A dog holiday at the foot of the Zugspitze: what applies in the gorge, on the mountain railways and on the bus, when a leash is required in town and how to act around cows on alpine pastures.
he backpack is packed, the hiking boots are by the door, and your dog is already sitting in front of them as if he had read the weather forecast. At the foot of the Zugspitze, almost every outing starts with the same question: is he allowed to come along?
Garmisch-Partenkirchen works well with a dog: your dog may enter the Partnach Gorge on a leash, the Bayerische Zugspitzbahn takes him on its mountain railways with his own dog ticket, and a 7.5 kilometre loop trail runs around the Eibsee. Whether he needs a leash in town depends on his size.
This guide collects the rules that matter for a dog holiday in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: leash, gorge, mountain railway, alpine pastures, buses and places to eat. For specific places such as parks, beer gardens, vets and pet shops, see the directory of dog-friendly places in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
In Bavaria, the municipalities decide. Under Article 18 of the Bavarian State Criminal and Ordinance Act (LStVG), they can restrict large dogs and fighting dogs from roaming freely on public paths, streets, squares and in public grounds. The Markt Garmisch-Partenkirchen did this with its dog ordinance of 4 August 2020 (Hundehalterverordnung).
The key points:
Outside town, other rules come into play. The boundary of the Ammergebirge nature reserve runs along the west side of the Kramerplateauweg. There, the reserve regulation prohibits letting dogs run off the leash, whatever their size. The only exception is hunting dogs in use during a lawful hunt.
We have not found a separate statewide leash rule for the spring breeding and nesting season in Bavarian law. The Bavarian Ministry of the Environment advises, however, that you keep your dog close to you in open countryside or put him on a leash, because dogs often flush out well camouflaged wildlife before you even see it. Worth knowing: under Article 42 of the Bavarian Hunting Act, dogs count as poaching if they are visibly chasing game in a hunting ground and can endanger it. Persons authorised to protect game may kill such dogs.
We have not found an official list of designated off-leash areas for Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Only let your dog off the leash where no rule forbids it and he reliably comes back to you.
The Partnach Gorge explicitly welcomes dogs on a leash. Your dog needs his own ticket. According to the operator's price list, it costs 5 euros; adults pay 10 euros. Dogs must be leashed inside the gorge.
From June to September the gorge is open from 8 am to 8 pm, from October to May from 8 am to 6 pm. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. According to the operator, short-notice closures are sometimes necessary for safety reasons, and outside opening hours the gorge is locked. Check the gorge's homepage on the day of your trip.
When it gets busy and groups come towards you, keep your dog right by your side. Rushing water, voices and crowds: some dogs find that exciting, others would rather be somewhere else. You know yours best.
The Bayerische Zugspitzbahn takes dogs on its cable cars and on the cogwheel train. According to the fare list, the dog ticket is a one-off charge of 8 euros for the ascent and descent, both at the Zugspitze and in the Garmisch-Classic area. This is the 2026 summer fare, valid until 22 November 2026. Check the current fare before a winter trip.
A muzzle is not mandatory. The Zugspitzbahn does recommend one in large cabins and on the cogwheel train. Holders of a Zugspitzbahn season or annual pass or the Top Snow Card may bring up to two dogs without a dog ticket.
At the summit there is one spot to watch out for: according to the operator, the steel stairs on the summit terrace can injure dogs' paws. Take the lift or the inside stairs with your dog instead.
The Eibsee lies in the neighbouring municipality of Grainau, so the Garmisch-Partenkirchen dog ordinance does not apply there. The 7.5 kilometre loop trail starts at the car park in front of the Eibsee Hotel, a few steps from the valley station of the Zugspitze cable car. We found no specific dog rule for the trail on the websites of the municipality or the Eibsee Hotel. Still, put your dog on the leash on the loop when there are lots of people around.
People are allowed to swim in the Eibsee. We have not found a designated swimming spot for dogs at the Eibsee, the Riessersee or the Pflegersee. Swimming with dogs is not designated there, so check the signs on site. According to the municipality of Grainau, the Eibsee supplies around 30,000 people with drinking water from the water protection area around the lake. A good reason to look closely here.
For general tips on swimming with your dog, read our guide to swimming with your dog at lakes and the sea.
In the mountains, hiking trails often cross cattle pastures. Mother cows defend their calves, and they often see a dog as a threat. The Bavarian Offices for Food, Agriculture and Forestry have published a guide to behaviour on alpine pastures. Together with the tips from the German Alpine Club and the pasture rules of the Austrian Alpine Club, the rules are clear:
Pack enough water too. The German Alpine Club points out that fresh water is not always available along the way and that sharp stones can injure paws. For more on route planning, fitness and gear, see our guide to hiking with your dog.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is part of the MVV fare zone. The MVV fare conditions for 2026 include the local buses run by the Gemeindewerke, the RVO buses from the station, for example to Grainau, Mittenwald or Oberammergau, and the railway line from Munich to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Whether a particular bus, for example to the Eibsee, runs on the MVV fare is best checked in the timetable information before you go.
A shady seat after the hike and a bowl of water for your dog: three beer gardens are confirmed as dog-friendly in the Souldog map data, the Schmölzer Wirt, the Lodge Am Hausberg and the Hofbräustüberl Garmisch. Ask before your visit whether this also applies indoors, especially when the weather turns and everyone wants to move inside at once. You can find all confirmed places in the Souldog app.
What matters when eating out with a dog, from where he lies to what to ask on the phone, is covered in our guide to visiting a café with your dog (in German).
Pick a goal for your first day, ideally something short like the gorge or the Eibsee. Choose a quieter day for the mountain railway, and ask the beer garden ahead of time. You can find places in the directory for Garmisch-Partenkirchen and on the map in the Souldog app.
Coming via Munich? The guide to dog-friendly Munich helps with a stopover. More destinations in the Alps and beyond are collected in our overview of dog-friendly day trips in Germany. And then: get outside. The mountains are waiting, and your dog is waiting by the door anyway.
Souldog