The Austrian Tyrol is well known for its gorgeous alpine scenery, picturesque ski resorts and fantastic summer walking country.  Each valley has its own attractive towns and villages, most supported by excellent bus and train services and mountain lifts to get you high into the mountains.  There are literally dozens of mountain resorts that make ideal bases for walking holidays.

Idyllic Alpbach is perfect if you like a peaceful, pretty place to stay.  It is characterised by charming wooden flower-bedecked properties, has bus links to the neighbouring villages, lifts to get you into the mountains, and is surrounded by great trails for walking.  Nearby there are beautiful mountain lakes and impressive gorges just waiting to be explored.

Surprisingly, for such a secluded little town, Alpbach has a modern congress centre which hosts a prestigious annual European Forum.  Leading figures from the fields of politics, science and economy attend.  It is also the site of the grave of the famous scientist Erwin Schrodinger and his wife Annemarie.

How to Get to Alpbach

To reach Alpbach by public transport you first need to travel to the local train station at Brixlegg (this takes around 50 minutes from Innsbruck with one change).  See Rail Europe to check routes, timetables, and purchase tickets online, wherever you are coming from.

You then catch a bus to Alpbach (the bus stop is just across the street from the train station).  The buses are regular, and the journey takes around 50 minutes.  See this page for timetables and information (Service 4074 covers the Brixlegg to Alpbach route).

Important Note – If you are staying overnight in Alpbach or any other villages in the region you are entitled to a free Alpbachtal Seenland card.  This allows you completely free travel on all local buses and mountain lifts, and also free entry to various attractions such as museums and swimming pools.  It makes staying here fantastic value, so make sure you collect your cards when you check in to your accommodation.

See this page for details of what is included, and how to claim you free travel on your journey to Alpbach (i.e. before you have collected your cards.)

Where to Stay in Alpbach

A great hotel, which we highly recommend, is Der Alpbacherhof.  This comfortable and friendly hotel has spacious rooms, a large spa, and a really great restaurant.  There are tables indoors and also on a lovely balcony with fantastic views over the valley and surrounding mountains.  Staying here is a real pleasure, and if you are not staying here you can still treat yourselves to a meal or two in the wonderful restaurant.

To search for other accommodation options, see this page at booking.com.

If you prefer a package try Inghams, who use Alpbach as one of their bases.

Walks Around Alpbach

There are two mountain lifts in the region – remember that these are free of charge with your Alpbach card (see section on Getting to Alpbach above).

For some excellent suggestions for walks we recommend Walking Easy in the Swiss and Austrian Alps by Chet Lipton.  Don’t be put off because the book is a little old – the lifts and paths have not changed.  You can use the book to plan your walk in conjunction with a map, and check the lift times online before you set off.

For more  walks in the Alpbach area see this page.

Particularly worth a visit are Lake Zirein and the spectacular Tiefenbach Gorge (which can get very busy, so try to avoid peak holiday times if possible).  Here are some photos from our walks around this lovely area, to give you an idea of the terrain you will encounter.

Charming and picturesque Alpbach is definitely worth a visit if you prefer quieter resorts and enjoy walking in beautiful alpine scenery.

Please remember that this site is based purely on our own experiences; therefore kindly note the Disclaimer.

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