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Back to Sonthofen

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Voykit pocket guide · Germany

Sonthofen

Spend 1–2 days in Sonthofen as a low‑key Alpine base; arrive by hourly train and explore nearby Oberallgäu.

Sonthofen is a small Alpine town of about 21,000 people, offering cheap accommodation and easy train links to the Allgäu mountains, making it suitable for a short stay before heading to Oberstdorf or Kempten.

AachenAlsfeldAltenkirchenAltöttingAmbergAmrumAndechsAnklamAnsbachAschaffenburgAschheimAssmannshausenAueAufseßSonthofen200 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
Germany
Best months
Jun–Sep (mountain hiking, milder weather)
Avoid
Dec–Feb (snow may require chains, limited daylight)
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 €45–70 excl. bed · Mid €70–110 excl. bed · High €110+ 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
Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 112
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.

Get in

By air

FMM · Memmingen Airport
About 45 km (28 mi) north, shuttle bus available (check schedule).

Typical fares

Munich → Sonthofen (regional train)
≈ €30, 2 h 40 min, hourly service (check)
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

Hourly regional trains from Munich (2 h 40 min) and Stuttgart (2 h 45 min); local buses connect town centre to nearby villages; car travel on B19 may face peak‑season jams.

See and do

Known for

  • Alpine City title (2005)
  • Museum der Schirme (umbrella museum)
  • Local history museum
  • Erzgruben mines

Day trips

WhereHowTime
KemptenRegional train from Sonthofen, about 30 min≈ 45 min
OberstdorfTrain via Kempten, about 1 h 15 min total≈ 1 h 30 min

Sleep

IllerCamping
Campground near town centre, good for budget travellers.
Gasthof Traube
Family‑run inn, central location.
Hotel Deutsches Haus
Mid‑range hotel, close to train station.
Hotel Kaisers – das kleine Stadthotel
Small city hotel, easy walk to sights.

Phrase card

EnglishSay or show
Excuse me / SorryEntschuldigungEntschuldigung
Thank youDankeDanke
How much is it?Wie viel kostet das?Wie viel kostet das?
Where is the train station?Wo ist der Bahnhof?Wo ist der Bahnhof?

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

  • Peak‑season traffic on B19 can cause delays.
  • Winter snow may require chains on mountain roads.
  • Train schedules are hourly; check for late‑night service.

Sonthofen is low‑risk; main concerns are winter road conditions and occasional late‑night train gaps—plan for daylight travel.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Sonthofen yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • Alpine City title (2005)
  • Museum der Schirme (umbrella museum)
  • Local history museum
  • Erzgruben mines

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

Sonthofen

Bitte hierher

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

  • Police110
  • Fire and ambulance112

US consulate in Munich; German embassy in Berlin.

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/sonthofen). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.