GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN
The Zugspitze (2964m), Germany’s tallest mountain, is the main attraction in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (pop. 28,000). There are three ways to conquer it, and all of them are weather-dependent. You can take the cog railway from the Zugspitzbah-nhof (behind the Garmisch main station) to Eibsee (1 lhr. every hr. 8:15am-3:15pm), then continue on the Gletscherbahn or the steeper Eibsee Seilbahn cable car to the top (llAta. every hr. 8am-3:15pm, round-trip with train and either cable car ‚42). Experienced climbers can make the semi-technical ascent in 10-12hrs. although surrounding peaks may be of more interest.
From Garmisch-Partenkirchen, trains run to Munich (li4hr. 1 per hr. ‚14) and Innsbruck (lV&ir. 1 per hr. ‚10). Buses #1084 and 9606 go to Fiissen (2hr. 6-7 per day, ‚7). To get to the tourist office, Richard-Strauss-Pl. 2, turn left on Bahnhofstr. from the train station and turn left again onto Von-Brug-Str.; it’s the pink building on the square. The staff distributes maps and will help find rooms for free. (18 07 00. Open M-Sa 8am-6pm, Su lOam-noon.) To reach UNaturfreundehaus O, Schalmeiweg 21, from the station, walk straight on Bahnhofstr. as it becomes Lud-wigstr. follow the bend to the right and turn left on Sonnenbergstr. and continue straight as this becomes Prof. Michael-Sachs-Str. and then Schalmeiweg (25min.). At this cozy hostel, you can sleep in attic lofts with up to 16 other backpackers. ( 43 22. Kitchen use ‚0.50. Reception daily 6-8pm. Loft dorm beds ‚8; 3- to 5-bed dorms ‚10.) HL Markt, at the intersection of Bahnhofstr. and Von-Brug-Str. sells groceries. (Open M-F 8am-8pm, Sa 7:30am-4pm.) Postal Code: 82467.
