Getting Around the Alps

Rent a car. It gives you the most flexibility and lets you reach trailheads, lakes and viewpoints whenever you want, and many of the best spots aren't well connected by public transport. Most travellers fly in, pick up a rental, and it's a 1 to 3 hour drive to a mountain base. The most convenient airports are Munich, Zurich, Innsbruck, Memmingen and Salzburg.

Driving here is easy, but roads get narrow and winding in the mountains, so take your time. Domi rates Check24.com for rental deals, and when you collect the car, film or photograph it for damage so there are no arguments later.

Tolls and vignettes matter. Austria and Switzerland both require a vignette (toll sticker) for the highways, about 12€ for 10 days in Austria and around 45€ per year in Switzerland. Buy them at gas stations near the border or online; most rentals already include the vignette for their home country, but double-check.

Public transport is possible, especially in Switzerland, which has an excellent and reliable train and bus network. Germany and Austria are more limited for remote trailheads. Use Google Maps to plan routes, and the official railway sites for exact schedules: bahn.de (Germany), oebb.at (Austria), sbb.ch (Switzerland).