Innsbrucker Nordkettenbahnen

Who they are

The Innsbrucker Nordkettenbahnen Betriebs GmbH operates the three lifts that climb from the centre of Innsbruck to the Nordkette, the mountain chain that closes the city to the north and that forms part of Austria's largest nature park. What is unusual is that you set off from the old town itself: in under half an hour you go from the 569 m of the street to the 2,256 m of the summit. The company sells the ascent as Top of Innsbruck.

What it operates

There are three linked stages:

• Hungerburgbahn, the modern funicular. It leaves from the Altstadt/Congress station, at Rennweg 3, near the Golden Roof, a station designed by the architect Zaha Hadid. It stops at the Alpenzoo (750 m) and reaches the Hungerburg (860 m) in about eight minutes.
• Seegrubenbahn, the cable car from the Hungerburg to the Seegrube (1,905 m), where the Seegrube restaurant is.
• Hafelekarbahn, the last stage, of about two and a half minutes, to the Hafelekar (2,256 m). From there, 10 to 15 minutes on foot lead to the top of the Hafelekarspitze (2,334 m).

In summer the mountain belongs to hikers, cyclists and visitors to the alpine zoo; in winter, to skiers and freeriders, with its own snow phone line (+43 512 293344-15). Up top there are restaurants and huts, and the company organises events such as an Advent brunch at the Seegrube or a Christmas market.

Hours and seasons

The 2026 summer season ran from 25 April to 1 November, and the winter one runs from 20 November 2026 to 25 April 2027; in between, from 2 to 19 November, everything closes for maintenance. The funicular runs from 7:15 to 19:15 on weekdays and from 8:00 to 19:15 at weekends and public holidays; the Seegrubenbahn, from 8:30 to 17:30, and on the first Friday of each month until 23:30; the Hafelekarbahn, from 9:00 to 16:45. They leave every 15 minutes, and without a break when it is crowded.

Tickets and rules

Children under 6 travel free with their parents; there are child and youth fares by year of birth, and the youth fare is also valid for people with a disability of 60% or more. The Innsbruck Card for 24, 48 or 72 hours includes one ascent and one descent to the Hafelekar, with no separate ticket, and is validated at the Altstadt ticket office. The Freizeitticket Tirol is also valid and, in winter, the Tirol Snowcard.

Dogs go up with a muzzle and lead. Bikes pay 7 euros per trip, are loaded only at Altstadt and Hungerburg, up to 12 fit per trip and on the funicular they travel free before 10:00 and from 16:30; each cyclist ties down their own bike.

Accessibility and contact

The funicular is accessible with a lift, the Seegrubenbahn has its own wheelchair entrance at the valley station, the Hafelekarbahn and the summit restaurant are also accessible, and there are adapted toilets below and above. Contact on +43 512 293344 or at [email protected]; the website is in German and English.