According to CachedHealth, Mayrhofen is the largest resort of the Ziller Valley, which grew out of a small alpine village located between the slopes of Ahorn and Penken. Skiers come here with a variety of requests. Young people are attracted by the lively nightlife, and family people will appreciate the conditions created here for children. The resort is located low, only 600 m above sea level, this will not affect the well-being of the kids. In addition, there are many children’s ski schools and kindergartens in Mayrhofen.
The neighboring villages of Ramsau, Hippach and Finkenberg are quieter than Mayrhofen. There are not so many noisy bars and discos here. Ramsau and Hippach opposite it are a real paradise for cross-country skiers. Around them, more than 200 km of well-knurled and lit trails are laid in the evenings. Finkenberg’s perks include the highest number of sunny days in the region and breathtaking views of the Hoher-Dachstein mountain range.
How to get to Mayrhofen
The nearest international airports to Mayrhofen are in Innsbruck (65 km), Salzburg (150 km) and Munich (170 km).
From Innsbruck Airport Kranebitten to Mayrhofen can be reached by taxi in an hour and 150-180 EUR. The budget option is to take a bus to the railway station in Innsbruck (3-4 EUR, 20 minutes) and then by train with a change in Jenbach (15-24 EUR, from 1 hour 20 minutes). A bus from Innsbruck with a transfer to Schwaz Steinbrück takes about 2 hours (20-24 EUR).
A taxi from Salzburg Airport to Mayrhofen costs 220 EUR, the journey takes 2 hours 10 minutes. A trip by rail with 1-2 transfers will take at least 2 hours 40 minutes and will cost 42-64 EUR.
Munich Airport is popular due to the large number of flights and cheap, compared to Innsbruck and Salzburg, air tickets from Russia. A taxi to Mayrhofen costs from 282 EUR, the journey takes 2 hours 10 minutes. You will have to pay 37-56 EUR for a railway ticket and spend at least 3 hours on the road with 1-2 transfers.
The best option is to order a transfer from any airport to Mayrhofen at the Austrian transport company Four Seasons Travel (official website in English). Cost: from Innsbruck 66 EUR round trip, from Salzburg – from 145 EUR, from Munich – 54-79 EUR.
There are trains from Vienna to Mayrhofen: ticket 60-103 EUR, 1 change, on the road from 5 hours 10 minutes.
Districts and resorts of Mayrhofen
Mayrhofen is the center of the Mayrhofen-Hippach ski region in North Tyrol. This typical alpine town with restaurants, bars and other places of entertainment is filled to overflowing with skiers in winter. Directly from the centre, the Ahornbahn funicular takes you up to the Ahorn ski area with gentle blue pistes, well suited for beginners and families with children. In the neighborhood is the Penkenbahn cable car station, which goes to the extensive Penken ski area. The steepest route in Austria, No. 34, is laid here, with a slope of 78%, known as “hara-kiri”.
The main attraction of the quiet town of Hoarberg north of Mayrhofen is the Horbergbahn cable car, which allows you to climb to the Penken ski area even during peak hours without queues.
A good alternative for fans of difficult tracks is the village of Finkenberg, 4 km south of Mayrhofen. It has its own ski area with a cable car upstairs and there are no queues for the lift.
Standing on opposite banks of the Zembach River, 5 km north of Mayrhofen, the villages of Hippach and Ramsau attract lovers of silence with pastoral views and low prices. Directly from Ramsau, the Ramsberglift cable car leads to a ski area with slopes of any difficulty level.
Mayrhofen Hotels
The towns of Mayrhofen, Finkenberg and Hippach-Ramsau may look small, but they can accommodate up to 15,000 guests at the same time. There are expensive luxury hotels, high-quality “three rubles”, and small family pensions with budget accommodation.
4 * hotels are excellent service, swimming pools, spa centers, saunas, gyms and other little things that are pleasant to the heart of a sybarite. True, in the ski season you have to pay for all this from 160 EUR per room. In three-star hotels, as a rule, there are no spas and other glamorous tinsel. But thanks to reasonable prices – from 125 EUR – they offer the best balance of comfort and cost of living.
The most common categories of housing in the resort are guesthouses (from 70 EUR) and apartments (from 126 EUR). The latter are especially popular with large youth companies.
Transportation
Thanks to the developed system of city ski buses, running from 8:00 to 17:40 with an interval of 15-30 minutes, from almost anywhere in Mayrhofen you can get to the lower stations of the Ahornbahn, Penkenbahn and Horbergbahn cable cars. A single ticket costs 2.70 EUR. Most of the routes pass through the railway station, from where you can get to any ski area of the Zillertal valley by train or bus.
Ski bus routes do not pass through the villages of Finkenberg, Hippach and Ramsau.
The Mayrhofen – Jenbach train runs 27 times a day from 5:37 to 19:48. It covers a distance of 32 km in 52 minutes, the ticket price, depending on the destination, is 9 EUR. The bus from Mayrhofen to Jenbach leaves 1 time per hour, travel time is 1 hour 5 minutes, ticket price is from 7.40 EUR.
Parking at the resort is free, but there is a clear shortage of places in the center. Those who are going here by car should pay attention to the availability of parking at the chosen hotel. Free public parking is available at the Horbergbahn, Finkenberger Almbahn and Ramsberglift cable car stations.
A taxi ride within the Mayrhofen-Hippach region will cost 10-25 EUR, a taxi in Jenbach – 75-95 EUR.
Mayrhofen slopes
Mayrhofen has the longest cable car, the steepest slope in Austria, 159 km of pistes and 3 main ski areas. The Ahorn slope is recommended for beginners and skiers with little experience, Penken – for experienced athletes and professionals. In half an hour you can reach the year-round ski area on the Tuxer Glacier. For fans of cross-country skiing in the vicinity of the resort – more than 30 km of marked trails.
Penken and Ahorn slopes
The best skiing is on the Penken slope, where the gondola lift is stretched. It will be especially interesting for skiers in the area of the Penkeneuch peak (2095 m), from where you can return to the city by gondola or along the red slopes – to the towns of Finkenberg and Hippach, and then get to the hotel by bus. The long red track in Finkenberg is also considered interesting. There are virgin slopes on the Gerent slope, and for children, simple sections in the Eilsenalm area are suitable.
Ahorn slope is not as extensive as Penken. Its advantage is that all its slopes descend directly to Mayrhofen.
Snow parks
Snowboarders won’t be bored here either: Burton Park Mayrhofen offers plenty of fun for all snowboarding and freestyle fans. The park is equipped with everything you need for excellent skiing, in addition, it has its own 4-chair lift. There are areas for professionals, amateurs and beginners, half-pipe, rails, jumps. The center of the park is two parallel tracks with three ski jumps: the first is small, the second is 15 m long and the third is big air.
Shopping
Food prices in stores are higher than in Moscow, but not outrageous. Supermarkets are open on weekdays until 18:30, on Saturdays until 17:00, Sunday is a day off. The only place where you can buy at least some products on Sunday is the shops at gas stations (they work around the clock). However, there is about 1.5 times more expensive.
The cost of sports equipment in Mayrhofen is the same as in Moscow. You can look for models of past collections at discounted prices. During the period before and after the season, sales with very significant discounts are arranged here.
On Saturday morning, it is worth stopping by the farmers’ market, the stalls of which are literally bursting with Tyrolean bacon, sausages, dried and smoked sausages. It is not easy to understand this abundance, but thin appetizing landjegr sausages are definitely worth a try. And at the same time, buy a Murmeltier Salbe warming ointment based on ground marmot fat – an excellent remedy for sprains and krepatura.
From mid-November until the end of December, Waldfestplatz turns into a fabulous Christmas market – one of the best in Austria – with cute baubles, hot mulled wine and traditional Christmas pastries.
Ladies going to the Munich Oktoberfest can take a closer look at the traditional Tyrolean “dirndl” costume, very beautiful, but alas, not really needed in the rest of life. But a blouse from him in the style of “a waiter’s dream”, with an immodest neckline, certainly will not roll around the cabinets. Another classic of the genre is Swarovski crystal souvenirs and Mozartkugeln sweets. These handmade chocolate-wrapped marzipan balls are very different from those sold in regular stores. Those who are tired of Mozart’s profile will certainly be pleased with the painted wooden dolls. One of the most original is the nutcracker doll, just like from Hoffmann’s fairy tale.
Cuisine and restaurants in Mayrhofen
The number of restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs, pastry shops and eateries in the resort is approaching a hundred. The interior of most of them is made in the traditional Tyrolean style – with an abundance of wood, dark ceiling beams, branched deer antlers, old photographs and waitresses in national costumes. In all ski areas there is a cafe where you can dine and warm up with mulled wine, and at the same time admire the surrounding views and soak up the sun on the outdoor terrace.
Pay tribute to the local cuisine – pork with bacon and potatoes or venison with mushrooms and cranberries in a skillet.
The most popular and noisy establishment in Mayrhofen is the Ice Bar near the lower station of the Penkenbahn cable car, chosen by the international party. However, the language barrier does not prevent the assembled chorus from bawling Tyrolean songs and dancing right on the tables.
Coffee and cake in a pastry shop will cost 5-7 EUR, a glass of beer in a bar – from 4-5 EUR, lunch in a cafe on a slope – 15-20 EUR, a specialty in a restaurant – 25 EUR.
The Gasser butcher shop is a great place to enjoy the variety of Mayrhofen’s meat delicacies without breaking the bank. You can eat at the counter inside or at a table outside. To satisfy hunger and thirst, 5-10 EUR is quite enough here.
Haute cuisine in the resort is represented by the restaurant Sieghard in Hippach. It is marked with two “chef’s hats” (analogous to Michelin stars) received from the authoritative restaurant guide Gault et Millau. A 5-course gourmet menu with wine costs from 100 EUR.
