PlanetSKI Hits Innsbruck & Four of its Ski Areas

3rd February 2025 | Jane Peel, Innsbruck, Austria

Is there a better ‘ski city’ anywhere in the world? If there is, I have yet to find it. In just four days I see the sights of Innsbruck and explore the slopes of four of the region’s ski areas. NEW

Surrounded by mountains, Innsbruck is a skier’s paradise but a great place to visit in its own right.

To come here and head straight for the slopes would be a mistake.

A big mistake, in my humble opinion.

Innsbruck, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

I could spend hours, days, weeks even, wandering the colourful streets.

Innsbruck, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

Appreciating its architecture, old and new.

Innsbruck, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

Immersing myself in its long history.

Innsbruck, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

Taking time out to enjoy the city’s café/coffee culture.

Innsbruck, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

Soaking up the night-time views.

Innsbruck, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

And for a morning treat, eating the endless brunch available in the restaurant at the the top of the Bergisel ski jump overlooking the city….

Brunch at the top of the Bergisel Ski Jump, Innsbruck. Image © PlanetSKI

…before seeing what professional ski jumpers see as they prepare to launch themselves down the 120 metre jump.

Bergisel Ski Jump, Innsbruck. Image © PlanetSKI

I’m sitting on something they call the ‘tremble bench’.

It’s well named.

Despite the safety harness, it’s surprisingly scary shuffling across to the start position.

The record distance jumped here in competition is 138 metres.

It’s possible to jump 150m, I’m told, but, if you do, you’ll land on the flat and you’re dead.

Which is no doubt why there’s a strategically sited graveyard at the bottom.

Spot the graveyard at the bottom of the Bergisel ski jump, Innsbruck. Image © PlanetSKI

I’m more comfortable back at the bottom, on firm ground looking up at the jump and its impressive tower, designed by the late Iraqi-British architect, Zaha Hadid.

Bergisel ski jump, Innsbruck. Image © PlanetSKI

In my view, a visit to Bergisel is a must if you’re spending any time in the city.

Check out the weather forecast before you book to make the most of the views.

Olympic cauldron, Bergisel ski jump, Innsbruck. Image © PlanetSKI

Olympic rings, Bergisel ski jump, Innsbruck. Image © PlanetSKI

Although I am packing a lot in to a short stay, in order to fully experience everything Innsbruck has to offer, I’m going to have to return in the summer, once the snow has melted.

Because one of my main reasons for being here is to sample just a handful of the many ski areas little more than a stone’s throw from Innsbruck.

THE SKIING

There are 6 that surround the city and 12 in total that are officially in the Innsbruck region.

I’m skiing in 4 in 4 days.

Axamer Lizum

First up is Axamer Lizum, which hosted almost all the alpine events at both the 1964 and 1976 Innsbruck Winter Olympics.

It is 19km from the city centre and easily accessible on the free buses that come with my Ski & City pass.

My route takes me from Innsbruck railway station to the village of Axams.

Axams, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

Then it’s a change to the ski bus that winds up the mountain to the resort base.

The whole trip takes around 50 minutes before I arrive at the car park at 1,560 metres altitude, just by the main gondola.

It’s clear there’s no shortage of snow.

Axamer Lizum, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

A 6-minute ride, with a view back down to Innsbruck in the valley below, takes skiers to the top at 2,340m.

Axamer Lizum, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

I am aware that PlanetSKI’s editor, James Cove, was bowled over when he first visited Axamer Lizum.

Would I be suitably impressed?

Yes. Wow, just wow.

Axamer Lizum, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

It may have little more than 40km of marked runs but who cares when they’re just so, so good.

And, on a midweek afternoon, practically empty.

Axamer Lizum, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

I guess I am lucky that my visit comes just 48 hours after a snowstorm blanketed Axamer Lizum – and the other areas I am to visit – in 50 centimetres of snow.

The largely north-facing slopes here are in perfect condition – grippy, chalky and fast with plenty of steep pitches.

It’s probably the best on-piste skiing I’ve had so far this winter.

Axamer Lizum, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

Most of the pistes are red and blue with just one black, but it’s the sort of place where I could easily spend the whole day lapping the best of them over and over again.

After a full afternoon blasting around, it’s a very happy skier – and one grateful to find a seat on the bus – who is returning to Innsbruck.

Public transport between Innsbruck & Axamer Lizum. Image © PlanetSKI

Heading home from Axamer Lizum. Image © PlanetSKI

Rangger Köpfl

Day two and I’m off to a ski area that I’ve never heard of.

Like Axamer Lizum, it’s one of Innsbruck’s local ski hills.

And a hill is really all it is.

Rangger Köpfl. Image © PlanetSKI

Rangger Köpfl has a handful of family-friendly runs from the top at 2,000m to 1,400m.

Just occasionally, if there’s enough snow, they’ll open up a run down to the village of Oberperfuss below at 812m.

It’s popular with ski tourers who can climb up the side of the quiet slopes without interfering with those coming downhill.

Rangger Köpfl, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

Rangger Köpfl has undergone significant modernisation this year.

A 50-year-old T-bar lift has been replaced with a new, combined gondola and chairlift.

The new lift at Rangger Köpfl, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

I record my first impressions for the PlanetSKI Snow Report after a morning’s skiing on Friday 31 January.

And here I am on a corduroy piste late morning with not another skier in sight.

Kühtai

Next up, I travel a little further from the city to the highest ski area in the Innsbruck region.

Kühtai is 35km from Innsbruck but, again, you can get there by bus from the city.

It’s a scenic drive.

Even better when there’s snow on the trees.

Although by no means huge, the skiing is more extensive than the other areas I’ve visited, with 49km of slopes.

You can almost double that to 90km as the lift pass takes in both Kühtai and Hochoetz.

It is also more of a holiday destination, though locals come here too, many of them to ski tour or use the cross-country tracks.

It is the highest ski village in Austria at just over 2,000m and the skiing rises to 2,520m.

There are plenty of challenging runs with the resort most suited for skiers and snowboarders who are at least good intermediates.

The majority of the runs are reds and blacks.

Even on a ‘busy’ Saturday afternoon on 1 February, there are no crowds and the snow is excellent.

There is a lot of accessible off-piste but, three days after the latest big snowfall, it is well tracked out.

Muttereralm

And finally, another of Innsbruck’s local hills.

Muttereralm is a small ski area above the village of Mutters.

It’s less than 10km away from the city centre and a 15-20 minute drive.

View towards Mutters from the Muttereralm base station, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

There are only around 15km of pistes from 1,800m down to around 950m.

There is one short section of black with the rest blues and reds, so most of the people you’ll see are families with small children.

In fact, local kindergartens are the main clients of the ski school here.

There are two long runs from the top.

One takes you all the way down to the Nockspitz gondola at Götzens and the other back to the Muttereralm base station.

It’s a sensible place to end my adventure, as I manage to see the entire ski area (some of it more than once) in the 90 minutes I have before making the short hop to Innsbruck airport for an afternoon flight home.

Leaving the slopes when the sky is blue and the sun is shining is always a wrench but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my Innsbruck Ski & City experience.

It’s made me hungry to return.

After all, there are many more ski areas in the region that I’ve yet to see.

The Ski & City Pass includes all 12 ski resorts in the Innsbruck region with a total of 265 km of pistes. It also includes 22 sights and attractions.

More information about all the skiing and everything on offer in the region can be found on the Innsbruck website.

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