Jennerbahn

Who they are

The Jennerbahn is run by Berchtesgadener Bergbahn AG, with about 40 people on the cable car and in administration. The two mountain restaurants, the Jenneralm at the summit and the Halbzeit at the middle station, are run by another company, Jenner Genuss GmbH. The first Jennerbahn opened in December 1953, with 140 double chairs and 30 closed cabins on a line of 3.3 km; in 1967 the Jenner hosted its first Alpine skiing World Cup race. The second generation, with two-seat cabins, closed in March 2017 after about ten million passengers. The current one was decided in 2014, cost about 60 million euros with new buildings and restaurants, and has been fully operating since June 2019.

What it runs

It is a gondola lift with ten-seat cabins with glass down to the floor that climbs from the valley, about 200 m from the Königssee car park, to the middle station, at about 1,200 m, and the summit station, at about 1,800 m. It takes about 20 minutes to the top and about ten between stations. From the summit a path of about 20 minutes leads to the top of the Jenner, closed in winter.

In summer it is a hiking base within Berchtesgaden National Park, and bikes can go up to the middle station to ride down the track to the Priesbergalm and Gotzenalm huts, not on the footpaths. In winter there is a sledge run from the summit, snowshoeing, trodden winter paths (one of about 2 km at the middle station, designed for families), freeride and ski touring; the Jenner is also a training centre for the German ski federation. Every autumn it closes for a few weeks for inspection: in 2026, from 9 November to 5 December.

Practicalities

Dogs go up with their own ticket and must be on a lead throughout the cable car and in the national park. Pushchairs up to 80 cm wide fit in the cabins, and the staff help to load them. The stations, cabins and restaurants are barrier-free, with lifts, ramps, adapted parking spaces and toilets with a European key; wheelchairs up to 80 cm fit in the cabin and the staff can slow the line to get on. In strong wind the cable car only reaches the middle station or stops, and if it is limited to the middle station it stays that way until the end of the day. At the valley station there are €2 lockers.

Tickets and booking

Tickets are bought in its online shop, at the ticket office or at the machines at each station, which accept cards only. Buying online or bringing the Berchtesgaden or Bad Reichenhall guest card makes the return ticket to the summit a little cheaper; there are no discounts for pensioners or students. Large groups must give notice beforehand. The website does not publish a refund policy; ask if the wind closes the summit. The website is in German and English; contact on +49 8652 95810 or [email protected].

You get there by car on the B20 from Berchtesgaden, or on buses 840, 841 and 843 to Königssee. The car park belongs to the municipality of Schönau am Königssee and can be paid for with the Parkster app.