Try this scenic cross border train journey to Garmisch Partenkirchen

Garmisch-Partenkirchen is the best place to visit when the winter is at its peak in Germany. The entire region of Garmish is wrapped by a thick blanket of snow during winters.  Germany’s highest peak, Zugspitze, lies in this region. The other top attractions in this region are

• Partnachklamm
• Alpspitze
• Eibsee

Winter activities

Winter enthusiasts become active as the temperature drops. Located near the Austrian border, Garmisch attracts tourists from both countries.  This resort town is the best destination for Skiing, Snowboarding Hiking, Ice skating, and Trekking. We went on for a day trip to Partnachklamm from Ulm in Germany.

History

The name comes from the river Partnach that separates the two towns, Garmisch and Partenkirchen. The locals often refer to this region as GaPa (combining the first two letters from both places).  Explore these towns on foot to taste the real essence. This region also hosted the Winter Olympics in the year 1936. 

The train ride to Garmisch

The main purpose of this one day trip was to experience a special railway line Ausserfern (German: Außerfernbahn). Ausserfern is a cross border railway line operating between Germany and Austria. 

Border crossing

The train originates in Kempten (a town in the German state of Bavaria) and runs through Reutte (a town in the Austrian state of Tyrol). Finally, the train comes back to Germany and terminates in Garmisch Partenkirchen.

Tip: Carry your passport because the journey involves border crossing.

Scenic route

The entire route is scenic as it passes through mountains, lakes, forests, tunnels, large fields in the Alpine region. The train journey through these mountains is surreal. The surrounding offers us a 360 ° mountain view. 

How to reach Partnachklamm

The Bavarian Regional day ticket is valid throughout the trip. After a 3-hour train journey from Kempten, we reached the Garmisch Partenkirchen train station. Followed by this, board bus #1 or #2 and get down at Skistadion. This is where the 1936 Winter Olympics took place.  Partnachklamm’s official website has all the info regarding the routes. Tip: A Garmisch map would be handy just in case you are lost.  From here, there are two options to the entrance

• 30 min walk (2 km) – Our choice
• Horse carriage (subject to seasons)

There are signs throughout your walk, so don’t worry.

Garmisch Partnachklamm

The Partnachklamm is a 700m long Gorge separated by a stream (river Partnach). A Gorge refers to a deep crevice formed between two mountains or hills.  Millions of years ago, this natural landmark was formed due to debris and meltwater, leaving the rocks hollow and making way for a stream.

The depth of Gorge at places goes as deep as 80m. The well-constructed walking trails allow tourists to walk through Gorge in Garmisch. In simpler terms, once walks through two mountains along the stream

Winter visit

The Partnachklamm is special during winters. As you walk through this little passage, once can witness bizarre ice formation. The cold air through the mountain keeps the place cold and hence the water remains frozen. It is almost impossible to break these ices with hand. 

Partnachklamm’s official website offers summer and winter videos. Have a look at those and pick a season to visit. 

Walking through ice formations

I prefer winter because of the ice formations. It was the first time for me to witness this weird huge ice above your heads. Every time I look above, the ice seems to fall on you but they are strongly held. At a few places, you are made to cross from one side of the stream to the other through bridges. Tip: Sometimes winter weather becomes dangerous to walk. So the Gorge can be closed. Please keep a note on the weather when you plan or check their website.

Safety gears

The whole walk is safe for tourists. However, some passages are extremely slippery. A proper winter shoe is a must. We recommend the older age group to carry a walking stick to ensure safety.

Entry price

Adults – 6.00 €, Children aged between 6 to 17 years – 3.00 €. Unfortunately, there is no discount for students.  Due to safety reasons, bicycles, baby carriage, canoes are prohibited inside the Gorge.

Opening hours

Partnachklamm is open every day but opening hours vary vastly depending on the seasons. Summer has extended opening hours compared to winter. June – September → 6.00 – 22.00 November – April → 9.00 – 18.00 May and October → 8.00 – 18.00

Hiking

Once we exited our 700m walk through the narrow passage, we made a small break. Then our trip continued with a small hike. There are many hiking trails to choose from. We happened to choose one and I don’t remember the start point. The hike was a tiring one as I am not a regular hiker. But we enjoyed the views and had fun with the snow.

Panoramic view

After a hike for about an hour, we reached the top, an altitude of 1050 m. A beer in restaurant Partnachalm refreshed us. The restaurant had a large terrace with stunning views of the Wetterstein Mountains. Then it was time for our hike down the hill. The snow had turned into ice. So the path was extremely slippery. Some of us didn’t have a good winter shoe, some amateur hikers. We all fell too many times than expected. But this part of the trip was the most memorable. Finally, we located a bus stop at the base and found our way back to the nearest train station. (Kainzenbad/Hausberg)

The main Highlight

The train journey from Kempten to Garmisch was our main highlight of the trip. It is one of the ToDo things when visiting this region. Wait for our upcoming blogs to know about yet another special place in Garmisch Partenkirchen. Overall experience: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5 Time of visit: March 2018

“What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” – Mary Oliver