Innsbruck

Innsbruck is the fifth-largest city in Austria and the provincial capital of Tyrol, as well as one of the largest cities in the Alps. It is in a valley of the river Inn between mountain ranges of above 2000 m above sea level, halfway between Bavaria and northern Italy, and is a hub of a region popular for skiing and other mountain-related activities and a busy tourist destination. Its popularity as a winter sports resort was underscored by its hosting the Winter Olympic Games twice.

Innsbruck offers the traveler an intriguing mix of contemporary and imperialist history, culture and architecture with a variety of architectural styles waiting to be discovered in every street.



Understand
The first mention of Innsbruck was during the reign of Augustus, when the Romans established the army station Veldidena (the name survives in today's urban district Wilten) at the locality named Oeni Pontum or Oeni Pons, which is Latin for bridge (pons) over the Inn (Oenus), the important crossing point over the Inn river, to protect Via Claudia Augusta, the economically important commercial road from Verona-Brenner-Augsburg.

Innsbruck became the capital of Tyrol in 1429 and in the 15th century the city became a centre of European politics and culture as emperor Maximilian I moved the imperial court to Innsbruck in the 1490s. Many old buildings from the Middle Ages and modern times survived in the heart of old town.

The city is well known for its sporting opportunities, especially alpine sports, as it is in the Alps and surrounded by mountains. Innsbruck also hosted the 1964 and 1974 Winter Olympics. Several ski resorts are situated inside the city territory or within short distance. Innsbruck was one of the centers of snowboard boom in the 1990s and the derived distinct subculture endured until today. The population of skateboarders, snowboarders and people alike is therefore above average and nothing unusual to the people. This culture is also celebrated by a lot of events in and around Innsbruck especially in the winter season, attracting (predominantly young) people from all around the world.

There are two universities and several colleges in Innsbruck, with over 30,000 students altogether, making the city's nightlife very lively.

Innsbruck has also become one of Austria's most eco-friendly cities, due to a very good public transport system and a partial ban on cars in certain areas of the historic old town.

Climate
Innsbruck's distance from the coast and altitude lead to a continental climate. Winters are cold and snowy; summers are generally warmer and wetter, with highly variable weather. Hot and dry days, with temperatures hitting 30°C, are quite common; but can be followed by a cool and rainy spell, with temperatures only around 17°C in the day. Summer nights are cool and temperature often drop quickly after sunset - sometimes falling below 10°C in early morning.

Tourist information

 * Innsbruck tourism website

By plane
Regular scheduled flights are available from:
 * TUI fly Belgium 2x per week from Antwerp
 * Austrian Airlines from Vienna and Frankfurt
 * Transavia from Rotterdam and Amsterdam
 * EasyJet from Berlin, London-Gatwick (also with British Airways) and 2x per week from Bristol
 * Lufthansa from Frankfurt and Berlin-Tegel
 * TUI Airways from London-Gatwick and Manchester
 * Czech Airlines from Prague
 * British Airways from London-Heathrow
 * Sibir Airlines from St. Petersburg and Moscow

Seasonal flights (mostly active during skiing season) are available from many more destinations including the UK, the Netherlands, Greece, and Scandinavia, as well as from Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Kyiv and Moscow. There are also charter flights to several German cities - especially in winter.

The bus line F will take you to the city center (every 15 minutes, on Sunday it departs every 30 minutes). A single ticket costs.

Other airports from which Innsbruck can be reached by train include Munich (, 200 km), Memmingen (, 175 km), Salzburg (, 185 km), St. Gallen-Altenrhein (, 190 km) and Friedrichshafen (, 215 km).

By train
Regular direct trains run from Venice, Bolzano/Bozen, Zürich, Munich, Graz, Vienna (via Linz and Salzburg) and many other destinations.

Austrian Nightjet sleeper trains run twice a week to Brussels, taking 15 hours via Munich, Cologne, Aachen and Liège, as well as to Amsterdam via Munich, Nuremberg, Hanover and Hamburg.

Despite being a smaller city, Innsbruck has fantastic train connections to all major cities in its region. The main station,, is at Südtiroler Platz (South-tyrolean square) in the east of the city centre. There are several stations which serve suburban and regional train connections.

Coming from Germany with the Deutschland-Ticket, take a local/regional train to Mittenwald and continue your ride in the same train to Innsbruck. From Mittenwald to Innsbruck is €10. Buying the ticket on the Austrian train website costs less than buying it on the Deutsche Bahn counterpart

See Austria for fare deals.

By bus
The is right next to the main train station, and accommodates local, interregional and international traffic. There are connections to Seefeld, Wipptal, Ötztal, and Zillertal. International connections offer a budget friendly alternative for train travel, a one way ticket from Munich to Innsbruck with a stop in Garmisch-Partenkirchen costs ca. €11.

By car
Innsbruck is reachable through both of Tyrol's motorways: (A12) and  (A13) which intersect in the south of Innsbruck.

During holiday seasons, when Europeans either try to get in or out of Italy over the in summer or try to reach or return from ski resorts in winter, heavy traffic should be expected on both motorways particularly during weekends. Snowfall inevitably makes the traffic situation worse, so it is recommended to tune in to Radio Tyrol at 96.4 MHz FM for the latest traffic updates.

By bike
Innsbruck can be reached on the Inntalradweg from Passau to St. Moritz. Even in the city this bicycle trail is signposted with small green road signs.

Get around
Most one-day visitors don't use any transport: all of the major Old Town sites are within a reasonable walking time.

On foot
The classic walk into old Innsbruck follows.

From the main station (Hauptbahnhof) to the city center is a relatively short and enjoyable 10 to 15 minute walk. Walk out of the Hauptbahnhof, cross the street at the train station cross walk, turn to your right, and go down to the next street to your left. Walk on this street until Maria-Theresien Strasse, then turn right toward the city center. Taking this street all the way leads to the pedestrian zone and the Golden Roof.

By car
Big parts of the downtown area are declared (fee-based) short-term parking zones. For longer visits, it is highly recommended to park off-site and use public transportation.

By public transport
Public local traffic (6 tram-lines, and a dense network of buses) is operated by Innsbrucker Verkehrsbetriebe and a couple of private operators. All public services are organized in Verkehrsverbund Tirol, which means that tickets are valid in every public transport line (including buses, trams and trains). All buses and trams are modern low-floor vehicles.

Sometimes bus lines are split up into different destinations and so it's important to pay attention to the destination displays (outside and inside) and the spoken announcements. Single-fare tickets are €3 in the city fare zone if paid by the driver or €2.40 if purchased at ticket machines. 5-trip tickets are available for €8.00 or €10.00, respectively. Regardless of the door you enter, go to the driver and pay, exact change not necessary. daily tickets, weekly tickets and other sorts of tickets are only offered at multi-language ticket machines to be found at many stations. They can also be purchased at the identically looking machines for short-term parking tickets. You must validate the ticket when you get on your first bus or tram. See the website for all available tickets.

The special bus line "TS" ("The Sightseer") connects the major sights like Schloß Ambras, Bergisel and Alpenzoo to downtown. However special fares apply for this line. If you don't plan to visit every museum it might be reasonably cheaper to use the normal 24 hour ticket without this bus.

Two tram lines lead to two villages in the neighbourhood of Innsbruck.

Tram line nr. 6 connects Innsbruck and the mountain village Igls, which is worth a visit. The line passes the uplands with vast forests and gives some spectacular prospects for travellers either on Innsbruck or on the lovely landscape between Aldrans and Igls. It provides stops immediately near Schloß Ambras and the bathing-lake Lansersee (ice skating in Winter is also possible there). The terminus Igls lies within the city fare zone, so no additional ticket is needed.

Tram line STB is 18 km long and connects Innsbruck with several villages in the Stubaital valley. This tram provides also access to Bergisel (Tirol Panorama) at the station Sonneburgerhof. This station is also situated within die city fare zone. In Mutters, Nockhofweg access to an easy skiing area, the Mutteralm, is provided (10 minutes walk). A beautiful hour's ride will take you at least the small town of Fulpmes. The new red liveried trams offer great scenic views on the journey. It is recommended to make a trip around Halloween, when the larch-trees on the Telfer Wiesen have got their best autumn colour.

By S-Bahn
A suburban train system called S-Bahn with five routes (S1 - S5) connects Innsbruck to villages and towns around the city, from Landeck to Kufstein or Kitzbühel and from Mittenwald to Brenner. Timetables and fares can be found on the VVT website. Inner city VVT tickets are valid between the Hauptbahnhof and (west station),, , and.

By bike
Cycling is common in Innsbruck and especially popular among students. Innsbruck has some bicycle paths, but they are not very well interlinked within the city. A map of all bicycle ways/lanes is available here. In 2012, Innsbruck was awarded Fahrradhauptstadt (cycling capital) by VCÖ (an Austrian traffic advocacy group).

Innsbruck offers short-term shared bike system Stadtrad. It is subject to compulsory registration via this page or machines standing next to the bikes, and requires a credit card number. The registration costs €1 and yields a credit of €1 on the account. A ride less than 30 minutes costs €1, less than 1 hour €3, for every additional hour €3, up to a total of €15 for 24 hours (see their fare overview). The locations are displayed on a map on this site. If you plan on using the bike frequently, you may consider getting an annual membership for €25, which reduces the cost of rentals substantially.

See


The Innsbruck-Card offers free entrance to all of Innsbruck's sights, free use of public transportation (including the TS line). It also includes a one-time ascent&descent to Nordkette, Patscherkofel and Axamer Lizum, and a 10% discount to Swarovski Crystal Worlds in nearby Wattens. The Innsbruck-Card is valid for 24/48/72 hours and can be purchased at Innsbruck Information (Burggraben 3), the TI in Hauptbahnhof, and several museums and tourist offices. The latest Innsbruck card fare can be found here. Since 1 May 2018, rates are €43/€50/€59 for 1/2/3 day cards for adults, and €21.50/€25/€29.50 for children 6-15 years old. And daily or weekly public transport cards are cheap - the "all inclusive" sales pitch is alluring to disoriented travellers, but make sure the discounts are worth the initial price. If you are not seeing these major entrance-fee sites, remember that you may buy more than one daily card at a time, as the 24 hours only starts once validated. Be sure to compare with the price of a weekly ticket too.

The bus line Sightseer (TS) connects the major sights in Innsbruck. However, there is always a cheaper public transport line going to the same destination, though it might take you more time.

Churches and cathedrals




Museums
A combined ticket for the Tyrolean State Museums is available for €10, or €6 discount, and offers entry to The Ferdinand, Hofkirche, Volkskunst, Zeughaus and Das Tiroler Panorama Museums until the end of the calendar year. The ticket includes a free audio guide (which is worth getting as information is otherwise only in German) at some locations.


 * Jakob Hutter, founder of the Hutterite sect, was burnt at the stake in this square in 1536.
 * Jakob Hutter, founder of the Hutterite sect, was burnt at the stake in this square in 1536.



Winter sports
There are a lot of ski resorts in the mountains surrounding Innsbruck, many of which offer free ski buses from the city center so long as you have ski gear and/or a valid ski pass, making it a great place to base one's self. Discount or combo passes can reduce the costs of skiing or snowboarding. In 2022-2023, a "SKI plus CITY pass" combines winter sports discounts with city sightseeing passes.

Below is an overview of notable ski areas easily accessible from Innsbruck. For full information about resorts around Innsbruck and Tirol, see Bergfex.com.


 * {| class="wikitable"

!Name||Tel.||Altitude|| / / || /  /
 * Seegrube – Nordkette|| +43 512 29 33 44 ||860 - 2.260m||4 Lifts: 2 / 2 / -|| 14 km Pistes: 1 / 8 / 5
 * Igls – Patscherkofel|| +43 512 377234 ||900 - 1.960m||8 Lifts: 1 / 2 / 5|| 18 km Pistes: 10 / 8 / -
 * Axamer - Lizum|| +43 5234 68240 (Kasse)||1.583 - 2.340m||10 Lifts: 1 / 6 / 3|| 41 km Pistes: 4 / 27 / 10
 * Kühtai || +43 5239 5222||2.020 - 2.520m||11 Lifts: 1 / 4 / 6|| 44 km Pistes: 7 / 29 / 8
 * Schlick-2000|| +43 5225 62270|| 1.000 - 2.230m|| 10 Lifts: 2 / 1 / 7|| 25 km Pistes: 18 / 8 / 1
 * }
 * Kühtai || +43 5239 5222||2.020 - 2.520m||11 Lifts: 1 / 4 / 6|| 44 km Pistes: 7 / 29 / 8
 * Schlick-2000|| +43 5225 62270|| 1.000 - 2.230m|| 10 Lifts: 2 / 1 / 7|| 25 km Pistes: 18 / 8 / 1
 * }
 * Schlick-2000|| +43 5225 62270|| 1.000 - 2.230m|| 10 Lifts: 2 / 1 / 7|| 25 km Pistes: 18 / 8 / 1
 * }


 * Nordpark is accessible via the tram line 1, the bus lines 1, 4, A, D, E, J and T. The Nordkettenbahn goes up to Seegrube and Hafelekar, where many hiking routes and trip routes start. The Nordpark Singletrail is one of the most ambitious mountain bike freeride routes of Europe.
 * In winter, the Nordpark can offer several ski routes. They are steep and offer a great view of the nearby mountains and the city itself.
 * One ascent&descent is free with the Innsbruck-Card.
 * It is possible to walk or hike all the way up to the summit without taking the cable cars. It is vigorous but doesn't require special equipment. There are places where it is not completely clear which way to go (even with local hiking).



Ice skating is a popular winter activity and there are several public outdoor rinks with evening hours and rental skates (ask for directions to the nearest eislaufplatz). Olympiaworld has an outdoor rink and its TIGLS Arena is used for ice hockey.

It's a bit safer and tamer than bobsledding, but it's still plenty fast and exciting...it's called Bobrafting and you can do it on the Olympic bobsled run in Igls.

Games
The Alpine weather can be unpredictable, and with rain likely to fall in every season, having indoor alternatives to outdoor activities is a must when visiting Innsbruck. For those who enjoy puzzles and riddles, there are 11 room escape games to play in the city.







Nordkettenbahnen
The Nordkettenbahnen are 3 alpine vehicles bringing visitors from the historic centre of the city all the way up to the top of the Nordkette mountain, from where the summit at an altitude of 2334 m can be reached by foot. The first section is the Hungerburgbahn, a funicular departing in. The middle section is the Seegrubenbahn cable car, and the top section is the Hafelekar chairlift. When buying tickets online, the code BONALPINA will give you a 10% discount on tickets for the Nordkettenbahnen.

Spectator sports

 * The Tirol Raiders (as of 2015 they bear the sponsored name Swarco Raiders) play American Football in the first division Austrian Football League (that's the actual name). They have been among the top contenders for the championship for most of the 2010s. They played in the big six in 2014 and 2015. The big six is the top American Football competition for club teams in Europe.

Events

 * New Orleans Festival - Since New Orleans is the partner city of Innsbruck a festival is held every summer featuring a lot of prominent musicians and focussing on Jazz, Blues, Gospels and other styles from the region around New Orleans.
 * The Ski Jump Contest around new year at the Begisel stadium is one of the few moments when Austrians demonstrate true patriotism. As Austrians are very competitive in alpine disciplines this is one of the events that many people follow.
 * For the younger generation the Air & Style Snowboard Contest  is the high point of the year when the best snowboarders of the world compete in the biggest snowboard event of Europe. The event is the first snowboard competition that ever featured the straight jump, it's accompanied by international bands and a crowd of more than 10,000. Usually it is held either around the beginning of December or end of January.
 * In late spring a lot of clubs and pubs participate in the city event Sound City , where downtown Innsbruck becomes a network of discos. Shuttle buses circulate around the city and bring the guests to various locations where a range of international DJs play different styles.
 * The Hafen, the Treibhaus and the p.m.k. are event centers downtown or a little outside of the city. Many concerts, events and parties take place all around the year and are visited by young locals, students and travellers.
 * Note: In the summer season Innsbruck is flooded by tourists from the far east and far west - predominantly older people who are mostly on a European tour - the event calendar adapts to this. The winter season is dominated by younger people, especially students and travellers from all around the world, who provide the city with a vivid nightlife.
 * Note: In the summer season Innsbruck is flooded by tourists from the far east and far west - predominantly older people who are mostly on a European tour - the event calendar adapts to this. The winter season is dominated by younger people, especially students and travellers from all around the world, who provide the city with a vivid nightlife.

Buy
Malls: There are several shopping malls in Innsbruck:

Outside Downtown


Furthermore, there are several warehouses, especially in the suburb of Neu-Rum.

Shopping areas: There are numerous shops in central pedestrian areas like Maria-Theresien-Straße, the Old Town, Franziskanerplatz, Sparkassenplatz and Anichstraße as well as Museumstraße. You will also find shops/stores in quarter centers of Wilten (tram lines 1, 6 and STB) and Pradl (tram line 3).

Souvenir stores in the Old Town offer souvenirs of varying origin, but the Tiroler Heimatwerk (Meranerstraße 2) offers real Tyrolean handcraft. However most of the shops are real tourist traps and are overpriced by far. You will probably find more authentic and cheaper souvenirs in one of the surrounding villages of Innsbruck.

Clothes and footwear
Buy creative footwear:
 * El Natura Lista in Salamander shop (Maria-Theresien 1; also great choice of Tomy Hilfiger shoes)
 * Think! in Stiefelkater (Marktgraben str. 14, +43 512 583065)

Budget
All these are in the city centre:



Religious services

 * Dom St. Jakob, Domplatz 6 (Old Town). Su 10:00, 11:30; M-F 09:30; M-Th 08:00 (Unterkirche)
 * Jesuit church, Karl-Rahner-Platz . Sa 18:00 (English), 19:00; Su 11:00, 18:00, 21:30; M-Sa 07:30 (Krypta), 19:00; Th 21:30 (Krypta)  The only English Mass in the city.
 * Kapuzinerkirche, Kaiserjägerstraße 6 (near the bus parking at Hofgarten). Su 10:00; M-F 06:30, 09:00
 * Alte Spitalskirche zum Hl. Geist, Maria-Theresien-Straße 2 (Old Town). Su 09:30; M-F 18:30
 * Servitenkirche, Maria-Theresienstraße. Sa 17:30; Su 06:30, 10:00, 17:30; M-F 06:30, 10:30, 17:30
 * Herz Jesu, Maximilianstraße 8 (south of Old Town). Sa 18:00; Su 07:00, 09:30, 11:00 (Croat.), 18:00; M-F: 07:00, 08:00, 18:00
 * Islamic Center Tirol (Islamisches Zentrum Tirol), Andreas Hoefer Str. 17 a, tel. 0043512562146

Go next

 * — between Innsbruck and the
 * — the largest alm in Europe and one of the most remote settlements in the Alps
 * — historic salt mining city with the best preserved old town centre in western Austria
 * — home of the Swarvoski Crystal Company and their museum, the world famous
 * — famous for its silver mine
 * — glacier and a skiing resort
 * — glacier and a skiing resort