By James Whitfield · Last updated: July 2026 · 9 min read

In This Guide

Hintertux is the ski area you go to when you want snow to be a certainty. It has around 62 km of pistes climbing to 3,250 m on the Gefrorene Wand, the longest single run in the Zillertal at 12 km top to bottom, and - because the top third sits on a glacier - reliable cover when lower resorts are thin. It's Austria's only resort open 365 days a year, which makes it as much an autumn and spring destination as a deep-winter one.

This guide is about the skiing itself: the terrain and how it splits by ability, when to go for the best conditions, which lift pass fits your trip, and - briefly - how to get there. If your main question is the journey from the airport, our companion guide to getting to Hintertux covers routes, times and prices in full.

Quick Facts: Skiing Hintertux (2026)

Feature Detail
Pistes (winter) ~62 km on the glacier area; 206 km linked in Zillertal 3000
Lifts 21 lifts and cable cars
Altitude Base 1,500 m; top 3,250 m (Gefrorene Wand) - ~1,750 m vertical
Longest run 12 km, Gefrorene Wand to valley - longest in the Zillertal
Season 365 days a year; full linked area December to mid-April
Freestyle Betterpark snowpark, one of Europe's few year-round parks

Sources: skiresort.info; Ski- und Gletscherwelt Zillertal 3000; Zillertal Superskipass.

What is the skiing like at Hintertux?

Hintertux stacks three layers of skiing on top of each other. Up top is the glacier proper, a broad snow plateau around the Gefrorene Wand at 3,250 m, with wide, forgiving pistes and near-guaranteed cover - this is the part that runs all year. In the middle, the Tuxer-Ferner-Haus and Sommerbergalm zones give you steeper reds and the resort's off-piste lines. Down low, the runs drop into the tree line toward the 1,500 m base, where the snow is more weather-dependent but the skiing is sheltered and scenic.

The signature descent ties all three together: from the Gefrorene Wand down to the valley is a 12 km run, the longest single piste in the Zillertal, dropping roughly 1,750 m of vertical from glacier to forest in one go. It's graded red and skiable by any solid intermediate, and doing it top to bottom without stopping is the thing regulars come back for.

Across the 62 km of local pistes the balance tips toward reds - this is a confident-skier's mountain - but there's genuine variety. Freestyle skiers and boarders have the Betterpark, one of the few snowparks in Europe that runs across the seasons, and the high, snow-sure terrain is why national race teams train here in autumn. For a sense of how Hintertux sits among its neighbours, our overview of Austria's best ski resorts puts it alongside St Anton, Sölden and Ischgl.

Skiers on the long Hintertux valley descent dropping toward the tree line and the Tux valley

Who does Hintertux suit?

Intermediates get the most out of Hintertux. The long reds off the glacier, the 12 km valley run and the linked Zillertal 3000 terrain give a strong red-run skier weeks of variety without ever needing a black. Advanced skiers have the steeper pitches around Tuxer Ferner, the off-piste between the marked runs, and the park; add the wider Zillertal Superskipass area and there's more challenging terrain than most trips can cover.

Beginners are catered for but not spoiled: there are gentle blues and practice zones at both the valley base and up on the glacier, so novices have safe, snow-sure ground - which is actually a real advantage for a first-timer, since the snow is dependable. It just isn't a sprawling nursery resort in the way a purpose-built beginner area is. Freestylers and families with mixed abilities are well served: the glacier plateau is a natural meeting point, so a group can split by ability and regroup between runs.

When is the best time to ski Hintertux?

The answer depends on what you want, because Hintertux never closes. For the biggest ski area and the deepest all-mountain snow, come in the main winter season, December to mid-April, when the glacier links up with Eggalm, Rastkogel, Finkenberg, Penken/Mayrhofen and Ahorn to form the snow-sure Ski- und Gletscherwelt Zillertal 3000 - 206 km of linked pistes. This is when the low tree-line runs are open and the whole vertical is in play.

Outside that window, the glacier is the draw. October and November are prime early-season glacier time, when Hintertux is often the only place in Austria with proper pistes and race teams move in to train. Late spring and summer give you quiet, high-altitude snow around the Gefrorene Wand plus the Betterpark, when the valleys below are green. One scheduling note for peak winter: the whole Zillertal changes guests over on Saturdays, so the roads and lifts are busiest then - a midweek arrival is calmer.

Lift passes: glacier, Zillertal 3000, or Superskipass

Which pass to buy comes down to how far you want to roam:

Pass Covers Best for
Hintertux Glacier ticket The ~62 km of glacier and valley pistes at Hintertux Short stays and glacier-only days (incl. summer)
Ski- und Gletscherwelt Zillertal 3000 206 km linking Hintertux, Eggalm, Rastkogel, Finkenberg, Penken/Mayrhofen, Ahorn (Dec-mid-Apr) A week based in the Tux and Mayrhofen valleys
Zillertal Superskipass All 546 km and 180 lifts across the four Zillertal areas Big-mileage skiers touring the whole valley

A useful quirk: any Zillertal Superskipass of four days or more already includes the Hintertux Glacier, so if you're skiing the wider valley for most of a week, you don't need a separate glacier ticket to add a day up top. The Superskipass season for 2026 runs 5 December to 12 April. If Mayrhofen is your base rather than Tux, our Munich Airport to Mayrhofen route covers that side of the valley.

Getting to Hintertux for your ski trip

Hintertux sits at the head of the Tux valley with no railway station, so almost everyone arrives by road. The nearest airport is Innsbruck, about 1h 25min away; Salzburg and Munich are both around two and a half hours, with Munich usually offering the widest choice of flights.

Because the public-transport route means a train to Jenbach, the narrow-gauge Zillertalbahn to Mayrhofen and a valley bus for the final climb, most skiers take a door-to-door transfer straight to their accommodation with their equipment. Our full guide to getting to Hintertux compares all three airports on time, price and route, and if you're still deciding where to fly, which airport for the Austrian Alps weighs them up.

Book Your Hintertux Ski Transfer

Once your ski dates are set, lock in the transfer early - peak winter Saturdays sell the local fleet out first. Compare verified carriers on the Innsbruck Airport to Hintertux route for the shortest run, or Salzburg and Munich if the flights point that way, and see the confirmed per-car total - ski bags included - before you book.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hintertux good for skiing?

Yes. Hintertux has around 62 km of pistes rising to 3,250 m on the Gefrorene Wand, with snow you can rely on because it's a glacier. The terrain leans toward confident intermediates and advanced skiers, with wide red runs off the top and a serious freestyle park, but there are gentle blues at both the valley base and up on the glacier. It's also one of the most snow-sure resorts in the Alps.

When is the best time to ski Hintertux?

For the full ski area and deepest snow, come in the main winter season from December to mid-April, when Hintertux links with the wider Ski- und Gletscherwelt Zillertal 3000. But the glacier itself runs 365 days a year, so autumn and spring are prime glacier time when lower resorts are shut - and October to November and late spring draw race teams and early-season skiers to the high pistes.

How long is the longest run at Hintertux?

The descent from the Gefrorene Wand at 3,250 m down to the Hintertux valley base at 1,500 m is 12 km long - the longest single piste in the whole Zillertal, with roughly 1,750 m of vertical. It's a red-graded run that takes in the glacier up top and the tree-lined valley lower down, and skiing it top to bottom in one go is the signature Hintertux experience.

Is Hintertux good for beginners?

It works for beginners, but it isn't a classic nursery resort. There are gentle blue runs and practice areas both at the valley base and up on the glacier plateau, so novices have safe terrain. That said, the resort's real strength is intermediate and advanced skiing, and a mixed group of learners and stronger skiers is well served because everyone can meet on the glacier between runs.

What ski pass do you need for Hintertux?

For the glacier alone, a Hintertux Glacier day ticket covers the 62 km of local pistes. From December to mid-April, the Ski- und Gletscherwelt Zillertal 3000 pass links Hintertux with Eggalm, Rastkogel, Finkenberg, Penken/Mayrhofen and Ahorn for 206 km of slopes. For the widest area, the Zillertal Superskipass opens all 546 km across the valley - and any Superskipass of four days or more already includes Hintertux.

How do you get to Hintertux to ski?

The nearest airport is Innsbruck, about 1h 25min away by private transfer; Salzburg and Munich are both roughly two and a half hours. Because Hintertux has no railway station, most skiers arrive by car or door-to-door transfer rather than piecing together a train and a valley bus with ski bags. See our full guide to reaching Hintertux for times, prices and routes from each airport.

Can you ski Hintertux in summer?

Yes. Hintertux is the only ski area in Austria open 365 days a year. In July and August there's lift-served snow high on the glacier around the Gefrorene Wand, with a summer piste network of about 18 km plus the Betterpark for freestyle. Summer skiing is quieter and higher up, drawing race squads on training camp and skiers chasing off-season snow.

Sources and Data

  • skiresort.info - Hintertux Glacier ski-area data (pistes, lifts, altitude, longest run). skiresort.info
  • Ski- und Gletscherwelt Zillertal 3000 - linked ski area and season. tux.at
  • Zillertal Superskipass - coverage, validity and season dates 2026. zillertal.at
  • TransferBnB marketplace route data, Innsbruck / Salzburg / Munich to Hintertux, 2026.

This article is part of TransferBnB's Austrian Alps ski series. See also: How to Get to Hintertux Glacier and Ski Resorts Near Munich Airport.