By train, it's literally the end of the line. There's nowhere left to go.
Whether you're coming by train from Munich or driving down through the valley, here's how to get here, including an honest tip for the train that most folks only catch on to once they're already aboard.
From Munich with no changes, as long as you're in the right part of the train
Out of Munich Central Station, the Bayerische Regiobahn (BRB), which a lot of people still call by its old name, the Bayerische Oberlandbahn or BOB, runs line RB 55 straight to Bayrischzell. It leaves from the Starnberg wing of the station, and the ride takes about an hour and twenty-four minutes. Bayrischzell is the end of the line: if you've made it here, you're right where the tracks run out.
And now the tip you'd otherwise learn the hard way somewhere along the route: leaving Munich, this train runs coupled together with the sections heading for Lenggries and Tegernsee, and it splits apart in Holzkirchen . You don't have to change trains there, but you do have to be sitting in the right section from the start, or you'll end up at Tegernsee instead of up in the mountains. When you board, check the display on the platform and the sign on the car: only the Bayrischzell section carries on from Holzkirchen deeper into the valley.
One more thing: the RB 55 makes a stop just before Bayrischzell in Geitau . If you're staying at the Schmiedhof, the Postgasthof Rote Wand, or the Gasthof Aiplspitz, that's your best place to hop off. More on that under Where to Stay .
Down through the valley instead of blasting up the highway
By car it's about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Munich, and with clear roads a little over an hour. You take the A8 toward Salzburg, then head off onto the country road down through the Schlierach valley by way of Miesbach and Schliersee. That last stretch toward Bayrischzell is more of an easy cruise than a fast one, but it's a pretty one.
Once you're in the village, it's an easy place to get around on foot. Whether there's parking at the place you're staying is noted on each individual lodging page, since it varies from house to house, and honestly, it isn't plentiful everywhere.
Why the train is especially worth it here
Because Bayrischzell is the end of the line, the train isn't a fallback here, it's often the better call: you step off, leave the car and the whole parking question behind you, and you're right in the middle of the valley. Plenty of trails start practically at your doorstep. If you're staying a few days, you really don't need a car here, and on a clear day the ride down the valley is already part of the vacation.
Departure times shift whenever the timetable changes, so for your own trip it's best to check the current schedule directly:
Timetable for BRB line RB 55
