Lowest Prices
We find the cheapest bus & train tickets, so you can wander for less.
Best Travel Options
We partner with 500+ carriers to bring you the most bus & train options.
Quick & Easy Booking
Book trips quickly with a simple, hassle-free checkout – online & on our app.
Fast Customer Support
We don’t monkey around. We respond within minutes to help you out.
Trip Summary
113 trains operate daily from Karlsruhe to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The train trip from Karlsruhe to Garmisch-Partenkirchen is usually about 6 hours and 37 minutes long. However, traveling on the fastest Deutsche Bahn train can get you there in as little as 5 hours and 12 minutes.
| Distance | 162 mi (261 km) |
| Fastest train | 5h 12m |
| Lowest price | $35.23 |
| Most frequent service | Deutsche Bahn |
| Train lines | 2 |
Which train should you take from Karlsruhe to Garmisch-Partenkirchen?
2 train services operate from Karlsruhe to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Deutsche Bahn usually has more trains scheduled, with 108 trips per day. That said, it's still worth comparing the prices and trip durations:
| Train | Daily Trips | Avg. Time | Avg. Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deutsche Bahn | 108 | 6h 40m | $52.97 |
| Deutsche Bahn with non-federally owned railway company | 5 | 5h 49m | $35.23 |
Deutsche Bahn with non-federally owned railway company train tickets from Karlsruhe to Garmisch-Partenkirchen start from $35, and on average cost . Daily there are 5 Deutsche Bahn with non-federally owned railway company schedules to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Deutsche Bahn with non-federally owned railway company in Karlsruhe leaves from Grötzingen Oberausstraße and 4 other stations. And in Garmisch-Partenkirchen trains arrive at Griesen(Oberbay) .
From Karlsruhe to Garmisch-Partenkirchen train travel on Deutsche Bahn with non-federally owned railway company takes 5 hours and 49 minutes. If you are looking to get to Garmisch-Partenkirchen faster, Deutsche Bahn with non-federally owned railway company offers more express schedule options with a travel time of 5 hours and 12 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
The distance between Karlsruhe and Garmisch-Partenkirchen is approximately 162 miles, or 261 kilometers. The average train journey between these two cities takes 6 hours and 37 minutes, although the absolute fastest you could get there is 5 hours and 12 minutes.
Looking for ways to pass the time? Most trains are equipped with Wi-Fi, which means you can stream music, browse social media or get some work done during your ride. That said, in case your train has a spotty signal, or is among the few without Wi-Fi, we also recommend downloading TV shows and movies to your mobile device in advance of your trip. That way the ride will fly by whatever the Wi-Fi situation.
Thursday tends to be the busiest day of the week with travelers taking trains from Karlsruhe to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Ticket price also tend to be more expensive on Thursday than other days. If you are hoping to have more room on the train and even save some change check out travel options on Thursday instead, as less people travel then and deals are more likely to be found.
The earliest train departs Karlsruhe at 12:00am while the last train of the day leaves at 11:00pm. To see all scheduled departure times, use the search function on this page to get the full schedule for your specific travel dates.
There are 113 scheduled trains on most days. Unfortunately, none of them are direct connections, so you will need to disembark from your original train and board a connecting train during your journey. Don't forget to bring your carry-on luggage when you switch trains. In some instances, you may also be responsible for transferring your own checked baggage.
You can also take a train for your return trip from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Karlsruhe.
City Information
Karlsruhe
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Pixabay
Karlsruhe is fondly referred to as the Fan-Shaped City. Even though it's at the northern edge of the Black Forest, Karlsruhe has some of the warmest weather in the country, so many visitors pick this city to experience a Mediterranean-inspired vacation in Germany. There are hundreds of fine museums, quirky galleries, and beautiful theatres in the area that are all worth checking out.
Karlsruhe is a hub for science and technology, but it has an artistic side, too. The ZKM is a unique art museum that displays contemporary video and audio installations in a former weapons factory. Hit up the Jakobus Theatre, Kammertheater Karlsruhe, or The Sandkorn Theatre for live music or theatrical performance.
Another can't-miss landmark is the Karlsruhe Palace, built in the 18th-century. Not only does the palace include stunning grounds and magnificent architecture, it also houses the Baden State Museum with exhibits about the region's history. Some of the best outdoor recreation sites are Badesee Epple, Rheinstrandbad Rappenwort, and Weingarten, offering blue waters for fishing, swimming, and sailing, respectively.
Karlsruhe is easy to reach from cities like Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt on Deutsche Bahn trains. FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus, Sindbad, Union Ivkoni, and Cazmatrans provide bus service to the city as well. The Karlsruhe/Baden Airport is not too far away, so you can travel to this warm destination from nearly anywhere.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Pixabay
Image credit: Pixabay
A Bavarian destination in southern Germany, Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a popular ski town that attracts millions of visitors every year. Accordingly, some of the best things to do are outdoors! The Zugspitze, Germany's tallest mountain, is covered in glacial snow year-round, but the ski season is only from October to May. Even if you're not strapped into a snowboard or skis, you can take the cogwheel train or cable car to the peak of the Zugspitze for outstanding views of the four countries surrounding the mountain.
The summer months are all about hiking in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Check out Partnachklamm or Höllentalklamm, two incredible gorges where you can hike, traverse through tunnels, and see waterfalls. Then drink in the views of the Eibsee, a crystal clear alpine lake with boating and hiking opportunities.
There are many transportation options to serve the many enthusiastic adventurers who visit Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Munich is just a short bus trip away, and FlixBus runs service from Berlin, too. Garmisch-Partenkirchen has its own train station (complete with mountain views!), so you can easily connect to Deutsche Bahn trains heading to destinations throughout Europe.
Station Information
Where is the train station in Karlsruhe?
Main departure station: Karlsruhe-Durlach
Because some trains make multiple stops before leaving the city, there are 6 stops and stations in Karlsruhe where you can board the train.
All train stations in Karlsruhe:
Karlsruhe-Durlach
Grötzingen Oberausstraße
Grötzingen
Maxau
Grötzingen Krappmühlenweg
Karlsruhe-Knielingen
Where is the train station in Garmisch-Partenkirchen?
Main arrival station: Griesen(Oberbay)
Garmisch-Partenkirchen has one train station.
All train stations in Garmisch-Partenkirchen:
Griesen(Oberbay)
Get around town with Moovit
Need a return trip from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Karlsruhe?
Search Train Tickets
Wanderu is the simplest way to book bus and train travel.
With just a quick search on Wanderu, you can compare bus and train schedules and prices from hundreds of travel companies in one convenient place to find the trip that works best for you. Wanderu’s simple checkout process makes it easy to book cheap bus and train tickets hassle-free. Most importantly, as Wanderu is an official partner of all leading bus and train companies, we always have the best bus and train deals out there.
Book buses and trains on the go with the Wanderu app.
Download our app and snag the best travel deals across North America & Europe.Learn more