Mittenwaldbahn

Munich to the Tyrol over the Karwendel: the electrified 1912 Mittenwaldbahn climbs from Garmisch through Alpine meadows and horseshoe curves to the Seefeld saddle before dropping into Innsbruck.

The Mittenwaldbahn, or Karwendelbahn, was one of the first railways in the Alps built for electric traction, opened in 1912 between Innsbruck and Garmisch. Trains from Munich run through Garmisch-Partenkirchen, past the Zugspitze massif and the walled town of Mittenwald, then climb to the Seefeld plateau at 1,185 m before spiralling down to Innsbruck through galleries cut in the Karwendel’s cliffs.

Along the way

• Garmisch-Partenkirchen
• Mittenwald’s frescoed houses
• Seefeld plateau (1,185 m)
• Karwendel cliff galleries
• Descent into the Inn valley at Innsbruck

How this line was checked

• Line drawn from OpenStreetMap relation 374783 — the same nodes OpenStreetMap holds for this railway, thinned to within 27 m of them
• Checked against OpenStreetMap: the whole line lies on real track, a median 8 m from it
• Checked against the running timetable via ÖBB Scotty: our line sits under 100 m from the shape of RB6
• Wikipedia has an article for this line
• See for yourself: open this line on the map with OpenStreetMap's own railway drawn underneath it

Questions and answers

How long is the Mittenwaldbahn?

The Mittenwaldbahn runs 165 km from Munich to Innsbruck. It runs through Germany and Austria.

How long does the Mittenwaldbahn take?

The fastest scheduled journey is 2 h 55 min for the 165 km. That is an average of 57 km/h end to end. The line's top service speed is 120 km/h.

Who runs the Mittenwaldbahn?

ÖBB and DB, with ÖBB 4024, DB 442.

How old is the Mittenwaldbahn?

The line has been in service since 1912. That is the year the atlas dates it from: for a modern brand running over an older railway, it is the railway's date, not the brand's.

How high does the Mittenwaldbahn climb?

1,185 m above sea level at its highest point.

View on the world railway map →

Read more on Wikipedia ↗