Karersee: How to get there & parking
Lake Karersee in South Tyrol is one of the most famous natural wonders of the Dolomites and can be reached both by car and by public transport. If you want to enjoy the impressive colourful splendour of the lake, you can travel there individually or in an environmentally friendly way, and there are various parking options on site. Find out everything you need to know about travelling to and parking at Karersee here.
Arrival by car or motorbike
- Car and motorbike drivers should take the Brenner motorway (A22), exit: Bozen Nord/Eggental.
- After 0.5 km in the direction of Bozen, turn left at the roundabout to Eggental (SS 241) and continue on this road to Birchabruck, where the turn-off to the left leads to Welschnofen and Karersee.
- Travel time from the motorway exit: approx. 30 min.
- Delays and traffic jams must be expected during the high season.
Suspension bridge at Lake Karersee in Eggental
Eggental Tourismus - Alexandra NäcklerCar parks directly on the lake
To park near Karersee, you can use one of 3 car parks located next to the road between Welschnofen and Karer Pass:
- P1 – Karersee: directly at the lake, subject to charges, for cars, motorbikes, campers and buses
- P2 – Schönblickweg: 5 minutes' walk from the lake (via path no. 6 and suspension bridge), free of charge, for cars only, no parking for campers
- P3 – Paolina: 20 minutes' walk from the lake (via path no. 6 and suspension bridge), free for cars, chargeable for campers from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
The following applies to all car parks: They cannot be reserved in advance. It is therefore advisable to arrive early, especially in the high season.
Environmentally friendly travelling by public transport
There are regular buses from Bozen and other localities in the surrounding area (e.g. Tiers, Obereggen, Petersberg) that stop directly at the ‘Karersee’ bus stop on the lake shore. Line 180, for example, connects Bozen, Karersee and Fassa, usually every half hour. The bus journey from Bozen to Karersee normally takes less than an hour.
You can find all current timetables (especially 180, 182, 184, 186) and connections via the südtirolmobil timetable search: Simply enter your starting point and destination Welschnofen/Karersee.
With the Südtirol Guest Pass or Guest Pass Eggental you can use public transport free of charge. This advantage card is available at many guest houses in Eggental and throughout South Tyrol.
On foot or by bike
View over the Karersee
Christian Seifert / Fotolia.comIf you want to reach your destination on foot or by bike, there are numerous options around the popular mountain lake. Hikes with different walking times to Karersee start all around:
- From Welschnofen: 1 h 40 min
- From Eggen: 3 h 30 min
- From Obereggen: 1 h 45 min
- From the Karer Pass: 1 h 10 min
- From the Frommer Alm hut: 1 h 35 min
Many of the hiking trails are also accessible in winter. There are also cycle routes that lead mountain bikers and e-bikers from villages in the surrounding area to Karersee, for example from Petersberg (tour duration approx. 3 h 5 min), Gummer (2 h 30 min) or Tiers (3 h 10 min).
Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to park at Karersee?
There is a paid car park next to the lake for cars, campers and buses. There are 2 other free car parks located a 5 and 20 minutes' walk from the lake.
How much does parking cost?
Parking for cars in the P1 car park directly by Karersee costs between €2 (1 h) and €24 (12-24 h) depending on the length of stay. Campers and busses pay between €9 (up to 3 hours) and €30 (12-24 hours).
How far is it from Bozen to Karersee?
Karersee is just under 30 kilometres from Bozen. The journey to Karersee takes about 40 minutes by car and about 50 minutes by bus.