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.

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.

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 free entrance to Swarovski Kristallwelten in 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. Tip: The latest Innsbruck card fare can be found here (2017: €39/€48/€55 for 1/2/3 day cards). And daily or weekly public transport cards are cheap - the "all inclusive" sales pitch is alluring to disoriented travelers, 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.

A shuttle bus to the Swarovski Kristallwelten in Wattens (about 20 kilometres) leaves from the main entrance of the main train station with a stop at the Hofburg/ Congress, €5 oneway, €9.50 return (the S1 train to Wattens ist €4.50 but you have to walk then about 2.5 kilometres).

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.

Hofkirche

The Hofkirche (Court Church), next to the Hofburg in Innsbruck, was built in 1553 as a memorial Emperor Maximilian I whose cenotaph within boasts a collection of sculptures, localy called Schwarze Mander (dark man). Maximilian's simple tomb is in Wiener Neustadt but the Hofkirche serves as a cenotaph. Now part of the Tiroler Landes Museum.

Goldenes Dachl

The Golden Roofis 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

The Nordkettenbahn is a cable car that goes up to the Hafelekarspitze. The first station of the cable car can be found in the centre of Innsbruck, Renweg (100 metres north of the Hofburg), making it an easy way to enjoy the panoramic views that can be enjoyed from the different stations, Hungerburg, Seegrube, and Hafelekar station. From the highest station, it's a short (and often windy) climb to the top of the Hafelekar at 2,334 metres.

Schloss Amras

The oldest parts of the Schloss Amras are still visible and where built in the 13th and 14th century, but most was done in the 16th century by archduke Ferdinand II for his (morganatic) wife Philippine Welser, it was sometimes a Habsburg residence. The Spanisch Saal is one of the most important freestanding hall buildings of the Renaissance, today used for concerts, particulary of the Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik (Festival of Early Music). The upper castle where the living quarters and the lower castle are a museum, one of the oldest in Europe and the only still existing from the Renaissance. It is now a excellent museum, open daily, 10:00am - 5:00pm. Located a bit outside of the town, get there by tramway 6 and a short walk, or by Postbus 4134 (starting fom the bus terminal next to the main train station).

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.

Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik

Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik is held since 1963 every August in the Schloss Amras in the Spanischer Saal (Spanish Hall) and the Tiroler Landestheater Innsbruck (next the Hofburg) with pre classical (Renaissance and Baroque) Music.

Weather

Innsbruck has average maximum temperatures of around 24 °C 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 °C and -27 °C 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 only airport in Tyrol, Austria with comercial airlines.

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

• Austrian Airlines (Warsaw, Moscow)
• Austrian Arrows now Austrian Airlines (Frankfurt, London, Wien)
• easyJet (London-Gatwick)
• Laudamotion (connected with Ryan air, Palma de Mallorca)
• 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.

The IVB buslinie F goes from the airport to the city centre and the main train station (and bus terminal). Within the city of Innsbruck € 2.40 at the ticket machine (you have to validate this in the bus!), or €3 with the driver, valid in one direction, a change of bus or tram is possible within 30 minutes. There are also 24-hour tickets for € 5.60.

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

Regional buses in Tirol and to East Tirol via South Tirol / Alto Adige Postbus stop at Südbahn Strasse, Innsbruck Hbf Busbahnhof.

Flixbus (to Germany and Italy) hast its stop now 700 metres south at Südbahn Strasse 17 next to a petrol station, the next public transportation would be 700 metres north from around the train station, and no taxi stand near the Flixbus stop (not enough place there).

By Bicycle

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.

Getting Around

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

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.

Visitors should be aware that there sometimes are bus lines that split up into different destinations (the bus line O, for example), 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. 8-trip tickets are available for €14,60 (+€6 if bought at the driver). 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.

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 neighborhood 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 travelers 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. From there it is just a fine 10 Minutes walk to the Patscherkofel Ropeway.

Tram line STB is 18 kilometers 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.

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 Brennero.

By Foot

Most one-day visitors don't use any transport: all of the major Old Town sites are within a reasonable walking time. From the main station (Hauptbahnhof) to the city centre 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 centre. Taking this street all the way leads to the pedestrian zone and the Golden Roof.

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. In 2012, Innsbruck was awarded Fahrradhauptstadt (cycling capital) by VCÖ (an Austrian traffic advocacy group).

Since 2014, 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 €1.00 and yields a credit of €1.00 on the account. A ride less than 30 minutes costs €1.00, less than 1 hour €3.00, and for every additional hour €3.00.

Eat

• Gasthaus Anich, Anichstraße 15 (city center, close to Maria-Theresien Strasse), ☎ +43 512 570450. M-Sa 9:00 - 24:00, closed on Sundays. This is a real "Gasthaus" (tavern) with Austrian cuisine. Not too crowded and mostly visited by locals, it's an insider tip. Great portions. Offers separate smoking and non-smoking areas.
• Buzzihütte, Berchtoldshofweg 14 (remote; take bus H to Berchtoldshof (or O to Allerheiligen) and walk a steep street upwards), ☎ +43 512 283333. Tu-Fr 08:00-24:00; Sa,Su 11:00-24:00. Traditional cuisine; known for "Eiterbeule" (alike Wiener Schnitzel).
• Shere Punjab, Innstraße 19 (city centre, close to the Golden Roof, just cross the bridge), ☎ +43 512 282755. M-Sa 11:00 - 14:30, 17:00 - 22:00. Indian Restaurant. Great portions.
• Magic Pizza Kebab, Innrain 1 (old town, close to Ottoburg, entrance from Herzog Friedrich Str.), ☎ +43 512 560203. Daily till 24.00. The place looks like a 70s American diner and is usually quite populated. Great portions. €2.9 for a Pizza!
• Mamma Mia, Kiebachgasse 2, ☎ +43 512 562902. Excellent Salmon Tagliatelli. No wifi. Walk to the 2nd floor for a more quiet and spacy seating. Soups €3.5; pastas €7.5-8.
• FloJos (Grill, cantina and bar), Seilergasse 12 (in the old town near the Golden Roof), ☎ +43 512 583046. 10:00–02:00. Mexican, Caribbean and Creole food. Serving sizes are very generous and the ambiance is laidback. Average.
• Specialita Italiane e Pizzeria, St. Nikolausgasse 1. Tu-Su 10:00am-2:30pm, 4:00pm-11:00pm. Italian food. They have handmade Gnocchi but it can run out early, so go early if you want to try.

Drink

• Zappa Music Bar, Rechengasse 5 (close to clinic and university main building), ☎ +43 512 581057. mo-so 18.00 to 2.00. Every day of the week has special offers and events. Since it's close to the university there are a lot of students and you might need to call in and order a table.
• Limerick Bill's Irish Pub, Maria-Theresien-Strasse 9 (close to the old town), ☎ +43 512 582011. The place is lively and usually crowded with students and visitors from all over the world, especially a lot of English speakers. Staff is bilingual, so this might be a great place for you to feel home.
• Weekender, Tschamlerstraße 3, ☎ +43 512 570570, e-mail: [email protected]. 18:00 - 02:00 (cafe), club longer. Weekender is a place to both have a drink and to dance. Almost every week there are national and international live bands. A must for indie fans!
• The Galway Bay Pub, Kaiserjäger Strasse 4 (Take a right in front of the goldenes dachl and walk approx.imately 500 metres straight ahead), ☎ +43512251541. Daily 17:00-01:00. Authentic Irish pub with two large floors. Pub quizzes every Monday (except during summer), Open Mic Night every Thursday. mid range.
• Treibhaus, Angerzellgasse 8 (next to Old Town), ☎ +43 512 572000. café daily 5:00pm to 1:00am. Almost daily events, e.g. concerts, film/tv screenings, comedy shows and dances. Every Friday free concerts. Spacious café with garden, jazz salon and two big event halls. The all-female staff ("Weiberwirtschaft") serves food and snacks (pizza, kebab) in the café till midnight.

Sleep

• Campsite Innsbruck Kranebitten. Kranebitter Allee 214.
• Hotel Binders, Dr. Glatzstrasse 20, ☎ +43 512-33436, fax: +43 512 33436-99, e-mail: [email protected]. edt
• Austrotel Innsbruck, Bernhard-Höfel-Strasse 16, ☎ +43 512-344 333-0, fax: +43 512 344-428, e-mail: [email protected].
• Grand Hotel Europa, Südtiroler Platz 2, ☎ +43 512-5931102, fax: +43 512 587800, e-mail: [email protected].
• Hotel the PENZ, Adolf Pichler Platz 3, ☎ +43 512-575657, fax: +43 512 5756579, e-mail: [email protected].

You can use the form below to search for availability (Travellerspoint receives a commission for bookings made through the form)

Keep Connected

Internet

Internet cafes are common in bigger cities. Hotels in cities do normally have internet terminals, more expensive hotels provide internet access directly in the rooms. There are many free WiFi Hotspots and quite a few restaurants, cafes and other places offers free wifie. McDonald's has free Wifi, as does Starbucks. Note that some places might charge a fee or includes just limited amounts of time. Be sure that your smartphone is not roaming data, as this will mean a huge bill, especially if you are from outside the EU.

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The general emergency number is 112.The country calling code to Austria is: 43. To make an international call from Austria, the code is: 00.

Austria has a perfect GSM and 3G (UMTS) network coverage of nearly 100%. If you bring your own cell phone with you assure yourself that it operates on 900 MHz / 1800 MHz (GSM) or 2100Mhz (3G WCDMA). There are cell phones that operate at 1900 MHz (e.g. networks in the United States) which are not supported in Austria. If you plan a longer visit in Austria it might be useful to buy a new mobile with a prepaid card from a local cell phone network provider. Be aware that some remote areas (especially mountainous areas) do not have network coverage yet, though this rather the exception than the rule.Austria has a large number of cell network providers including A1, T-Mobile, Drei, Telering, Bob, Hot and Yesss. Bob, and Yesss have the lowest prices. Prepaid card costs €15 including 100 minutes talking time.

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. If you want to send parcels internationally, you might consider using an international company like DHL, TNT, UPS or FedEx, as they offer fast and reliable services at relatively affordable rates.

External Links

• Official Website