Innsbruck

Introduction

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Innsbruck was once the home of the imperial court of the Holy Roman Empire, a focal point of European politics. Today it still is the capital of the Austrian state of Tyrol, and one of Austria's primary tourist destinations, known for its historic buildings, charming town centre and sports facilities. That last attraction has made it the site of some major sports events, including the Winter Olympics in 1964 and 1976, the Winter Paralympics in 1984 and 1988, and the UEFA Euro 2008.

Neighbourhoods

Sights and Activities

Innsbruck has an extensive number of historic buildings, including the Emperial Hofburg and the Hofkirche, museums, parks and squares for visitors to enjoy.

Golden Roof

The Golden Roof is a 3 story balcony construction that was built in the 15th century. The construction has over 2,500 gilded copper tiles on it's roof (hence the name: Golden Roof). It was constructed for Emperor Maximilian I who used it as a royal box, to watch the tournaments and games on the main square.

Hafelekar

Hafelekarspitze 2334 m

© All Rights Reserved Herr Bert

The Nordkettebahn is a cable car that goes up to the Hafelekarspitze. The first station of the cable car can be found in the center of Innsbruck, making it an easy way to enjoy the panoramic views that can be enjoyed from the different stations. From the highest station, it's a short (and often windy) climb to the top of the Hafelekar at 2,334 m.

Events and Festivals

Four Hills tournament (vierschanzentournee)

On the 4th of January it is Innbruck's turn to host a round of the vierschanzentournee, as ski jumping event held in 4 towns in Germany and Austria. The ski jump from Innsbruck is notorious among the jumpers as from their starting point they have a very nice view at the cementary grounds. The event that takes place on the Olympic ramp draws massive crowds, and is also aired live on television.

Weather

Innsbruck has average maximum temperatures of around 24 degrees Celsius from June to early September and winter temperatures slightly above zero during the day and a few degrees below at night (December-February), though records of 37 and -27 respectively have been recorded. Rainfall (or some snow in winter) is quite evenly throughout the year but is June to August are significantly wetter with heavy rainshowers.

Getting There

By Plane

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Innsbruck Airport (INN) is the busiest airport in Tyrol, Austria, and it's the hub of Tyrolean Airways, Welcome Air and Austrian Arrows.

The following airlines fly to Innsbruck Airport on a regular basis:

• Austrian Airlines (Warsaw, Moscow)
• Austrian Arrows operated by Tyrolean Airways (Frankfurt, London, Wien)
• easyJet (London-Gatwick)
• Niki (Palma de Mallorca, Rhodi)
• Scandinavian Airlines System (Copenhagen)
• TUIfly (Cologne/Bonn)
• Welcome Air (Gothenburg-Landvetter, Graz, Hannover, Kristiansand, Olbia, Nice, Stavanger)

There are also nearby airports in Munich, Klagenfurt, Friedrichshafen, Salzburg and Zurich.

By Train

Innsbruck's train station is a major regional hub, with connections to Venice, Bolzano, Zurich, Munich, Graz and Vienna. ÖBB operate the Austrian train service, and their website has timetables and ticket prices.

By Car

Innsbruck is situated where the A12 and A13 converge, making it a straightforward drive from northern Italy, Salzburg, Munich and Switzerland.

By Bus

By Boat

Getting Around

By Car

By Public Transport

Innsbruck has a public transport system consisting of buses and trams, operated by IVB. The system is integrated, so a single ticket can be used for travel on bus, trams or trains throughout Tyrol. Check timetables and ticket prices on the IVB website.

By Foot

By Bike

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Work

Learn

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

For more information, it is best to check the Austrian Postal Service. They have more information about posting letters, postcards and packages to places both in Austria and to other countries in Europe and intercontinental destinations. The standard price for sending domestic letters/postcards is €0.55. Within Europe the price is €0.65, other places in the world are €0.90 to €1.40 for standard letters and postcards. Post offices typically are open between 8:00am and 6:00pm Monday to Friday, though the main ones are sometimes open a few hours longer and on Saturdays (sometimes only mornings) as well.