Munich and beyond

The starting point for many weekend (or longer) trips, more expensive than the nearest Czech mountains but still relatively on budget, and it’s the Alps dude!

Ski resorts

Plenty of them! Just to name a few:

• Garmisch-Partenkirchen & Zugspitze: ~1.5 hrs by train from Munich Hbf to Garmisch + ~1 hr Zahnradbahn to Zugspitze. There’s also a cheap overnight FlixBus from Berlin to Garmisch.
• A number of nice places in Bavarian Voralpen reached best by car, e.g. Herzogstand, Sudelfeld, Wendelstein, Dammkar.
• Mayrhofen and our favorite Hintertux in Zillertal: 2.5 hrs away by car.
• Kitzsteinhorn at Zell am See, 2 hrs by train.
• Söll: 1.5 hrs away by train (from Munich Hbf to Wörgl Hbf), ~50 euro RT.

Budget

• Train: on average, return trip is from 100 euro (look out for sales though!)
• Skipass: from 50 euro/day (or less at those smaller Bavarian resorts)
• Accommodation: from 60 euro/night

Itineraries by train (to Munich)

Our preferred way of getting there is taking an ICE on Friday night and arriving in Munich around midnight. There we crash in a hostel and continue by taking a train or a rental car early in the morning.

You can save some money by coming back on Monday instead of Sunday, the train tickets are usually cheaper then. It also makes sense to buy a DB BahnCard for these trips.

Itineraries by plane (to Munich)

Lots of direct flights from ... return.

More info

We have to say Garmisch and Zugspitze are slightly boring and overpriced. If you’re interested in having a beer on the highest point of Germany, go ahead, but otherwise, it makes sense to go there only after a really good snowfall.