City of Innsbruck

The capital of Tyrol and fifth-largest city in Austria. Innsbruck is an internationally renowned winter sports centre. 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.

Innsbruck tourism website
Government website

Basic tourist information

Due to its location between high mountains, Innsbruck serves as an ideal place for skiing in winter, ski-jumping and mountaineering in summer. There are several ski resorts around Innsbruck, with the Nordkette (map) served by a cable car and additional chair lifts further up. Other ski resorts nearby include Axamer Lizum (map), Muttereralm (map), Patscherkofel (map), Igls, Seefeld in Tirol (map), Tulfes (map) and Stubai Valley (map). The glaciated terrain in the latter makes skiing possible even in summer months.

 Travel tipsSightseeingHiking

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 classic walk into old Innsbruck follows. From the main station Hauptbahnhof (map) 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 (map), then turn right toward the city center. Taking this street all the way leads to the pedestrian zone and the Golden Roof.

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.

Innsbruck’s Hofkirche (map) has the most important emperor’s tomb monument (of emperor Maximilian I) in Europe. Especially characteristic are the larger-than-life bronzes (“schwarze Mander”) that show members of different dynasties.

Cathedral at Saint Jacob (map) Baroque styled cathedral, with works of Lucas Cranach the Elder. From 1717-1724 it was rebuilt (after damage from an earthquake) according to the plans of Johann Jakob Herkomer and Johann Georg Fischer. Free entrance.

Ambras Castle (map). A castle and palace in Renaissance style that was built in 1563 on behalf of Archduke Ferdinand II of Tyrol in the hills overlooking the city. The Lower Castle is home to armouries featuring numerous masterpieces preserved as evidence of the armourer’s art from that era.

Helbling House (map). A 15th-century house which adopted different architectural styles in later centuries until it evolved into its current amalgamation of Gothic and Baroque facade. The Rococo stucco decorations that look like icing on a cake were added in the early 18th century.

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.

Alpinist Association Museum (map). Museum dedicated to the history of alpinism, hosted in the Hofburg. The museum is owned and operated by the Austrian Alpine Club ÖAV, and received numerous prizes including the Tyrolean and Austrian Museum Prizes.

Anatomical Museum (map). From June to September only on appointment. Famous for its exhibition Body Worlds, the modern version of an anatomical museum. It belongs to the city’s university, hosted in the Institute of Anatomy.

Imperial Palace (map). The palace is a former Habsburg palace, and considered one of the 3 most important cultural buildings in Austria (the others being the Hofburg palace and Schönbrun palace in Vienna). The museum areas illustrate different aspects of the political and cultural history of the imperial palace under reign of the Habsburg dynasty for over 4.5 centuries.

Golden Roof (map). Most famous landmark of the city since 1500, the Golden Roof is a late-Gothic alcove balcony of which the roof is decorated with 2657 fire-gilded copper tiles. It was built to commemorate the wedding of Emperor Maximilian I with Bianca Maria Sforza.

Also сheck оut мore info about Innsbruck: WikipediaWikivoyage

Regions & Cities of Austria

Austria
::: Source: www.ezilon.com

Salzkammergut – the region is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site as “Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape“. Lower Austria, Wachau — inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000 with the towns *Melk, *Spitz, *Dürnstein and KremsSalzburg (state) – the most important forms of income are tourism and agriculture.

Tyrol – is a multi-national historical region in the heart of the Alps. South Tyrol, despite its German-speaking majority, has been part of Italy since the end of World War I. It makes up the northern portion of the alpine Italian autonomous province Trentino-Alto Adige with its capital in Bolzano / Bozen.

Vorarlberg – the state is almost entirely mountainous and enjoys one of the highest standards of living and income levels in Austria due to its proximity to Switzerland. It is also is home to an Alemanic alpine culture, quite different to the rest of Austria making it a special place in the country even to other Austrians.

For the most up-to-date information, see the official tourist resources.

Transport around Innsbruck

IVB | VVT

Public local traffic (4 tram-lines, and a dense network of buses) is operated by Innsbrucker Verkehrsbetriebe (IVB) and a couple of private operators. All public services are organized in Verkehrsverbund Tirol (VVT), which means that tickets are valid in every public transport line (including buses, trams and trains).

Getting There & Around (austria.info) • Information about bicycles > radlobby.at.

Eurolines Austria / ÖBB postbus.at / InterCityBus

Trains are the best and most common form of mass transportation in Austria. Comfortable and moderately priced trains connect major cities and many towns; buses serve less significant towns and lakes. The two forms of transport are integrated and designed to complement each other, and intercity coaches exist but don’t provide anywhere near the level of intercity rail service.

FlixBus are one of the leading long-distance providers in Europe and operate a network of around 1,700 stops within 28 countries. Within Austria, this coach provider operates a network of 34 stops which make it easy to travel even further.

RegioJet are a private Czech coach provider, who operate bus routes around the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and 90 other cities throughout Europe.

Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof (map), the most important railway station of Innsbruck and Tyrol, is one of the busiest railway stations in Austria. Austrian Nightjet sleeper trains run twice a week to Brussels, taking 15 hours via Munich, Cologne, Aachen and Liège.

The railways are managed by the Austrian Federal Railways ÖBB. Wien Hauptbahnhof (map) – is the main railway station in Vienna. The station names of all stops in Vienna start with its German name “Wien“.  + Rail Europe

Wien Westbahnhof (map). The services from Salzburg run by the private company WestBahn terminate here. Apart from it, only regional trains serve the Westbahnhof. Westbahn also serves a few other otherwise regional stations such as Wien Mitte and Wien Praterstern.

The Alpen Express is a sleeper train that takes you directly from Amsterdam to Austria’s most famous ski areas in Tirol.

Travelling times between major Austrian cities:

  • Vienna ⇔ Salzburg = less than 2,5 hours with ÖBB railjet
  • Salzburg ⇔ Innsbruck = less than 2 hours with ÖBB railjet
  • Innsbruck ⇔ Bregenz = starting from approx. 2,5 hours
  • Vienna ⇔ Graz = 2 hours 38 min.
  • Graz ⇔ Linz = starting from approx. 3 hours
  • Graz ⇔ Innsbruck = starting from approx. 6 hours

Austria has a well-developed road network which lets you reach your destination with ease. Find all pertinent information about rules of the road and answers to frequently asked questions.

“Vignette” toll stickerCurrent traffic informationAustrian driving rules in detailElectric filling stations in AustriaHire a car

An excellent motorway, highway, and federal road network connects Austria with its neighbouring countries. All main border check points are open day and night. In general, Austrian traffic regulations and traffic signals are similar to those enforced in other European countries.

Innsbruck Airport is located in the suburb of Kranebitten, which is located in the west of the city. The most important international airport is Vienna airportSt. Gallen-Altenrhein AirportFriedrichshafen.

Riverboats on the Danube include connections with LinzBratislava and Budapest, but are slower and more expensive than other options.

LOD – Run a fast hydrofoil between Vienna and Bratislava May–October with up to two daily departures.

Twin City Liner – A fast catamaran between Vienna and Bratislava March–December with up to four daily departures.

Mahart Passnave – Operate a fast hydrofoil between Vienna and Budapest May–October with daily departures during the peak season.