Hello.
I am taking first trip to Germany. I will be using public transportation. I am trying to figure out how to go from Munich to Zugspitze, and also to Neuschwastein? Best to stay in a town between the two, and make them 2 day trips? Any tips would be appreciated. I have looked at maps on internet, and see that Zugspitze is about 2 hours from Munich, and that Neuschwanstein is also about 2 hours from Munich. I'd rather stay closer to the sites than to go back and forth to Munich, to minimize on travel time.
Thank you,
Margaret
Posted by
Atlanta
967 posts
Margaret, I know you want to use public transportation, and I'm not answering your question, so feel free to ignore my reply, but just CONSIDER a short car rental for those two sites and stay somewhere closer than Munich. The Zugspitze is so weather dependent that you really need to see blue skies then GO, right now. I've never taken public transport to the castles, but I think a car would be much easier there also.
Garmisch is less than two hours by train from Munich, and Hertz is a 10 min taxi ride from the station. I love staying in nearby Mittenwald, about a 20 min drive on a two lane road from Gamisch. It's very easy to drive on the smaller, beautiful roads from Mittenwald up the mountain to the cable car up to the Zugspitze. If it's cloudy, it's pointless, so you need to make a quick decision on this trip. You could finish that day at the Partnachlamm, or nearby Oberammergau.
The second day you could make the easy drive to the castles with a stop at the Weissekirche either coming or going. Then either spend that night in Mittenwald, or turn in the car and hop on a train back to Munich. Especially if you have someone with you to help you navigate, a car for this part of Germany can make life much easier.
Posted by
Paradise
6621 posts
When are you going, Margaret?
Rick Steves suggests staying in Reutte, a good base town for getting to the Fuessen-area sights (including Neuschwanstein) as well as the Zugspitze. See train line map:
https://www.philaseiten.de/up/208356/6/8/b5564ce5_h.jpeg
The train will give you Zugspitze access. A local bus (not shown) covers Reutte to Fuessen (because Fuessen is on a different train line):
https://efa.vvt.at/vvtadr/AHF/D_00011f78.pdf
Vils (train station) and Pinswang are towns near Reutte and a little closer to Fuessen on the same bus route. You can find accommodations there too, I believe.
Posted by
OP
10 posts
Thank you both. I will be traveling alone. The thought of driving a car, alone, when I can't read German terrifies me. I'm going in June. It's the end of a tour I'll be on, and I want to extend a couple days. I love the mountains, and so I thought going to/seeing Zugspitze would be the crowning glory, since it's Germany's highest peak. However, now that I see how weather dependent that is, maybe that's not the best idea...