kind of mountain experience for every level of difficulty.
• There are take-off sites for paragliders on Zugspitze at Osterfelderkopf and Kreuzeck. For experienced flyers, the take-off from the Alpspitze summit is a real highlight.
• Well-developed trails and hiking paths are the ideal running location for trail runners and all this in front of the breathtaking natural scenery of the Zugspitze.

Winter fun on the Zugspitze: skiing and tobogganing

The Zugspitze is also a worthwhile destination in winter, especially for winter sports enthusiasts. If the weather plays along, skiing fun at Zugspitze even goes from November into May.

There are three slopes for tobogganing fun: the toboggan slope at Schneefernerkopf, the Sonnenklar toboggan run and the Wetterwandeck toboggan run. A toboggan run is even possible in summer if there is enough snow: from June to September there is a toboggan run from the Gletschergarten restaurant in the direction of the Zugspitze glacier - the equipment can be rented.

How to get from Munich to Zugspitze

• By train: Direct regional trains run hourly from Munich Central Station to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and take around 80 minutes – no changes needed. The cogwheel railway departs right next to the station; for the cable car, stay on the cogwheel railway as far as the Eibsee.
• By car: Take the A95 motorway, which becomes the B2 near Eschenlohe, and follow it to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The Bayerische Zugspitzbahn is signposted in town (journey time approx. 90 minutes).

Nearby destinations

• The nearby Eibsee is one of the most beautiful lakes in Bavaria due to its clear, shimmering green water
• Waterfalls, narrow stone paths and winding rock faces: the Partnachklamm gorge near Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a special kind of natural experience
• The Königshaus am Schachen was built from 1869 to 1872 according to designs by Georg Dollmann and served King Ludwig II as a place of recuperation during his stays in the mountains