How To Get To Lake Eibsee From Munich + 10 Best Picture Spots
When we visited Munich earlier this year, there was one non-negotiable on my list of things I wanted to see, and that was taking a day trip to Lake Eibsee. I’d seen it time and time again on travel blogs and it had made its way firmly onto my bucket list. Actually, Eibsee and Walchensee, both found in Bavaria, were on my list. But we didn’t have time to visit both during our 3 days in Munich, so in a bid to decide which one I should prioritise, I took to Instagram. I asked people to vote only if they’d been to both, and the poll results were overwhelmingly in favour of Eibsee.
So it was decided, but we then had the task of figuring out how we were actually going to get from Munich to Eibsee. And although it should be a relatively simple task, it’s something we actually went back and forth on A LOT before making a decision.
So to save you from wasting time trying to figure out, in this article I’m going to cover all the options for getting to Lake Eibsee from Munich, and the one I’d strongly recommend. Plus, I’ll also give you a run-through of what you can do whilst you’re at the lake, and how long you should allow to get round it. Lastly, I’ll provide the details on EXACTLY how to get to 9 of the prettiest photo spots. I say exactly because some of them are off the beaten track, and I couldn’t find one blog post that accurately explained how to find them. So I made it my mission to make sure mine does!
What is Lake Eibsee?
Lake Eibsee, which should technically just be referred to as Eibsee because “see” means lake in German, is an incredible lake that sits at the base of Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain. The lake was created by a huge landslide during the last ice age, forming an 850m wide lake with stunning bright turquoise water. It really is one of the most magical places I’ve ever visited, and it’s well known for being one of the prettiest lakes in the Bavarian Alps.
Where is Eibsee?
Eibsee is about 60 miles southwest of Munich, and just a 15-minute drive from the ski resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It lies within Bavaria, one of Germany’s 16 federal states, synonymous with stunning scenery, idyllic German villages and medieval castles.
Can you drive to Eibsee?
Yes – driving is the easiest way to get to Lake Eibsee. It only takes 1 hour 30 minutes and the majority of the route is on the German autobahn, so you can go as fast as you want. Plus, you can park right next to the lake.
Can you swim in Eibsee?
Yes! One of the most magical things about visiting Eibsee is getting to swim there, it’s some of the clearest water I’ve ever seen in my life. We visited in October so it was far too cold for me to go swimming, but we saw a few people braving it.
How to get to Lake Eibsee from Munich
By car
The easiest way to get to Lake Eibsee from Munich is by car. Just put “Eibsee hotel” into your navigation. If you can drive and you feel comfortable doing it abroad, I’d definitely recommend this option. It’s a lot quicker and it gives you more freedom on when you arrive, and if you want to visit anywhere else afterward.
The drive from Munich takes about 1 hour 15 minutes and is a really straightforward route, mostly along the autobahn and then through stunning German villages. If you haven’t heard of the autobahn, it’s essentially the German motorway, a lot of which has no speed limit, which makes it really easy to get to Eibsee quickly. Don’t worry though, you can stick to the slow lane if you don’t want to go fast.
We booked our hire car through Discover Cars and the whole process was really easy. It compares costs from 500+ car hire companies so you can easily find one to suit your budget and requirements. We paid £90 for the day, not including fuel, but you could definitely find one cheaper than this. We (read: Conor) wanted a sportier car as we knew we were going to be driving on the autobahn and wanted the full experience, so we paid a slight premium for that.
Parking at Lake Eibsee
There’s two car parks at the lake itself – Car Park 1 and Car Park 2, and they’re both only a couple of minutes’ walk from the start of the route around the lake. They’re both open from 05:00am-10:00pm, but you’ll need to make sure you leave before they close as there’s a €50 fine if you stay overnight.
Parking cost
Below are the costs for Car Park 2, Car Park 1 costs €1 more, so it’ll be €9.00 for 4 hours, but it’s only marginally closer so I really wouldn’t worry about which one you choose to park in.
| Times | Prices |
|---|---|
| 5am to 9:30am | €2.50 |
| Parking up to 4 hour | €8.00 |
| Every additional hour | €1.00 |
You’ll pay for the parking when you return to your car and you can use both card and cash.
Good to know: There’s a maximum vehicle height of 2.1 meters in the car park, so you won’t be able to park here if you’re in a campervan.
By train from Munich
Take a Deutsche Bahn (DB) train from Munich’s central station (**München Hauptbahnhof) to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which will take about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
*There’s currently repairs happening on the route between Munich and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, so trains coming from Munich will turn around in Murnau. This means you’ll need to get off the train at Murnau and take a bus to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.*
Trains depart every hour and tickets can be purchased here. The ticket costs are:
- Adult (15+) = €23 return
- Child (6-14) = €11.80 one way
- 0-5 Years Old = Free
An adult ticket automatically includes an unlimited number of journeys from 0:00 until 3:00am on the following day, so don’t worry about selecting a return. You can’t buy return tickets for children, but if you are travelling with kids, up to three children aged 6-14 travel for free when accompanying adults.
And if you’re heading to Eibsee with at least one other person, select the Regio-Ticket Werdenfels (you’ll be given this option automatically when you buy your tickets online). It basically gives you a discount if you’re in a group of up to 5 people. With this option, a return ticket for 2 adults is just €31, rather than €46 if you bought them separately. It’ll look like this when you select your tickets:
When you get to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, you’ve got two options for getting to Eibsee:
1. The cogwheel train (Zugspitzbahn)
This is a really popular option as it’s a completely unique way to travel. The cogwheel train was built between 1928 and 1930 and is one of only a few cog railways in Germany. It starts at Garmisch-Partenkirchner station and will drop you at Eibsee where it’s just a short walk to the late. You can buy tickets at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen station, and a timetable for the train is below.
Total journey time from Munich to Eibsee train + cogwheel: 2 hours
Good to know: The Zugspitze is completely closed from November 7th to 11th and from November 28th to December 1st!
Garmisch-Partenkirchner > Eibsee Timetable:
Eibsee > Garmisch-Partenkirchner Timetable:
2. The bus
You can also get the bus from Garmisch-Partenkirchner to Eibsee. Buses depart every hour and take about 40 minutes.
Total journey time from Munich to Eibsee train + bus: 2 hours and 10 minutes
By bus from Munich
You can take either the 040 or the 486 bus from the Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof München (ZOB), Munich’s central bus station, to Garmisch-Partenkirchner. It takes 1 hour and 15 minutes and you’ll then need to change to the cogwheel train (which takes 30 minutes) or the bus (which takes 40 minutes). Both drop you at Eibsee and then it’s just a short walk to the start of the route around the lake.
Total journey time from Munich: 2 hours 25 minutes
Cost: €9.99 one way
Good to know: Buses are much less frequent than the train, there’s one at 7:30am, and the next one isn’t until 12:00.
How to get to Lake Eibsee from Munich Airport
The reason we went back and forth for so long on how we were going to get to Eibsee is that our flight landed early on Friday morning, so our initial plan was to go directly from the airport to Eibsee, do the day trip first, and spend the rest of the weekend exploring Munich.
It was one of those situations where the idea is often better than the reality, and we have a bad habit of pushing ourselves to cram everything into one day. After completely burning out when we did this in New York, we decided to just enjoy our first day in the city and have the opportunity to nap if we needed to. But in case it’s something you want to do, here’s what I’d suggest:
By car
Pick up a car from Munich airport and drive directly to Eibsee. This will take about 2 hours as you’ll need to drive through the centre of Munich first. With most car hire rental companies, you’ll be able to drop the car pack at a different location, so you could leave it in Munich at the end of the day and catch public transport to your accommodation.
By train
Take the S-Bahn (S8 or S1) to München Hauptbahnhof. Then follow the directions above.
Where to start your walk
So you’ve made it to one of the most beautiful spots in Germany, now it’s time to enjoy it! I’d recommend walking anticlockwise around the lake, as the majority of the best viewpoints are on that side. If you’re anything like me, you’re always more enthusiastic at the start of the walk and so you’ll be much more excited about stopping and taking pictures than you would be at the end.
To get to the start you’ll need to walk past the Eibsee hotel. If you find yourself in between a shop (to your left) and a restaurant (to your right), you’ve gone the wrong way. It’s not technically the wrong way as you can obviously still walk this way around the lake, it just means the better viewpoints will be at the end. So I’d recommend turning around and finding the entrance behind the Eibsee hotel. You’ll need to head to the bottom left of car park 1 towards the back of the Eibsee hotel and you should see a small opening that leads into woodland. This is the start of the route:
It’s a really easy, very flat walk. We saw lots of people pushing prams, so it’d be suitable for wheelchairs too. You should allow around 2 hours to get round the lake, although it took us much longer as we were stopping at the viewpoints.
The best picture spots at Lake Eibsee
Eibsee is one of the most beautiful places I’ve been, and the views are endless, so make sure you pack your camera! Here are 9 of my favourites along with the Google Maps co-ordinates and a map screenshot (look for the red pinpoint) so you don’t miss them!
Viewpoint 1
Google Maps co-ordinates: 47.4608804, 10.9878125
About 15-minutes into the walk, you’ll come to a narrow bridge – walk over it and you’ll see large Eibsee to the left and Untersee to the right. This is a beautiful vantage point and a great place to get some photos overlooking the lake.
Viewpoint 2
Google Maps co-ordinates: 47.46150° N, 10.98117° E
8 minutes further along you’ll find another opening, which was probably one of my favourites. It wasn’t too crowded so it made the perfect spot to just sit and enjoy the view. Although the water was too cold to swim in when we visited, we dipped our feet in and soaked up the peace and quiet.
Viewpoint 3
Google Maps co-ordinates: 47.46239° N, 10.97704° E
Carry on for another 5 minutes and you’ll come to another beautiful opening.
Viewpoint 4
Whilst the previous viewpoint is stunning in its own right, it’s also where you’ll want to leave the trail slightly to get to Braxeninsel.
The viewpoint we’re heading to is the one you’ve probably seen all over Instagram – it’s the iconic photo spot at Eibsee, but it is a little trickier to find than the others. We actually ended up walking through a forest and emerging at what we thought was the viewpoint, but after carefully comparing the rocks to the ones in pictures I’d seen (I was very determined to find this place), realised we were in the wrong place. So we then had to wade through water to get there, and it was COLD.
We actually really over-complicated it, and I was desperately searching for a blog post that would tell me how to find it but there weren’t any, just a few that said “leave the trail in between two trees” – not helpful when there’s trees EVERYWHERE. Anyway, I digress, It’s actually very simple to find. You’ll know you’re in the right place if you have Steingringpriel behind you – a small lake surrounded by trees.
So despite Conor being suitably fed up with us searching for a rock, and wanting to carry on with the walk as quickly as possible, I kept him waiting a little longer when we did eventually find it so I could take pictures of the best route to make it easy as pie for anyone visiting in the future – aka you!
Head down as if you’re walking towards the lake from the viewpoint, and then follow it round on the right-hand side (as illustrated in the picture below).
You’ll need to follow it through a slightly wooded area for about a minute before you emerge at the viewpoint and the iconic rock overlooking Braxeninsel island.
Viewpoint 5
Google Maps co-ordinates: 47.4615774, 10.9714952
7 minutes further along you should see signs for Aussichtspunkt. This viewpoint is called Aussichtspunkt über den See which is literally translated as “viewpoint over the lake”. You can climb down the hill to the water and experience unobstructed views over the islands and the lake.
Viewpoint 6
Google Maps co-ordinates: 47.4626688, 10.9670176
Another 5 minutes along the route you’ll see a small break in the trees overlooking the Almbichl, Storchinsel and Kleine Insel islands. This is a great spot for a photo, especially if you’re a fan of framing your shots.
Viewpoint 7
Google Maps co-ordinates: 47.4625341, 10.9632858
A short 4-minutes further and you’ll come across a wooden hut. This viewpoint gives you a huge unobstructed opening over the same islands.
Viewpoint 8
Google Maps co-ordinates: 47.4608400, 10.9580472
Another 10 minutes and you’ll be at the Kotbach waterfall. Opposite, you can follow a short trail down to a rocky beach with more stunning views over the lake – the reflections of the mountains in the water here is beautiful.
Viewpoint 9
Google Maps co-ordinates: 47.4529632, 10.9803548
It’s quite a long walk before you get to the next photo spot, as you’ll now be past the halfway point where the route is mostly tree-lined. 40-minutes later you’ll come to a huge beach area, which is the perfect place to relax for a while and enjoy the water.
Viewpoint 10
Google Maps co-ordinates: 47.4547633, 10.9835859
A short 5-minute stroll and you’ll see another small lake on your right – Frillensee. There’s not much to do there but it’s a pretty photo spot.
Things to do at Lake Eibsee
Get out on the water
For a completely different vantage point, nothing beats exploring Eibsee from the water. You can hire paddleboards, pedal boats and rowing boats to take out yourself. Or, you can take a 20-minute ride on a motorboat driven by a captain, who will tell you lots of interesting facts about Eibsee and point out the best swimming spots!
You can’t book online but you can pay with card on the day.
Good to know: Only dogs up to 40cm are allowed on the pedal boats or rowing boats. Dogs aren’t allowed on the paddleboards.
Motorboat with captain:
- Adults € 7.50
- Children €3.50
Boat rental:
- Rowing boat:1hour €9.00/1/2hour €7.50
- Pedal boat:1hour €12.00/1/2 hour €9.50
Paddleboard rental:
- 1 hour: € 15.00
- 2 hours: € 25.00
- 3 hours: € 35.00
- 4 hours: € 45.00
- 5 hours: € 55.00
Swimming
During summer, the crystal-clear waters of the lake lend themselves perfectly to swimming. There’s plenty of places to go for a dip as you’re walking around, but towards the end of the lake, there’s a huge beach-like area that’s the perfect place to spend some time cooling off.
Fishing
During the fishing season, from May-October, guests staying at the Eibsee hotel are allowed to fish on the lake. If you’re not staying at the hotel, unfortunately, you won’t be able to go fishing.
Zugspitze cable car
Take the Zugspitze cable car, and visit the “top of Germany”. Zugspitze is Germany’s tallest mountain and the cable car can take you to the top in just 15 minutes.
Adults: € 63.00
16-18 years: €50.50
6-15 years: €32.00
Eating at Lake Eibsee
As you’ve probably gathered by now, Conor and I aren’t great at preparing ahead of time for things. So we often turn up on walks without water, or food. And this was no exception. So by the time we’d finished our walk around Eibsee we were absolutely starving. And when I’m hungry, I’m not very fun to be around. Learn from our mistakes and make sure you bring snacks and drinks with you as there’s absolutely nowhere to buy anything until you get to the end.
Eibsee Pavillion
Luckily, at the end of the route is a beautiful restaurant overlooking the lake. As far as restaurant views go, this one is pretty special – you’ve got mountain peaks behind you, and the lake in front of you. Try and time your walk so you end up at the restaurant as the sun is setting, as the light changes you get a beautiful golden glow, and it really is magical. The menu’s really varied, it’s at the base of a mountain that’s popular for skiing, so expect hearty food such as steak, burgers, fried chicken and jacket potato.
Where to stay near Eibsee
Unless you’re planning an adventure holiday and want to be in the mountains, it’s not really necessary to stay near Eibsee, you can easily go there and back in a day. I’d recommend basing yourself in Munich, that way you can experience both a bustling city and the magic of Eibsee.
Top 3 Munich hotels:
£ – Schwan Locke
One of my all-time favourite hotel brands, Locke, has recently arrived in Munich and it’s my number one choice. They’re design-led apartments with hotel-like service – the perfect combination in my eyes as you get much more space than you would in a traditional hotel room. The rooms are fun but incredibly practical, and its just a 20-minute walk from the city centre. If you’re visiting during Oktoberfest, this hotel’s a great option, as it’s just round the corner from the festival. There’s a gym, co-working space and a bar, plus a stunning outdoor terrace.
It’s a rarity for affordable hotels to look this good, you can get a room here from £70 a night!
Distance from train station: 11-minute walk
££ – Louis Hotel
Located at Viktualienmarkt in the heart of Munich, you don’t get much more central than the Louis Hotel. There’s 72 beautifully-designed bedrooms, completed with handcrafted furniture and a calming, neutral deisgn. Upstairs is a stunning rooftop overlooking the Old Town, the perfect spot for a drink.
Distance from train station: 14-minute walk
£££ – BEYOND by Geisel
Overlooking the New Town Hall, the views from BEYOND by Geisel are some of the best in Munich. The finishing touches are everything here – there’s Aesop toiletries, free-standing tubs in some of the rooms, and a private chef who will prepare meals for you at any time of day. Children under the age of 13 aren’t allowed in this hotel, which for me, being childless, only adds to its appeal!
Distance from train station: 14-minute walk
Eibsee hotel:
But if you’d prefer to stay nearby, here’s where I’d recommend:
The only hotel actually at the lake is the Eibsee Hotel. To be honest I think it’s very expensive for how dated the hotel is, but you benefit from the convenience of the lake on your doorstep, and things like free boat hire and access to the hotel restaurants which are only open to guests.
Nearby hotels:
Instead, I’d recommend staying in nearby Garmisch-Partenkirche, a stunning ski resort with plenty of restaurants and bars. There’s much more to do here and Eibsee’s only a 15-minute drive, or a short train journey.
Aja Garmisch-Partenkirchen
This hotel is my top pick for places to stay near Eibsee. It’s modern, which is often hard to find in mountain regions, and the rooms have incredible views over the Alps. There’s a large fitness centre, plus two stunning pools – both indoor and outdoor. If you have children, there’s a separate play area for them downstairs, and you can hire bikes directly from the hotel if you’d prefer to cycle to Eibsee. Otherwise, you’re only 4-minutes from the station.
Biohotel Garmischer Hof
This eco-hotel is located in the heart of Garmisch-Partenkirche, just a short walk from the train station, making it really easy to get to Eibsee. There’s incredible views of the Bavarian Alps, a spa and some rooms even benefit from freestanding baths and spacious balconies. A locally-sourced breakfast is included, which is the perfect way to start the day before heading off on your walk.
Hyperion Hotel Garmisch-Partenkirchen
This hotel has beautifully designed bedrooms, each one with a balcony or terrace, a buffet-style breakfast included and a heated indoor pool. There’s also an onsite spa featuring a sauna, a Roman steam room the option of booking massages and treatments. You’re just a 12-minute walk from the train station here too.
Some tips before you book your trip to Eibsee
Book your flight
I use Skyscanner to book the majority of my flights – it makes it really easy to quickly compare prices and destinations. If I’m flexible on dates, I love Jack’s Flight Club – it’s a free newsletter that lets you know when there’s a brilliant deal on flights from your chosen airport.
Choose your accommodation
I use Booking.com for most of my hotel bookings. I find their website really easy to navigate and appreciate the generous cancellation policies. ?Handy tip – a lot of their hotels have ‘mobile-only prices’, so you can usually save money just by booking on your phone.
Make sure you get Travel Insurance
I’m going to be honest with you so you can learn from my mistakes. I was awful at getting travel insurance for the longest time. I was too busy planning the fun parts of a trip and would forget to sort the most important bit. Once you’ve arrived at your destination, any insurance you buy would actually be void as the trip’s already started.
We finally decided we needed to make it a priority when we were ice-skating around the Rockefeller in New York at Christmas, WITHOUT travel insurance. And we realised how stupid we were actually being. Even a sprained ankle would have cost us a fortune in America. We purchased a yearly policy as soon as we got home and it’s a life-saver. You can compare travel insurance deals here
And if you have a camera
Make sure you insure it separately, as most travel insurance policies only cover damage to your camera up to around £300. Again, learn from my mistakes from our trip to Croatia. I was hurriedly getting out of a taxi and didn’t have my camera strap around my neck, my camera fell on the floor and stopped working. Not only could I not use it for the rest of the trip, the repair wasn’t cheap! Protect your bubble is a great option.
Get a credit card that rewards you
I’ve had the British Airways American Express card for several years now, and I wouldn’t be without it. Their generous reward scheme gives you a companion voucher when you spend £12,000 within a year. That sounds like a lot, but Conor and I have a joint account and do all of our spending on it, so it’s achievable. Their companion vouchers mean you get 241 on flights – and we’re flying business class to Japan next year with the points.
Hopefully this guide to how to get to Lake Eibsee from Munich (plus some bonus tips) was helpful! Let me know in the comments if you make it to this magical place.
