Zugspitze - Ascend from Austria or Germany?

Like Lee, we went up from the Eibsee side. We went by car to the Eibsee cablecar station. Quite a spectacular view and very interesting as you come upon the cliff wall before stopping at the station. Found out on that ride that my teenage daughter is not very fond of heights while riding in cable cars. (Funny how she has no problem on ski lifts in Colorado or Germany). Once at the top the view from all around is breathtaking. We descended in late afternoon by the cogwheel train. We were there Thanksgiving weekend a few years ago and the snow all around us was beatiful. Sad to say we were not allowed to climb to the top as Rick Steves does in his video. I would do it again. Enjoy!

I haven't gone up on the Austrian side, but the trip up the German side is definitely more involved. If you start in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, you take a conventional train out of Garmisch to a station around Grainau, where you change to a cog train. I got off the cog at Eibsee and took the cable car to the summit, but you can also stay on the cog through a tunnel to a station in a saddle below the summit, then another cable car, Gletscherbahn, to the summit.

Hi,

If you'll be in Garmisch, the German side is closer, of course.
We did the Zugspitze from Ehrwald, Austria. Just 1 cable car right to the top. We went in Oct. and the cable car we took was practically empty.

Both sides (German and Austria) go to the exact same place.

Paul

went up from the austrian side. great tram ride up. gorgeous scenery. be sure to wear a jacket. the hike to the summit marker is an adventure. we loved it.

Also went up from the Austria side. Non-stop, fairly quick and very scenic. If you are on the Germany side though you would probably be better to go from there.

Years ago you had the choice of cog railway much cheaper and slower and cable car.

The view is much more stunning from the Bavarian side while it's definitively cheaper from the Tyrolean side... Once you're at the peak you can of course enjoy both views, both panorama decks, both restaurants etc... The ascend from the Tyrolean side only makes sense if you've got a car. Otherwise it's easier and cheaper to get to the base station of the Bavarian cable car - from Garmisch that is. If you're afraid of hights do take the cog wheel train.

I went up on the German side twice...once I took the railway to Eibsee and up the cable car and liked it. This year I drove to Eibsee and took the cable car up. Both were great...but it is quicker just to drive to E. first. I considered Austrian side too, but since we stayed in G-P also..it just saved time and was worth the extra money for the German ride up. We also had lunch after (go in the morning before clouds tend to come in) at a lovely hotel restaurant at the base of the lifts, that was on a lake and sat outside...wonderful experience.