Eagle’s Nest tours from Berchtesgaden
The catch is getting to Berchtesgaden
These two tours are the best value on the site by a clear margin, and that is only true because someone else has already solved your transport problem. Every euro of a Salzburg or Munich fare pays for a coach seat and a driver’s day. Here you pay for the mountain and the guide. The corollary is that this page is no use to you unless you are staying in or near Berchtesgaden. If you are still choosing a base, Berchtesgaden or Salzburg is the page to read, and how to get there covers the trains and roads into the valley.
Private cars are not allowed on the Kehlstein road. Everyone who reaches the house does it the same way: the special Kehlstein bus from the Obersalzberg bus station, 6.5 km of private road that climbs 700 m through five tunnels totalling 277 m, about 15 minutes of it, then a 124 m tunnel walked into the mountain and a brass-panelled lift that rises another 124 m. If you would rather not take the lift, it is a walk of about 25 minutes from the bus platform to the house, and you want sturdy footwear for it. All of that is described in how to get there.
The three-hour guided tour: €70
It meets at Salzbergstrasse 45, 83471 Berchtesgaden, which is the Kehlstein bus departure point at Obersalzberg, and there is hotel pick-up and drop-off in the local area. The guide is accredited with more than ten years on this mountain, and that is what the 4.6 from 156 reviews is largely about. You get roughly an hour of free time at the top, and free entry to the bunkers once the tour ends. Dogs are welcome, which no other tour on this site offers.
Usually included
- Eagle’s Nest entry fee
- The mountain bus both ways
- Skip-the-line access and the brass lift
- An accredited historical guide, 10+ years
- About an hour of free time at the top
- Free entry to the bunkers after the tour
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in the local area
Not included
- Food and drink
- Suitability for people with claustrophobia, vertigo or altitude sickness, which the operator states plainly
What reviewers say
- Erik, United States: “The tour made us think and want to learn more, so we went to the museum in Obersalzberg.”
- Helle, Denmark: “A really wonderful and great tour with the incredibly knowledgeable live guide Sharon.”
- Andrea, Germany: “Everything worked perfectly. We learned a lot about the history of the place and Obersalzberg.”
Erik’s review is the one to take seriously, because it describes the right shape for this trip. The house is not a museum. The museum is the Obersalzberg Documentation Centre at the bottom of the road, and it costs €4.50 per person. Our fuller account of the tour is in the Berchtesgaden tour review.
The private option: €530 per group
Four hours, rated 5.0 from 41 reviews, meeting at Berchtesgaden train station or bus stop, or your local hotel. The price is €530 per group of up to six, which works out around €88 per person at six. Both entry fees sit inside it: the Documentation Centre with the bunkers at €4.50 per person, and the Eagle’s Nest at €34.70 per person. At two or three people the per-head figure climbs fast, so this is a tour for families and full cars. The maths for both private tours is set out in private tours.
History focusBus & lift includedBerchtesgaden: WWII Historical Eagle’s Nest Tour
PrivateAll entry fees includedBerchtesgaden: Private Eagle’s Nest & Obersalzberg Tour
Staying in the valley gives you something no day-tripper has: a second attempt. If the summit is in cloud, move your booking rather than spending €70 on fog. Closures go out on the Berchtesgaden information line, +49 8652 2029.
Can’t make these dates?
Browse more available Eagle’s Nest tour and find one that fits your schedule — all with instant confirmation and free cancellation.
Comparing departure towns? All six tours lines them up, tours from Salzburg is the half-day version from the nearest city, and what to wear matters more here than it sounds, because the summit sits at 1,834 m and the valley weather is not the mountain weather.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest Eagle’s Nest tour?
The three-hour guided tour from Berchtesgaden at €70, which is also the shortest. It includes the entry fee, the mountain bus both ways, skip-the-line access, the brass lift and a guide, plus free entry to the bunkers afterwards. Only the €68 Munich coach is cheaper on paper, and that is a ten-hour day: see tours from Munich.
Where does the Berchtesgaden tour meet?
Salzbergstrasse 45, 83471 Berchtesgaden, which is the Kehlstein bus departure point at Obersalzberg. There is hotel pick-up and drop-off in the local area, so you rarely need to make your own way there. Getting to the valley in the first place is covered in how to get there.
Can I take a dog on the Eagle’s Nest tour?
On this one, yes. The three-hour Berchtesgaden tour is dog-friendly. The Salzburg flagship states that pets are not allowed. If you are travelling with a dog, this is the only option among the six tours we compare that will take you.
Is the tour suitable if I am claustrophobic?
The operator says no, and lists vertigo and altitude sickness alongside it. The reason is the 124 m tunnel walked into the mountain and the enclosed brass lift. There is an alternative: a walk of about 25 minutes from the bus platform up to the house. Read is it accessible before booking.