Zugspitze
Germany's highest peak at 2,962 metres. A cable car takes visitors straight to the summit, and on clear days you can see some 400 peaks across Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland.
Zugspitze lies southwest of Garmisch-Partenkirchen on the German-Austrian border, at an elevation of 2,962 metres. The summit platform straddles both Germany and Austria. There are two ways to reach the top. One is the Zugspitze cable car from Eibsee, opened in 2017, which climbs nearly 2,000 metres in about 10 minutes and has set several world records. The other is a cog railway from Garmisch to the Zugspitzplatt glacier area, followed by a glacier cable car to the summit. It is recommended to go up one way and come down the other. A round-trip ticket costs about €70–80. At the top you will find observation decks, Germany's highest golden cross, a restaurant and a small chapel. The Zugspitzplatt has glaciers and a winter ski area. The temperature at the summit is about 15°C lower than at the bottom, so bring a warm jacket even in summer, and watch out for altitude sickness and UV exposure. After descending, you can walk around Eibsee at the foot of the mountain, a lake of about 7 km in circumference with emerald water that is one of Bavaria's most beautiful lakes. From Füssen, the drive takes about an hour via Austria. From Munich, the train to Garmisch takes about 1.5 hours.
Opening hours
Cable car roughly 08:00–16:45 (varies by season; check official site)
Nearby sights
- Linderhof Palace
- Ettal Abbey
- Plansee
- Oberammergau
- Tegelberg Cable Car
- Highline 179
- Ehrenberg Castle Ruins
- Pöllat Gorge