The Zugspitze (2,962 m / 9,718 ft) offers some of the best views of the Alps. On fine days visitors can see mountain peaks ranging from 2,000 m up to 4,000 m and across 4 countries (Germany, Austria, Italy & Switzerland) reaching as far as the Eastern Alps.
The Zugspitze lies south of the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, and about six kilometres east of Ehrwald, Austria. The Austria-Germany border goes right over the mountain. Thus the Zugspitze massif belongs to the German state of Bavaria and the Austrian state of Tyrol. There used to be a border checkpoint at the summit but, since Germany and Austria are now both part of the Schengen zone, the border crossing is no longer manned. (The Schengen Area is an area comprising 26 European countries that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders.)
In winter the Zugspitze is a skiers paradise. Nine ski lifts cover the ski area on the Zugspitzplatt.
The Zugspitze is the highest mountain in Germany.
Three ways to reach the top of the Zugspitze:
1) The Tiroler Zugspitzbahn cable car from Obermoos - Ehrwald, Tirol - Austria. It has a 100 passenger capacity and climbs 1,725 metres in 10 minutes. Lenght: 3,600 m (11,811 ft). www.zugspitze.at/en/home/
2) The Seilbahn Zugspitze cable car from Eibsee Lake, Bavaria-Germany. It has a 120 passenger capacity and climbs 1,942 metres in 7 minutes. Lenght: 4,467 m (14,656 ft). zugspitze.de/en/Zugspitze/Summer
3) The Zahnradbahn, a rack (cogwheel) railway from Eibsee Lake, runs inside the northern flank of the mountain (for half the journey, no views!) and ends on the Zugspitzplatt. From where the Gletscherbahn cable car takes passengers to the top. It climbs 2,600 metres (4,5 km) in 45 minutes from Eibsee. zugspitze.de/en/Zugspitze/Summer
June 23, 2022
00:00 Going up the mountain by cable car with Tiroler Zugspitzbahn
03:05 Arriving at the top
04:02 Austrian side of the border
04:49 German side of the border
05:48 Gletscherbahn cable car
06:34 Helicopter
07:30 Summit cross: highest point in Germany
09:04 Helicopter
10:14 Seilbahn Zugspitze: German cable car
12:10 Going back to the Austrian side of the border
13:00 Going down with the Tiroler Zugspitzbahn cable car
15:49 Driving away from the Tiroler Zugspitzbahn