Mountain pass · 9 km off the route
Sudelfeld Pass
- Summit
- 1,123 m summit
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Road trip route · Germany · Austria
Munich to Innsbruck drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 1 hr 59 min
- Distance
- 163 km
- Fuel (est.)
- €20
- Tolls (est.)
- None
The Munich to Innsbruck drive
The drive from Munich to Innsbruck covers 101 miles (163 km) and takes about 1 hr 59 min without stops. That makes it a comfortable one-day drive. Leave in the morning and you'll arrive with the day ahead of you.
About 45% of it is on the A12, and most of the rest on the A8 and the A93. You pass Rosenheim on the way. The border from Germany into Austria comes between Rosenheim and Innsbruck, about 112 km in.
There's real climbing in this one: the road gets up to roughly 713 m near Rosenheim, with something like 425 m of ascent over the whole drive. The Sudelfeld Pass is 9 km off the route if you have time for a detour.
Expect fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) to cost around €20 one-way with no significant motorway tolls on the way. Austria requires a motorway vignette (~€12.4 sticker (10-day/weekly)). Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 101 miles this is longer than 15% of the 144 routes covered here, short enough to fold into a bigger itinerary without losing a day. Even in a single day it crosses 2 countries, so keep documents where you can reach them.
The road, kilometre by kilometre
Towns within a few kilometres of the fastest route, with the time it takes to reach them without stopping, plus where you cross the border.
- StartMunich
- 61 kmRosenheim45 min in
- 112 kmInto Austria
- 163 kmInnsbruck
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- A1273 km · 45%
- A857 km · 35%
- A9325 km · 15%
Famous roads on or near the drive
From the 500-plus passes and driving roads drivers collect in the Plan Your Road Trips app. None are on the fastest route, but these are close enough for a detour.
Famous road · 15 km off the route
Zillertaler Höhenstrasse
- Summit
- 2,020 m summit
- Length
- 48 km long
Best stops between Munich and Innsbruck
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Mountain Passes
Gerlos Pass
A wide, fast Alpine pass connecting the Salzburg and Tyrol regions, popular for its sweeping bends and proximity to the Krimml Waterfalls.
Natural Wonders
Achensee
Tyrol's largest lake, a pristine fjord-like alpine jewel between the Karwendel and Rofan mountain ranges, perfect for sailing and diving.
Castles & Palaces
Herrenchiemsee Palace
Ludwig II's unfinished replica of Versailles built on an island in Bavaria's largest lake, featuring an even longer Hall of Mirrors.
Famous Roads
Deutsche Alpenstrasse
Germany's oldest holiday road winding 450km along the Bavarian Alps past lakes, castles and mountain passes from Lindau to Berchtesgaden.
Scenic Viewpoints
Sylvenstein Reservoir
A vivid blue reservoir crossed by a graceful bridge on the German Alpine Road, gateway to the Karwendel mountains.
Landmarks
Kitzbühel
A medieval-walled ski town and home of the fearsome Hahnenkamm race, ringed by panoramic alpine roads.
Landmarks
Alpbach
Voted Austria's most beautiful village: since 1953 every building must follow the traditional wooden Tyrolean style, and the balconies disappear under flowers all summer.
Famous Roads
Zillertaler Höhenstrasse
A narrow 48 km panoramic road contouring high above the Zillertal at up to 2,020 m, reached by five access ramps, with grandstand views of the Zillertal Alps; single-track in stretches.
Mountain Passes
Sudelfeld Pass
The 1,123 m summit of the B307 between Bayrischzell and the Tatzelwurm gorge, part of the German Alpine Road and one of Upper Bavaria's favourite weekend driving and biking loops.
What you need for this drive
Rules for each country on the route, in the order you meet them.
Germany
- Tolls
- No motorway tolls
- Must carry
- warning triangle, hi-vis vest, first-aid kit
- Winter tyres
- Required in winter conditions
Low-emission zones: Umweltzone (about 36 active, incl. Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, Cologne).
Austria
- Motorway
- 130 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- Vignette (ASFINAG)
- Must carry
- warning triangle, hi-vis vest, first-aid kit
- Winter tyres
- 1 November - 15 April
Checked against national road authorities and the ECB reference rates. Rules change — confirm before you travel.
Famous drives in Germany and Austria
Legendary routes you could bolt onto this trip, with real distances and stop counts.
Großglockner High Alpine Road
Austria's most spectacular pass: 36 hairpins to 2,504m and the country's highest peak
72 km · 1.9h driving · 5 stops · 1 days
Black Forest High Road (B500)
Cuckoo clocks, dark-wood villages, cake, and a high road that floats above the canopy
158 km · 3.2h driving · 4 stops · 2 days
Romantic Road
Half-timbered villages, walled medieval towns, and Bavarian beer all the way to Neuschwanstein
333 km · 4.6h driving · 6 stops · 5 days
Munich to Innsbruck FAQs
How long is the drive from Munich to Innsbruck?
Driving from Munich to Innsbruck takes about 1 hr 59 min nonstop, covering 101 miles (163 km). Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from Munich to Innsbruck?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly €20 one-way. There are no significant motorway tolls on this route. Austria requires a motorway vignette (~€12.4 sticker (10-day/weekly)). Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from Munich to Innsbruck in one day?
Yes, at about 1 hr 59 min of driving, Munich to Innsbruck is a comfortable one-day drive with a couple of breaks.
Which roads do you take from Munich to Innsbruck?
The fastest route uses the A12 (about 73 km), the A8 (about 57 km), the A93 (about 25 km). It passes Rosenheim.
What other drives can I plan on Plan Your Road Trips?
We publish drive times, distances and fuel estimates for 144 routes across Europe and beyond, including 13 other drives in the same country. Browse them all on the routes index.
What are the best stops between Munich and Innsbruck?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include Gerlos Pass, Achensee, Herrenchiemsee Palace: see the full list of 9 stops on this page.
More drives from Munich & Innsbruck
Berlin → MunichMunich → FrankfurtMunich → PragueMunich → SalzburgMunich → VeniceMunich → ViennaMunich → Zurich
Planning a bigger trip? Try the free Germany road trip planner, browse every destination we cover or the Austria planner, take it with you on the road, or read the driving in Austria guide.