BAVARIAN ALPS, GERMANY · THE TABIARA DESTINATION COLLECTION

Tegernsee travel guides, itineraries & planners

A clear mountain lake about an hour from Munich, a former monastery with a brewery tavern, boats between five lake towns and paths up to alpine pastures. Plan Tegernsee with area advice, a flexible three-day outline, the train and bus connections and the Tabiara guides in German, English and Spanish.

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Is Tegernsee a good fit for your trip?

Tegernsee suits travellers who want lake days, culture and walks without long transfers. Five places share the valley: Gmund at the northern end, Tegernsee town on the eastern shore, Bad Wiessee on the western shore, Rottach-Egern in the south and Kreuth in the mountains beyond. The lake is a weekend favourite from Munich, so start early on sunny days and give each part of the valley its own day.

First-visit starting point: A weekend, or three days
Where to begin: Tegernsee station and the former monastery
Getting around: Regional trains, buses, boats and on foot
Our planning approach: One lake town per day, boats used as transport

Where should you stay at Tegernsee?

Your base decides how easily you reach the train, the boat landings and the trailheads. Start with the days you have planned, then check the walk from the station or stop and whether your host issues a guest card.

TEGERNSEE TOWN & GMUND

For travelling by train

Tegernsee station is in the town on the eastern shore, near the former monastery and the boat landing. Gmund at the northern end has its own station and is quieter. Both make it easy to arrive from Munich without a car.

BAD WIESSEE

For calm lake days on the west shore

Bad Wiessee is a spa town with promenades, the Jodschwefelbad and boat connections across the lake. It suits slower days by the water. Check the bus or boat connection to the station before booking.

ROTTACH-EGERN & KREUTH

For the Wallberg and mountain walks

Rottach-Egern in the south puts the Malerwinkel, the Wallbergbahn and paths into the Rottach valley close by. Kreuth, further into the mountains, suits walkers heading to Siebenhütten or Wildbad Kreuth. Plan buses or a car for evenings.

Our suggestion: stay in Tegernsee town or Gmund for a first visit by train, choose Bad Wiessee for a slow lake holiday, and Rottach-Egern or Kreuth when mountain days are the focus. Ask whether your host offers the TegernseeCard in addition to the guest card.

Tegernsee in three flexible days

Use this as an outline rather than a timed schedule. Each day covers one part of the valley. Check boat timetables, cable car operating times and opening hours before you set off.

DAY 01

Tegernsee town & the monastery

Start at the former Benedictine monastery, now a palace, and the church of St. Quirinus. Lunch at the Herzogliches Bräustüberl is a local institution.

In the afternoon, visit the Olaf Gulbransson Museum or walk out to the Point peninsula. Take a boat across to Bad Wiessee and back if the timetable allows.

DAY 02

Rottach-Egern & the Wallberg

Walk to the Malerwinkel in Egern, the painters' corner on the southern shore, and continue to the church of St. Laurentius.

Ride the Wallbergbahn for the view over the lake, checking first whether it is running; the cable car closes for maintenance in November. On rainy days, the Museum im Gsotthaber Hof in Rottach is an alternative.

DAY 03

Gmund or Kreuth

For a gentle day, explore Gmund at the northern end, with the Mangfall river, the paper history of Gmund Papier and the walk to Gut Kaltenbrunn.

For a mountain day, take the bus to Kreuth and walk to the Siebenhütten alpine huts or past Wildbad Kreuth. The Suttensee beyond Rottach is another quiet destination.

How do you get to and around Tegernsee?

Plan the whole journey to your accommodation or trailhead. At Tegernsee, the station you choose and the shore you stay on make a real difference.

Arriving by train or car

The BRB regional train (RB57) runs from Munich via Holzkirchen to Tegernsee and stops in Gmund. Gmund and Tegernsee are separate stations on different parts of the lake. By car, the route runs via the A8 and the B318 or B307; in Tegernsee town, the Zentralparkplatz is a central option. Check engineering works before you travel.

Buses, boats and the guest card

Regional buses link the five towns and the trailheads. The guest card includes scheduled buses within MVV zones 6 to 9 and rail travel between Tegernsee and Moosrain, but not the full journey from Munich. Boats cross between the landings in season; the 2026 summer timetable ended on 4 October. The cycle route around the lake is about 21 km.

When is a good time to go to Tegernsee?

Summer is the season for swimming, boats and alpine pastures, and the busiest time on weekends. Autumn brings clear days for walks, and the Tegernsee Mountain Film Festival runs from 14 to 18 October 2026. Winter has Advent markets on the weekends from 28 November to 20 December 2026, winter walks and shorter opening hours. Spring is quiet, with snow lingering higher up.

Worth knowing

Check whether the boats and the Wallbergbahn are running on your dates.
Museum seasons vary; the Museum Tegernseer Tal closed for the season on 4 October 2026.
Go early on sunny weekends, when car parks and buses fill quickly.

Tabiara guides for Tegernsee

The Tegernsee collection covers orientation, day routes, arrival, accommodation, getting around, planning, 50 places and a novel set on the lake. The guides and the novel are available in German, English and Spanish. Everything is a digital download, with nothing shipped.

Where to start: Start with the full travel guide to get your bearings, then add the day routes for a walking trip or the arrival guide if you are coming by train from Munich.

Complete guide

Tegernsee Travel Guide – 100 Topic Pages (PDF)

100 self-contained topic pages on Tegernsee town, Gmund, Bad Wiessee, Rottach-Egern and Kreuth, with boats, walks, seasons and ten day itineraries. 123 pages.