Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a quiet mountain resort town on the Bavarian border

At this point in my travels I was currently in Austria, and needed to make my way up through Germany so I could visit my friend in Luxembourg. When I originally planned my vacation I wanted to visit Neuschwanstein, Germany’s most famous castle.

I did some research and decided to stay in a small town called Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which is right on Germany’s border with Austria and perhaps an hour away from the castle. After making arrangements I discovered restoration work is being done this year and there is lots of scaffolding that supposedly ruins the view. I decided not to go to Neuschwanstein, but Garmisch still turned out to be one of the most memorable destinations on my trip.

OK let’s get started. As with most of my days, this one began on an early morning train.

Train car interior on the trip to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, from Austria

The transportation route I followed first took me from Zell am See to Innsbruck, where I switched trains for the final haul through the mountains to Garmisch. If you read my previous post you’ll remember that I took a day trip to Innsbruck, so the first two hours of my rail trip today were just a duplicate of the day before.

But that won’t stop me from posting pictures, of course 🙂
It was a very foggy morning, and the landscape was shrouded under a blanket of mist.

Green landscape as seen from train, Austrian countryside

Here some birds were flying alongside the train.

Birds flying alongside train, Austrian countryside

On this next photo I added some fake blurring in photoshop for a more dramatic effect, which basically just insults the natural beauty of the Austrian countryside.

Small town built at the foot of a mountain disappearing into the fog, as seen from train window, Austrian countryside

I love how these houses and the mountain they’re built on just disappear up into the clouds.

Green hillside disappearing into the fog, as seen from train window, Austrian countriside

Here is a photo I took of a building when we were sitting in a train station. I just think it’s awesome how many murals you see in random places when traveling through Austria and southern Germany, compared to how many I come across in America (zero).

Agriculture mural on side of building, as seen from train window, Austrian countryside

 

Green field and looming mountain, as seen from train window, Austrian countryside

Here is another photo of a hillside disappearing into the fog, but I tried playing around with it a bit by dragging the green slider to -100. As I was editing these photos I posted them to 4chan’s /p/hotography board, and the major complaint was that my photos were too colorful and the greens were ‘radioactive’.

So occasionally I would edit a photo like this to try and appease them.

Green hillside disappearing into the fog, as seen from train window, Austrian countriside

This next one was taken at a perfect moment. We were passing a field that went from solid green to solid dead grass with a straight line, and I managed to snap the shutter right in the middle.

Two toned grass field, as seen from train window, Austrian countryside

After switching trains in Innsbruck, I got onto a smaller regional train on a railway called the Mittenwaldbahn. This was definately the most beautiful rail journey I experienced on my whole vacation, as it snakes high into the Alps when crossing the border into Germany.

Here we’re overlooking a town just outside of Innsbruck, which is just out of frame to the left.

View from window on the Mittenwaldbahn, climbing high over Innsbruck, Austria

And this next one is perhaps my favorite picture of the day, taken as our train headed into the fog on a high mountain pass.

High in the clouds on the Mittenwaldbahn, crossing the Austria-German border

This small shed seems to rest on the edge of the world.

Cottage on the edge of the world, seen from the Mittenwaldbahn on a foggy mountain pass, Germany

The Mittenwaldbahn is only about an hour’s length between Innsbruck and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and it basically just goes up the mountains on the Austrian side and comes down the mountains on the Germany side.

Panorama taken from the Mittenwaldbahn train window, Germany

At this station called Seefeld, a bunch of children (persumably on a field trip) boarded the train with their reflective vests. I was thinking to myself, oh shit oh shit don’t come into my car don’t come into my car please don’t come into my car. I was saved.

Young children in reflector vests boarding the Mittenwaldbahn at Seefeld in Tirol, Germany

We descended further into the valley and out of the mountains, and the landscape grew more expansive and colorful.

Green field with mountain in the background, seen from the Mittenwaldbahn near Mittenwald, Germany

The grass in this next shot was highly radioactive before I dragged the yellow luminance way back.

Vibrant yellow field seen from the Mittenwaldbahn train window, near Mittenwald, Germany

One thing about Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the surrounding countryside that really set itself apart from other places I visited was the preponderance of these small hay sheds or barns that were scattered among the fields. I’m not exactly sure what they’re for but they are definitely a defining feature of Garmisch.

Small houses seen from the Mittenwaldbahn, Germany

Here I’m just showing the interior of my train car and the scenery through the windows.

Interior shot of my Mittenwaldbahn train car, near Mittenwald, Germany

I snapped a photo of this couple as they watched my train pass by through a railroad crossing.

Looking down the road at a railroad crossing, seen from the Mittenwaldbahn train window, near Mittenwald, Germany

As we approached the outskirts of Garmisch some small villages cropped up here and there.

Small town near Garmisch Partenkirchen, seen from Mittenwaldbahn train window, Germany