Getting Around Innsbruck
Innsbruck is a compact city set in a broad valley between high mountains, and much of what a visitor wants to see sits close together. Many people visiting for a day or two never use any transport at all, because the major Old Town sights are within a reasonable walking time of one another. For everything else, the city has a reliable local network of trams and buses, a suburban rail system, taxis, shared bikes, and a small airport with a direct bus link into town.
On Foot
Walking is the simplest way to cover central Innsbruck. The classic route into the Old Town starts at the main station (Hauptbahnhof): leave the station, cross at the station crosswalk, turn right, then take the next street on your left and follow it until Maria-Theresien Strasse. Turn right there and continue toward the city centre; the street leads into the pedestrian zone and on to the Golden Roof. The whole walk from the station to the centre is short and enjoyable, taking roughly ten to fifteen minutes.
Because the centre is compact and very walkable, a car is not needed within the city. If you do drive in, note that large parts of the downtown area are designated fee-based short-term parking zones, and for longer stays it is strongly recommended to park off-site and use public transport instead.
Trams and Buses
Local public transport is operated by Innsbrucker Verkehrsbetriebe together with a few private operators, and consists of a tram network plus a dense network of buses. All services are organised under the Verkehrsverbund Tirol (VVT) umbrella, which means a ticket is valid across every public transport line, including buses, trams and trains. Buses and trams are modern low-floor vehicles, which makes boarding easy.
A few practical points for using the network:
- Some bus lines split into different destinations along the route, so pay attention to the destination displays outside and inside the vehicle, and to the spoken announcements.
- You can board at any door and pay the driver directly; exact change is not necessary.
- Daily, weekly and other ticket types are sold at multi-language ticket machines found at many stations, and also at the identically looking machines used for short-term parking tickets.
- You must validate your ticket when you board your first bus or tram.
Two tram lines are especially useful for visitors because they head out to neighbouring villages. Tram line 6 connects Innsbruck with the mountain village of Igls, passing upland forests and giving spectacular views of the city and the landscape between Aldrans and Igls; it stops near Schloß Ambras and the bathing lake Lansersee, where ice skating is possible in winter. The terminus at Igls lies within the city fare zone, so no extra ticket is needed. Tram line STB runs through the Stubaital valley, providing access to Bergisel (Tirol Panorama) at the Sonneburgerhof station, which is also within the city fare zone, and to an easy skiing area at Mutteralm via a short walk from the Nockhofweg stop in Mutters. The red-liveried trams offer great scenic views, and the ride is particularly rewarding around Halloween, when the larch trees on the Telfer Wiesen show their best autumn colour.
There is also a special hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus, the "TS" ("The Sightseer"), which links major sights such as Schloß Ambras, Bergisel and Alpenzoo with downtown. Special fares apply on this line, so if you don't plan to visit every museum it may work out cheaper to use a normal 24-hour ticket instead.
S-Bahn and Regional Connections
A suburban train system, the S-Bahn, connects Innsbruck with villages and towns around the city, reaching from Landeck to Kufstein or Kitzbühel and from Mittenwald to Brenner. Timetables and fares are available on the VVT website. Inner-city VVT tickets are valid between the Hauptbahnhof and Westbahnhof, Hötting, Allerheiligenhöfe and Kranebitten.
The main station, Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof, sits at Südtiroler Platz on the east side of the city centre, and the city has excellent rail connections to major cities in the region and beyond. Several other stations serve suburban and regional train connections. The bus station is right next to the main train station and handles local, interregional and international traffic, with services toward Seefeld, Wipptal, Ötztal and Zillertal.
Tickets and Passes
Beyond single fares, several ticket types and cards make getting around easier and cheaper:
- Single-fare tickets can be bought from the driver, and multi-trip tickets are also available.
- Daily and weekly tickets offer unlimited travel and are sold at ticket machines.
- The Innsbruck Card (available for 24, 48 or 72 hours) covers a range of attractions, mountain lifts, all city public transport, the hop-on hop-off bus, a few hours of city bike rental, and a shuttle to Swarovski Crystal Worlds.
- The Welcome Card is free with a stay of two or more nights at partner establishments and includes free public transport in Innsbruck and the surrounding region, plus a guided activity programme and discounts.
- The SKI plus CITY pass is valid at multiple ski resorts and attractions.
Useful apps include VVT Smartride for timetables across buses and trains, Wegfinder for multimodal planning (scooter, bike, taxi, car sharing and public transport), and the NaturTrip web app for public transport options by area. An interactive map shows stops and timetables in real time.
Bikes and Car Sharing
Cycling is common in Innsbruck, especially among students. The city has bicycle paths, though they are not very well interlinked within the city itself. A short-term shared bike system, Stadtrad, is available; it requires registration (online or at machines next to the bikes) with a credit card number, and a small registration fee is credited to your account. Short rides are inexpensive, with costs rising for longer use, and an annual membership reduces rental costs substantially if you plan to ride frequently. Rental shops also offer e-bikes and longer rides, and the city has riverside and park routes as well as some routes to lookout points.
For occasional car use, car sharing is available through providers such as We Move Now, which operates vehicles across the city using green electricity, and floMOBIL, which offers e-car sharing in several surrounding towns. Car rental is also available, with some companies allowing pick-up and return at a location of your choice. If you are staying at a hotel, parking may be available if reserved in advance.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis and ride-sharing apps are available in Innsbruck. Note that Uber does not operate in the city, so plan to use local taxi services or other ride-hailing options instead.
From the Airport into the City
Innsbruck Airport, also known as Kranebitten Airport, is the largest airport in Tyrol and lies close to the city. Bus line F takes you to the city centre, running frequently during the day and less often on Sundays. A single ticket for this route costs €3.10. Alternatively, a taxi from the airport to the city centre takes about ten to fifteen minutes, while the bus takes roughly twenty minutes.
If you are arriving via another airport, Innsbruck can also be reached by train from Munich, Memmingen, Salzburg, St. Gallen-Altenrhein and Friedrichshafen. Regular direct trains run from Venice, Bolzano/Bozen, Zürich, Munich, Graz, Vienna (via Linz and Salzburg) and many other destinations, and OBB Nightjet sleeper trains connect the city with Brussels and Amsterdam.
Other Practical Notes
During holiday seasons, heavy traffic should be expected on the Inntalautobahn (A12) and Brennerautobahn (A13), particularly at weekends when travellers head to or from Italy over the Brenner Pass in summer or to and from ski resorts in winter. Snowfall makes conditions worse, so tuning in to Radio Tyrol at 96.4 MHz FM for the latest traffic updates is recommended.
Free ski buses run on several daily routes between Innsbruck and regional ski resorts, and ski equipment is carried free of charge. A Winter Active Bus provides free transport connecting Telfs and the Mieming Plateau to winter destinations, and an Active summer bus offers a free service linking attractions in Mieming, Wildermieming and Obsteig. For luggage, there is a City Locker Store in town and lockers at the train station, useful for layovers or sightseeing. Wheelchair-accessible travel options are available in the region.