How To Get Around In Innsbruck
How To Get Around In Innsbruck On Foot
From the Main Station to the City Center
If you get in Innsbruck by rail, the major station—Hauptbahnhof—is conveniently located in the city center. From the Hauptbahnhof, getting to the heart of the city takes no more than ten or fifteen minutes on a well-marked path.
- After leaving the Hauptbahnhof, cross the street at the crosswalk adjacent to the train station, turn right, and then down the next street on the left. This roadway goes under Südtiroler Platz.
- Following Südtiroler Platz comes Maria-Theresien Strace, the main thoroughfare of the city. Rising in the middle of the roadway is a monument to Maria Theresa, the Empress. Maria-Theresien Strace will lead you straight into the city center.
- Following this road will allow one to reach the pedestrian zone and most well-known landmark of Innsbruck—the Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl). Late Gothic balconies built by Emperor Maximilian I date back to the fifteenth century Two thousand fifty-seven copper tiles, fire-gilded, decorate the ceiling.
From the City Center to Other Attractions
Once in the heart of the city, you may stroll straight to additional Innsbruck attractions including:
- The home of the Habsburg monarchs between the 15th and the 19th century was the Imperial Palace (Hofburg). It boasts a museum, a church, and opulent chambers.
- Comprising 28 bronze sculptures of Emperor Maximilian I’s forefathers and relations as well as a cenotaph, the Imperial Church (Hofkirche)
- A Baroque cathedral with a beautiful interior and a well-known Madonna picture by Lucas Cranach the Elder, the Cathedral of St. James (Dom zu St. Jakob)
- Offering a panoramic perspective of the city and the Alps from its 31-meter-high platform, the City Tower (Stadtturm)
- The charming Old Town (altstadt), with its narrow lanes, vibrant homes, and little stores and cafés.
From the City Center to the Mountains
Alternatively, you may wander to one of the nearby slopes to enjoy Innsbruck’s amazing landscape. For a bird’s-eye perspective of the terrain, some hiking, skiing, bicycling, or other activities, take one of the several cable cars or funiculars up to the peaks. See some sites here:
- Literally “North Chain,” the Northkette is an alpine mountain range found in the country’s Karwendel area. Beginning in the center of the city, you might ride the Northkettenbahnen (North Chain Cable Cars) to the Hungerburg station and then on to the Seegrube station, where you would be treated to a magnificent view over the city and the Inn Valley. Reaching the highest point of the Nordkette, the Hafelekar station is 2,256 meters above sea level.
- Patchwork Mountain, often called the Patscherkofel, is south of Innsbruck. Here, among other things, the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics were staged. From the city center, the village of Igls is bus-accessible; from there, you can ride the Patchwork Mountain Cable Car to the hilltop, where you can visit the Olympic bobsleigh track, hiking trail system, and enjoy the views.
- Built on the Bergisel hill, south of Innsbruck, architect Zaha Hadid’s modern ski jumping facility, the Bergisel Ski Jump (Bergiselschanze), is Riding the Bergisel Funicular (Bergiselbahn) from the city center will get you to the base of the ski jump. You can then ascend via an elevator. Once there, you could relax at the cafe and enjoy the surroundings, see the ski jump museum, or watch the jumpers in action.
How To Get Around In Innsbruck By Car
Parking Zones and Fees
Innsbruck boasts several parking lots, each with an own charge and maximum length. Along with the sites of the public transit stops, the official website of the city features a map of all the garages, multi-story parking lots, and parking lots. Clicking on the symbols on the map will get you access to further specifics about parking rates and timings. You can also see the payment stations and the signs indicating limited parking along the sides of the road. Show the receipt from the parking machine behind your windscreen when parking. Parking outside of specified times comes without charge. For instance, you may park for free on Sundays and in some temporary parking lots. Please ask someone from the neighborhood or obey the parking guidance signs placed on the roadways for your safety.
Resident Parking
Parking in white line-defined zones is forbidden. These are only for usage by residents with the necessary permits. Should you park there, you could get a ticket. Anybody living in Innsbruck with a registered car can apply for a resident parking permit. See the official website for further information about the application and the related expenses.
Park & Ride
Driving around Innsbruck is a cheap and simple approach with Tivoli’s Park & Ride (P & R). To keep your car there, you may pay a daily parking charge. The public transportation system of the city is free for usage up to five times. For daily trips, sightseeing, and shopping, this is ideal for a single, reasonable cost. The official website has further information on the P & R service including the location.
Outside of Innsbruck
Every town and village outside of Innsbruck has separate parking policies. Check the local signs and limits before you park your car. While some companies charge a fee or rely on a permit, others provide free parking. You might also explore the well-connected and dependable public transit system to go about. Further information on public transportation choices and pricing is available on the official website.
How To Get Around In Innsbruck By Public Transport
Buses and Trams
Run by Innsbrucker Verkehrsbetriebe (IVB) and certain private companies, Innsbruck has a robust public transit system. Using one of the four tram lines or the large bus system allows you go almost anywhere in the city and environs. Thanks to the Verkehrsverbund Tirol (VVT) system, which arranges all regional public services, the tickets are valid on all lines of public transit, including buses, trams and trains. Modern low-floor vehicles like all buses and trams allow strollers and people with disabilities. Currently under development is the tram network to improve service and reach further sites.
Should you be a visitor, you should be advised that certain bus lines have multiple branches, so depending on the time of day they travel to different places. Bus line O could get you to the Olympic Village, the main train station, or the airport depending on the direction and stop. You should so pay attention to the spoken announcements as well as the destination displays on the exteriors and interiors of the buses. To arrange your journey and examine times and routes, you might also use the IVB or VVT applications.
The distance and length of your journey define the cost of your ticket. Purchased from a ticket machine, single-fare tickets cost €2.00; paid straight to the driver will cost €2.30. Five-trip tickets for €8.00 or €10.00 are also purchaseable. These tickets are valid in the city fare zone, which covers most of the metropolitan area, one hour. During the validity period, you may change buses or trams as many times as you like; but, you cannot stop your trip and start it later. Daily, weekly, or monthly tickets allowing unrestricted travel inside the city fare zone and beyond are also available. Only bilingual ticket machines—found at several stations and stops—allow access to these tickets. They might also be bought from the machines offering temporary parking passes. You can pay with credit card or cash. Check your ticket by sliding it into the blue or yellow devices as you board your first bus or tram. Show the driver or inspector your mobile ticket should you have one. Further price and ticket information is available on the IVB and VVT websites.
The Sightseer, or TS, bus links Innsbruck’s best sights—the Alpenzoo, the Schloß Ambras, and the Bergisel ski jump. From 9:00 to 17:00 this bus runs every 30 minutes; you can board and get off as many times as you wish. But this bus has a different fare structure that is incompatible with regular tickets. For €12.00 you could buy a 24-hour ticket; for €15.00 you could buy a 48-hour ticket with free access to some institutions and discounts at others. These tickets are bought at the tourist office, the ticket machines, or the driver. Further details about the TS bus may be found on the Innsbruck Tourism website.
Trams to the Countryside
Two tram lines connecting the city to two nearby villages allow you to explore the breathtaking surroundings of Innsbruck.
From the city center to the well-known hiking, skiing, and golfing mountain hamlet of Igls, tram line 6 links The about 25-minute tram journey offers amazing views of Innsbruck and the nearby countryside. Depending on the season, you could swim or skate in the Lansersee, a natural lake, or visit the Renaissance castle Schloß Ambras with its museum and park. You don’t have to buy another ticket as the Igls tram terminus is inside the city tariff zone. From there, the Patscherkofel cable car brings you to the mountain’s peak for panoramic views and other activities around ten minutes’ walk.
Connecting Innsbruck to many towns in the Stubaital valley—known for its glaciers, waterfalls, and forests—the STB tram line travels The tram trip covers eighteen kilometers of breathtaking scenery over about one hour. Another perspective is the Bergisel ski jump, which contains the Tirol Panorama museum emphasizing Tyrol’s history and culture. Sonneburgerhof, also inside the city fare zone, is the closest tram station to the museum. Nockhofweg in Mutters is another place you might desire to visit; it offers access to the Mutteralm ski resort with mild slopes and a Toboggan track. The lovely village Fulpmes’ tram station boasts a tiny museum, church, and smithy to visit. The new red trams provide great valley views and are really spacious. Around Halloween, when the larch trees in the Telfer Wiesen meadows turn golden, producing an amazing contrast to the snow-capped Alps, is the best time to come.
S-Bahn Trains
The S-Bahn links Innsbruck to neighboring cities and villages in Tyrol and beyond, therefore allowing you go further from the city. Depending on the destination and time of day, the five lines (S1–S5) of the S-Bahn network run every 15–30 minutes. As long as you keep inside the VVT pricing zones, you may use the same tickets for buses and trams. Regional tickets, which provide unlimited travel inside Tyrol or across the border to Germany or Italy, are another buying option. See the ÖBB website for further information on S-Bahn trains and regional tickets.
S-Bahn might get you to the following locations:
- Medieval settlement Landeck is situated at the junction of three valleys. The Landeck Castle, the Zammer Lochputz canyon, and the Venet ski area are among attractions visitors could find.
- Nestled on the Inn River, Kufstein is a picturesque town with the Kaisergebirge mountains, Riedel Glass Factory, and Kufstein Fortress.
- Well-known ski resort Kitzbühel boasts the Kitzbühel Museum, the Schwarzsee lake, and the Hahnenkamm race among other attractions.
- Beautiful Bavarian village Mittenwald has views of the Karwendel Mountains, painted houses, and a violin museum.
- Boundary town Brennero in South Tyrol views the Eisacktal Valley, Outlet Center, and Brenner Pass.
How To Get Around In Innsbruck By Bicycle
If you are visiting Innsbruck, the capital of Tyrol in Austria, you might want to ride a bike around the city. Particularly among students, cycling is very popular in Innsbruck as it’s a healthy, fun, and ecologically friendly means of mobility. Innsbruck has a range of bike paths with breathtaking views of the Alps, river, and historic buildings. But they are not closely connected across the city, hence your travel schedule will demand careful planning. Here one may obtain a map of all the bike lanes/paths.
Acknowledging its efforts to foster cycling culture and infrastructure, VC (an Austrian traffic advocacy group) named Innsbruck Fahrradhauptstadt (cycling capital) in 2012. Still, there is room for development as some bikers lament limited lanes, lack of bike parking, and incidents with cars and pedestrians.
If you do not have a bike, you can make use of Stadtrad, a temporary shared bike system run since 2014. One must register using this page or machines placed next to the motorcycles and a credit card number is needed. The account gets credited €1.00, which is the registration fee. See fee overview; a trip of less than thirty minutes costs €1.00; a ride of less than an hour costs €3.00; each extra hour costs €3.00. The app or the map shows the locations of the Stadtrad stations; the bike can be returned at any one of them.
Discovering the charm, beauty, difficulties, and opportunities of Innsbruck is much enhanced by riding there. You will discover something to suit your tastes and budget whether your riding is casual or devoted.
