Hiking from Innsbruck

Facts checked October 2026 against operator sources. Prices and times change, the booking page wins.

Innsbruck is the city where the hike starts at the tram stop. The routes below need no mountain experience, just proper shoes and a lift ticket. Distances and climbs from tirol.at, nordkette.com and patscherkofelbahn.at.

Hike	Length	Time	Climb	Start	Ticket
Zirbenweg (Stone Pine Trail)	7 km	2 h 30	200 m up, 100 m down	Patscherkofel top station (1,952 m) to Tulfeinalm	circular ticket Patscherkofel + Glungezer lifts €39.50, with bus J €43; children €22.50 / €25
Perspektivenweg (Path of Perspectives)	2.8 km	1 h	142 m	Seegrube (1,905 m)	Nordkette to Seegrube €50.40
Goetheweg	5.2 km one way	4.5–5 h return	high point about 2,270 m	Hafelekar to the Pfeishütte hut	Nordkette to Hafelekar €56
Hungerburg to Arzler Alm	1.5 km one way	30–45 min	200 m	Hungerburg	funicular €14
Arzler Alm – Rumer Alm – Enzianhütte	8 km	4 h	about 400 m	Hungerburg	funicular €14
Lanser See loop	4.3 km	1 h 30	slight	tram 6 or bus J	IVB ticket €3.30
Patscherkofel summit	short from the top station	1 h	300 m	Patscherkofel lift from Igls	return €33, children €18

The three to know

• Zirbenweg. At 2,000 metres between Patscherkofel and Glungezer through one of Europe's largest stands of stone pine, part of the Eagle Walk, almost flat. Alpine roses in June and July. Up on the Patscherkofel lift, down on the Glungezer lift and bus J, all on one ticket.
• Perspektivenweg. From Seegrube, 2.8 km with ten Corten-steel pieces by Snøhetta carrying Wittgenstein quotations; the viewing platform is the photograph of the city.
• Goetheweg. From Hafelekar to the Pfeishütte at 1,922 m, the classic Karwendel introduction, five hours there and back with a stop at the hut.

Via ferrata

The Innsbrucker Klettersteig starts a few metres west of the Hafelekar station, mostly grade C/D, two sections over the Kaminspitzen and Kemacher to the Langer Sattel, 4.5 to 6.5 hours with about 650 m of climbing. The Nordkette sells a separate via ferrata ticket. Only with a set and experience; the Stubai valley has 16 more.

Lift seasons 2026

Nordkette summer 25 April to 1 November: funicular from 7:15, Seegrube lift from 8:30, Hafelekar lift 9:00 to 17:00, an hour longer from June to September. Patscherkofel 14 May to 1 November daily 9:00 to 17:00, Thursday evenings to 23:00. Both are in the Innsbruck Card with one return trip each.

What to bring

Even on the Zirbenweg at 2,000 metres the weather turns in an hour: a windproof layer, sun cream and a litre of water per person are the minimum, and trail shoes are enough on all seven routes. The huts on the Zirbenweg (Tulfeinalm) and the Goetheweg (Pfeishütte) serve food in season but take cash more readily than cards. Lift tickets can be bought at the valley stations; the last descents are at 17:00 on the Nordkette and Patscherkofel outside the summer extension, which matters more than it sounds on the Goetheweg.