Out of the city for a day
The best day trips from Munich
Rothenburg and the Romantic Road, Lake Königssee, Herrenchiemsee Palace, the Alps around Garmisch and a private Linderhof drive. Here is how they compare, with honest advice on train versus tour, the costs that come on top, and what to do if the weather turns.
See our 8 picks
The best day trips from Munich are Neuschwanstein Castle, Salzburg, the Zugspitze above Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Lake Königssee near Berchtesgaden.
Salzburg and Garmisch have direct regional trains. Berchtesgaden needs a change, and Neuschwanstein a train plus a bus, so a tour saves the most effort there. The Eagle's Nest above Berchtesgaden is closed until further notice after a fire in October 2026.
Our 8 picks for day trips from Munich
Rated tours first, then four new tours with no reviews yet. Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 28 October 2026.
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from €59 per person Our top pick 9 h 30 min 4.9 (150) reviews on GetYourGuide
Herrenchiemsee Palace and a boat trip
A guided 9.5-hour day by train to Lake Chiemsee, with a boat to the palace island and to Fraueninsel. The palace (€11, over 18) and the boat (€19) are paid at the local office.
Best for Palace lovers who like a lake
Check availability: Herrenchiemsee Palace and a boat trip on GetYourGuide -
from €130 per person 9 hours 4.6 (237) reviews on GetYourGuide
Königssee day tour by van
A 9-hour van trip with hotel pickup to Berchtesgaden and Lake Königssee. The boat (€23 to €29) is paid in cash to the guide. From mid-October to mid-April, the boat goes only to St. Bartholomä.
Best for Lake and mountain views without driving
Check availability: Königssee day tour by van on GetYourGuide -
from €82 per person 10 h 30 min 4.5 (2,572) reviews on GetYourGuide
Rothenburg and the Romantic Road by bus
A 10.5-hour coach day to Rothenburg's old town, with a stop at Harburg Castle. Harburg entry is €12 extra, by card only. Expect a steep hill and cobblestones.
Best for Old-town lovers
Check availability: Rothenburg and the Romantic Road by bus on GetYourGuide -
from €169 per person 7 hours 4.7 (8) reviews on GetYourGuide
Alps day trip with a gorge hike and falls
A guided 7-hour day by train to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the Partnach Gorge. Train and bus tickets are included; the gorge entry (€10) is extra. It meets at the Hauptbahnhof.
Best for Walkers
Check availability: Alps day trip with a gorge hike and falls on GetYourGuide -
from €326 per person 10 hours New, no reviews yet
Garmisch, Mittenwald and Innsbruck in one day
A 10-hour small-group day by electric SUV with hotel pickup, crossing into Austria for Innsbruck's old town.
Best for Two countries in one day
Check availability: Garmisch, Mittenwald and Innsbruck in one day on GetYourGuide -
from €313 per person 7 hours New, no reviews yet
Private day trip to Linderhof Palace
A 7-hour private drive with pickup in Munich. The driver is not a licensed guide, and tickets are not included.
Best for A private trip at your own pace
Check availability: Private day trip to Linderhof Palace on GetYourGuide -
from €440 per person 9 hours New, no reviews yet
Private ski day with gear
A 9-hour private ski day on the Zugspitze or the Garmisch-Classic area, with pickup and ski rental. The ski pass is extra.
Best for Skiers of any level
Check availability: Private ski day with gear on GetYourGuide -
from €420 per person 9 hours New, no reviews yet
Alps day trip with the Jennerbahn
A 9-hour private day with pickup to the Dokumentation Obersalzberg, Königssee and Ramsau. The Jenner cable car (€47) is extra and runs by season and weather.
Best for History and mountain views together
Check availability: Alps day trip with the Jennerbahn on GetYourGuide
Day trips from Munich compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Pickup | What costs extra | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herrenchiemsee Palace and a boat trip | €59 per person | 9 h 30 min | Meeting point | Palace €11, boat €19 | Palace lovers who like a lake | The cheapest day trip here, from €59, rated 4.8 from 150 reviews. |
| Königssee day tour by van | €130 per person | 9 hours | Pickup included | Boat €23–29, cash | Lake and mountain views without driving | Hotel pickup and the lake by boat, rated 4.5 from 237 reviews. |
| Rothenburg and the Romantic Road by bus | €82 per person | 10 h 30 min | Meeting point | Harburg €12, card only | Old-town lovers | The most reviewed day trip here: 4.4 from 2,572 reviews. |
| Alps day trip with a gorge hike and falls | €169 per person | 7 hours | Meeting point | Gorge €10 | Walkers | Rated 4.6, but from only 8 reviews so far. |
| Garmisch, Mittenwald and Innsbruck in one day | €326 per person | 10 hours | Pickup included | Meals | Two countries in one day | The only pick that adds Innsbruck. New on GetYourGuide, no reviews yet. |
| Private day trip to Linderhof Palace | €313 per person | 7 hours | Pickup included | Palace tickets | A private trip at your own pace | Private, door to door. New on GetYourGuide, no reviews yet. |
| Private ski day with gear | €440 per person | 9 hours | Pickup included | Ski pass | Skiers of any level | The only ski day here. New on GetYourGuide, no reviews yet. |
| Alps day trip with the Jennerbahn | €420 per person | 9 hours | Pickup included | Cable car €47 | History and mountain views together | Adds the Jenner cable car. New on GetYourGuide, no reviews yet. |
Herrenchiemsee Palace and a boat trip
€59 per person9 h 30 min 4.9 (150)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- What costs extra
- Palace €11, boat €19
- Who it suits
- Palace lovers who like a lake
- Why we picked it
- The cheapest day trip here, from €59, rated 4.8 from 150 reviews.
€130 per person9 hours 4.6 (237)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- What costs extra
- Boat €23–29, cash
- Who it suits
- Lake and mountain views without driving
- Why we picked it
- Hotel pickup and the lake by boat, rated 4.5 from 237 reviews.
Rothenburg and the Romantic Road by bus
€82 per person10 h 30 min 4.5 (2,572)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- What costs extra
- Harburg €12, card only
- Who it suits
- Old-town lovers
- Why we picked it
- The most reviewed day trip here: 4.4 from 2,572 reviews.
Alps day trip with a gorge hike and falls
€169 per person7 hours 4.7 (8)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- What costs extra
- Gorge €10
- Who it suits
- Walkers
- Why we picked it
- Rated 4.6, but from only 8 reviews so far.
Garmisch, Mittenwald and Innsbruck in one day
€326 per person10 hoursNew, no reviews yet
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- What costs extra
- Meals
- Who it suits
- Two countries in one day
- Why we picked it
- The only pick that adds Innsbruck. New on GetYourGuide, no reviews yet.
Private day trip to Linderhof Palace
€313 per person7 hoursNew, no reviews yet
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- What costs extra
- Palace tickets
- Who it suits
- A private trip at your own pace
- Why we picked it
- Private, door to door. New on GetYourGuide, no reviews yet.
€440 per person9 hoursNew, no reviews yet
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- What costs extra
- Ski pass
- Who it suits
- Skiers of any level
- Why we picked it
- The only ski day here. New on GetYourGuide, no reviews yet.
Alps day trip with the Jennerbahn
€420 per person9 hoursNew, no reviews yet
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- What costs extra
- Cable car €47
- Who it suits
- History and mountain views together
- Why we picked it
- Adds the Jenner cable car. New on GetYourGuide, no reviews yet.
- All 8 offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 28 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Book a day trip from Munich
Pick the place first, then the tour. Castles, lakes, mountains and old towns are all within a day.
A tour handles the trains or the driving. On your own, the regional trains reach many places for one day ticket.
Tours in Germany from Munich, and one that crosses into Austria
Seven of our picks stay in Bavaria. The Garmisch, Mittenwald and Innsbruck day crosses into Austria.
Salzburg is in Austria too, and easy by train.
Tours from Munich side by side: where, how long, who it suits
The trips run 7 to 10.5 hours. Five include pickup in Munich; the others meet in the city.
Most leave something to pay on the day: a boat, a palace, a gorge or a cable car. The "What costs extra" column shows it for each tour.
| Tour | Where | Length | From | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herrenchiemsee | Lake Chiemsee | 9.5 h | €59 | Palace lovers |
| Königssee by van | Berchtesgaden | 9 h | €130 | Lake and mountain views |
| Rothenburg | Romantic Road | 10.5 h | €82 | Old-town lovers |
| Gorge hike | Garmisch | 7 h | €169 | Walkers |
| Garmisch and Innsbruck | Alps, Austria | 10 h | €326 | Two countries |
| Linderhof, private | Linderhof | 7 h | €313 | Own pace |
| Ski day, private | Zugspitze or Garmisch | 9 h | €440 | Skiers |
| Jennerbahn day | Berchtesgaden | 9 h | €420 | History and views |
Guides on day trips from Munich
- Eagle's Nest and Berchtesgaden tours from Munich
- Salzburg day trips from Munich and the Sound of Music tour
- Zugspitze and Garmisch-Partenkirchen day trips from Munich
- The Eagle's Nest (Kehlsteinhaus): getting there from Munich, season and the bus
- Zugspitze from Munich: train, cable car and what to expect at the top
Castles and palaces: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Herrenchiemsee
Neuschwanstein Castle is the most booked day trip; our page compares the tours.
Linderhof Palace is seen only on a guided tour of about 25 minutes. Entry is €11, and under 18s go free. In winter, the park buildings are closed and the fountains are off.
Herrenchiemsee Palace from Munich
Herrenchiemsee Palace stands on an island in Lake Chiemsee, and the easiest way from Munich is the guided train day, from €59. The tour reaches it by boat and adds Fraueninsel.
The listing says the palace costs €11 for over-18s and the boat €19. Both are paid at the local office.
Mountains and lakes: Garmisch, Zugspitze, Königssee, Alps
The Zugspitze and Königssee are the big mountain and lake days. Garmisch-Partenkirchen is the base for the Zugspitze.
The Zugspitze round trip costs €78 for adults in summer. The mountain is fully closed on 9–13, 16–20 and 23–26 November 2026.
The Königssee boat to St. Bartholomä costs €23.40 return. The Eagle's Nest above Berchtesgaden is closed until further notice after the October 2026 fire.
Towns and the Romantic Road: Rothenburg, Salzburg
Rothenburg is best by tour, and Salzburg is easy by train. The Rothenburg coach day also stops at Harburg Castle.
The fastest train to Salzburg takes 1 hour 43 minutes, with about 49 connections a day.
You don't need a tour for Salzburg: our guide to the Munich train to Salzburg has the times.
Prefer a town you can reach on your own? Our guide to the Munich–Nuremberg train covers it.
How to get to Rothenburg from Munich
The simplest way is a Romantic Road day trip by bus from Munich, from €82, about 10.5 hours.
By train, check the connection on bahn.de before you go.
Train, tour or car: driving yourself compared
The train is cheapest, a tour is easiest, and a car gives you your own pace.
A Bayern-Ticket covers regional trains for a day: €34 for one person, plus €10 for each extra person, up to five. It is valid from 9:00 and also reaches Salzburg.
Trains to Garmisch run every hour. Berchtesgaden takes about 3 hours 2 minutes with one change.
For tickets in the city, see our guide to Munich public transport.
By car, Neuschwanstein parking costs €12 for up to 6 hours. The Zugspitze's own site warns that its car parks fill up early on fair days.
The Alps, the lakes and the Romantic Road are easy by car, and you set your own pace.
How to choose the right trip for you
Choose by what you like most, then check the season.
- Castles: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof or Herrenchiemsee.
- Mountains: the Zugspitze, the Partnach Gorge or the Jenner.
- Lakes: Königssee or Chiemsee.
- Towns: Rothenburg, Salzburg or Innsbruck.
- History: a tour of Dachau Concentration Camp is a half-day trip from the city, about 25 minutes by S-Bahn.
- Winter: the ski day, or a trip that is not ruled by boats and cable cars.
Tips for a day trip from Munich
Check the weather and season
The Königssee boat goes only to St. Bartholomä in winter. The Jenner cable car and the boats run by season and weather.
Bring cash for boats
The Königssee tour asks for the boat fare in cash. Harburg Castle takes cards only.
If your plans change
All eight picks show free cancellation on GetYourGuide. Read each tour's own terms before you book.
Start early
Most trips run 9 to 10.5 hours. The Bayern-Ticket is valid from 9:00, so earlier trains need another ticket.
Day trips from Munich: questions and answers
What is the best day trip from Munich?
Can I do a day trip from Munich by train?
Is the Eagle's Nest open?
How do I get to Rothenburg from Munich?
More day trips from Munich, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
Browse all on GetYourGuideSources (14), facts checked on 28 October 2026
- Linderhof Palace: opening hours
- Linderhof Palace: admission
- Zugspitze: ticket prices
- Zugspitze: opening hours
- Zugspitze: parking
- Berchtesgaden: Eagle's Nest notice
- Königssee boats: prices
- Deutsche Bahn: Bayern-Ticket
- Deutsche Bahn: Bayern-Ticket (English)
- Deutsche Bahn: Munich to Salzburg
- Deutsche Bahn: Munich to Berchtesgaden
- DB Regio: Werdenfels line
- Dachau memorial: directions
- Hohenschwangau: map and parking
Written by the Best Travel Destinations editorial team.