Zillertal

RegionMountains

From Strass im Inntal, the Ziller Valley stretches about 32 kilometers south to Mayrhofen, where it branches into the valleys of the Zillertal Alps.

by Felix Gillen

From Strass im Inntal, the Ziller Valley stretches about 32 kilometers south to Mayrhofen, where it branches into the valleys of the Zillertal Alps. A narrow-gauge railway opens up the valley, mountain lifts lead to the alpine pastures, and alpine roads take you to the Schlegeis Reservoir or over the Gerlos Pass to the Krimml Waterfalls.

Broad Valley, High PeaksFrom the Inn Valley near Strass to Mayrhofen, the valley floor rises by only about 100 meters over approximately 32 kilometers. At Zell am Ziller, the Gerlos Valley branches off, and in Mayrhofen, the valley divides into the Tuxer Valley, Zemm Valley, Stillup Valley, and Zillergrund. To the south, the main ridge of the Zillertal Alps forms the border with South Tyrol; the highest peak of the Zillertal Alps High Mountain Nature Park is the Hochfeiler at 3,509 meters.Reservoir, Glacier, and Alpine PasturesBeyond Ginzling, the 13.3-kilometer Schlegeis Alpine Road (toll in summer) leads to the Schlegeisspeicher reservoir at 1,785 meters, a base for tours to the Pfitscher Joch and huts on the Olperer. At the end of the Tuxer Valley, the Glacier Bus transports you to the Hintertux Glacier, offering year-round guided tours through the Natur Eis Palast (Nature's Ice Palace).Tips for Your VisitThe Zillertal Activcard includes most public transport in the valley.One-hour guided tours are available at the Schlegeisspeicher dam from May to October.Via the Gerlos Alpine Road, which is open year-round and subject to tolls, you can reach Krimml in Salzburger Land from Zell am Ziller.

Sights in Zillertal

Discover the most important sights and attractions

Natural Feature

Schlegeis Dam

The reservoir is located at 1,785 meters in the Zillertal Alps, held by a 131-meter-high and 725-meter-long, double-curved dam wall. The 13.3-kilometer-long Schlegeis Alpine Road leads up from Ginzling past waterfalls. From May to October, guided tours are available through the dam, and hiking trails lead to the Pfitscher Joch and the huts on the Olperer.

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Point of Interest

Zillertalbahn

The narrow-gauge railway, with its 760-millimeter track gauge, was opened on July 31, 1902, and connects Jenbach with the Mayrhofen terminal station over 31.7 kilometers. In addition to regular half-hourly trains, the railway uses steam locomotives with historic carriages for special tourist excursions.

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Point of Interest

Zillertal Dairy Experience

An audio guide at Mayrhofen-Hollenzen's dairy takes you through its glass production, covering milk delivery, butter, yogurt, and cheese aging. Includes a show farm with Grauvieh, goats & pigs, a tasting, farm shop & restaurant.

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Culture and Tradition

Folk MusicThe Zillertal has a long tradition of folk music. Groups like the Zillertaler Schürzenjäger gained fame beyond the region.Dairy and "Krapfen"At the Erlebnissennerei Zillertal in Mayrhofen, you can see in a glass dairy how milk is turned into butter, yogurt, and cheese. There's also a show farm featuring Grauvieh cattle. Typical of the valley's cuisine are the Zillertaler Krapfen.Valley HubsZell am Ziller is the economic and educational center of the valley. Mayrhofen, with around 4,000 inhabitants, is the largest holiday resort; the Penkenbahn opened here as early as 1954.

Exploring locally

With the ZillertalbahnThe narrow-gauge railway, opened in 1902, runs daily approximately every 30 minutes for 31.7 kilometers from Jenbach in the Inn Valley to Mayrhofen. You can reach Jenbach by train from Innsbruck, and the total journey from Innsbruck to Mayrhofen takes about 1.5 hours. For tourists, the railway also operates steam trains with historic carriages.Bus and ActivcardA dense bus network complements the railway into the side valleys.The Zillertal Activcard covers most public transport in the valley.By CarThe Schlegeis Alpine Road and Zillertal High Road are toll roads. The Gerlos Alpine Road connects Zell am Ziller via Gerlos with Krimml and the Oberpinzgau region; the old pass road is closed to trailers. The drive from Mayrhofen to Krimml takes about 45 minutes.

Round trips through this region

Western Austria: Lake Constance, Arlberg and Zillertal

The trip starts in Bregenz on Lake Constance and leads through the Bregenz Forest, with its cheese-making alpine dairies, over the Hochtannberg Pass to the Arlberg and the villages of Lech and St. Anton. From there you continue into the Ötztal Valley with the Stuibenfall waterfall and the summit lifts of Sölden, then on to Innsbruck, and finally into the Zillertal Valley with the Schlegeis Reservoir and a side trip over the Gerlos Alpine Road to the Krimml Waterfalls. A car gives you the most flexibility, and most legs take 45 minutes to an hour. Bregenz, St. Anton, Ötztal station, Innsbruck and Jenbach are on the rail network, and buses serve the valleys, often free with local guest cards. This is a summer route: the road between Warth and Lech is closed in winter, and many cable cars and hiking buses only run during the summer season.

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