Half an hour by train over the Seefeld saddle and you are standing in the old town of Innsbruck. Why the journey itself is half the outing – and what actually fits into a day.
Innsbruck is not a day's travel from Seefeld; it is an outing. The S6 suburban line runs hourly, the journey takes a good half hour, and Seefeld's station is in the middle of the village – a few minutes' walk from Post Seefeld.
The real reason to take the train rather than the car, though, is the line itself.
The Mittenwaldbahn
The railway between Innsbruck and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, also known as the Karwendelbahn, is among the most spectacular mountain lines in Europe: 16 tunnels, 18 bridges and viaducts, and between Innsbruck and Seefeld a climb up the Zirler Berg to the 1,185-metre Seefeld saddle.
Sit on the right-hand side going up. The view into the Inn valley is why photographers ride this line without getting off.
What fits into a day
Old town and Goldenes Dachl. A quarter of an hour on foot from the main station. The Golden Roof of 1500 is the city's landmark, and the lanes around it are medieval, narrow and best explored on foot.
Nordkettenbahn. From the city centre by the Hungerburg funicular, then two more cable cars up to over 2,200 metres. Within half an hour of the city centre you are standing in high alpine terrain – a contrast that is rare in Europe.
Bergisel. The ski jump above the city, designed by Zaha Hadid, with a panoramic restaurant and a view across the whole Inn valley.
Hofburg, Hofkirche and Ambras. For rainy days. The Hofkirche holds the tomb of Emperor Maximilian with its 28 larger-than-life bronze figures; Ambras Castle holds the chamber of art and curiosities.
Two of those four are realistic in a day, not four. Tick off everything and you will have seen Innsbruck by the evening without having experienced it.
When the trip is especially worthwhile
In Advent, for the Christmas markets – the one in the old town beneath the Golden Roof is the best known, the one on the Hungerburg the most peaceful. And on rainy days, when nothing much is happening on the plateau anyway.
Practicalities
S6 timetables are at oebb.at. Buy tickets from the machine at Seefeld station or in the app. The PlateauCard covers the regional buses and the train between Seefeld and Scharnitz – the journey to Innsbruck is not included.
By car it is about 30 minutes over the Zirler Berg. The road is well built, but heavy vehicles and vehicles with trailers are banned on the descent; the diversion runs via Telfs.
Good to know
In the early evening the last trains back no longer run hourly. A glance at the return timetable before you order that third drink in the old town has saved more than one guest a taxi fare.
We are happy to keep a late dinner for you if you come back on the evening train – just let reception know. What else your stay includes is on the inclusive services page.
This post is part of our Seefeld Guide with all our tips for your stay on the plateau.
Written by
Post Seefeld
The team at Post Seefeld – hotel and spa on the village square. We live here, hike here, ski here, and we write down what we tell our guests at reception every day anyway.