Munich to Innsbruck by Train
Direct Railjet via Kufstein, or the scenic Karwendel line

The direct trains are Railjets, with a few ICEs at other times of day. In the current timetable they leave München Hauptbahnhof roughly every two hours from morning to evening and reach Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof in about 1 hour 55 minutes, with a stop at München Ost on the way out of the city. Many of the Railjets continue over the Brenner Pass to Italy.

On board there are first and second class and a Business class, a restaurant car, a quiet zone and wifi. Seat reservations are optional; on some busy days ÖBB advises that travel is only guaranteed with a reservation, so it is worth adding one at weekends and in holiday periods.

Leaving Munich, the train runs south-east through the Bavarian countryside to Rosenheim, where the line to Innsbruck turns south into the Inn valley. The mountains close in quickly, and the train crosses into Austria just before Kufstein, the first stop in Tyrol, with its fortress on a rock above the town.

From Kufstein the line follows the Inn upstream through Wörgl and Jenbach, past the Kaisergebirge near Kufstein and, further on, the Tux Alps, before the valley opens out at Innsbruck. Both countries are in the Schengen area, so the border is normally open, though identity checks are possible.

Between the direct trains, regional connections run from München Hbf with a change, usually at Kufstein: a regional train (RB 54 in the current timetable) to the border, then an ÖBB train on to Innsbruck. They take around 2 hours 25 minutes and need no reservation.

The Deutschlandticket and the Bayern-Ticket are both valid on regional trains as far as Kufstein, but not beyond it on this route and not on the Railjet. If you use one, buy a separate ticket from Kufstein to Innsbruck. The regional connection is mainly worth it if you already hold one of these tickets; otherwise the direct Railjet is quicker and simpler.

The slow way to Innsbruck is a regional train via Garmisch-Partenkirchen, at the foot of the Zugspitze. Trains to Garmisch leave from the northern wing of München Hauptbahnhof (platforms 27 to 36 in the current timetable), and a few run right through to Innsbruck; otherwise change at Garmisch or Mittenwald. Beyond Mittenwald the line crosses into Austria at Scharnitz and climbs to Seefeld in Tirol, on its high plateau, before dropping steeply down the mountainside into Innsbruck.

Allow around 2 hours 50 minutes or more. Deutsche Bahn sells a Regio-Ticket Werdenfels + Innsbruck, valid on regional trains between München Hbf and Innsbruck Hbf via Mittenwald, which suits a scenic one-way trip or a day out. Parts of the line are closed for maintenance from time to time, with replacement buses; ÖBB closed the section between Innsbruck and Mittenwald from 3 to 6 October 2026, for example, so check your date.

You can book the direct Railjet through Omio, Deutsche Bahn or ÖBB. Saver fares reward booking ahead and are only valid on the train you booked. Seat reservations are optional, and worth adding at busy times.

Interrail and Eurail passes are valid on the direct Railjets and ICEs and on the regional trains. Reservations are recommended but not compulsory, and no Italy supplement is needed unless you stay on a Railjet beyond Innsbruck into Italy.

Both the Railjet and the regional trains via Kufstein arrive at Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof, a modern, step-free station just south of the city centre. Karwendel route trains also run into the Hauptbahnhof, though some services, including replacement buses during works, may use other stops in the city, so check your journey.

From the station it is a short walk along Salurner Strasse and Maria-Theresien-Strasse to the Old Town and the Golden Roof, with the Nordkette mountains rising above the rooftops. Innsbruck is also a junction for onward travel, with direct trains toward Salzburg and Vienna, Zurich over the Arlberg, and Italy over the Brenner.