How to get to Lindau in 2025 – your transport guide in Germany

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Table of Contents:

When to travel to Lindau

How to get to Lindau

How to get to Lindau from Munich

Where to stay in Lindau

What to see & do in Lindau

I have travelled around Southern Germany a lot and I was absolutely amazed with the combination of natural and historical attractions. The local towns kept their authenticity while the local countryside is full of natural sites. Lindau combines both of them. Being charmed with towns of Southern Germany, I have decided to put together information I have previously researched and create a complete guide on how to organize a holiday in Lindau. Based on my research, I found out how to get to the town, where to stay & what to see. I really hope this detailed guide will help you plan your trip.

When to travel to Lindau

Lindau is one of the four major towns situated on the shores of Lake Constance. The town is administratively located in the Bavaria region, while the other three major towns – Meersburg, Friedrichshafen and Konstanz – are in the Baden-Wurttemberg region. The southern part of Lake Constance belongs to the territory of Austria and Switzerland.

Lindau is an old town with a great history. Its main architectural attractions are located in the old part of the town, on the area of a small island connected to the Lindau mainland with a bridge. In addition, Lindau is a popular holiday destination due to its location, as well as a climatic health resort.

The best time of the year to travel to Lindau is the period of mid-June to mid-September when the lake is getting warmer enough to swim in it. The other seasons suit more for sightseeing and long-distance strolling. A navigation on the Constance Lake is available from March or April until November.

How to get to Lindau

How to get to Lindau from Munich

Munich is the largest city in Bavaria and has an international airport that receives flights from various countries. I searched the map and found out that Munich and Lindau are connected with highway No. A96. There are several ways to get from Munich to Lindau.

By train: Lindau has its own train station, so you can get here by train. High-speed and regional trains run from Munich to Lindau. Travel time varies from 2,5 to 3 hours, depending on the type of train. Trains run during the day: on direct routes – once every 2 hours, on routes with a change – twice an hour. You can check the train schedule for the Munich-Lindau route and buy tickets online at the Raileurope booking service. I often use this service as it has a convenient search window and settings, which I can use for sorting the results to look for the best available options.

By bus: By bus, the journey takes about 2 hours. Afer some research, I discovered that buses depart from the Central Bus Station in Munich up to five times a day. Surprisingly, bus trip is slightly faster than the train one.

By renting a car: You can rent a car in Munich right after arrival at the airport or to visit one of the rental offices in the city. You can also book a car in advance on the different booking services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. The rules for renting a car in Germany are relatively simple: almost anyone with an international driver’s license can rent a car.

◊A useful tip: Compare a few of booking services to choose the best price. Roads in Germany are high-speed (the so-called autobahns), so you can move along quickly and comfortably. The distance from Munich to Lindau is 180 km. They are connected with a highway # A96. It takes about 2-2.5 hours to reach your travel destination (see on the map). I have travelled along the local highways multiple times and I can confirm they are pretty much convenient and fast.

Where to stay in Lindau

Lindau is a popular summer resort with tourists arriving from Germany and other countries, so I would recommend to book accommodation in advance. The main accommodation options are hotels and B&B`s. Other options such as apartments, hostels and guest houses are less popular here.

You can choose hotels in Lindau based on what type of vacation you prefer. For a beach holiday, it is better to look for options in the lake area of the town; for sightseeing holidays it is better to look for hotels in the old part of the town. More budget accommodation options can be found in the modern part of Lindau (in mainland, not on touristic island), but in that case you have to get to the lake and to the main attractions by public transport or car.

Hotel Helvetia Spa- und Wellnessdomizil 4* – This boutique hotel is located on the promenade of Lake Constance, in the island part of the town. The hotel provides its guests with the services of a spa center, swimming pool, sauna, fitness center. The hotel has a Swiss restaurant. Parking is available on site, but reservations are required. Parking places are available at an additional cost. The hotel has rooms of different types, which are equipped with a TV, telephone and other necessary interior items. Breakfasts are included in the price. The rooms offer the lake views. The hotel gets the best ratings for the location and the quality of the breakfasts provided. The hotel also has luggage storage. Check-in is from 14.30, check-out is until 11.30.

Hotel und Pension Seereich 3* – The hotel is located in the town center and has its own terrace for relaxing. Guests of the hotel can also use the barbecue facilities. Wi-fi is provided free of charge. There is private paid parking. The hotel has rooms of various categories. The rooms are equipped with a safe, hairdryer, TV, wireless internet. Breakfasts are included in the price. Please, not, that there is an additional town tax of EUR 2 per person per night. I read the reviews and I can conclude that the hotel gets the best reviews for the cleanliness and comfort of the room, as well as for professionalism of the staff. The hotel also offers luggage storage. Check-in is from 15.00, check-out is until 11.30.

Hotel Schreier am See 3* – This hotel is located on the promenade of Lake Constance. The hotel has a restaurant, cafe, bistro. Guests can stay in rooms of various categories, overlooking the park or the lake harbor. Family rooms are also available. Breakfast is included in the price. The rooms are also equipped with a coffee pot or a kettle. Among other things, the rooms are equipped with air conditioning, TV, mini-bar, safe, hairdryer. Wi-Fi is available in the hotel rooms and is free of charge. Private parking is possuble nearby, upon reservation and at an additional cost. The front desk provides luggage storage services. Check-in is from 14.00, check-out – until 11.00.

Hotel Garni Brugger 3* – The hotel is located in the historical part of the town. As additional services, the hotel offers the services of a wellness center (sauna, steam bath, hydromassage, relaxation room). The hotel offers free Wi-Fi. Paid public parking is available nearby. The hotel has single, double, triple and quadruple rooms. All of them are equipped with hairdryer, telephone, TV, wireless internet. Buffet breakfasts are included in the rate. The hotel gets the best ratings for its location, professionalism of the staff and the cleanliness of the rooms. Check-in is from 14.00, check-out is until 11.00

Hotel Anker – The hotel provides all the basic services for a stay in the town of Lindau. Within the walking distance of the hotel you can find different museums, the Town Hall, the harbor and the Old Town district, as well as numerous restaurants and cafes. Wi-fi is provided free of charge. Paid public parking is available nearby. The hotel has single, double, triple and quadruple rooms equipped with everything you need. Breakfasts are included in the room rate. A town tax of 2 euros per day per person is paid separately. The hotel gets the highest ratings for the location, professionalism of the staff and the cleanliness of the rooms. Check-in is from 15.00, check-out is until 11.00.

What to see & do in Lindau

Lindau is a picturesque town located on the shore of the Bodensee (another name of Constance Lake). Its Old Town consists of colorful houses and narrow streets, that lead to the harbor and the lake embankment.

Here you can find the “postcard” views of Lindau, including the Lighthouse and the Mangturm Tower, which have already become the best-known town attractions. You can explore Lindau on foot, by bike (hourly rental is popular here) or from the water on one of the boat trips.

You can start exploring the town both from the historical part and from the embankment. The most recognizable views of Lindau are the giant lions on the pedestal and the new Lighthouse that “guards” the entrance to the lake. Behind the monument and the Lighthouse there is a wonderful natural view of the mountains and the lake. I examined some information and found out that the height of the lions is 6 meters, and the height of the Lighthouse is 36 meters. At the top of the Lighthouse there is an observation deck from where you can see not only Lindau, but also the Swiss and Austrian shores of the Bodensee.

The old part of the town also has many hidden attractions. Almost all the houses here have retained their medieval vibes. One and two-story buildings have painted walls. On the walls of the Lindau houses, you can study the history of the town. Take a glance at the Town Hall and you will be surprised how colorful and picturesque it is.

I also recommend to visit St. Peter’s Church with painted vaults; the Town Museum, which tells about the history of the region; and Maximillianstrasse (Maximillian Street), the main meeting place for locals. The street is always full of people; resort mood and numerous cafes and restaurants can be easiliy found here. Maximillianstrasse is considered to be the main promenade of Lindau. It is also nice to take a walk in the local park of Lindenhof.

From Lindau you can visit other towns located along the lake, using public transport, a car or a boat tour. Thus, the distance between Lindau and the Austrian town of Bregenz is only 15 km. The distance between Lindau and the Swiss town of St. Gallen is 60 km. The distance between Lindau and the German towns of Friedrichshafen is 20 km, Meersburg is 40 km, Constance and the island of Mainau is 85 km. Almost all the towns on the shore are served by trains, buses and by boats.

So, by boat you can reach Bregenz in just 20 minutes, to Friedrichshafen – in 1 hour 25 minutes, to Meersburg – in 2 hours 50 minutes, to Constance – in 3 hours 45 minutes. It is faster to use the train, but it is not as picturesque as by boat. However, the travel time by train to Bregenz is 12 minutes, to Friedrichshafen is 20 minutes, to Konstanz is 2 hours. There are no trains to Meersburg because there is no railway station, but the train can be replaced by a bus.

Each of the towns on Lake Constance is beautiful in its own way, so it makes sense to visit at least a few to get a complete picture of the shore. If you have the choice to visit only one town from Lindau, then I would advise you to choose Konstanz, where the path to the island of flowers called Mainau begins.

Photo above the article: Gustav Sommer