Zirbenweg Innsbruck – How to Easily Hike This High Alpine Trail

The Zirbenweg trail overlooking Innsbruck and the Inn Valley is a popular hiking trail for many reasons. Not only does it offer beautiful views of the valley and Nordkette mountain range on the opposite side, but it is relatively short and easy thanks to taking a cable car to the start.

We started hiking the Zirbenweg when our son was five years old and still return as often as we can with visiting family and friends. It´s one of the best trails for kids to start hiking in Austria.

Zirbenweg Basics

Quick Practical Info

• Zirbenweg combi ticket (cable cars + bus): adult €43,00, youth €34,50, senior/U23 €39,00, child €25,00. There is a full breakdown further down this page.

• Cable car hours: Patscherkofel daily 9:00–17:00 (14 May to 1 Nov) and Glungezer daily 8:30–17:00 (4 June to 1 Nov).
• Getting between the two ends: buses 530 and 540, changing at Aldrans Fagslung. The details are in the Zirbenweg bus section below.

Zirbenweg Innsbruck Trail Description

The Zirbenweg trail winds its way at an altitude of about 2,000m between the Patscherkofel and Glungezer cable car mountain stations. Most people, including us, start at Patscherkofel. Our main consideration is that we like to end at the Tulfeinalm (2,035m), one of our favourite mountain restaurants, and take the cable car home from there.

Welcoming Start

From the Patscherkofel cable car mountain station (1,964m) the start of the trail is clearly marked with a wooden sign welcoming you: “Wilkommen am Zirbenweg”.

It is also possible to be met by a welcoming committee of cows. They are nothing to be afraid of, just make your way around them quietly while keeping an eye out for any sudden, unexpected behaviour.

The first part of the Zirbenweg trail offers excellent views down the Inn Valley and on the Nordkette mountain range. The path is wide and even, allowing for your eyes to roam over the surrounding scenery. There is ample opportunity to wander off to viewing points with benches.

Boscheben Snack Bar

When you reach a plateau where the trail swerves right past a Roman Catholic relic on a tree, you know you are getting closer to Alpengasthof Boscheben (2,035m). After this, there is a sharp turn to the left from where it is only minutes before you reach the turn-off to this mountain snack bar.

Boscheben isn’t directly next to the Zirbenweg trail but you can’t miss it about 50m in along a path turning off to your right. You are welcomed by a friendly face behind a self-service window.

Diverse Landscapes

From Boscheben, the trail enters the forest. Sure-footedness is needed here due to the path becoming narrower. There is a steep embankment on one side, and a few small rocks and tree roots to step over or around.

After leaving the forest, the trail continues over a rocky patch. Although there are no faraway views, I love this stretch in the shade of the trees and rocks until you turn left at a T-junction.

A little hill awaits, after which the Inn Valley once again lies open in front of you. Now there are only about 1,25 hours left to the Tulfeinalm.

Oldest Living Stone Pine

The next stretch of the Zirbenweg trail is characterized by thick shrubs. In August, there are blueberries to be picked.

Information boards in German and English (unfortunately, sometimes German only) give interesting facts about the geology and the vegetation along the trail. At one spot, there is a wooden “peephole” through which you should see a 750-year old stone pine, the oldest living tree in Tyrol. Call us blind, but none of us can say for sure that we did see the tree in question.

Over a stream, up a short hill, past some huge rocks, and the Tulfeinalm appears in the distance. But before you get to it, you might want to have a look inside the little chapel to your right. Or quench your thirst at the water fountain on the left (also the cow’s drinking place).

Schnitzel and Knödel at the Tulfeinalm

The Tulfeinalm is one of our favourite mountain restaurants. Not only is it close to home, but the traditional food and service count among the best in the Alps. And before you finally head home, do try a Schnapps!

Interesting Facts

• The 750-year old stone pine is in a natural forest in what is called the Ampass Basin. It is believed to have sprouted to life at the beginning of the Habsburg Dynasty around 1273 and was declared a national monument in 1926.
• The Zirbenweg trail is open roughly from the end of May to the end of October. On our first hike in June 2013, we even had a patch of snow to cross.
• No less than 400 Alpine peaks can be seen from the Zirbenweg trail.
• The Austrian stone pine (Zirbe in German) is a popular type of wood that only grows 1800m above sea level. Its scent is said to have a stress-relieving effect.

• If you start or finish at Patscherkofel, leave time for Kinder Kofel at the mountain station. This is a new playground with a short scavenger-hunt trail that makes a great warm-up or reward for younger hikers.

Getting to the Start/Finish

Regardless of where you choose to start your hike, there is a regular bus running between the Patscherkofel and the Glungezer cable car stations during the cable cars’ operating season, roughly June to October (see below for current line numbers and dates).

If you are coming by car and want to start your hike at Patscherkofel, it is best to leave your car in the parking area at Glungezer and take the bus to the start. This way, you can simply head home when you are done.

If you are using public transport from Innsbruck, Bus J gets to Patscherkofel in about 15 minutes, running roughly every 10 minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes on weekends and holidays. From Tulfes, you can get Bus 540 back to Innsbruck.

Zirbenweg Ticket Prices

• Youth = born 2008–2010

• Senior / U23 = born 1961 or earlier, or born 2003–2007

• Child = born 2011–2020

Note: Age categories are set by birth year rather than a fixed age range, and they shift each season.

Cable Car Operating Times

• Glungezerbahn evening rides until 22:00 on Tuesdays run from 30 June to 1 September 2026.
• Patscherkofelbahn evening rides until 23:00 run on selected Thursdays — check the current events calendar rather than assuming every week is included.

Zirbenweg Bus

Buses 530 and 540 travel several times per day between the Glungezerbahn and Patscherkofel base stations, with a change-over at Aldrans Fagslung. Sometimes it´s a direct connection and sometimes you need to change once along the way. Ask the bus driver which is the case when you get on.

Line 530 runs Innsbruck – Ampass – Aldrans – Sistrans – Lans – Patscherkofel, and line 540 runs Innsbruck – Aldrans – Rinn – Tulfes – Hall in Tirol. Timetables shift with the season, so check the live VVT timetable for both lines before you go.

Bus Tickets

The bus tickets are either included in the Zirbenweg ticket, which you buy at one of the two cable car stations before getting onto the bus. However, it´s also possible to buy the tickets on the bus.

Tips for Hiking the Zirbenweg

• Allow 3 hours to hike the Zirbenweg trail at a leisurely pace, resting and taking in the scenery.
• Look out for the sign after every kilometre that tells you how far you have left. It is a welcome encouragement for kids.
• Try to start out as early as possible. Not only will you miss the worst heat of the day on a hot day, but you are also less likely to meet too many other hikers on the trail.
• If you are flexible and the weather allows it, avoid walking on a Sunday when the trail is at its busiest.
• Take cash – the Tulfeinalm and Alpengasthof Boscheben have no credit card facilities.
• The weather in the Alps can change in minutes. Make sure you know what to pack for hiking before you set off.
• Check the official Patscherkofelbahn and Glungezerbahn websites for current trail and lift status before you set off, especially during construction works.

Where to Stay Near the Zirbenweg

If you want to stay close to the start of finish of the Innsbruck stone pine trail, the villages of Igls and Tulfes are good options. Here are a few options:

Igls

Sitting right at the start of the trail near the Patscherkofelbahn, Igls has a good spread of places to stay. For a classic hotel stay, Hotel Batzenhäusl offers cosy, traditional Tyrolean rooms just a short walk from the village centre. If you would rather have your own kitchen, Sporthotel Igls also lets self-catering apartments, handy for cooking up something warm after a long day on the trail.

Tulfes

Down at the Glungezerbahn end of the trail, Tulfes makes a quieter base. Hotel Geisler Tulfes is a highly-rated hotel with mountain views and a hearty breakfast, an easy option if you want everything taken care of. For a self-catering stay, Naturerlebnis am Glungezer-Haus is a spacious holiday home with a full kitchen, great for families or a small group of hikers.

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