Zugspitze Top of Germany
Zugspitze Top of Germany
Zugspitze Top of Germany
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johndc
Virginia337 contributions
I was passing through Germany on a business trip, and given that there was no additional charge for a layover – and that the skiing around Washinton DC sucked – I decided to visit Garmisch- Partenkirchen, the biggest of the German ski resorts. I considered other attractive alternatives, such as the Austrian and Swiss resorts that were reachable by train from Munich, but they were all a lot farther (ie, about 3-4 additional hours each way) and more expensive to reach than Garmisch (which cost about US$25 each way). Also, non-stop trains run to Garmisch from Munich’s central station every hour, whereas getting to any of the other resorts was not only longer, but the schedule was much less flexible. On-line reviews were pretty much unanimous in their opinions that Garmisch doesn’t hold a whole lot of interest for serious skiers -- little in the way of steeps and ungroomed. But I enjoy fast cruising on blue groomers as much as the next guy. So in the end, convenience won out, and Garmisch it was.
I think the reports are pretty much right that there’s not anything here to give an adrenaline rush to anyone who regularly skis blacks in the US, with the exception of some sections of the Kandahar run, one of the 2 slopes called blacks here. The Kandahar was used for the downhill event of the Olympics held here, is used every year for some World Cup event, and will be used in 2011, when Garmisch hosts the FIS Alpine World Ski Championship. This run is groomed (as are all the trails, as far as I can tell), and so isn’t a huge challenge to just ski without wiping out, but if you like skiing steep groomed runs for speed, this one will let you get up a good head of steam. It’s 3200 m. in length, with a drop of over 900 m. and the record time is under 2 minutes. (That’s right at 60 MPH if you do the math.) Since there’s a section near the finish that’s got a double-black slope, I suspect they must give the racers a pretty long run-out!
For those who like to go off-piste, there are some good areas, where one can see tracks in steeps, chutes, and trees. The tracks are few, however, and I saw almost no one actually skiing off-piste, leading me to think that this is probably a place where you could find untracked for a long time after a storm. But given the topography, unless you know where you’re going, I think there’s a chance you’d find yourself suddenly looking over the edge of a 300-foot cliff (or, worse, looking over your shoulder at the edge you just went over!) unless you knew the territory well or had a guide.
My first day was close to perfect in terms of conditions. There had been around 8 inches of fresh snow over the last few days, with sub-freezing temps and cloudy weather to preserve the surface conditions. The day itself was a bluebird day to end all bluebird days, with sun, no wind, and very pleasant temps, which actually got close to unpleasantly hot in the afternoon for those of us who had dressed according to the forecast of continued sub-freezing temps. I enjoyed that fresh powder a lot. Unfortunately (from my selfish perspective) so did about half of Bavaria. The lift lines turned out to be, while not totally outrageous, still worse than what I’m accustomed to. Until they shrank late in the afternoon, I think I almost always waited in line 10- 15 minutes. Notwithstanding the sun and spring-like temps, the surface conditions remained great all day on the runs near the top, and some runs – including the top section of Kandahar – started mogulling up as a bonus. But by afternoon, the lower runs were starting to get soft, although they never reached that mashed potatoes consistency that seems to characterize spring conditions in my part of the world, around Washington DC. Still, I wondered what the next day would bring, following a sub-zero (C.) night to re-freeze that stuff.
The next day was – contrary to the “cloudy” forecast -- another bluebird day, and apparently even warmer than the first. (At the end of the day, someone told me it had reached 13 C., although I had a hard time believing it was really THAT warm.) Surface conditions in the morning were – shall we say – highly variable, with some very hard and some quite soft stuff near the bottom. But I have to say that the groomers did a pretty good job considering what they had to work with, so most runs had a nice surface – no ice. A pleasant surprise was that the surface on the upper runs was still packed powder in the morning, and remained that way pretty much throughout the day, underscoring the value of altitude. So that’s where I spent pretty much all my time – skiing runs off the Hochalmbahn and Kreuzjochbahn. The one time in the afternoon that I skied to the bottom just to check out what it was like down there, I regretted it. Mashed potatoes, big time! I understand that low altitude is kind of an Achilles heel of many resorts in the Alps. In the “classic area” in Garmisch, you’re skiing between around 2050 and 700 meters. The Zugspitz is higher by maybe 500 meters -- still low by Western US standards.
A word about getting around the mountain: The lift system seemed unusual to me in that it relies heavily on gondolas and surface lifts. There are only 4 chairlifts, and 3 of them are 2-seaters. The gondolas are pretty impressive, especially the 80-seater Alpspitzbahn, which takes you all the way to from bottom to top in one go. This one is not for those with acrophobia or agoraphobia, since you’re both WAY high and packed in like a sardine. But what a view! Don’t miss it. I don’t much like surface lifts, but you pretty much have to deal with them here at some time or another, although most of the best runs are serviced by gondolas or chairs. The other problem with this place is that they rely a lot on cat walks (ie, narrow, relatively flat trails that run across the mountain) to move people around. Some of these aren’t bad, but some are very narrow, littered with snow-plowing kids, and running along very nasty cliffs. So, skiing these is both boring and a bit nerve-wracking. And it requires a lot of poling. You know you’ve been poling too much when your triceps hurt more than your quads the next day. Mine did.
The mountain has an impressive array of sit-down restaurants, bars and cafes scattered all over. I doubt that you’re ever more than 1 run from chow when hunger strikes. And it’s reasonably priced by American resort standards. The first day I wandered into a sit-down restaurant, and had a Hochalmhaus Curry Wurst. (This was about the only thing on the German menu I could understand, and since it had both the name of the restaurant and “curry” in the name, I figured I couldn’t go too far wrong.) I also had a half liter of beer (I think by law that’s the minimum quantity of beer sold in this part of the world , and the whole thing set me back about euro 10. The second day, I ended up eating outside at “Onkel Toms Hutte”, wondering how many of its patrons had any idea of the significance of the name, and watching some enterprising snowboarders build their own mini- park. I had a very satisfying and delicious bowl of goulash and a half-liter of beer for about euro 7.
And while we’re on the economics: The price for a lift ticket was about euro 31 per day – quite a bargain by US standards. You can get lower multi-day rates. Rental gear was likewise a bargain – euro 52 for 2 days of K2 Apache Recon skis and Nordica One boots. They have 3 rental categories and this is the high end; the lowest was I think around 30% cheaper. They were very accommodating. I originally rented the equipment for only 1 day for euro 31, but liked it and extended the rental to 2 days, and they gave me the 2-day price. Getting to the slopes is cheap and easy. To get to the Hausberg lift, you can catch the skibus, which leaves from a point close to the train station and makes a few other stops in town, for free. From there, you take a gondola up, and from there can ski to the Kreuczek area of the mountain, where 2 other big gondolas are based. Together the Hausberg and Kreuscek areas are known as the “classic” area.
Finally, I should mention the other mountain at Garmisch – the Zugspitz. This is a separate area, considerably higher, where you can ski on a glacier. There is a separate system to access the area (either a cog-wheel train that goes through a tunnel, or a very long gondola ride from the base), and it requires a separate lift ticket. The view is reputed to be fantastic (if there aren’t clouds), but the skiing is all intermediate level and almost all is accessible only on tow lifts. My one other experience skiing on a glacier was not all that much fun, and I liked the “classic area” my first day, so I ended up not going to Zugspitz.
All said and done, Garmisch is a very nice place to do some cruising (in the skiing sense!) and enjoy the unforgettable scenery. Clearly, if one were in the US planning a ski vacation in Europe, this wouldn’t be the right choice for serious skiers. But if you’re in the neighborhood for a couple of days and the conditions are good, it’s a lot of fun.
I think the reports are pretty much right that there’s not anything here to give an adrenaline rush to anyone who regularly skis blacks in the US, with the exception of some sections of the Kandahar run, one of the 2 slopes called blacks here. The Kandahar was used for the downhill event of the Olympics held here, is used every year for some World Cup event, and will be used in 2011, when Garmisch hosts the FIS Alpine World Ski Championship. This run is groomed (as are all the trails, as far as I can tell), and so isn’t a huge challenge to just ski without wiping out, but if you like skiing steep groomed runs for speed, this one will let you get up a good head of steam. It’s 3200 m. in length, with a drop of over 900 m. and the record time is under 2 minutes. (That’s right at 60 MPH if you do the math.) Since there’s a section near the finish that’s got a double-black slope, I suspect they must give the racers a pretty long run-out!
For those who like to go off-piste, there are some good areas, where one can see tracks in steeps, chutes, and trees. The tracks are few, however, and I saw almost no one actually skiing off-piste, leading me to think that this is probably a place where you could find untracked for a long time after a storm. But given the topography, unless you know where you’re going, I think there’s a chance you’d find yourself suddenly looking over the edge of a 300-foot cliff (or, worse, looking over your shoulder at the edge you just went over!) unless you knew the territory well or had a guide.
My first day was close to perfect in terms of conditions. There had been around 8 inches of fresh snow over the last few days, with sub-freezing temps and cloudy weather to preserve the surface conditions. The day itself was a bluebird day to end all bluebird days, with sun, no wind, and very pleasant temps, which actually got close to unpleasantly hot in the afternoon for those of us who had dressed according to the forecast of continued sub-freezing temps. I enjoyed that fresh powder a lot. Unfortunately (from my selfish perspective) so did about half of Bavaria. The lift lines turned out to be, while not totally outrageous, still worse than what I’m accustomed to. Until they shrank late in the afternoon, I think I almost always waited in line 10- 15 minutes. Notwithstanding the sun and spring-like temps, the surface conditions remained great all day on the runs near the top, and some runs – including the top section of Kandahar – started mogulling up as a bonus. But by afternoon, the lower runs were starting to get soft, although they never reached that mashed potatoes consistency that seems to characterize spring conditions in my part of the world, around Washington DC. Still, I wondered what the next day would bring, following a sub-zero (C.) night to re-freeze that stuff.
The next day was – contrary to the “cloudy” forecast -- another bluebird day, and apparently even warmer than the first. (At the end of the day, someone told me it had reached 13 C., although I had a hard time believing it was really THAT warm.) Surface conditions in the morning were – shall we say – highly variable, with some very hard and some quite soft stuff near the bottom. But I have to say that the groomers did a pretty good job considering what they had to work with, so most runs had a nice surface – no ice. A pleasant surprise was that the surface on the upper runs was still packed powder in the morning, and remained that way pretty much throughout the day, underscoring the value of altitude. So that’s where I spent pretty much all my time – skiing runs off the Hochalmbahn and Kreuzjochbahn. The one time in the afternoon that I skied to the bottom just to check out what it was like down there, I regretted it. Mashed potatoes, big time! I understand that low altitude is kind of an Achilles heel of many resorts in the Alps. In the “classic area” in Garmisch, you’re skiing between around 2050 and 700 meters. The Zugspitz is higher by maybe 500 meters -- still low by Western US standards.
A word about getting around the mountain: The lift system seemed unusual to me in that it relies heavily on gondolas and surface lifts. There are only 4 chairlifts, and 3 of them are 2-seaters. The gondolas are pretty impressive, especially the 80-seater Alpspitzbahn, which takes you all the way to from bottom to top in one go. This one is not for those with acrophobia or agoraphobia, since you’re both WAY high and packed in like a sardine. But what a view! Don’t miss it. I don’t much like surface lifts, but you pretty much have to deal with them here at some time or another, although most of the best runs are serviced by gondolas or chairs. The other problem with this place is that they rely a lot on cat walks (ie, narrow, relatively flat trails that run across the mountain) to move people around. Some of these aren’t bad, but some are very narrow, littered with snow-plowing kids, and running along very nasty cliffs. So, skiing these is both boring and a bit nerve-wracking. And it requires a lot of poling. You know you’ve been poling too much when your triceps hurt more than your quads the next day. Mine did.
The mountain has an impressive array of sit-down restaurants, bars and cafes scattered all over. I doubt that you’re ever more than 1 run from chow when hunger strikes. And it’s reasonably priced by American resort standards. The first day I wandered into a sit-down restaurant, and had a Hochalmhaus Curry Wurst. (This was about the only thing on the German menu I could understand, and since it had both the name of the restaurant and “curry” in the name, I figured I couldn’t go too far wrong.) I also had a half liter of beer (I think by law that’s the minimum quantity of beer sold in this part of the world , and the whole thing set me back about euro 10. The second day, I ended up eating outside at “Onkel Toms Hutte”, wondering how many of its patrons had any idea of the significance of the name, and watching some enterprising snowboarders build their own mini- park. I had a very satisfying and delicious bowl of goulash and a half-liter of beer for about euro 7.
And while we’re on the economics: The price for a lift ticket was about euro 31 per day – quite a bargain by US standards. You can get lower multi-day rates. Rental gear was likewise a bargain – euro 52 for 2 days of K2 Apache Recon skis and Nordica One boots. They have 3 rental categories and this is the high end; the lowest was I think around 30% cheaper. They were very accommodating. I originally rented the equipment for only 1 day for euro 31, but liked it and extended the rental to 2 days, and they gave me the 2-day price. Getting to the slopes is cheap and easy. To get to the Hausberg lift, you can catch the skibus, which leaves from a point close to the train station and makes a few other stops in town, for free. From there, you take a gondola up, and from there can ski to the Kreuczek area of the mountain, where 2 other big gondolas are based. Together the Hausberg and Kreuscek areas are known as the “classic” area.
Finally, I should mention the other mountain at Garmisch – the Zugspitz. This is a separate area, considerably higher, where you can ski on a glacier. There is a separate system to access the area (either a cog-wheel train that goes through a tunnel, or a very long gondola ride from the base), and it requires a separate lift ticket. The view is reputed to be fantastic (if there aren’t clouds), but the skiing is all intermediate level and almost all is accessible only on tow lifts. My one other experience skiing on a glacier was not all that much fun, and I liked the “classic area” my first day, so I ended up not going to Zugspitz.
All said and done, Garmisch is a very nice place to do some cruising (in the skiing sense!) and enjoy the unforgettable scenery. Clearly, if one were in the US planning a ski vacation in Europe, this wouldn’t be the right choice for serious skiers. But if you’re in the neighborhood for a couple of days and the conditions are good, it’s a lot of fun.
Written 20 March 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gary
Singapore, Singapore156 contributions
Dec 2013 • Family
Being only 1 hour from Innsbruk this is a good ski re sport for a short break. There are two ski areas one on the glacier and the other called Classik. The ski areas are connected by buses and trains about 20-30 mins apart by train. The Classik is a fairly standard mix of blue and red runs with a few blacks. It's not the most challenging but there is a good enough adrenalin rush for those looking to ski fast down a fairly long run. You can get away with just using gondolas and chair lifts although there are also a few T bars. The glacier skiing is not great. When we were there the only long run was closed and therefore we were left skiing down some very short red runs. With more snow there might be a little more to do. Queues were OK even in the weekend ahead of Christmas. The ski pass cost is about €40 a day although this would get you just one of the areas. Restaurants and cafés are very reasonable with large portions of wholesome Bavarian food. €2.50 for a plate of fries, or soup. Full plate €8- €15 for a big meal. Beers around €3-4.
Written 27 December 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
carolandbob
New Jersey102 contributions
Mar 2013 • Friends
This was a return visit for our ski group because we were so enamored by it 7 years ago. The local skiing has something for everyone, and the Zugspitze experience is breathtaking (literally) for both skiers and tourists.
The Garmisch side of town has great modern shops and restaurants and the quaint Partenkirchen side transports you back in time. They are separated by the train station that can transport you to Munich in 1 1/2 hours. If you are a family or small group of up to 5 persons, you can buy a Bayern ticket which will cost each person 7< euro as long as they travel together. With King Ludwig's castles, Ettal Monastery, Weiskirche , Oberammagau, Murnau, Mitterwald, and Innsbruck close by; it is the perfect base to see this beautiful and friendly part of Europe.
The Garmisch side of town has great modern shops and restaurants and the quaint Partenkirchen side transports you back in time. They are separated by the train station that can transport you to Munich in 1 1/2 hours. If you are a family or small group of up to 5 persons, you can buy a Bayern ticket which will cost each person 7< euro as long as they travel together. With King Ludwig's castles, Ettal Monastery, Weiskirche , Oberammagau, Murnau, Mitterwald, and Innsbruck close by; it is the perfect base to see this beautiful and friendly part of Europe.
Written 12 April 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jim H
Philadelphia, PA46 contributions
Dec 2017 • Solo
I’m an expert skier, I ski around 30 days a year mostly out west in the US
I was there Christmas week so it was pretty crowded. I arrived when the lifts opened at 8:30. I had rented skis next to my hotel in town but there was a ski rental shop at the base of the mountain. The only storage or lockers available at the base area are open cubby holes in the ski shop. I left my backpack there for the day with no problem. I rode the Alpspitzbahn Tram first run. The J lift has excellent terrain, so does Hochalmbahn. The lift line is caotic getting on the the K lift and the B lift. Hard to understand why the lift lines are not better organized. It’s a free for all. The area between the K lift and the H lift is a bottle neck that squeezes skiers together in a tight area. The I lift is actually a rope tow because it is up hill to the H lift. That area is poorly designed.
The lodge at the top of Osterfelderkopf is nice with tremendous views points, a Nice restaurant and outdoor sitting areas.
One thing I didn’t understand before I got there is that the Zugspitze is a separate ski area. It is not connected to the Classic Ski area. It is accessible on by cog train or a new Tram. Next time I go I will go to Zugspitze instead of Classic for the day.
Overall it’s a nice little area with some nice terrain and awesome views.
I was there Christmas week so it was pretty crowded. I arrived when the lifts opened at 8:30. I had rented skis next to my hotel in town but there was a ski rental shop at the base of the mountain. The only storage or lockers available at the base area are open cubby holes in the ski shop. I left my backpack there for the day with no problem. I rode the Alpspitzbahn Tram first run. The J lift has excellent terrain, so does Hochalmbahn. The lift line is caotic getting on the the K lift and the B lift. Hard to understand why the lift lines are not better organized. It’s a free for all. The area between the K lift and the H lift is a bottle neck that squeezes skiers together in a tight area. The I lift is actually a rope tow because it is up hill to the H lift. That area is poorly designed.
The lodge at the top of Osterfelderkopf is nice with tremendous views points, a Nice restaurant and outdoor sitting areas.
One thing I didn’t understand before I got there is that the Zugspitze is a separate ski area. It is not connected to the Classic Ski area. It is accessible on by cog train or a new Tram. Next time I go I will go to Zugspitze instead of Classic for the day.
Overall it’s a nice little area with some nice terrain and awesome views.
Written 2 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TudelaMartins
Lisbon, Portugal408 contributions
Jan 2014 • Family
It was our third stay at Garmisch, but the first time at the new year day week.
The ski slopes where overcrowded in particular the Kreuzwankl sli lift. this happens because all blue slopes end at this lift and there is no way to go back to the Kreuzeck area without taking this lift. Some times we had to wait 20 minutes to get back up.
If they build a slope or ski route from the bottom of the Kreuzwankl ski lift to the bottom of Kreuzeck the resort would be much better.
The top snow ski pass is ok, because it let´s you ski in Austria, but it takes about 60 minutes of trains + bus to get there. We went to Erwalhd Alm, and inspite the fact that the number of people at the slopes was more or less equal to Garmisch Classic, the waiting time at the lifts never excedeed 5 minutes, because they are better organized.
The ski slopes where overcrowded in particular the Kreuzwankl sli lift. this happens because all blue slopes end at this lift and there is no way to go back to the Kreuzeck area without taking this lift. Some times we had to wait 20 minutes to get back up.
If they build a slope or ski route from the bottom of the Kreuzwankl ski lift to the bottom of Kreuzeck the resort would be much better.
The top snow ski pass is ok, because it let´s you ski in Austria, but it takes about 60 minutes of trains + bus to get there. We went to Erwalhd Alm, and inspite the fact that the number of people at the slopes was more or less equal to Garmisch Classic, the waiting time at the lifts never excedeed 5 minutes, because they are better organized.
Written 5 January 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laura60878
Cascais, Portugal97 contributions
Dec 2012 • Business
incredible views, great weather. Spectacular.You can see for miles to Austria,
even Italy on the horizon.
even Italy on the horizon.
Written 27 December 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bnb1975
Yokosuka, Japan51 contributions
Feb 2015 • Family
We have skied Garmisch for years and we have learned a LOT during that time. First the area is wonderful. We love it and have returned time and again even though there are many other options available to us. The mountain offers a variety of slopes for every ability level. There are great restaurants all over the mountain, which is fun. The one problem is when you hit a holiday week. Last year, it was a the perfect holiday storm- US Presidents Day, British half term, and German winter break were all the same week. The ski school we used the week prior to this hell week said they had over 800 kids registered!! But I was no rookie, I'd done my google searches.
If you are concerned about crowds, try to avoid holiday weeks, if at all possible. If you can't avoid the crowded weeks, avoid the gondola area as much as possible. If you go to the Kandahar side of the mountain, it will be much less crowded.
And one last word of advice, if you are injured on the slopes avoid the mountain rescue if at all possible. The cheapest ride they offer is 490 Euro. The ambulance ride that comes after is 700 Euro. Basic fees. No medical treatments or interventions. All covered by insurance but what a pain. So have fun, stay safe!
If you are concerned about crowds, try to avoid holiday weeks, if at all possible. If you can't avoid the crowded weeks, avoid the gondola area as much as possible. If you go to the Kandahar side of the mountain, it will be much less crowded.
And one last word of advice, if you are injured on the slopes avoid the mountain rescue if at all possible. The cheapest ride they offer is 490 Euro. The ambulance ride that comes after is 700 Euro. Basic fees. No medical treatments or interventions. All covered by insurance but what a pain. So have fun, stay safe!
Written 7 November 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
roberto m
San Jose, Costa Rica30 contributions
Jan 2015 • Friends
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a great place to go skiing when you are in Munich. Specially if you don´t have a car! You can just get on the train and bet at the foot of the mountains next to the lift.
Great for short visits to Munich or new skier, who want to see what ski is all about. You can rent your ski equipment right there.
No need to carry them from anywhere.
Great for short visits to Munich or new skier, who want to see what ski is all about. You can rent your ski equipment right there.
No need to carry them from anywhere.
Written 11 January 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Beeanda
Kuwait City, Kuwait21 contributions
Feb 2014
We visited Garmische during our winter stay in February 2014 while visiting Munich. We read a lot of good reviews of Garmische, and wanted to take a look at the German mountainside and experience being at the highest peak in Germany- Zugspitze.
Since we were in Munich, we took a train from the Munchen Hbf train station and purchased the round-trip train ticket and ski pass which costs €50 per person.
The train from Munich to Garmische took 1 hour 22 minutes. Once we reached Garmische we walked around 200 meters to get our ski pass from the station and then took the cogwheel train up to Eibsee, which took us around 30 minutes. Once we reached Eibsee, we took the cable car up to Zugspitze, which took us 10 minutes. The top was beautiful but extremely cold and windy. We took a couple of pictures as the view was lovely and had coffee at the cafe up there.
Then we decided to go down to the Glacier, it was really busy there with lots and lots of skieers. We had no intention of skiing, so for us the trip was very lengthy as there was nothing much to do other than skiing. There we wanted to have lunch, but the restaurant serving buffet lunch was extremely crowded, there were no empty tables.
We then wanted to go back down, however we missed the train by 3 minutes so we had to wait for another hour for the next one. It took us 1 hour 30 minutes to go back down and then another 1 hour 22 minutes to return to Munich by train.
Garmische is such a beautiful place, every corner you snap looks like a postcard photo. However, if you don't plan on skiing its not worth the lengthy commuting.
Since we were in Munich, we took a train from the Munchen Hbf train station and purchased the round-trip train ticket and ski pass which costs €50 per person.
The train from Munich to Garmische took 1 hour 22 minutes. Once we reached Garmische we walked around 200 meters to get our ski pass from the station and then took the cogwheel train up to Eibsee, which took us around 30 minutes. Once we reached Eibsee, we took the cable car up to Zugspitze, which took us 10 minutes. The top was beautiful but extremely cold and windy. We took a couple of pictures as the view was lovely and had coffee at the cafe up there.
Then we decided to go down to the Glacier, it was really busy there with lots and lots of skieers. We had no intention of skiing, so for us the trip was very lengthy as there was nothing much to do other than skiing. There we wanted to have lunch, but the restaurant serving buffet lunch was extremely crowded, there were no empty tables.
We then wanted to go back down, however we missed the train by 3 minutes so we had to wait for another hour for the next one. It took us 1 hour 30 minutes to go back down and then another 1 hour 22 minutes to return to Munich by train.
Garmische is such a beautiful place, every corner you snap looks like a postcard photo. However, if you don't plan on skiing its not worth the lengthy commuting.
Written 3 March 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
patschicagoIL
Chicago IL60 contributions
Mar 2013 • Friends
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a lovely German ski resort town. The painted buildings and quaint town are fun to stroll around. It's easy proximity to Munich is another plus and a very easy train ride away.
Written 10 May 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Planning to ski there beginning March 21st for a couple of days. Comments on skiing conditions? Other?
Written 12 March 2023
Anyone recommend. A good ski rental and ski lesson place that is near the ski life and that we can store our skis etc?.. travelling end of next week, thanks
Written 4 February 2020
We had an excellent experience with these Ski Rental. (The owner is Walter). Every morning at the schedule time they pickup us at the hotel. We didn’t have any worry about the rental equipment because it was already in the car, let us at the mountain and return us to the hotel at the time we previously matched. AlpenSport Total. (Marienplatz 18, 82467, Garmisch-Partenkirchen)
Written 5 February 2020
Здравствуйте.подскажите пожалуйста школы с русскоговорящими инструкторами по горным лыжам.Спасибо
Written 21 October 2019
La station est-elle loin du centre ville?
Est ce que cela s'organise comme les sations de ski françaises?
Merci d'avance !
Written 25 February 2019
Esta cerca del centro de la villa. Además se puede ir en tren, autobús o en coche.
Written 22 April 2019
Здравствуйте! Живём в Берлине, соскучились по снегу. Думаем приехать сюда на несколько дней с семьёй, покататься на санках/плюшках. Скажите, есть ли там такие услуги? Лыжами и сноубордом не увлекаемся
Written 5 October 2018
В Гармиш-Партенкирхене расположена санная трасса, которая рассчитана как на взрослых, так и на детей. Вообще в Гармише много комплексов семейного характера, для семей хорошие скидки. Посмотреть можно на gapa de более подробно
Written 6 October 2018
how much does it cost for a local beer, drinks, tea, coffee in the bars and restaurants?
Written 5 August 2018
A beer at the restaurant should cost approx 3.10 Eur, regular cappuccino- 2.70 Eur
Same from the super market will cost you approx a 1 eur for local beer
Written 6 August 2018
In 1962/63 while in the U S Air Force we spent time at a resort in Garmisch that was predominantly military. The lodge was directly next to the slopes. You could sit and watch skiers from the lodge. Don't remember the name. Is it still there? Would love to revisit
Written 1 March 2018
Sounds like Lodge and Resort Edelweiss — hope this helps. Tried to post a URL link, but it wouldn’t let me
Written 2 March 2018
Would you help with the best area to stay to access the ski resort.
We will not have a car and will have to shuttle or cab to the mountains.
Written 20 February 2018
I see that GP is open till May 1st? We will be in the area mid April, any ideas on how the snow is then? Icy in the am, slushy later on? Depends on fresh snow, etc? Looking for a decent day or two in the area mid april, but maybe too late in season?
Written 19 February 2018
The snow quality tends to be pretty good up on the Zugspitze, but it'll be very icy am/very slushy (pm) by mid April in the Gramisch Classic section of the resort. You'll be taking your chances at that time of year for sure, so keep an eye on the weather forecasts before you go.
Written 19 February 2018
Hi,can i rent all the thing in the resort?include snowboard,dresses for sking,gloves,eye glasses....
Actually i will travel to Nuremberg in feb and looking for good ski resort and all think for rent for snowboarding.
Written 26 January 2018
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