Arlberg to the Zugspitze: A Multi-Day Road Trip from Innsbruck

Why drive west instead of staying around Innsbruck

Most first-time visitors spend their whole trip inside the ring of mountains directly around the city: the Nordkette, Igls, maybe a day at Swarovski Crystal Worlds. That is a good trip, but it leaves out a completely different landscape less than an hour’s drive to the west — the broad, quieter valleys around the Tyrolean side of the Zugspitze, the Plansee, and the Tannheimer Tal tucked against the border with Bavaria. A multi-day loop through this area from Innsbruck trades the city’s density for open lake views, a genuine suspension bridge, and mountain villages that stay calm even in high season.

This guide covers a route, not a single attraction: Ehrwald and Lermoos at the foot of the Zugspitze, the Plansee, Reutte with its Highline 179 bridge, and the Tannheimer Tal. All of it is reachable and returnable in a loop of two to four nights, entirely within Austria, without going anywhere near the Brenner motorway or its separate toll — that road runs south toward Italy, in the opposite direction from everything on this route.

The route at a glance

Stop	Distance from Innsbruck	Suggested time
Ehrwald / Lermoos	About 1 hour via the Fernpass	1 night
Plansee	About 15 minutes from Ehrwald	Half day
Reutte (Highline 179)	About 25 minutes from Ehrwald	Half day to 1 day
Tannheimer Tal	About 25 minutes from Reutte	1 to 2 nights

The loop can be driven in either direction and closed back to Innsbruck from the Tannheimer Tal in around 1 hour 15 minutes, so it works equally well as an out-and-back or a full circuit that finishes through a different valley than it started.

Ehrwald and Lermoos: the Tyrolean foot of the Zugspitze

Ehrwald and Lermoos sit a few minutes apart in the same broad basin, both looking straight up at the Zugspitze, which at 2,962 metres is Germany’s highest peak even though its Tyrolean flank belongs to Austria. This is the practical reason the two villages exist as a base: the cable car up the Tyrolean side leaves from Ehrwald, and the summit station sits directly on the Austrian-German border, sharing the top with the far busier Bavarian approach from Garmisch. Anyone weighing which side to ascend from should read a dedicated comparison rather than assume the two routes are interchangeable — the Tyrolean ascent is generally quieter and the drive is shorter from Innsbruck.

Below the cable car, the valley floor offers an easy, family-friendly network of lake and meadow walks that do not require a lift ticket at all. A two-lake circuit through the nature reserve around Ehrwald links a couple of small alpine lakes on flat, well-marked paths, and it is a sensible way to spend a first afternoon after the drive in, before committing to anything higher.

a two-lake walk through the Ehrwald nature reserve covers exactly this ground with a guide who can point out where the trail forks toward the Seebensee for those who want to extend it.

For a longer day with real altitude, a snowshoe outing in winter or a panoramic hike in summer both use the same corner of terrain above the village, with the Zugspitze’s north face as the constant backdrop rather than something glimpsed once from a viewpoint.

a snowshoe hike below the Zugspitze with mountain views is the winter version of this; in the warmer months,

a panoramic hike toward the Seebensee and Coburger Hütte reaches one of the best-known lake-and-mountain views in the whole area, with the Zugspitze’s rock face rising straight out of the water.

Runners are not left out either: a guided trail-running outing above Ehrwald uses the same paths at a faster pace for anyone who would rather cover ground than linger at viewpoints.

Lermoos, a short drive or a connecting bus ride from Ehrwald, is the quieter of the two, with fewer shops but arguably the better open view of the mountain from the village itself, since it sits slightly further back in the valley. Choosing between them is really a question of atmosphere: stay in Ehrwald for proximity to the cable car and a livelier evening, or in Lermoos for a calmer base with the same mountain on the doorstep.

Before leaving this stage of the trip, it’s worth reading a full guide to the Zugspitze’s Tyrolean cable car if a summit visit is part of the plan, since ticket types, timing, and how the ascent compares with the busier German side are covered in more depth there than a road-trip itinerary can manage.

The Plansee: a half-day at the water

From Ehrwald, the road to the Plansee takes about fifteen minutes and climbs gently through forest before opening onto one of the cleanest lakes in this part of Tyrol. It sits at a modest altitude, warms up reasonably in summer, and is set up for a relaxed half-day rather than an athletic one: swimming from the shore, a walk along part of the lakeside path, or paddling out onto the water itself.

stand-up paddleboard rental at the Plansee with pick-up included removes the only real friction of a lake stop like this, which is getting equipment there without a roof rack. It’s a good midday break between the mountain villages and Reutte, and unlike most of the higher-altitude stops on this route it needs no particular weather window — a still, sunny morning is enough.

Reutte and the Highline 179

Reutte itself is a modest market town, but just outside it is one of the more genuinely striking structures in the region: the Highline 179, a pedestrian suspension bridge roughly 400 metres long, hung about 110 metres above the valley floor between the ruined castle of Ehrenberg and a viewpoint on the far slope. It is not a hike so much as a crossing — most visitors are on and off the bridge, photographs included, in under an hour — which makes it an easy add-on to a day that also includes the Plansee or the drive onward to the Tannheimer Tal.

The bridge is paired with the Ehrenberg castle ruins beneath it, which are worth a short look even for visitors who skip the bridge itself, and the combination gives Reutte a reasonable half-day on its own before continuing north-west.

The Tannheimer Tal: the quiet finish

The Tannheimer Tal sits just beyond Reutte, close enough to the German border that it feels almost like a valley shared between the two countries rather than belonging firmly to either. It has none of the singular headline attraction of the Zugspitze cable car or the Highline 179, and that is more or less the point: this is where the trip slows down, with gentle valley walks, small lakes, and villages built around dairy farming rather than tourism infrastructure.

a guided hike into the valley’s quieter nature is a fair way to spend a morning here without needing a car for the day, and it works as the last active outing of the trip before the drive back toward Innsbruck.

Two nights in the Tannheimer Tal suit a slower itinerary; one night is enough to get a feel for the valley and close the loop the next morning.

Driving this route: vignette and winter tyres

Every stretch of this itinerary is drivable on ordinary Austrian roads, but two legal requirements apply regardless of season, and neither is optional.

The motorway vignette. Any car using a motorway or expressway section in Austria needs a valid vignette, sold as a sticker for the windscreen or as a digital pass bought in advance online. This applies to the stretches around Innsbruck and Telfs at the start of this route as much as anywhere else in the country. Most rental cars already carry a current vignette, but it is worth confirming at pickup rather than assuming — an unstuck or expired one is an easy, and avoidable, fine.

Winter tyres. Austrian law requires winter tyres whenever road conditions are wintry, and sets that window at 1 November to 15 April. On this route, that covers the approach through the Fernpass toward Ehrwald and the roads around the Tannheimer Tal, both of which sit at enough altitude to hold snow and ice well outside the deepest winter months. The sensible approach is to have winter tyres fitted for the entire stated period rather than trying to judge day by day whether conditions count as wintry — a fine morning in Innsbruck says nothing about the Fernpass an hour later.

One toll this route does not involve is the separate charge on the A13 Brenner motorway. That road runs south from Innsbruck toward the Brenner Pass and South Tyrol, in the opposite direction from everything covered here — Ehrwald, the Plansee, Reutte and the Tannheimer Tal are all west and north-west of the city. A driver following this loop has no reason to touch the Brenner or its toll at all, and no vignette or toll beyond the standard Austrian motorway vignette applies to any part of it.

Anyone planning a separate trip south over the Brenner, or comparing the Tyrolean and Bavarian approaches to the Zugspitze summit, should look at the dedicated pages for those questions rather than expect this itinerary to cover them — they are genuinely different trips.

Suggested itineraries by length

Two nights. Night one in Ehrwald or Lermoos, with an afternoon walk near the village on arrival. Day two: cable car or hiking at the Zugspitze in the morning, the Plansee in the afternoon, then on to Reutte for the evening and a second night either there or already in the Tannheimer Tal. Loop back to Innsbruck the following morning.

Three nights. Add a full day around Ehrwald and Lermoos before moving on, giving time for both a lake walk and a higher route without compressing everything into one afternoon. The rest of the loop proceeds as above, with an extra night in the Tannheimer Tal at the end.

Four nights. Split the Tannheimer Tal into two nights, using the extra day for a proper valley hike rather than a half-day taste of it, and treat the whole trip as a slower counterpoint to a city-based stay in Innsbruck.

For a broader look at how this loop fits alongside other multi-day options across Tyrol, a full grand-tour itinerary lays out several ways to combine it with the Zillertal, the Ötztal or the Stubai valley for a longer trip.

Practical notes for the drive

Fuel and services thin out noticeably once past Reutte, so it’s worth topping up before heading deep into the Tannheimer Tal. Mobile signal is generally reliable along the main valley roads but can drop in the narrower side valleys, which matters if relying on a phone for navigation rather than a dedicated GPS unit. Parking in Ehrwald and Reutte is straightforward outside peak ski weeks and the height of summer; the Plansee and Highline 179 both have dedicated car parks that fill by late morning on clear weekend days, so an early start pays off at both stops.

None of the driving on this route is technically difficult — there are no high alpine passes with hairpins to manage, unlike routes further into the mountains — but the Fernpass approach does climb steadily enough that winter tyres are not a formality, they are the difference between an uneventful drive and a stressful one.

A rental car for the Fernpass route

A road trip from Innsbruck through Ehrwald, Reutte and the Tannheimer Tal depends on the car as much as on the itinerary. Since the Fernpass approach climbs steadily, check that the rental includes winter tyres if you travel in the cold months, and confirm this in writing rather than assuming it.

Think about navigation too. Signal can drop in the narrower side valleys, so ask whether a GPS unit is available or download offline maps beforehand. Because the car parks at the Plansee and Highline 179 fill by late morning on clear weekends, plan a pick-up time that lets you leave Innsbruck early, and compare local rental options on Localrent for an Innsbruck start.

Ehrwald, Lermoos, Plansee, Reutte and the Tannheimer Tal: frequently asked questions

Do I need a vignette for this route?

Yes. Any motorway or expressway stretch you use in Austria, including the sections around Innsbruck, Telfs and Reutte, requires a valid vignette stuck to the windscreen or bought digitally in advance. Rental cars usually already carry one; check before you leave the depot.

Are winter tyres compulsory for this trip?

Winter tyres are required by law in Austria whenever road conditions are wintry, specifically between 1 November and 15 April. On the roads to Ehrwald, over the Fernpass approach and around the Tannheimer Tal, that window covers snow, ice and slush, not just deep winter, so fit them for the whole period rather than guessing by the calendar.

Should I base myself in Ehrwald or Lermoos?

Both sit at the Tyrolean foot of the Zugspitze a few minutes apart, so the choice is about atmosphere rather than access. Ehrwald is slightly larger with more restaurants and the cable car terminal; Lermoos is quieter and has the better open view of the mountain itself. Either works as a one-night stop before moving on to the Plansee and Reutte.

How many days does this loop need?

Two nights covers the essentials: one around Ehrwald and Lermoos, one around Reutte or the Tannheimer Tal, with the Plansee and Highline 179 as day stops in between. Three nights lets you add a full hiking or cable car day at the Zugspitze without rushing the drive.

Does this route go over the Brenner?

No. This loop runs west and north-west of Innsbruck through the Fernpass, the Plansee and the Tannheimer Tal, and never touches the Brenner motorway. The separate toll charged on the A13 Brenner applies only to trips south toward Italy and South Tyrol, not to this itinerary.

Can I reach the summit of the Zugspitze from the Tyrolean side?

Yes, by cable car from Ehrwald, though the summit station itself sits on the German-Austrian border and the top is shared with the Bavarian side. Anyone comparing the Tyrolean ascent from Ehrwald with the German approach from Garmisch should look at a dedicated comparison rather than treat the two as identical.

Is the Plansee good for swimming or paddling?

Yes, in summer. It is one of the cleanest and warmest lakes in the area for its altitude, with rental stand-up paddleboards available on the shore, and it works as a relaxed half-day stop between Ehrwald and Reutte.

What is the Highline 179 exactly?

It is a pedestrian suspension bridge near Reutte, roughly 400 metres long and about 110 metres above the valley, strung between the ruins of Ehrenberg castle and a viewpoint on the opposite slope. It is a stand-alone attraction rather than a hike, and most visitors spend well under an hour crossing and photographing it.

For the mechanics of the vignette system and winter tyre law in more detail, see the dedicated driving guide; for the Zugspitze ascent itself, the Tyrolean-side cable car guide and the Highline 179 guide go deeper than a road-trip overview can.

Travellers deciding between this side of the mountain and the German approach should also read the Ehrwald versus Garmisch comparison, and those weighing this loop against other multi-day options in Tyrol can browse the full day trips category or the grand tour itinerary for alternatives. General trip timing questions are covered in the best time to visit Innsbruck guide.