Mittenwald

And if you happen to be a player of stringed instruments you will be in heaven because there is a violin making school and museum as well as many luthiers. We bought a violin while we were there...several years ago when the dollar was actually on par with the Euro.

I don't know exactly where the cablecar station sits in Mittenwald, but Mittenwald isn't that big, so it can't be a far walk from the train station.

Most of the towns (Zirl, Seefeld in Tirol, Scharnitz) on the route from Innsbruck to Mittenwald are quite pretty, but otherwise interchangable. The view looking down into the valley to Zirl is one of those breath-taking images you store in your head for years, though.

Farther up the rail line, Garmisch-Partenkirchen gets my vote for "World's Best Mountain Resort Town". If you visit Mittenwald, though, there probably isn't much of a reason to visit GP as well...unless, of course, you have problems with walking, in which case the Zugspitzebahn (the cogwheel train that climbs to near the summit of the Zugspitze) station sits directly adjacent to the Deutschebahn station.

Just took a two week trip through Germany in the fall. Mittenwald was a favorite stop. The cable car was not far at all from the train station, just across a small stream, then a bit of an uphill hike to the station. It was well worth the walk. The views were incredible, even through a little fog.

Thanks to everyone for their replies. That Saturday we're planning to take the train to Mittenwald. Then we'll work the train back to Innsbruck by evening--adding some of the stops you all mentioned. Zurich2008