As of: February 2, 2024, 5:04 p.m
By: Katharina Bromberger
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A success story: The train from Munich to the ski area (here in February 2012) was and is very well received.
Before Corona, four trains stopped directly at the local mountain, not a single one so far this season.
That should change.
© very
The train runs from Munich Central Station directly to the Garmisch-Classic ski area.
Suddenly this sustainable offer no longer existed.
The railway had too few trains.
At least on the weekends the ski train is running again.
Which is not enough for the ski area operators.
Update from February 2nd:
Deutsche Bahn and good news – it’s still possible.
At least that's what the Bavarian Zugspitzbahn is now announcing for the company that is making negative headlines.
The good news: At the weekend there is again a direct connection from Munich main station to the local mountain.
A train directly to the Garmisch Classic ski area.
It has proven itself over the years.
But this season he surprisingly missed out.
The BZB appealed to the railway in a letter to reactivate the offer as quickly as possible
(see report below)
- especially with a view to the next wedding, the carnival holidays.
Ultimately, we want to get people off the streets, reduce traffic and reduce the impact on the environment.
This requires the appropriate infrastructure.
A start has been made.
The ski train will be rolling again from Saturday, February 3rd.
For 65 euros, adults travel from the main train station to the local mountain in 75 minutes, departing at 7:13 a.m., arriving at 8:28 a.m.
Ski ticket included.
We go back at 4:33 p.m.
This also applies on Sundays and on the following weekends until March 10th.
“We are happy,” says BZB spokeswoman Verena Tanzer.
“It’s a step in the right direction.” But she and her team hope for more.
“We come from somewhere else.”
From the 2011/12 season onwards, a direct connection brought winter sports enthusiasts from the main train station to the local mountain every day, sometimes several times a day.
But with Corona, lines were canceled.
Now those responsible at BZB want to talk to railway representatives in order to expand the ski train offer again.
According to Tanzer, they will meet on February 6th in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Initial report from January 12th:
Garmisch-Partenkirchen – A success story was once written.
Hundreds of skiers got on the train at the main train station in Munich - and only got off again at the local mountain in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Take the train directly to the ski area.
No traffic jams, no searching for a parking space, no stress.
No fuel consumption.
Klaus Schanda from the Bavarian Zugspitzbahn (BZB) initiated this offer with those responsible at Deutsche Bahn several years ago in order to get guests away from cars.
His verdict: “It worked brilliantly.” He now has to revise.
The marketing manager should actually advise skiers to travel by car.
Because there is currently no train stopping on the local mountain, the railway cannot offer it.
“A slap in the face,” says Schanda.
He approached the company with board member Matthias S Tauch.
And at least it achieved one thing: from February there will be one connection per day on weekends again.
At least that's what the online timetable says.
An offer that is not enough for the BZB heads.
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Train and ski pass: From Munich to the Garmisch area for 65 euros
Since 2007, Bahn and BZB have been working “together constructively and successfully” on the combination ticket, according to the letter that is available to the Tagblatt.
It includes train and ski pass: For 65 euros (current season) adults (children and young people for 47 euros) travel from the main train station to the local mountain in 75 minutes, arriving at 8:28 a.m.
There they exchange the ticket for a ski pass and get into the gondola.
It couldn't be more sustainable and relaxed.
Virtually no travel costs.
The day ticket in the Classic area alone costs 60.50 euros this year (62 euros in high season).
There are also five euros in parking fees for drivers.
No wonder the offer was well used.
The train with around 450 seats, which then continued to Ausserfern, “was generally at full capacity,” emphasizes Schanda.
This year the journey is more complicated.
The regional trains now end at Garmisch-Partenkirchen station.
There, winter sports enthusiasts and their equipment have to change to the ski bus or the cog railway; in some cases there is no connection to the local mountain.
Schanda predicted fewer train riders, more cars, and at the same time significant waiting times at the stops for those who still use the combination ticket.
That's exactly how it happened, he says, looking back at the Christmas holidays, one of the "absolutely high-frequency times".
The parking spaces were full, but there was still air in the ski area.
Stopping at the local mountain is not possible: trains are missing
The railway cites an important reason why it has not been able to offer the stop on the local mountain so far this season: too little rolling stock, as it calls its trains.
As reported, many vehicles were damaged by the massive onset of winter at the beginning of December, repairs are dragging on and spare parts are missing.
Schanda shows complete understanding for DB's difficult situation.
“We don’t want to do any rail bashing,” confirms BZB spokeswoman Verena Tanzer.
“We want to attract attention.” The Zugspitzbahn is currently no longer advertising the train service, and GaPa Tourismus has also removed it from the website.
Schanda writes to the railway that they “don’t want to make false promises” to guests.
Even if his team doesn't actively recommend traveling by car - which ends in trouble in high season or on weekends when there are no more free places - it is the logical consequence.
This fact “hurts us”, also in view of the traffic problems in and around Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
What particularly annoys Schanda is how long it took him to build up this ultimately successful offer.
“And suddenly sustainability seems to be completely pushed into the background again.”
Of course you could say: it's all convenience.
The little bit of changing and lugging luggage should be worth the cheap combined ticket and the environmental considerations for the guests.
Maybe, comments Schanda.
It's just no use if the offer is no longer accepted.
Prospect of improvement - But that's not enough
After all: According to a railway spokeswoman, there is a small light at the end of the tunnel.
In response to a Tagblatt inquiry, she wrote that the offer should start again once a day from January 22nd.
In fact, the direct connection to the local mountain will only be available in the online timetable from February 3rd - and until March 10th.
On Saturday and Sunday from 7.13 a.m. from Munich main station you will travel to the local mountain in just four stops in 75 minutes.
Then back at 4:33 p.m.
The railway spokeswoman left any further questions about the connection directly to the ski area unanswered.
Topic: apparently settled.
Not for Schanda.
He wants to go back to the pre-Corona status.
Until the 2019/20 winter season, four through trains (without changing trains) ran in the morning with a stop at Hausberg towards Reutte.
According to Schanda, everyone was almost full.
Accordingly, there were four connections back to Munich in the evening.
One remained.
“Far too little.” One current ski train is “overcrowded”.
Schanda has been hearing the same explanation for three years: the Hausberg stop cannot be offered more often due to “software problems”.
Understanding alone doesn’t get the marketing manager anywhere.
His credo remains: As few day guests as possible should come skiing in their own car.
“We will leave no stone unturned to get more connected trains from Munich again.” Otherwise, his alternative is from the car to the bus.
If the DB doesn't get the software to work, Schanda will negotiate with bus companies.
At the end of January, railway representatives will come to Garmisch-Partenkirchen to take a look at the situation.
Then Schanda also shows them the new platform that the BZB built for almost one million euros.
“With the intention of expanding the train offering.” Not to reduce it.