The capital of Tyrol in Austria is the beautiful city of Innsbruck, located in the Inn Valley between mountain ranges among which are the Karwendel Alps. Attractions like the Imperial Palace, the Wilten Abbey, the Golden Roof, the Old Inn Bridge and the Ambras Castle make it as appealing to world travellers as any other European capital, even when the most frequent reasons to choose Innsbruck as destination are its ski runs and its Christmas markets.
This Austrian city has a reputation for being a regular host for Winter sports international competitions –including the Olympics – and so is a favourite for ski and snowboard lovers. What is more, the proximity of the snowboard tracks and slopes to the city centre makes trips to Innsbruck in Austria all the more convenient: the funicular and cable cars offer frequent services to transport people between the two points in a short period of time.
Another alluring feature is the celebration of various Christmas markets around the city, although it is the one in the Old Town that attracts the highest number of both local and foreign visitors. It is inaugurated in mid-November every year and generally stays open until Christmas’ Eve arrives.
Innsbruck: closest airports and how to arrive
Flying to Innsbruck airport
If you decide to book a flight to Innsbruck in Austria, you will land in a terminal just 4 kilometres away from the downtown, thus needing less than 10 minutes to drive from the airport to your final destination. However, you will have to take into account that inbound operations to this terminal are limited and not many airlines operate scheduled flights or frequent services towards it. Austrian Airlines handles frequent operations from Vienna airport to Innsbruck and from Frankfurt airport to Innsbruck, and so do British Airways from London Heathrow, Easyjet from London Gatwick and Manchester and Transavia from Amsterdam. Other airline companies sell seats to fly to Innsbruck on a seasonal basis, so you may want to confirm whether your airline of choice offers flights to the capital of Tyrol or not on the desired dates.
Travelling from Salzburg airport to Innsbruck in Austria
If you are flying into Salzburg airport instead, travelling to Innsbruck will only imply a short commute from the passenger terminal to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof in order to catch a direct train. This hourly train service departing from Salzburg not only is the cheapest but also offers spectacular views, and reaches central Innsbruck in less than 2 hours.
Trains from Munich airport in Germany to Innsbruck in Austria
It is also a good idea to add Innsbruck as an additional stop in your Europe tour, and you can do so by making a connection by train from Munich East Station. Likewise, in view of the fact that the train commute from Munich to Innsbruck takes only 2 hours and 15 minutes and that services run every two hours, you might as well fly to Munich airport in Germany specifically for this trip.
From Zürich airport to Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof
Travellers passing through Zürich International airport in Switzerland also get the chance to travel to Innsbruck by train. Different train companies run services to cover this route and, depending on which one you choose, you might need to make a transfer and change trains halfway. The average time duration of the journey is 4 hours.
Skiing trip to Innsbruck in Austria
As host city of internationally renowned winter sports events and competitions, Innsbruck is well prepared to welcome hundreds of ski and snowboard lovers from around the world. If you are already planning for this adventure, we recommend you take a look at some of the best ski resorts and accommodation in Innsbruck, most of which even afford breathtaking views of the Inn Valley.
Christmas markets in Innsbruck
In case you are visiting the city to enjoy the season’s atmosphere and purchase the coolest Christmas decorations and gifts, find a nice hotel in Innsbruck’s Old Town and immerse yourself in all the activities that are typical of this festivity, including punch and wine tasting, live music in the streets and entertainment for kids and adults alike.
Airports and Hotels 