Day Trips to Berchtesgaden from Munich

The fact that a city is located in the middle of the mountains in a fairytale landscape is reason enough to visit it, but if that city also houses one of the most mysterious and emblematic buildings in contemporary German history, the visit becomes essential.

Berchtesgaden has wonderful landscapes and is also home to the Eagle's Nest, Adolf Hitler's famous retreat, which was intended to become the Führer's retirement home. The site is located on the border with Austria, but also less than an hour from Munich, making it an accessible destination and one of the best attractions in the city's surroundings

The most convenient option

Berchtesgaden Day Trip from Munich

A day trip to the mountains of Berchtesgaden and the Eagle's Nest

You will travel by bus through the Bavarian Alps to the Austrian border to discover one of Germany's most beautiful landscapes and what was once Adolf Hitler's refuge.

From £48 at Hellotickets

The best way to visit Berchtesgaden is with this full-day excursion from Munich, which includes round-trip transportation. It's the best option to make the most of your visit to the Bavarian Alps without having to buy everything separately and plan it all yourself. You'll travel from Munich by bus and, once at your destination, you'll visit the Documentation Centre of National Socialism and the Eagle's Nest.

There is only one way to get to the Eagle's Nest, and that is by a special bus that takes you to the base of the mountain. There, a lift takes you to the peak of Adolf Hitler's retreat, located at an altitude of almost 2,000 metres, one of the highest points in the Bavarian Alps. On organised tours, which last approximately ten hours, you will be accompanied by an expert local guide.

Recommended if... you want to combine enjoying the Alpine countryside with a visit to one of the places that marked the history of the Second World War.

The easiest and most convenient way is to book your trip to Berchtesgaden online. This way, you can secure a place for the day that suits you best. In addition, tickets to the Eagle's Nest are included.

Ideally, you should book your trip to Berchtesgaden in advance, but always take into account, as far as possible, the weather conditions on the day of your visit, as ice, snow or heavy storms prevent the transfers to the top of the Eagle's Nest from operating, the visit may be replaced with a tour of the salt mines.

Berchtesgaden is a very popular destination for visitors from both Germany and Austria, as it is very close to Salzburg, one of the Austrian cities that receives the most visitors each year. In fact, excursions to Salzburg from Munich are highly recommended if you have enough time.

Details of interest

• Price... Organised excursions start at around £45, to which you must add the price of tickets to the Eagle's Nest.
• Duration of the excursion... The organised tour from Munich to Munich takes approximately ten hours.
• Usual departure point... From Munich's historic centre, usually from Karlsplatz. Some excursions include hotel pick-up.

On average, tours last ten hours, including the return trip to Munich after the visit.

The bus journey to Berchtesgaden usually starts in Munich's historic centre, with a meeting point at Karlsplatz, but some services also include hotel pick-up.

The journey from Munich to Berchtesgaden takes approximately two hours by bus, on an uphill route that will take you to the heart of the Bavarian Alps

The last part of the journey will briefly pass through Austria and then return to Germany, as it is not possible to reach the Eagle's Nest directly without travelling along a section of Austrian roads.

Once in Berchtesgaden, you will visit the National Socialism Documentation Centre on a guided tour that takes no more than an hour, followed by the Eagle's Nest, with a break for lunch and to visit the terraces at your own pace once the guided tour is over. In total, you will spend about three hours at the mountain refuge.

This is an interesting option if your stay in Munich is short, as you can visit an iconic site on a tour that only takes a day. Here is a list of things to see and do in Munich in two days.

On your excursion to Berchtesgaden, you will venture into the Bavarian Alps and discover the Eagle's Nest, which was designed during the Nazi era as the Führer's retreat and retirement home.

It is built on top of the mountain to impress visitors, but curiously, Adolf Hitler himself suffered from vertigo when he looked out from the balconies, which he found a little unpleasant:

Berchtesgaden also has breathtaking landscapes, and the route to the Eagle's Nest up the mountain, which you can take on a special bus, is very beautiful.

The weather in winter can be a bit cold, but one of the great attractions of the place is discovering it covered in snow. The height of the refuge ensures that you can see the mountain peaks and surrounding lakes.

Discovering one of Germany's most mysterious and iconic buildings, which was not damaged during the Second World War, will leave you speechless, especially if you have the assistance of an expert local guide.

I recommend booking in advance, especially if you are visiting Munich in summer. If you are visiting in winter, make sure you bring warm clothing as temperatures can be very low when it starts to snow.

Please note that during the winter season, Berchtesgaden also receives many visitors from Austria, so booking your excursion in advance can prevent you from missing out.

It is important to keep an eye on the weather on the day of your visit, as the ascent to the top of the Eagle's Nest may be suspended in the event of ice, heavy rain or snow .

On organised excursions, this tour is replaced by a visit to the salt mines in the event of inclement weather .

Berchtesgaden and the Bavarian Alps are places to be enjoyed at your leisure. The tour is organised so that you can see everything in one day, which can be a bit hectic, but there will also be time to rest, eat and explore the sites at your own pace.

Take your time to admire the mountains from the top of the Eagle's Nest and don't miss the view from the balconies of the refuge.

Organised excursions to Berchtesgaden with return transport from Munich start at approximately £45. This price does not include admission to the National Socialism Documentation Centre, which costs approximately £13, or to the Eagle's Nest, which costs from £24.

This ticket includes the special bus transfer to the base of the mountain to take the lift to the top.

Meals are not usually included in the price of the excursion, and you should bear in mind that in the event of adverse weather conditions such as ice, snow or storms that prevent the ascent to the refuge, this visit will be replaced by a tour of the salt mines, so I recommend that you take into account the weather on the day of your visit when planning your itinerary.

Some tours include hotel pick-up, while others depart from Munich from a point in the historic centre.

Organised bus tours include the services of an expert local guide throughout the tour. Tips for the guide are not included.

Details of interest

• Price of the organised excursion... From £45 with return transfers from Munich and the assistance of an expert local guide.
• Entrance fee to the Eagle's Nest... From £28 with special bus transfer included.
• Entrance fee to the Documentation Centre... From £15 with assistance from an expert local guide.

There are many activities to do in Munich in winter, but the general temperature in Germany drops substantially during December and January, and in the Bavarian Alps the climate can be harsh.

I recommend packing winter clothing so you can enjoy your visit without any inconveniences.

In addition, during winter there is almost constant snowfall, so bringing warm, waterproof clothing will greatly improve your experience. Don't forget to pack comfortable footwear, as Berchtesgaden is a mountain destination and much of the tour will involve walking.

Here is a list of items I recommend you pack so that you can feel comfortable during your visit to Berchtesgaden in winter:

• Winter coats
• Waterproof and comfortable boots
• Thermal socks
• Waterproof and touchscreen gloves
• Woolly hat
• Wool scarves
• Sunglasses
• Wool sweaters
• Fleece trousers
• Thermal fleece

Berchtesgaden is a mountain town nestled in the Bavarian Alps, and at the top of one of its highest points, the Eagle's Nest crowns the town's attractions.

It is not easy to find buildings from the Nazi era still standing in Germany, as many were severely damaged during the bombings of World War II and many others were demolished after the war.

For this reason, and because of the natural beauty of its surroundings, a visit to the Eagle's Nest is a visit to a historic site. If you are interested in other World War II sites in Munich, you can also visit the Dachau Concentration Camp

Although an organised tour is the best option because it optimises the journey to Berchtesgaden, there are also alternatives for getting there by train, public bus or rental car, although these may be inconvenient or a little expensive.

Travel by car from Munich to Berchtesgaden

If you have rented a car in Munich or plan to do so to explore south-eastern Germany and the Bavarian Alps, you can use it to travel to Berchtesgaden, although it will be a little expensive. In this case, the best option is to take the A8 motorway. You can also take the A8 and then the B305.

The journey by car at normal motorway speed should not take more than two hours, and once in Berchtesgaden, you can explore the town on your own or book a guided tour to visit the Eagle's Nest and the National Socialism Documentation Centre.

• Price... The rental of a medium-sized car starts at £75 per day.
• Duration of the trip... This will depend on any stops you make along the way, but if you travel directly from Munich, you can reach Berchtesgaden in less than two hours.

Train journey from Munich to Berchtesgaden with transfers

If you are travelling on your own, you can take the RE 79009 train from Munich Central Station to Freilassing and then the S4 service to Berchtesgaden Hbf.

Tickets can be purchased on the official Deutsche Bahn website or at the station ticket office, but you will have to change trains in any case.

Berchtesgaden train station is about ten kilometres from the Eagle's Nest, so you will need to take a special bus to get to the refuge. You can also opt for a guided tour. Keep in mind that the train journey can be a bit tiring.

The journey takes approximately two and a half hours, and on the first leg from Munich, you will need to take the same train that ends its journey in Salzburg.

• Price... Train tickets start at £47.
• Duration of the excursion... The train journey takes approximately two and a half hours in total.
• Departure point... Munich Central Station.

Bus journey from Munich to Berchtesgaden with a change of terminal

You can travel by bus to Berchtesgaden, but there are a few things to bear in mind : you will first have to travel from Munich to Salzburg, then change terminals and finally take another bus to Berchtesgaden.

However, this is the cheapest option available, with tickets starting at £12.

From Munich Station, you can take any of the FlexiBus or Arda Tur services to Salzburg South. Once there, head to Salzburg Ginzkeyplatz, which is about seven blocks away, and take bus 840 to Busbanhof.

In Berchtesgaden, you can make the most of your visit by hiring a tour guide for the Eagle's Nest.

Bus tickets can be purchased on the official FlexiBus and Arda Tur websites .

• Price... Bus tickets start at twelve euros.
• Duration of the tour... The bus trip takes approximately three hours in total.
• Departure point... Munich Central Station.

Book a private tour of Berchtesgaden

Berchtesgaden is not a very large town, so you can visit it on your own, but the assistance of an expert local guide will ensure that you don't miss a thing, especially at the Eagle's Nest, a building that has been shrouded in secrets and mysteries since its construction.

Furthermore, although it is possible to visit Berchtesgaden on your own, it is difficult to reach by public transport, so you will waste time and not get the most out of your visit. A guided tour will allow you to organise yourself better and save money.

If you have the opportunity, I recommend that you visit the refuge with the assistance of a guide. Are you ready to discover Berchtesgaden?