6 German Alpine Lakes You Can Reach Without a Car
Over the past five years of living near Munich, I’ve spent nearly every warm-weather weekend exploring the lesser-known alpine lakes in Bavaria. Not by car. Not on multi-day hikes. But with public transport, one waterproof camera backpack, and just enough time to catch the last train home.
This is part one of my favorite short-distance lake hikes — all doable in a day, all beautiful in their own way, and all surprisingly kind to both your legs and your gear.
① Eibsee
Best time: June to October
Hiking time: 1 hr 50 min loop (easy)
Public transport: RB6 to Garmisch, transfer to bus 9840, ~2h 23m from Munich
If you’ve seen photos of turquoise lakes reflecting snow-capped peaks — chances are, you’ve seen Eibsee. It’s beginner-friendly and still wild enough to feel remote. I looped the lake counter-clockwise, stopping often for photos. With light shifting through pine trees, I was glad I packed both a polarizer and my 20L daypack — just enough room for lenses, filters, and a rain shell.
② Walchensee
Best time: May to October
Hiking time: 3–4 hrs (or cycle 5.5 hrs to loop)
Public transport: RB66 to Kochel, transfer to bus 9608
Walchensee is wide open, windier, and feels less curated than Eibsee. I didn’t loop it — the scale is too big — but I found an open meadow near the water and stayed until the light turned gold. It’s perfect for low-drone shots or just long-lens landscape compression. My camera gear for hiking included a lightweight tripod and a ND filter set — no regrets.
③ Schrecksee
Best time: July to September
Hiking time: 5–6 hrs (difficult, steep, rocky)
Public transport: Train to Sonthofen → buses 48, 49, 50 to Hinterstein
Schrecksee is… intense. This was the only route I regretted not bringing hiking poles for. Steep stone scrambles, no shade, and unpredictable weather. But when I finally reached the emerald lake with that island in the center, I forgot everything else. I used a lightweight alpine backpack with internal camera padding — you’ll need every ounce of balance here.
④ Tegernsee
Best time: All seasons
Hiking time: 4–5 hrs
Public transport: RB57 direct, ~1 hr 10 min
The most accessible of the six. I didn’t hike so much here as I wandered. It’s family-friendly, scenic year-round, and ideal for candid street-style shots of locals walking the shoreline in wool coats or swimsuits (depending on the season). A slower lens day — but worth it.
⑤ Alpsee
Best time: October (autumn colors)
Hiking time: 1.5 hrs loop
Public transport: RB73/78 to Immenstadt + local bus, ~3 hrs
This one is underrated. A calm, clean loop with just enough rocky sections to keep your boots honest. The late afternoon light hits the treeline like gold foil. I found a spot on the western shore and waited for the reflection to calm — thankful again for the weather-sealed zippers on my waterproof camera backpack.
📸 Bonus Shot: Pindarplatz Viewpoint
Time your visit for 2–3pm. When the sun pierces the clouds and hits the lake through the trees — you’ll understand why no photo ever feels quite enough.
Final Notes for Photographers
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Bring proper boots. Most trails have loose stone.
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Cash is still necessary for remote buses.
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Use the DB app to check transfers — signals drop in mountain zones.
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Outdooractive is the best hiking app for planning non-car routes.
I’ll share more lakes and photo routes in the next post — including the ones that require a bit more stamina, and the ones I return to every year. But if you’ve only got a Saturday and a backpack, these are the ones I’d start with.
➡️ Check out my waterproof camera Backpack— compact enough for city trains, tough enough for alpine mist.
