This is The Complete Garmisch-Partenkirchen Ski Resort Guide 2025
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WHAT MAKES GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN ONE OF THE BEST GERMAN SKI RESORTS?
The quick answer: it’s a charming Bavarian destination that offers two diverse ski experiences:
First, the Garmisch-Classic ski area offers traditional Alpine skiing on groomed pistes for all skill levels, surrounded by snow-covered trees and cozy mountain huts.
Second, Germany’s highest mountain, the Zugspitze, is glacier skiing at its finest, with snow-white landscapes on an icy mountain terrain.
No other German ski resorts offer this kind of piste diversity in such a short distance, which is why Garmisch-Partenkirchen has become the best place for skiing in Germany.
There are more than 70 kilometers of slopes between the Garmisch-Classic and Zugspitze ski areas - a bit overwhelming for those planning a Garmisch-Partenkirchen itinerary.
BUT THIS GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN SKI REVIEW WILL HIGHLIGHT THE BEST OF THESE MOUNTAINS SO THAT YOU CAN ENJOY THE BEST SKIING IN GERMANY.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Ski Essentials
Planning your trip to Garmisch-Partenkirchen?
Here are the essentials you’ll need for a successful ski or snowboard trip to Garmisch.
🗺️ Garmisch-Partenkirchen Piste Map | Navigate the slopes
Use this Garmisch-Partenkirchen piste map to plan your time on the slopes
🎿 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Ski Rental | Reserve you ski gear
The Garmisch-Classic ticket also includes skiing the Zupspitze
🎟️ Garmisch-Partenkirchen Ski Pass | Explore the Garmisch-Classic & Zugspitze areas
Lift passes cost 64 EUR - 66 EUR per day.
🧳 Ski Trip Packing Guide | Pack these ski essentials
🛡️ Ski Trip Travel Insurance | Ensure peace of mind while skiing
Don’t forget to add the Adventure Sports protection
⛷️ Booking Garmisch-Partenkirchen Accommodations | My hotel picks
Budget - Quartier Lodges
Mid-Range - Hotel Staudacherof
Luxury - Boutique Hotel Werdenfelseri
Curious how to find the best experiences no matter what destination you visit?
Download my Europe Experience Planner now!
Garmisch-Classic Ski Resort
The Garmisch-Classic ski area consists of three mountains:
the Hausberg,
Kreuzeck,
and Alpspitze.
The Hausberg area is most appropriate for beginners, with blue pistes that are easy to navigate.
It includes the Ixis children’s area for those of us who like to start the day with a magic carpet ride and a short, simple run.
The runs on the Kreuzeck and Alpspitze areas are the most advanced, with red and black runs, including the fabled Kandahar.
The Kandahar downhill run is a legendary slope made famous when Garmisch-Partenkirchen hosted the 1936 Winter Olympics.
IN 2008 THE KANDAHAR WAS REDESIGNED FOR THE ALPINE SKI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH A NEW SECTION FEATURING A 92% GRADIENT — MAKING IT ONE OF THE STEEPEST AND MOST CHALLENGING SKI RUNS IN THE ALPS.
The Ixis children’s area in the Garmisch-Classic Ski Resort.
Wide, blue pistes in the Garmisch-Classic Ski Resort.
The Garmisch-Classic area is true to its name: the mountain is full of lush evergreen trees, prime mountain views, and great ski infrastructure like chair lifts and mountain huts serving warm drinks and quick slopeside lunches.
At the base of Garmisch-Classic, next to the Hausbergerbahn lift, is Drehmöser 9, a fantastic spot for a lunch break.
This chic mountain hut serves up fresh salad bowls in addition to traditional fare like currywurst and schnitzel.
THEY’VE ALSO GOT AUGUSTINER-BRÄU BEER ON TAP AND SHOTS OF JÄGERMEISTER TO FORTIFY SKIERS FOR THEIR AFTERNOON RUNS.
Zugspitze Ski Resort
THE OTHER MAIN SKI AREA IS ON THE ZUGSPITZE, GERMANY’S HIGHEST PEAK AT 9,718 FEET (2,962 METRES).
It offers a mix of beginner and intermediate pistes, though there are no runs specifically designed for advanced skiers.
It is situated between two glaciers, though the Northern Schneeferner is the real star: Germany’s largest glacier, comprising 77 acres and an average ice sheet thickness of 56 feet.
Though Germany has four glaciers in total, the Northern Schneeferner is the only one suitable for winter sports and therefore the country’s only glacier ski area.
FIVE SKI LIFTS SERVICE THE GLACIER, WHICH OFFERS A MIX OF BEGINNER AND INTERMEDIATE RUNS.
The Zugspitze Ski Resort is high above the tree line, offering a snow white ski terrain with fantastic mountain views.
What first struck me about the ski runs on the Zugspitze was the terrain - there was not an evergreen tree in sight.
Instead, it was white snow as far as the eye could see, with the tops of distant mountain ranges visible on the horizon.
IT’S A TRIPPY COMBINATION, WITH VERY COLD TEMPERATURES AND BLINDING SUN REFLECTING OFF ALL THE SNOW.
The blue runs near the Schneefernerkopf lift are wide and straight, gently flowing down the mountain with little need for advanced maneuvering.
While the intermediate runs wind down into the Brunntal valley, they don’t actually connect to the Garmisch-Classic ski area.
Here are more details about how to get around Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Cross Country Skiing in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN OFFERS FANTASTIC CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING WITH TRAILS SUITED FOR ALL SKILL LEVELS.
Beginners will enjoy the Loisach Trail, a flat and scenic route along the river, perfect for practicing technique.
Intermediate skiers can head to the Kaltenbrunn area, featuring varied terrain and stunning alpine views.
FOR ADVANCED CROSS-COUNTRY ENTHUSIASTS, THE SCENIC 17 KM TRAIL TO GRAINAU OFFERS A MORE CHALLENGING WORKOUT WITH LONGER STRETCHES AND GENTLE CLIMBS.
With well-groomed tracks and breathtaking surroundings, there’s something for everyone, even those new to cross country skiing.
Don't let packing stress ruin your ski trip!
Grab this complimentary ⬇️ Ski Trip Packing Checklist ⬇️ and stay organized with ease.
This PDF checklist makes packing simple with an easy-to-follow format you can check off as you go.
Frequently Asked Questions about Garmisch-Partenkirchen
How Do I Get to Garmisch-Partenkirchen??
GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN CAN BE REACHED BY EITHER INNSBRUCK (INN) OR MUNICH (MUC) AIRPORTS.
A rental car or hired transfer will complete the journey in one hour if coming from Munich, or one and a half hours if coming from Innsbruck.
The town also has a train station serviced by Deutsche Bahn, and the ride from Munich Hauptbahnhof is just under ninety minutes.
Where Should I Stay in Garmisch-Partenkirchen?
IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN IS ACTUALLY TWO DISTINCT TOWNS, EACH WITH ITS OWN VIBE.
Garmisch offers a more modern feel with a wider range of shops, restaurants, and convenient access to the Garmisch Classic ski area.
Partenkirchen, on the other hand, exudes old-world Bavarian charm with cobblestone streets, traditional houses, and a quieter, more historic ambiance.
Since there’s no central downtown, your choice depends on the vibe you prefer—whether it’s the livelier atmosphere of Garmisch or the quaint, storybook setting of Partenkirchen.
There are plenty of wonderful hotels, especially for those with top notch spa facilities for unwinding after a day on the slopes. 👇
You can read more about my top hotel recommendations for Garmisch-Partenkirchen here.
What is the Best Way to Get Around Garmisch-Partenkirchen?
Garmisch can be navigated without a car if, for example, you’re traveling there by train.
We drove down to Garmisch from Frankfurt, parked the car at our hotel, and found ourselves walking to restaurants throughout our stay.
OUR HOTEL’S SHUTTLE SERVICE TRANSPORTED US TO THE GARMISCH-CLASSIC SKI AREA AND SAVED US FROM HAVING TO NAVIGATE THE PARKING LOT THERE ON A SATURDAY MORNING.
The town is small and fully equipped with sidewalks, even in heavy snow.
The bigger question is how to reach Zugspitze from Garmisch-Partenkirchen — here are the options:
By Car: You can drive from town to the Zugspitze Cable Car station and take the cable car from the Eibsee Lake up to the top of the mountain.
By Train: You can take the Zugspitzbahn cogwheel train from town to the 2,600 meter platform and then take the Gletscherbahn cable car for the remaining 1,000 meters to the mountain’s peak.
By Bus: A bus travels daily between Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Eibsee.
You can check out the updated time tables for both the cogwheel train and the Eibsee bus here.
Since we had a car, we decided to drive to the Zugspitze, but there was a surprising amount of traffic on the route out to the Eibsee Lake.
We eventually had to park far from the cable car and take a bus the rest of the way.
THE NEXT TIME I’M IN GARMISCH, I PLAN TO TAKE THE ZUGSPITZBAHN COGWHEEL TRAIN UP TO THE MOUNTAIN.
Is the Zugspitze Cable Car Suitable for Those Afraid of Heights?
Having a slight fear of heights is one thing that can make traveling in the mountains a challenge.
THE ZUGSPITZE CABLE CAR IS STEEP!
It travels 10,541 feet (3,213 meters) up the side of a mountain, which might make anyone with a slight fear of heights a little uneasy. (🙋🏻♀️)
The Zugspitze cable car has a steep ascent to the top of the mountain, but it’s a much quicker ride than the cogwheel train option.
DESPITE MY TINY FEAR OF HEIGHTS, I’M ALWAYS GLAD TO HAVE MADE A CABLE CAR JOURNEY ONCE I GET TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN.
There’s nothing like that moment when the cable car crests above the peak, and the mountain’s wall of stone gives way to expansive views of snow-drenched mountains and wide, autobahn-like pistes.
That momentary anxiety melts away, replaced by the comforting warmth of awe. 🫶
What Should I Pack for a Trip to Garmisch-Partenkirchen?
If you’re heading to Garmisch in the winter, my ski trip packing list details all the winter gear and accessories you should bring to the Bavarian Alps in winter.
If you’ll be visiting Garmisch in the summer, my packing guide for hikers explains which essentials you’ll need to pack for summer in the town.
Could You Recommend a Few Restaurants in Garmisch-Partenkirchen?
WIRTSHAUS WOLPERTINGER IS A TRADITIONAL BAVARIAN STYLE TAVERN THAT SERVES HUGE PORTIONS OF SCHNITZEL, SPÄTZLE, AND BEER.
Another highly recommended Bavarian style beer hall is Zum Wildschütz.
A salmon bowl from Drehmöser 9, a restaurant in the Garmisch Classic Ski Resort.
A pork and spätzle platter from Wirsthaus Wolpertinger in Garmisch.
On the Partenkirchen side of town, Gasthof Fraundorfer has achieved something of a hallowed status for its rich Bavarian food, cozy atmosphere, and authentic ambience complete with live music and dancing.
Coffee aficionados flock to Wildkaffee Café, a modern coffee roaster in the heart of town, for its pour overs and flat whites, while those searching for an old-world café may find Franz Krönner Konditorei und Cafe e.K. to be more their speed.
Is Garmisch-Partenkirchen Safe for Solo Travelers?
GARMISCH IS SAFE FOR ALL TRAVELERS, INCLUDING SOLO TRAVELERS.
I never felt unsafe during my visit to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, nor was I uneasy or suspicious of the locals.
If you plan to ski alone, keep to the most populated pistes so that there is always help nearby.
Always remember to buy travel insurance before a ski trip to Europe; SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance is a great choice, and the Adventure Sports add-on will cover most of your slopeside activities.
Conclusion
SKIING IN GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN OFFERS AN UNBEATABLE COMBINATION OF DIVERSE SLOPES, BREATHTAKING SCENERY, AND BAVARIAN CHARM.
Whether you’re carving through the tree-lined runs of the Garmisch-Classic area or gliding across the glacial terrain of the Zugspitze, you’re guaranteed an unforgettable experience.
Now that you’ve read this guide to the best skiing in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, you’re well prepared to start planning your own ski trip — so grab your gear and get ready to explore the best skiing Germany has to offer!
Until next time,
Angela ⛷️