In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Germany
Oberammergau
Give Oberammergau one full day and two nights if you want Linderhof and Ettal; the village itself is a half-day on foot.
Oberammergau is a small Bavarian Alps village, about 1 h 45 min by train from Munich with a change at Murnau, known for painted house facades (Lüftlmalerei), wood carving and the Passion Play staged roughly every ten years. Most travellers see the village in half a day and use it as a base for Linderhof Palace and Ettal Abbey. Two nights is enough; one night works if you arrive early.
- Country
- Germany
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Nov (quiet, some closures); Passion Play years are crowded and expensive
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Card acceptance has improved but some bakeries, bars and small restaurants are still cash only.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telekom, Vodafone and O2 are the networks; Aldi Talk, Lidl Connect and congstar resell them cheaply in supermarkets and electronics shops.
- Emergency
- Fire and ambulance 112 · Police 110 · Out-of-hours doctor 116 117
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US devices need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Round up or add 5–10%; say the total you want to pay as you hand over money or card.; Bar and café: Round up to the nearest euro.; Taxi: Round up by €1–2.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night, optional.; Free walking tour: €10–15 per person.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere. Restaurants usually sell bottled water; fizzy (mit Kohlensäure) is the default, ask for 'still' or 'ohne'.
- Toilets
- Station toilets cost €0.50–1.50 (Rail&Fresh WC); restaurant toilets are for customers; the 'WC' at motorway rest stops takes coins and gives a voucher.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee and cake in a café | €5–9 |
| Imbiss meal (sausage, fries, snack) | €6–12 |
| Restaurant main course | €12–22 |
| Beer, 0.5 l in a restaurant | €4–6 |
| Wood carving souvenir | €10–100+ |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €8–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MUC · Munich Airport
- S-Bahn and train to Munich Hbf, then about 1.5–2 h by train to Oberammergau with a change at Murnau
- INN · Innsbruck Airport
- About 2 h by car via the A95/A12; train connections are slower
Typical fares
- Train Munich Hbf → Oberammergau (via Murnau)
- about €20–25 one way, about 1 h 45 min
- Bus Oberammergau → Linderhof
- about €3–5, about 20 min
- Taxi in the village
- €10–20 for most local trips
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The village is walkable end to end in about 20 minutes. Local buses serve the station and a few stops; a car helps for Linderhof and Ettal, though buses run to both in season. The train to Murnau connects to Munich.
See and do
Known for
- Lüftlmalerei painted house facades
- Passion Play (decennial)
- Wood carving workshops
- Linderhof Palace nearby
- Ettal Abbey
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Linderhof Palace | Bus or car via Ettal, about 20 min | About 45 min |
| Ettal Abbey | Bus from Oberammergau or a 7 km (4.3 mi) walk on the Ettal roadBus from Oberammergau or a 4.3 mi (7 km) walk on the Ettal road | About 20 min by bus |
| Garmisch-Partenkirchen | Train via Murnau, about 1 h | About 1 h 15 min |
| Munich | Train via Murnau to Munich Hbf | About 1 h 45 min |
Sleep
- Village centre (Dorfstraße)
- Walk to church, painted houses, cafés and the Passion Play theatre; best for a short stay without a car.
- Ettaler Straße / station side
- Closer to the Bahnhof and the road out to Ettal and Linderhof; handy if you arrive by train.
- Outskirts and guesthouses
- Quieter, often with parking and mountain views; 10–20 min walk to the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Grüß Gottgruess got |
| Thank you | Dankedahn-keh |
| Please | Bittebit-teh |
| The bill, please | Die Rechnung, bittedee rekh-noong, bit-teh |
| Can I pay by card? | Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?kan ikh mit kar-teh tsah-len |
| Where is the station? | Wo ist der Bahnhof?voh ist dair bahn-hohf |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Firm handshake with eye contact; 'Guten Tag' or 'Hallo'; avoid: Hugs with people you have just met
- Names: Herr / Frau plus surname until invited to use first names; avoid: Using 'du' with officials or older strangers
- Punctuality: Arrive on time for tours, dinners and appointments; avoid: Being more than 5–10 minutes late without a message
- Queues and rules: Follow signs, wait at red lights, sort rubbish; avoid: Walking in cycle lanes
- Conversation: Direct and factual; people say what they mean; avoid: Taking directness as rudeness, or joking about the Nazi era
- Home visit: Bring flowers (odd number, not red roses) or wine; shoes off if the hosts do; avoid: Arriving early
- Paying: Say the total including tip as you pay; avoid: Leaving coins on the table and walking off
Scams and watch-outs
- Passion Play years sell out far ahead and push room prices up sharply: check the official schedule for the next staging and book months early.
- Many guesthouses and some restaurants close in November and after the Christmas season: check before booking.
- Linderhof Palace has timed entry and seasonal hours; buy ahead in summer.
- Mountain weather changes fast; carry a rain layer even on a clear morning.
Very safe. The real risks are mountain weather, icy paths in winter and unlit roads after dark; keep to marked trails and carry a rain layer.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Oberammergau yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Lüftlmalerei painted house facades
- Passion Play (decennial)
- Wood carving workshops
- Linderhof Palace nearby
- Ettal Abbey
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Oberammergau official tourism site: www.oberammergau.de/en/
- Passion Play official site: www.passionsspiele-oberammergau.de/en/home
- Bavarian Palace Administration — Linderhof: www.schlosslinderhof.de/englisch/palace/history.htm
- Wikivoyage: Oberammergau, revision 5238694 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5238694
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Oberammergau
Zu dieser Adresse, bitte
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Oberammergau; the US consulate general is in Munich, most other countries have embassies in Berlin or consulates in Munich.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/oberammergau). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.