Nordkette Cable Car (Hafelekar)
Nordkettenbahnen / Hafelekarspitze
About 25 minutes from the old town to an Alpine summit at about 2,300 metres, with views over the Inn Valley and the whole city.
The Nordkette belongs to the Karwendel range, just north of the city. The ascent has three stages. First, from the Congress station, take the Hungerburgbahn funicular, whose glacier-shaped station was designed by Zaha Hadid, up to Hungerburg (about 860 metres). Then change to a cable car for Seegrube (about 1,905 metres), which has a restaurant with views and the 'Seegrube Perspective' viewing platform. In winter this is a ski area. The final stage goes to Hafelekar (about 2,256 metres). From there it is about a 15-minute walk to the 2,334-metre summit. To the north lies the Karwendel Nature Park, and to the south you can see Innsbruck, Stubai and the Zillertal Alps. A round trip from the city to Hafelekar costs several dozen euros. The Innsbruck Card includes one round trip, but check the official website for details. The summit is more than 10 degrees Celsius colder than the city, so bring a jacket and wear non-slip shoes. The Alpenzoo near Hungerburg station can be visited along the way. The upper cable cars may stop running in bad weather.
Opening hours
About 8:30 or 9:00 AM–5:00 PM (varies by section; check website for last downhill departure)
Nearby sights
- Alpenzoo Innsbruck
- Hofgarten
- Innsbruck Cathedral (Dom St. Jakob)
- Imperial Palace & Court Church
- Golden Roof & Old Town
- City Tower
- Tyrolean Folk Art Museum
- Tyrolean State Museum Ferdinandeum