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Eibsee

A crystal-clear natural wonder right at the foot of the Zugspitze

The Eibsee is Grainau's most famous lake and one of the most beautiful in the Alps. The cable car to the Zugspitze, as well as hikes and mountain tours, start here. For many visitors, however, the Eibsee is already their destination, and they spend the day at the lake. The family-friendly circular trail, with refreshment stops, is popular year-round. In summer, the crystal-clear water invites you to swim, and the boat rental service offers stand-up paddleboards, pedal boats, and rowboats. A very special experience: a trip on the historic passenger ship "Reserl" - always with the Wetterstein Mountains and their highest peak, the Zugspitze, in view.

Our tip:

A hike to the Eibsee. From Grainau, there are several easy paths that lead directly to the lake.

Tours around the Eibsee

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Refreshment stops at the Eibsee

Getting to the lake

Lake Eibsee and the Zugspitze are among Germany's most popular tourist attractions. Since the valley station of the record-breaking Zugspitze cable car is just minutes from the lake, there are two good reasons to visit. However, there is only one access road and limited parking.

ArrivalPossibilities

Bavarian Zugspitze Railway

Travel between Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Eibsee is free for Grainau guests with a valid guest card.

From Eibsee station, you will also need a ticket for the onward journey on the cogwheel train to the Zugspitzplatt and then on the glacier train to the summit, the Zugspitze.

SCHEDULE

RVO Bus

Bus 9840 runs on the Garmisch-Partenkirchen – Grainau – Eibsee route. The ride is also free with the Grainau Guest Card.

RVO bus timetable to the Eibsee

German Railways

The journey with Deutsche Bahn from Munich Central Station to Garmisch-Partenkirchen takes approximately 90 minutes. From the DB station, it's just a few meters to the station of the Bavarian Zugspitzbahn, which runs via Hausberg, Kreuzeck-/Alpspitzbahn, and Hammersbach to Grainau and then on to Eibsee and the Zugspitzplatt.

If the parking spaces are occupied, this will be indicated on information boards at the end of the motorway, and alternative parking spaces located along the railway line will also be indicated. www.zugspitze.de.

Car

There are two public paid parking lots at the Eibsee. Information on current capacity utilization at Parking lot Eibsee and Zugspitze cable car parking lot.

If the parking spaces are occupied, this will be indicated on information boards at the end of the motorway, and alternative parking spaces located along the railway line will also be indicated.

FAQ

Can I walk to the Eibsee?

Beautiful hiking trails lead from Grainau up to the Eibsee. The leisurely hikes take about an hour and a half and have only a few meters of elevation gain. All trails are well signposted from the village.

Do bus or train go to the lake?

Yes, there are both bus and train connections. Both are free of charge for Grainau guests with a guest card.

More detailed information about the bus connections is available here.

Grainau guests can on the way to the Eibsee at the Bavarian Zugspitze Railway board or alight at the Hammersbach and Zugspitzbahnhof Grainau stations. The trip on the cogwheel train takes 18 and 15 minutes, respectively.

If you get on at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Hausberg or Kreuzeck-/Alpspitzbahn, the maximum journey time is half an hour.

Are there parking spaces at Eibsee and how much does parking cost?

The Eibsee Hotel and the Bavarian Zugspitze Railway have public parking spaces at Eibsee.

The Parking fees at the Eibsee Hotel depend solely on the duration. The Parking fees at the Zugspitzbahn also depend on whether a mountain railway ticket is purchased.

Does the Deutsche Bahn go as far as the Eibsee?

No. To get to Lake Eibsee, there are two options:

At Garmisch-Partenkirchen station, change to the Bayerische Zugspitzbahn or the bus to Eibsee.
The train to Pfronten-Steinach stops at Untergrainau station. Transferring to the bus is possible here.

With the Grainau guest card, trips to the Eibsee or to Garmisch-Partenkirchen are free of charge. You will receive the guest card from your host.

Can I travel to the Eibsee free of charge with the Deutschlandticket?

No. If you do not have a Grainau guest card, you must purchase a ticket for the route:

Tickets and tariffs

Can bicycles be taken on the bus and cogwheel train?

Unfortunately, this is not possible due to capacity reasons.

Why doesn't the bus always arrive on time?

There are no dedicated bus lanes between Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Lake Eibsee. As a result, buses are also affected by traffic jams.

Are there refreshment stops?

There are several places to stop for refreshments. Information on this can be found at www.eibsee.de.

Why did the bus drive past the bus stop?

If the maximum number of passengers is reached, the driver is instructed not to allow any further passengers to board. However, additional buses will be deployed.

Where can I find out if there are still free parking spaces at the Eibsee?

Information on current capacity utilization at Parking lot Eibsee and Zugspitze cable car parking lot.

Right at the Eibsee, if the parking spaces are occupied, this is already indicated on information boards starting from the end of the autobahn, and alternative parking spaces are also displayed.

Can I park my motorhome at the Eibsee?

Please note the information provided by the parking lot operators:

www.zugspitze.de/parken

www.eibsee.de/de/lage-anfahrt

Is camping allowed at the Eibsee?

Camping directly at the Eibsee is not allowed.

Just a few kilometers from the lake, there are two large campsites in Grainau: the Camping Resort Zugspitze and the Camping experience Zugspitze.

Can I also go to the Eibsee with a baby carriage?

The riverside path is also easily accessible with strollers.

When is the least busy time at the Eibsee?

There's not always a general answer to this question. Fewer people generally want to go to Eibsee early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

Can you swim in the Eibsee?

It is possible to swim in the Eibsee. There are many places around the lake where you can access the water. In summer, the water temperature reaches 18-22 °C.

Is it possible to rent a boat or SUP at Eibsee?

In the summer months, round trips are offered on the historic excursion boat "Reserl". Pedal boats, rowing boats and stand-up paddle boards can also be hired. More detailed information at www.eibsee.de/de/bootsverleih.

Can I manage to visit the Eibsee and the Zugspitze in one day?

Yes, the valley station of the cable car is just a few minutes away from Lake Eibsee.

What can I do near Lake Eibsee in bad weather?

There is that in Grainau Zugspitzbad. It is open almost all year round – as an indoor pool in winter and as an outdoor and indoor pool in summer. There is also a sauna on the site. Visitors locked out.

Where can I find more travel information?

On the page Arrival Eibsee & Zugspitze.

The Eibsee should stay clean - help us!

The Eibsee supplies 30,000 people with drinking water, which comes from the water protection area around the Eibsee.

Please help us to maintain the quality of our drinking water.

Worth knowing:

Lake Eibsee was formed when the Isar-Loisach glacier retreated at the end of the Würm glacial period, leaving behind a depression that filled with water. Around 3400-3700 years ago, a huge landslide with an area of 13 km² and a volume of 350 million m³ crossed the central and eastern part of the lake. The completely separated small neighboring lakes include Frillensee in the south and Braxensee, Steingringpriel, Steinsee, Froschsee and Drachenseelein in the north. Its name is derived from the yew tree, which used to grow in large numbers around the lake. Today it can only be found sporadically around the lake and only occurs in the Bannwälder forests near the lake. Lake Eibsee is a blind lake as it has no surface drainage and the water can only drain away or seep underground due to the location of the basin.