Table of Contents:
When to travel to Konigsee Lake
How to get to Konigsee Lake from Munich
How to get to Konigsee Lake from Salzburg
Where to stay on Konigsee Lake
What to see & do on Konigsee Lake
I have travelled around Southern Germany a lot and I was absolutely amazed with the combination of natural and historical attractions. Being charmed with the local travel destinations, I have decided to put together information I have previously discovered and create a series of guides on how to organize a holiday in Bavaria. Based on my research, I found out how to get there, where to stay & what to see. I really hope this detailed information will help you plan your trip to Konigssee, which is one of the top natural attractions in Bavaria.
When to travel to Konigsee Lake
Konigssee, or Royal Lake, is a mountain lake in Germany, close to the border with Austria. Konigssee is a popular tourist attraction due to the alpine scenery preserved here. The lake is surrounded by mountains and valleys, and is adjacent to the smaller Obersee Lake (“Upper Lake”). The water in the lake is considered to be the purest, that allowing you to see the bottom of the lake several meters deep.
You can’t swim here, the water temperature is kept within +12 degrees, but you can take a boat excursion to the small but lovely church of St. Bartholomew, located on the lake shore. The boat trips on Konigssee Lake are extremely picturesque and popular among the travelers. In winter, the lake freezes, so the visit is only possible from April to October. Most often, tourists come to Konigssee from nearby-located Berchtesgaden, Bad Reichenhall, or directly from Munich or Austrian Salzburg.

How to get to Konigsee Lake
Where do you fly into to get to Konigsee Lake? The Royal Lake is geographically closer to the Austrian Salzburg than to the German Munich, since it is located in the Bavaria region, in Southern Germany, on the very border with Austria. Salzburg is 30 km away, while Munich is 160 km away. Munich and Salzburg both have the international airports to fly into. Check the current flight timetable from your city at Aviasales booking service. Based on my experience, I can say that Aviasales is a very convenient online search and I often use it when planning my trips around Europe. It has a lot of settings to sort the results which help a lot to find out the most suitable flight.
How to get to Konigsee Lake from Munich
By train: Firstly, the tourists travel from Munich to Berchtesgaden by train (the Bavarian train ticket is quite cheap), and then transfer by the local shuttle bus directly to Schonau am Konigssee (closest town to the lake). The total travel time from Munich is approximately 3 hours. Train timetables can be checked at the Raileurope booking service. Having travelled from Berchtesgaden, then just take the local buses # 841, 842, 843 or 846, which go directly to Schonau. You can check the current timetable of local buses online.
By renting a car: A good option to explore the beauty of the Berchtesgaden Nature Park, which includes Konigssee Lake, is to rent a car. Having arrived at the lake, you can leave your car at a special parking lot provided for tourists with cars. The rental offices can be found in Munich either at the airport or at the city center. You can also book a car in advance on the different booking services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. I often use both services and I can confirm they are pretty easy and convenient for searching available variants.
◊A useful tip: Compare a few of booking services to choose the best price. Roads in Bavaria have excellent quality, so you can move along quickly and comfortably. The distance from Munich to Schonau am Konigssee is about 157 km, you should keep following the route # A8. It takes you about 1 hour 50 minutes to reach the lake (see on the map). I have travelled along German roads multiple times and I can say the quality of local roads are exceptional. It means you can get to the desired destination pretty fast.

How to get to Konigsee Lake from Salzburg
By train: Firstly, the tourists travel from Salzburg to Berchtesgaden by train (the Bavarian train ticket is available), and then transfer by the local shuttle bus directly to Schonau am Konigssee (closest town to the lake). The total travel time from Salzburg is approximately 1 hour. Train timetables can be checked at the Raileurope booking service. Having travelled from Berchtesgaden, then just take the local buses # 841, 842, 843 or 846, which go directly to Schonau. I found out that the current timetable of local buses can be checked online.
By renting a car: You can also rent a car in Salzburg to travel to Konigssee Lake. The rental offices can be found at the airport or at the city center. You can also book a car in advance on the different booking services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. I can recommend both services for searching available options.
◊A useful tip: Compare a few of booking services to choose the best price. Local roads have excellent quality, so you can move along quickly and comfortably. The distance from Salzburg to Schonau is about 30 km, you need to focus on the highways No. B150 and B305. It takes you about 30 minutes to reach the destination (see on the map).

Where to stay on Konigsee Lake
If you plan to stay longer on the Konigssee, the nearest village to the lake is Schonau am Konigssee, which has many small hotels and inns. A little further away you can stay at Berchtesgaden or Bad Reichenhall, which tourists also often choose as a stopover. All these towns will delight you with tranquility, pastoral landscapes and peaceful vibes. In addition, they are all convenient points for visiting local attractions and for radial trips to the Berchtesgaden Nature Park.
Explorer Hotel Berchtesgaden 3* – This new hotel is equipped with everything you need, including a fitness room, a sauna, a steam room, free Wi-Fi, private parking, a sun terrace and the rooms with mountain views. The hotel is ideally located for hiking and cycling in summer and skiing in winter. You can stay at the hotel in double rooms. Rooms are equipped with TV, safe, hairdryer. Breakfasts are included in the price. As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I found out that the hotel gets the best ratings for the cleanliness of the rooms, location and work of the staff. The hotel has a tour desk and bicycle rentals services. Check-in is from 15.00, check-out – until – 10.30.
Pension Hochödlehen – This family-run guest house is decorated in a traditional Bavarian style. You can stay here in standard rooms, apartments or summer houses, all of which have a view of the mountains. The guest house has a terrace, free parking, and free Wi-Fi. The rooms have everything you need. The apartments are additionally equipped with a dining area with a kettle, refrigerator, microwave etc. Buffet breakfasts are included in the rate for the rooms and are included upon request at an additional cost for those guests staying in the apartments. The guest house gets the best reviews for the cleanliness of the rooms, the work of the staff, the quality of breakfasts and the perfect location. After some research, I discovered that check-in in the hotel is from 14.00, check-out is until 09.30.
Alpenhotel Kronprinz 4* — The hotel is located in a quiet area in Berchtesgaden. The center of the town and the train station are within walking distance. The hotel offers a sauna, a restaurant and a terrace. Private paid parking is available on site. Guests can choose rooms of different categories. All rooms are equipped with everything you need, including a safe, hairdryer, telephone, satellite TV, refrigerator etc. Wi-Fi is provided free of charge. Buffet breakfasts are included in the rate. The hotel gets the highest ratings for the cleanliness of the rooms, the location of the hotel and the work of the staff. Check-in is from 15.00, check-out is until 11.00.
Hotel Alpina 3* — This hotel is located in a lovely area of the Bad-Reichenhall resort. It is close to the mountains, while the town center is within walking distance too. Guests can go skiing in winter and cycling in summer. Free parking is provided. The hotel has a terrace with picturesque mountain views. Guests of the hotel can choose from single or double rooms, which are equipped with everything you need, including free Wi-Fi. Breakfasts are also included in the price. The hotel gets the best ratings for the quality of the services provided; the work of the staff is also highly appreciated. A tour desk service can be arranged at the reception. Check-in is from 15.00, check-out is until 11.00.

What to see & do on Konigsee Lake
In the summer, the most popular entertainment on Konigssee is the boat trips; you can choose several routes of different distances. In winter, vacationers in the Konigssee area go skiing; there are several lifts that deliver directly to the tops of the mountains. In winter, the foothills of the Alps are covered with snow, and there is an opportunity to practice almost any winter sport.
You can go around Konigssee with a boat tour. On the opposite shore of the lake there is an alpine valley with peacefully grazing cows, as well as a small church of St. Bartholomew. You also can choose a longer boat route and reach the remote shore, where the trail to crystal Obersee (“Upper Lake”) begins. I discovered detailed information on boat trips:
- The cost of a boat trip along the route of Konigssee – St. Bartholomew’s Church (round trip) is 22 euros;
- The cost of a boat trip along the route Konigssee – Salet (where the hiking trail around Obersee begins) is 27,50 euros;
- There are also one-way tickets (11 and 13,80 euro respectively).
Boat Timetable:
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In the surroundings of Konigssee, there are also many other interesting natural and man-made attractions, for example, the Hintersee Lake (“Lower Lake”); the historical monument of “Eagle’s Nest” (now a restaurant), which is located on top of Kehlstein mountain; the Salt Mines Museum, where you can go underground on an excursion trolley to a depth of 600 meters and watch the unique light show. There is some useful information for visiting that I discovered:
- The cost of a ticket to enter the mines is 22,50 euros for one adult; 11,50 euros for a child; 20 euros for students. Family tickets are also available for the cost of 50,50 euro (2 adults + 1 child).
- You can buy tickets at the entrance or online on the official website of the Salt Mines Museum (called Salzbergwerk in German).
- The mines are open to the public daily from 09.00 to 17.00 in summer and from 11.00 to 15.00 in winter.
- At the entrance, you must wear special clothes to protect yourself from salt.

If you come to Konigsee in winter, then the most popular activity at this time of the year is skiing. Sports enthusiasts can master the peaks of the Bavarian Alps, for instance, Jenner, Grunstein or Gotchen. As for summer holidays, you also can lift up by cable car to Jenner Mountain, which has a height of 1874 m and is located in the so-called Berchtesgaden Alps. The cable car to the very top operates all year round. You can find an observation deck and a panoramic restaurant with 400 seats at the top. There are cabins of a closed type, designed for 6 people. I did some research to collect practical information for visiting and here it is:
- Getting to the Jennerbahn station is quite easy, it is located on the outskirts of the town of Schonau am Konigsee.
- The Jennerbahn station is located just to the right of the lake. By the way, from the observation deck of Jenner Mountain, picturesque views of Konigsee Lake open up.
- The cable car runs daily from 9 am to 5 pm during the summer time.
- The ticket price is 42 euros (round trip) for adults in ticket offices and 38 euros via the official website.
As you see Konigssee offers a lot of activities, including boat trips, cable car lifting and hiking during the summer time and skiing during the winter time. The choice is up to you. As I see it, Konigssee is a wonderful travel destination in case you prefer natural landscapes and usually enjoy mostly countryside views.

Take a note! When going on a trip to Germany, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: andresumida

Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…
Wow these pictures are stunning! I’ve never even heard of this place before and as someone who never rents a car thank you for including how to get there by train! The boat seems right up my ally and something I will want to check out for sure!
Is it worth visiting the Konigsee in winter as well if we’ll be in the area? It doesn’t look like the boats run beyond October. What other activities could we do?
Hello!
You can go skiing in the Berchtesgaden National Park. Neighbouring Garmisch Partenkirchen is a nice ski resort 🙂
Cheers,
Julia
Konigssee Lake looks so beautiful and picturesque. Nice to have a local restaurant up there, too. What did you think of it?
Hello!
There are some nice local restaurants in Schonau am Koenigssee. It is the closest town to the lake.
Cheers,
Julia
What a wonderful looking place, so beautiful. Great tips on what to see and sounds like a lot of activities in the area too. If you could only do the boat tour or the mine museum, which would you prioritize?
Hello!
Both activities are great, but if you have to choose only one, do the boat trip. You are going to come to the lake to see the lake, right? So, the best option to see it is to take a boat trip.
Cheers,
Julia
So beautiful! The boat tour sounds like an excellent way to see the beauty!
The boat ride on the lake around Konigssee sounds like something I would love to do, to admire the picturesque countryside. I think I would like to go during the Summer.