Travel to Oberammergau in Germany
By Car, Train, or Bus to Bavaria’s Passion Play and Woodcarving Town
Mar 31, 2008
Oberammergau is a village of just over 5,000 inhabitants beautifully located at the northern reaches of the Bavarian Alps. The town is most famous for its Passion Play (Passionsspiele), Lüftlmalerei (tromp l’oeil painted façades), and woodcarvings.
- Tickets for the Oberammergau Passion Play (Passionsspiele) 2010 are already on sale.
Oberammergau is a year-round destination with excellent winter sport facilities and fine hiking and cycling opportunities in summer. A wide variety of hotels makes Oberammergau a fine base from where to explore the numerous interesting sights in the region.
Where is Oberammergau?
Oberammergau is in Upper Bavaria (Oberbayern) in the far south of Germany. It is 20 km (12 miles) north of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, around 90 km (56 miles) southwest of Munich (München), and 80 km (50 miles) north of the lovely Austrian city Innsbruck.
Interesting sights in the direct vicinity include the fantasy castles of Bavarian King Ludwig II (Schloss Linderhof, Neuschwanstein, and Hohenschwangau), famous monasteries and churches (Ettal, Wieskirche, and Benediktbeuren), and of course the Alps (Zugspitze – Germany’s highest mountain, excellent winter sport facilities at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and picturesque Mittenwald).
Traveling to Oberammergau in Bavaria, Germany
Oberammergau is easily reached by both private car and on public transportation. However, a private car makes the region much easier to explore especially for those interested in seeing the maximum number of sights in the shortest possible time.
- By Car to Oberammergau
From Munich (München) follow the Autobahn A95 towards Garmisch-Partenkirchen. From Oberau, just after the end of the Autobahn, follow the picturesque road B23 to Oberammergau. Total driving time is around an hour for the 90-km (56-mile) drive.
From Innsbruck in Austria, it is a 90-minute drive. The distance is only 80 km (50 miles) but this most picturesque road goes mostly through the mountains. Follow the B177 towards Mittenwald in Germany. From here, the B2 goes through Garmisch-Partenkirchen and on to Oberau from where the B23 goes directly to Oberammergau.
- By Train to Oberammergau
Oberammergau is on a minor railway sideline – almost all train travel to Oberammergau thus requires a transfer in Murnau. On the upside, the 40-minute journey from Murnau to Oberammergau passes through beautiful nature. Trains run mostly once per hour.
- Trains from Munich are available once per hour and require a transfer at Murnau. An alternative is to continue by train to Oberau and take the bus from here to Ettal and Oberammergau. Total journey time is generally just less than two hours.
- Several trains are available from Innsbruck taking between two and three hours. Transfers are required to other trains or buses at either Murnau, Oberau, or Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Train travel in the region is on local trains only meaning discount tickets such as the Bayern Ticket and Schönes Wochenende Ticket may be used.
- By Bus to Oberammergau
Oberammergau is easiest reached by bus from Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Bus 9606 makes this 40-minute journey mostly hourly and en route passes through Oberau and Ettal. It is possible to take the train from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Oberammergau but these journeys always require a transfer (to the regional train in Murnau or to bus 9606 in Oberau) and takes up to 90 minutes.
- Oberammergau has interesting sights in addition to the famous Passion Play. The region is also worth exploring by either car or bus to see sights such as Schloss Linderhof, the Disney-like Neuschwanstein Castle, the UNESCO-listed Wieskirche, Kloster Ettal monastery, and the Alps.
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