Your ways
Zugspitze Round Trip
Information about the round trip
Three mountain railways and all the highlights of the Zugspitze included: The Zugspitze Round Trip takes you to all the important scenic viewpoints on Germany’s highest mountain!
- Start and destination: Zugspitzbahn station Garmisch-Partenkirchen
- Stops: Garmisch-Partenkirchen – Zugspitze plateau– Zugspitze summit – Lake Eibsee – Garmisch-Partenkirchen
- Duration: 3–4 hours (early arrival recommended)
- Mountain railways: cogwheel train, Gletscherbahn cable car, Cable car Zugspitze
- Season: summer & winter
- Highlights:
- tradition meets modernity: rides on the nostalgic cogwheel train, the Gletscherbahn cable car and the modern Cable car Zugspitze
- visit to the Zugspitze plateau right by the glacier
- 360-degree views from the summit of Germany’s highest mountain
- scenic views of 400 surrounding mountain peaks
Itinerary of the Zugspitze Round Trip
From Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the Zugspitze plateau
The 90-year-old cogwheel train takes you from the Zugspitzbahn station in Garmisch-Partenkirchen via Grainau to Lake Eibsee and through the 4.5-kilometre Zugspitztunnel. First stop: Zugspitze plateau at 2,600 metres above sea level.
Activities and highlights on the Zugspitze plateau:
- glacier hiking trail
- Glacier Adventure Trail
- guided glacier tours
- visit to Maria Heimsuchung chapel (the highest church in Germany)
- tobogganing
Refreshment stops: Gletscherrestaurant Sonnalpin, Gletscher 2600
From the Zugspitze plateau to the Zugspitze summit
Up to the summit of Germany’s highest mountain in just a few minutes: the 1,000-metre-long Gletscherbahn cable car takes visitors from the Zugspitze plateau to the top station. From there, it’s only a few metres to the golden summit cross.
Activities and highlights on the Zugspitze summit:
- innovative glass architecture of the summit station at almost 3,000 metres above sea level
- culinary delights served at Panorama 2962
- exhibition on the history of the cogwheel train in the summit station
- the famous golden summit cross
- unique scenic views of 4 countries from the summit terrace
Refreshment stop: Panorama 2962
From the Zugspitze summit to the Cable car Zugspitze station at Lake Eibsee
Take the Cable car Zugspitze downhill – from the Zugspitze summit to the Eibsee valley station.
Highlights:
- ride on an modern world record-breaking cable car
- The Cable car Zugspitze holds three world records:
- The cable car’s steel support is the highest of its kind at 127 metres.
- Unique in the world: The difference in altitude between the valley and mountain stations is two kilometres.
- The section between the last support and the summit is the longest freely suspended section of rope in the world (3.2 kilometres).
- Scenic views of the valley and Lake Eibsee throughout the ride.
The cogwheel train takes visitors from Lake Eibsee back to the starting point in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Note
Of course, visitors can also do the round trip in the opposite direction. Alternatively, they can use only the cogwheel train and the Cable car Zugspitze to reach the top of Germany’s highest mountain.
FAQ regarding the Zugspitze Round Trip
The opening times of the cable cars, the timetable of the cogwheel train and up-to-date information on business hours can be found under Operating Hours & Timetables.
Dogs are allowed on the premises and facilities of Bayerische Zugspitzbahn. Please note: Tickets for dogs are only available on site at the ticket counter. Price: EUR 6 (one-off). A muzzle is not obligatory but is recommended out of consideration for other passengers, especially in large cabins and on the cogwheel train.
No. Bicycles are not allowed on mountain railways operated by Bayerische Zugspitzbahn Bergbahn AG.
It is possible to take a pram or pushchair on the Cable car Zugspitze and the Gletscherbahn cable car without any problems. Due to limited space and because of the non-barrier-free entrances and exits, it is rather difficult to take prams and pushchairs on the cogwheel train.
Only the Cable car Zugspitze and the Gletscherbahn cable car are barrier-free and can be used with a wheelchair or rollator without any problems. Due to limited space and because of the non-barrier-free entrances and exits, it is difficult for wheelchair users and people with a rollator to use the cogwheel train.
