By James Whitfield · Last updated: July 2026 · 11 min read
In This Guide
- Where is Hintertux, and why does the transfer run all year?
- Which airport should you fly into for Hintertux?
- Innsbruck, Salzburg or Munich: the three routes in detail
- Why is there no train to Hintertux?
- Getting there in winter and summer
- When and how to book your transfer
The nearest airport to Hintertux is Innsbruck, about 85km and 1 hour 25 minutes away by private transfer from around €185 per car; Salzburg and Munich are both roughly two and a half hours out. Because Hintertux sits at the dead end of the Tux valley with no railway station of its own, a door-to-door transfer is the one option that gets you from the terminal to the foot of the glacier lifts in a single vehicle, without changing onto a narrow-gauge train and a valley bus with your ski bags.
This guide covers how to reach Hintertux from each of the three main airports - times, distances, and starting prices - which one to choose, why there is no direct train, and how the trip differs between deep winter and the resort's year-round summer skiing.
Quick Facts: Getting to Hintertux (2026)
| Question | Short Answer |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Innsbruck (INN) - ~85 km, ~1h 25min, from €185/car |
| Other main airports | Salzburg (~163 km, ~2h 25min, €205); Munich (~176 km, ~2h 20min, €215) |
| Is there a train? | No station in Hintertux - rail means 3-4 legs ending in a valley bus |
| Resort altitude | Village 1,500 m; glacier skiing to 3,250 m on the Gefrorene Wand |
| Season | Open 365 days a year - Austria's only year-round glacier resort |
| Final approach | 19 km single-carriageway climb from Mayrhofen up the Tuxertal |
Where is Hintertux, and why does the transfer run all year?
Hintertux is the last village in the Tuxertal, a side valley that branches south off the Zillertal in the Tyrolean Alps. The road ends at the village at 1,500m, directly beneath the Hintertux Glacier - there is nowhere further to drive. Above it rises the Ski- und Gletscherwelt Zillertal 3000, with lift-served snow climbing to the Gefrorene Wand at 3,250m.
What sets Hintertux apart from every other resort in this guide is that it never closes. It is the only ski area in Austria that runs 365 days a year: you can take midsummer laps on the glacier in July and August, then ski deep-winter powder across the same slopes in January. That is why a transfer to Hintertux is not just a winter-season service. Summer glacier skiers, national race teams training on snow, and visitors to the Natur Eis Palast - a walk-in ice cave of frozen waterfalls with a subterranean lake you cross by raft - all make the trip up when the lower valleys are green and every other Tyrolean resort has closed its lifts.
For getting there, the geography matters in one specific way: the last 19km from Mayrhofen up the Tuxertal is a single-carriageway mountain road that climbs past Finkenberg and Lanersbach. It is straightforward in a car with a driver who knows it, but it is exactly the stretch that makes the public-transport alternative so awkward, as we'll see below.
Which airport should you fly into for Hintertux?
Three airports serve Hintertux comfortably, and the right one depends on where you're flying from as much as on distance. Here's how the live routes compare:
| Airport | Distance | Transfer time | From (per car) | Why choose it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innsbruck (INN) | ~85 km | ~1h 25min | €185 | Closest and usually cheapest; no border crossing |
| Salzburg (SZG) | ~163 km | ~2h 25min | €205 | Good for flights via Vienna or Germany; scenic |
| Munich (MUC) | ~176 km | ~2h 20min | €215 | Widest choice of international flights |
Innsbruck is the obvious pick on paper - it's less than half the distance of the other two and needs no border crossing. But it's a smaller airport with fewer direct long-haul and budget routes, so if the fare or schedule from Innsbruck doesn't work, Munich frequently does: it's the biggest airport within reach of the Zillertal and often has the widest flight choice, which can outweigh the extra hour on the road. Salzburg sits in between and is a natural choice if your inbound connection routes that way. Our comparison of which airport to choose for the Austrian Alps weighs these three in more detail.
A few other airports can work if the fares line up, though we don't yet run fixed routes from them. Zurich is the western approach, roughly 280km and about three hours over the Arlberg, and can suit travellers coming from western Europe. Vienna is the long eastern option at around 450km and four and a half hours - rarely the fastest way in, but occasionally the cheapest domestic Austrian fare. And two smaller charter airports, Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance and Memmingen in the Allgäu, sit about 200km out and see seasonal ski charters; they're worth a look if you find a convenient winter flight, though onward options are thinner. If you book with us from one of these, it would be arranged as a custom quote rather than a listed route.
Innsbruck, Salzburg or Munich: the three routes in detail
All three routes converge on the same final stretch - the B169 Zillertalstrasse to Mayrhofen, then the B169a Tuxer Strasse up to Hintertux - but the run to the mouth of the Zillertal differs at each airport.
Innsbruck Airport to Hintertux (~85 km, ~1h 25min)
The shortest and simplest. Your driver picks up the A12 Inntalautobahn a few minutes from Innsbruck's single terminal and heads east along the Inn to the Zillertal exit near Wiesing, about 40km on. From there it's south on the B169 through Fügen, Kaltenbach and Zell am Ziller to Mayrhofen, then the final 19km climb up the Tuxertal. No border, no motorway tangle - just one valley into another. See the full Innsbruck Airport to Hintertux route for pricing and vehicle options.
Salzburg Airport to Hintertux (~163 km, ~2h 25min)
From Salzburg the fast route to Tyrol cuts through the Deutsches Eck - the corner of Bavaria between Salzburg and Kufstein - so you briefly cross into Germany and back into Austria, both Schengen crossings with no routine passport check. The drive runs west past the Chiemsee, turns south onto the A93 and re-enters Austria at Kufstein onto the A12, then joins the same Zillertal approach. Full detail on the Salzburg Airport to Hintertux route.
Munich Airport to Hintertux (~176 km, ~2h 20min)
The longest in distance but marginally faster than Salzburg, because more of it is fast autobahn. The driver leaves Munich on the A8 and A93, running south past Rosenheim to the German-Austrian border near Kufstein, then west on the A12 to the Zillertal. It passes close to Mayrhofen, the last town in the valley with a rail head and itself a popular resort - see our Munich Airport to Mayrhofen route if that's your base. For the glacier, continue to the Munich Airport to Hintertux route.
Why is there no train to Hintertux?
Because the railway simply doesn't go there. The Zillertalbahn, a narrow-gauge line, runs up the main Zillertal only as far as Mayrhofen. Beyond that, the Tuxertal is served by road alone, so the last 19km to Hintertux is a bus - and there's no station at the airport end either.
In practice, doing it by public transport from Innsbruck means a train from the airport-adjacent city station to Jenbach, a change onto the Zillertalbahn to Mayrhofen (about 55 minutes), then a Tux valley bus for the final leg (another 40 minutes or so). From Munich or Salzburg you add a main-line train west to Jenbach on top of that. It's three to four legs with two or more changes, each one a scramble to move ski bags, boot bags and a tired group between platforms and a bus stop. It can be done, and it's cheap, but it turns a single drive into a half-day relay.
A private transfer collapses that back into one vehicle from the terminal to your accommodation door. For a group with equipment, or anyone arriving on a late flight when the last valley bus has gone, that's the practical difference between the two options. Our guide to ski resorts near Munich Airport makes the same point across the wider Tyrol.
Getting there in winter and summer
Most people picture Hintertux as a winter resort, and in the deep season - roughly December to April - it behaves like one. The one thing to plan around is the Saturday changeover: the entire Zillertal swaps its week-long guests on the same day, and the B169 fills up. On a peak winter Saturday, add 20 to 30 minutes to every time in this guide, and expect the last climb up the Tuxertal to be slower. Carriers on these routes plan pickups around the changeover rhythm, which is another reason a booked transfer beats improvising.
The summer trip is a different, quieter experience. From roughly May onwards the lower valleys turn green and every other Tyrolean lift closes, but the glacier keeps running. The roads are clear, transfer availability is wide, and you can book on shorter notice. Summer visitors split between skiers and boarders chasing off-season snow on the Gefrorene Wand, race squads on training camp, and families coming for the glacier itself - the ice cave, the high-altitude walking, and the novelty of snow in August. If you're weighing the wider region, our guide to Austria's best ski resorts from Munich Airport covers how Hintertux sits among the neighbours.
When and how to book your transfer
For winter, book as soon as your flights are confirmed - the peak Saturdays sell the local fleet out first, and an early booking locks a fixed, per-car price. Standard bookings can be cancelled free of charge more than 24 hours before pickup; for the busiest dates - the last Saturday of December, the first Saturday of January, and the first three Saturdays of February - that free-cancellation window extends to 72 hours. Summer trips have far more slack, so shorter lead times are fine.
Whichever airport you choose, share your flight number when you book so the carrier tracks your arrival and adjusts for delays or winter diversions, and flag how many ski or board bags you're bringing so the vehicle has the boot room. Prices are per car rather than per person, so filling the seats spreads the cost - four sharing an estate from Innsbruck works out well below the equivalent train-and-bus tickets once you count the bags.
Book Your Hintertux Transfer
Compare verified carriers on the route that fits your flights: the Innsbruck Airport to Hintertux run for the shortest hop, or Salzburg and Munich if the fares or flight times point that way. You set your dates, share your flight number, and see the confirmed per-car total - with the Austrian vignette included - before you book, for a single door-to-door drive to the foot of the glacier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the nearest airport to Hintertux?
Innsbruck Airport (INN) is the closest, about 85km and 1h 25min door to door, from around EUR 185 per car. Salzburg is roughly 163km (2h 25min) and Munich about 176km (2h 20min), both from a little more. Innsbruck is the shortest and usually cheapest run, but Munich often has the widest choice of flights, so the best airport depends on your route and fares as much as distance.
Is there a train to Hintertux?
No. Hintertux sits at the dead end of the Tux valley and has no railway station. The public route is a chain: a main-line train to Jenbach in the Inn valley, the narrow-gauge Zillertalbahn up to Mayrhofen, then a Tux valley bus for the final 19km. That is several changes with your ski bags. A private transfer does the whole run in one vehicle, straight to your accommodation.
Can you ski Hintertux in summer?
Yes. Hintertux Glacier is the only ski area in Austria open 365 days a year. There is lift-served snow high on the Gefrorene Wand at 3,250m through July and August, which is why race teams and summer skiers travel up when the lower valleys are green. It is also why airport transfers to Hintertux run year-round rather than only in the winter season.
How much does an airport transfer to Hintertux cost?
From around EUR 185 per car from Innsbruck, EUR 205 from Salzburg, and EUR 215 from Munich for a standard vehicle. Prices are per car, not per person, so a couple or a family of four pays the same base fare. Estates with more ski-bag room, minivans and minibuses cost more. You compare carrier offers and see the confirmed total, with the Austrian vignette built into most fares, before you book.
How long does the transfer to Hintertux take from each airport?
About 1h 25min from Innsbruck, 2h 25min from Salzburg, and 2h 20min from Munich in normal conditions. On winter Saturdays, when the whole Zillertal changes over at once, add 20 to 30 minutes. The final 19km from Mayrhofen up the Tuxertal is a single-carriageway mountain road, so carriers plan the pickup around your flight to get you in comfortably.
Do transfer drivers carry ski and snowboard equipment to Hintertux?
Yes. Hintertux is a glacier resort skied all year, so carriers on these routes handle skis, boards and boot bags as a matter of course. The thing to flag is load space: note how many ski or board bags you are bringing when you book so the carrier sends a vehicle with the boot room or a roof box. A four-person group with hard ski cases usually wants an estate or a minivan.
When should you book a Hintertux transfer?
Book as soon as your flights are set, especially for the peak winter Saturdays when the whole valley changes over. Standard bookings can be cancelled free more than 24 hours before pickup; for peak dates - the last Saturday of December, the first Saturday of January, and the first three Saturdays of February - the free-cancellation window extends to 72 hours. Summer glacier trips have far more availability and shorter lead times.
Sources and Data
- TransferBnB marketplace route data for Innsbruck, Salzburg and Munich to Hintertux (distances, times, per-car fares), 2026.
- Hintertuxer Gletscher / Ski- und Gletscherwelt Zillertal 3000 - resort altitude, season, and lift information.
- Zillertalbahn and Tux valley bus public-transport routing (Jenbach - Mayrhofen - Hintertux).
This article is part of TransferBnB's Austrian Alps transfer series. See also: Which Airport for the Austrian Alps? and Munich Airport to Innsbruck: Private Transfer vs Train vs Bus.