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- Written by: Tristan Kennedy
Innsbruck is probably the best-located major airport in the Alps for a quick ski getaway. The city sits right in the heart of the Tyrolean mountains and is surrounded by ski areas that are incredibly easy to reach. In fact, some of the closest resorts are less than 20 minutes from the airport, meaning you could realistically be on the slopes not long after collecting your luggage.
There's also an impressive amount of variety. From small, family-friendly ski areas to challenging freeride destinations and high-altitude glacier skiing, the resorts around Innsbruck cater for all abilities and styles of skiing. Several are connected to the city by excellent public transport, too, so hiring a car isn't always necessary. And if you fancy staying in town, you can access all of these on a single liftpass—the SKI plus CITY pass—which also gives you entry to local museums and other attractions too.
"You can stay in the city and access all of these resorts on a single liftpass"
In total, there are 12 resorts in the vicinity which can be accessed using that same ski pass, and in fact we've included Innsbruck as a single entry on our list of the best resorts in Austria because of this incredible access. Of those 12, however, these are the six best ski resorts close to Innsbruck Airport (INN) in the opinion of our editorial team.
We've ordered them by approximate driving time, but all of these are also accessible by public transport. And when measured against the closest ski resorts to Turin, Milan, Zurich or Geneva, nothing really compares to Innsbruck for convenience.
Nordkette
Transfer time from Innsbruck Airport: 15–20 minutes
It's difficult to find a ski resort with a more unusual setting than Nordkette. Rising directly above Innsbruck, this is arguably the most spectacular urban ski area in the Alps. You can go from the city centre to the top in a remarkably short amount of time—and, if there's enough snow, you can ski almost all the way back down again, as snowboarder Ethan Morgan proved with this video from a few years ago.
If Nordkette is amazingly convenient, it's not particularly big, with around 15km of pistes in total. For a small resort, the terrain is also notably challenging. The headline attraction is the legendary Hafelekar run, a steep and demanding descent that's particularly popular with expert skiers and freeriders, and the Skyline Snowboard Park is legendary in the Innsbruck scene. But this isn't somewhere we'd recommend for beginners.
For a short ski break, however, the convenience is hard to beat. You can stay in Innsbruck itself, enjoy the city's restaurants and nightlife, and still be on the mountain within minutes. And if you're in danger of exhausting the 15km of pistes, you can always try somewhere else covered by your city pass on subsequent days.
Patscherkofel
Transfer time from Innsbruck Airport: 20–25 minutes
Patscherkofel is Innsbruck's other famous local mountain, sitting just south of the city above the village of Igls. Unlike Nordkette, it's a much more conventional ski area, with a broad selection of groomed pistes with plenty to suit beginners, intermediates and families.
The mountain has a special place in skiing history, having hosted the men's downhill events during the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics. It's not massive, with 19km of pistes, but there's enough to keep you happy for a long weekend, and the long runs down towards the valley are a particular highlight.
One of its biggest advantages is the proximity to Innsbruck. You can stay in the city, take the local bus or drive to the gondola station, and be skiing shortly afterwards. If you're arriving into the airport, you can be on the slopes in less than half an hour. The mountain has several restaurants and sun terraces, making it a pleasant place to spend the day, but you'll probably want to stay down in town, where there's a wider range of accomodation.
Patscherkofel might not have the scale of some of Austria's bigger ski resorts, but its combination of Olympic heritage, cruisey pistes and incredibly easy access makes it a great option for a short ski break.
Muttereralm
Transfer time from Innsbruck Airport: 20–25 minutes
If you're travelling with children Muttereralm is one of the best ski resorts close to Innsbruck. Located above the villages of Mutters and Götzens, it's a small, family-oriented ski area with a friendly atmosphere, and it's a super convenient transfer from the airport.
Like Nordkette and Patscherkofel, the ski area is small, with just 15km of pistes. But in this, there's with a good selection of easier runs and intermediate terrain that will suit families nicely. There's a children's learning area at the mountain station, along with the inevitable ski schools and equipment rental facilities. The emphasis here is firmly on accessible skiing rather than challenging expert descents (for those, head to Nordkette).
Muttereralmcan be reached from Mutters by gondola, with another access option via Götzens, and it's also served by public transport from Innsbruck. For a full week of skiing, experienced skiers will find Muttereralm a little limited. But if you're looking for a quick family ski break, or a place to spend a few days on your SKI and CITY pass, it's a great spot to come to.
Axamer Lizum
Transfer time from Innsbruck Airport: 25–30 minutes
Axamer Lizum is arguably the best all-round ski resort within easy reach of Innsbruck. Located in a spectacular mountain setting above Axams, it's only around half an hour from the airport but offers a much more substantial ski area than many of the smaller resorts closer to the city.
The resort has around 40km of pistes, with a good mix of blue, red and black runs. Its terrain is great for confident intermediates and advanced skiers, with some excellent steeper pistes and plenty of opportunities to explore the mountain. It's also a well-known freeride destination, with the lifts offering access to a decent amount of off-piste terrain.
Axamer Lizum has an Olympic pedigree, having hosted several alpine skiing events during the 1964 and 1976 Winter Games. Its most recognisable feature is the striking Kalkkögel mountain range, sometimes nicknamed the 'Dolomites of North Tyrol' because of its dramatic limestone peaks.
For freestyle enthusiasts, there's the Golden Roofpark, while the resort's mountain restaurants provide plenty of opportunities to stop for lunch and enjoy the scenery. The Hoadl Haus, at 2,340m, is a particular highlight, with its panoramic terrace and impressive mountain views.
Kühtai
Transfer time from Innsbruck Airport: 40–45 minutes
Kühtai requires a slightly longer transfer from the airport than the resorts immediately surrounding Innsbruck, but there's a very good reason why we'd include it. Sitting at around 2,020m, it's one of Austria's highest ski villages, offering excellent snow reliability. This means it's a great place to come if you're after a cheeky weekend skiing at the beginning or end of the winter.
The ski area has around 40–50km of pistes, depending on how the wider ski-area connections are counted, with a particularly good selection of red runs. Its altitude means that many of these are above the tree line, giving the resort a spacious, open feel and spectacular views across the surrounding mountains. On the flipside, however, it's not the best place to come when the weather closes in, as teh lack of trees mean it can be hard to get your bearings.
Kühtai is best suited to intermediates, but there are also dedicated beginner areas and a good selection of more challenging runs for experienced skiers. Freestyle enthusiasts are catered for by the KPark snow park, while the resort also offers night skiing on selected evenings.
Read our full resort review of Kühtai here.
Stubai Glacier
Transfer time from Innsbruck Airport: 50–60 minutes
Stubai Glacier is the furthest resort on our list, but it's also one of the most impressive. Located at the head of the Stubai Valley, around an hour from Innsbruck Airport, it's Austria's largest glacier ski area and one of the country's best-known destinations for high-altitude skiing.
The ski area offers around 64km of pistes, with lifts reaching more than 3,200m. That altitude is a major advantage, particularly early and late in the season, when lower resorts may be struggling for snow. The glacier also gives Stubai one of the longest potential skiing seasons in Austria, with operations often beginning in autumn, when pro freestyle skiers and snowboarders flock to train in the private Prime Park. (If you follow any freestylers on instagram, you will have seen its enormous jumps feature in their feed around October).
Outside of the snowpark (which is open to all comers outside of those few pre-season weeks) the skiing is great for intermediates. There are plenty of wide, sweeping pistes and long descents. Beginners are catered for with dedicated learning areas, while advanced skiers can explore black runs or the accessible freeride routes.
The glacier is reached via the Stubai Valley, with the main lift station at Mutterberg. The journey is straightforward, although the final stretch takes you further into the mountains than the other resorts on this list. But Stubai Glacier is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a longer ski holiday near Innsbruck, while keeping their transfer time to a minimum.
