In the Penken

Mayrhofen. The starting point in the Alps for a large number of ski lovers. You can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the region for a long time (there are enough of both), but for many it was and remains a place that the skier’s heart is not indifferent to. It’s like first love, which over the years may not seem so beautiful, but the enthusiastic feeling from those times of youth continues to tickle pleasantly inside to this day.

Mayrhofen is a small Tyrolean town, the main street here is only one kilometer long. It is located in the Ziller Valley, thirty kilometers from the entrance to the valley and from the highway connecting the capital of Tyrol Innsbruck with Salzburg and Munich. A traditional Tyrolean village? Yes! A modern ski resort? Yes too! Here these two concepts coexist perfectly. And the rural smell of manure on some secondary street may well turn into the wonderful smell of freshly prepared food from a haute cuisine restaurant on the main Hauptstrasse. It’s all very cute and looks like the same New Year’s fairy tale that we loved so much in childhood. The main thing is that there is snow in the city, which in recent years has unfortunately been happening less and less often. Unfortunately, the village is located at a low altitude, only 650 meters above sea level. And if once you could cross-country ski almost every winter in the valley, now the grass is often green there.

Kirch on the square near the Kramewirt Hotel

This certainly does not apply to the main ski area, where there is always enough snow in the season, which is facilitated by the decent altitude of the ski area and a good artificial snowmaking system. Mayrhofen belongs to the Zillertal 3000 region, which, in addition to the “home” Penken and Ahorn, includes the Horberg, Rastkogel and Eggalm zones. All of them, with the exception of Ahorn, are connected by a single network of lifts. Formally, the Hintertux Glacier also belongs here, but it takes about forty minutes to get there by bus, so we will leave it in parentheses in this description. Also in the Zillertal Valley, in addition to Mayrhofen and the glacier, there are two large skiing areas – Zillertal Arena and Ski-Optimal. The total mileage of the slopes is very decent, about 500 kilometers. Of course, the zones are separated from each other and to move from one to another, you will have to use a ski bus or train (free for ski pass holders). But these half-hour trips through the valley will be more informative than tiring. Moreover, the buses run on schedule with absolutely German precision.

Mayrhofen lies below under the clouds.

View from Knorren (2081 m) to the Penken station.

The history of downhill skiing in the region began in 1954 with the construction of the first lift from the city, which, later modified and updated, still attracts long queues, especially in high season. However, by the 2015-2016 season, investors had invested heavily in its modernization: 33 gondolas with 24 seats (plus 8 standing) with a capacity of 3,840 people per hour significantly relieved the situation with “traffic jams” during peak hours.

It is impossible to ski down to Mayrhofen, the slopes of the mountain here are too steep to lay a track. So, the main thing is to climb to the top, and then a modern and powerful system of lifts will take skiers wherever they want, each to the tracks that suit them best. There are practically no queues here. But as for the quality of the tracks, they are usually very broken by midday, although they are perfectly prepared in the morning. After all, the region is very compact, and the number of places for guests in Mayrhofen alone is quite large – about 10,000. Of course, all this crowd quickly and successfully breaks up large hills by lunchtime. So it is better to go up the mountain with the first lift and finish skiing a little earlier than the main mass of people, at the same time the queues for the descent will pass.

Penken “hollow” from the upper station of the 150er-Tux lift

So, having risen from the upper station of the Penkenbahn cable car (1800 m) and then on another lift to the Knorren rock (2081 m), you can ski in a large, as it is popularly called “pit” between Penkene and Horberg. The Penken slopes here have a northern orientation, and are mainly in the shade, the Horberg slopes, on the contrary, are southern and sunny. The trails themselves are mostly of medium difficulty and, to tell the truth, very short by Alpine standards, only one or two kilometers long. The whole “pit” is buzzing like a beehive in high season: a large ski rush, where beginners may not be very comfortable. They have nowhere to ski here, in fact. On the blue training trails No. 2 and No. 20, every bend is familiar after a few days, but you still have to get to the good blue ones on Rastkogel. Then it’s better to go to the Ahorn area, which is accessed from Mayrhofen by a separate lift, the station of which is located four hundred meters from the Penken. There are several pleasant blue trails here, served by a chairlift and tow ropes, as well as the interesting Funslope area. And there are always a few people. There is an opportunity to study at the ski school right there, so as not to intersect with the crowd rushing to Penken. It is quite possible to devote three days to setting up basic equipment, so that later you can boldly rush “into battle” to conquer the Zillertal ski facilities. In general, Mayrhofen has very good ski schools and good work, including with children.

Pass to the Rastkogel area

Let’s leave the beginners on Ahorn and return to the main skiing area, moving on to explore it. Good interesting slopes are located above Finkenberg. It is always sunny here and relatively few people. There is a good wide training hill, a couple of red and black runs. It is worth staying. For those who like to ride “among the Christmas trees” – an off-piste descent down to Finkenberg itself. As a trail – nothing interesting, a flat path with a lot of “mother-in-law’s tongues”.

Such preparation for “festivals” in Mayrhofen is a common thing

So, the entire region has been covered, all the trails, both forest (of which there are about 30%) and open, have been pumped several times, it’s time to go back down to the city, change clothes, take a shower or go to the sauna, and, having rested a little (or maybe even without rest at all), rush to conquer the heights of après-ski. What is more, the possibilities of the town, it must be said, are very limited, in the evenings the center can even be excessively noisy. There are several bars and discos here, where you can start having fun even before returning to the hotel, right in your ski boots. The whole of Mayrhofen in the evening resembles a kind of Babylon: a mixture of languages ​​- German, English, Russian, Dutch, wandering sometimes drunk, but very positive people here and there in search of a place where their soul can truly unfold. Not Ischgl and St. Anton, but also very defiantly, many, especially young people, have the best memories of Mayrhofen in the evening and at night. And if you ask them to tell you about their vacation later, you will probably see a meaningful and mysterious smile on their face.

Mayrhofen 2019: How to get there, where to stay, what to see

Mayrhofen

How to get to Mayrhofen

The resort of Mayrhofen is located in the heart of the Zillertal Valley, approximately halfway between Innsbruck and Kitzbühel. It is believed that this place has one of the most successful locations for skiing. The Zillertal Valley includes such resorts as Zell am Ziller, Zellberg, Rohrberg, Hippach, Schwendau, Finkenberg and, of course, Mayrhofen, which occupies a central place among other resort towns.

Mayrhofen has been known as a ski resort for quite some time, so the local infrastructure is considered highly developed, and the slopes are some of the best for skiing of any difficulty. There is also a separate area for snowboarders and freeriders, which also boasts ideal conditions for skiing. Mayrhofen is also known as an entertainment center – numerous cafes, restaurants, bars and discos create a unique evening atmosphere, and you can always relax in the local spa and wellness centers.

You can get to Mayrhofen from Munich or Innsbruck. These are the two nearest large cities, which have their own international arrival airports. Flights fly to Innsbruck all year round. Munich also has direct and connecting flights throughout the year

Innsbruck-Mayrhofen

The distance between Innsbruck and Mayrhofen is 70 km. You can get from one point to another by public transport, taxi or transfer, or by rented car. You cannot get directly from Innsbruck to Mayrhofen by public transport, you need to change in the town of Jenbach. Trains and electric trains run from Innsbruck there. Then from Jenbach to Mayrhofen there are electric trains or buses. The total travel time will be approximately 1.5 hours + time to get from Innsbruck airport to the train station.

You can get there a little faster and without transfers if you use the services of a taxi or transfer. You can arrange a trip with taxi drivers right on the spot after arrival, or order a car with a transfer in advance. For this, there are special services that allow you to choose a car of the appropriate class and size and order it by the appointed time.

An equally convenient option for those who have a driver’s license is to rent a car. Rental company offices can be found right at Innsbruck Airport, the procedure itself usually takes no more than 20 minutes. To book a car of the desired class in advance (and in the “high” season this option is in great demand), you can use special services such as Rentalcars, Autoeurope and others like it, this guarantees you the availability of the desired car upon arrival. Innsbruck and Mayrhofen are connected by the A12 and Zillertal Str./B169 motorways, with an estimated travel time of 55-60 minutes.

Mayrhofen

Munich-Mayrhofen

Munich is 156 km from Mayrhofen. The cities are connected by the A8 and A12 motorways. As with Innsbruck, you can get to Mayrhofen from Munich by public transport, taxi, transfer or rented car. There are no direct trains from Munich to Mayrhofen, but there is a train to Jenbach every 2 hours, from where you can then change to another train or bus directly to Mayrhofen. The total travel time is about 2.5 hours, not including the time it takes to get from Munich airport to the train station.

If you are carrying equipment or a large amount of luggage, a taxi or transfer can come to your aid. And although their services are more expensive than public transport, the problem of paying for luggage, transfers and lost time will disappear by itself. You can order a transfer before your arrival time on special services providing transfer services. These can be Intui.Travel, Kiwitaxi and others similar.

If you have an international driver’s license, you can get from Munich to Mayrhofen by car yourself. Car rental in Munich is a fairly popular tourist service, rental offices can be found everywhere in the city, as well as at the arrival airport. The cities are connected by several highways – No. A8 and A12; No. A13; No. B181; the approximate travel time will be about 2 hours. The roads between the cities are mostly high-speed autobahns, which you can travel on quickly and comfortably, in addition, trips on the German part of the route will be free of charge, because there are no toll roads in Germany.

Mayrhofen in winter

Where to stay in Mayrhofen

Mayrhofen is a popular tourist destination, which means that the resort’s infrastructure can accommodate a large number of vacationers. You can stay in Mayrhofen in hotels of various star categories, apartments (studio rooms, flats or houses), guest houses, bed and breakfast hotels, farmhouses, holiday homes, etc. The price policy for accommodation in Mayrhofen is average for Austrian ski resorts, meaning you can find both budget options and exclusive ones. Please note that the ideal price/quality ratio can only be found if you book accommodation in advance (ideally a few months before your intended trip).

Hotels in Mayrhofen

Hotels in Mayrhofen have different star ratings, from modest options without stars to luxurious ones with a full range of additional options. Regardless of the star rating, Mayrhofen hotels are two-story houses, made in a typical Tyrolean style, and look like respectable country houses. There are no high-rise buildings with a million rooms on one floor in Mayrhofen.

As additional services, a number of local hotels offer spa and wellness centers on their territory with a swimming pool and sauna, free parking for those traveling by car, terraces for relaxation, children’s playgrounds or rooms, restaurants, ski equipment rental and storage, ski pass sales, etc. The vast majority of local hotels offer breakfast included in the price of accommodation, some offer half board.

Mayrhofen Hotels

In addition to Mayrhofen, you can also find accommodation in neighboring towns, such as Tux (10 km), Zell am Ziller (7.5 km), Ramsau (4 km), Finkenberg (4 km), Hippach (4 km), Schwendau (4 km), but then you need to think about ways to get from these resorts to Mayrhofen for skiing. You can find all accommodation options in Mayrhofen and neighboring towns on special sites Booking, Hotellook and others, which compare all existing offers for specific dates.

Apartments in Mayrhofen

Apartments in Mayrhofen are no less popular accommodation option than hotels. You can even say that Mayrhofen is famous for its large selection of apartments for rent. You can stay in both apart-hotels and separate apartments. Apart-hotels usually offer studio rooms or rooms with separate bedrooms and an equipped kitchen (there are both appliances and household items).

Separate apartments are usually entire houses, one or two-story. The second accommodation option is more suitable for families with children or large groups. In both cases, breakfast or any other food is not provided. You can eat either in public catering establishments, of which there are many in Mayrhofen, or cook yourself in a kitchen equipped with everything you need.

Mayrhofen

What to see in Mayrhofen

Mayrhofen is not without reason considered one of the most popular and sought-after resorts in Austria, this is facilitated by a developed infrastructure, and not only in terms of accommodation and skiing, but also in terms of entertainment. In addition to actual skiing, snowboarding, freeride, cross-country skiing, Mayrhofen is able to offer other, less extreme entertainment, such as sledding and snowshoeing, relaxation in spa centers, hot outdoor pools, restaurants, shopping, bars and discos until the morning. In the summer, people come to Mayrhofen to go hiking and climbing. Tennis courts, stables in the summer and ice rinks, toboggan runs in the winter – these are other popular activities at the resort in Mayrhofen.

Mayrhofen ski resort

After all, the main function of the resort is skiing, and for this Mayrhofen has everything you need: 136 km of slopes, 40 km of which are intended for beginners, 66 km – of medium difficulty and 30 km – for experienced skiers; 57 lifts, including бугельні, крісельні, канатні дороги, повітряні трамваї; 20 км трас для бігових лиж; паркове катання в Vans Penken для сноуборда і фрірайду з 6-ма різними майданчиками різної складності. Перепад висот становить 1870 м, а найдовша траса дорівнює 10 км.

У Майрхофені відкрито велику кількість пунктів прокату спорядження, а також магазини для придбання власного. До найвідоміших прокатним контор відносяться Uli Spiess SKIZONE, Die Roten Profis, Intersport Bründl і інші. Тут можна орендувати не тільки гірські лижі, але і, наприклад, сноубордичне спорядження. Також в місті знаходиться більше 5 гірськолижних шкіл, які допоможуть навчитися початківцям катальщикам. Заняття можуть бути груповими та індивідуальними, для дітей і дорослих, навчання проводиться як катання на гірських лижах, так і на сноуборді. Є курси і з фрірайду.

Вартість скі-пасів в Майрхофені наступна: від 53,5 євро для дорослого і 24 євро для дитини в день. Якщо Ви плануєте кататися не тільки на території Майрхофена, а й у всій долині Циллерталь, включаючи інші курорти, то тарифи буде наступними: від 105,5 євро для дорослого і 47,5 євро для дитини на 2 дні; 147,5 і 66,5 євро на 3 дні; 184,5 і 83 євро на 4 дні; 221 і 99,5 євро на 5 днів; 256,5 і 115,5 євро на 6 днів; 291 і 131 євро на тиждень.

Майрхофен

Розваги в Майрхофені

Багато готелів Майрхофена у вищій категорії зірковості пропонують різні розваги прямо на своїй території. Це можуть бути і спа-зони, і басейни, і сауни, і розважальна програма. Однак якщо Ви зупиняєтеся в стандартному готелі, який дані опції не пропонує, то піти розважитися можна в місцевому аквацентрі Erlebnisbad Mayrhofen. Тут можна знайти відкриті і криті басейни, сауни, зони відпочинку і тераси.

Відкритий басейн обладнаний гірками, придатними для катання з дітьми. Аквацентр відкритий цілий рік і є популярним місцем відпочинку, як в зимовий час, так і в літній. Ціна питання: відкритий басейн – 7 євро для дорослого і 4,5 євро для дитини (влітку); критий басейн – 10 євро для дорослого і 5,6 євро для дитини; сауна – 11 євро для дорослого і 10 євро для дитини (ціни вказані за 2 години перебування).

Серед зимових розваг гості курорту також можуть спробувати свої сили на місцевій ковзанці (розташованій поруч з аквапарком), ковзанка відкрита з листопада по березень; на санній трасі, довжина якої становить 7,5 км, можливо вечірнє катання; в катанні на снігоступах і снігоходах; а також освоїти лижний альпінізм і покататися на параплані. У літню пору в Майрхофені відкриті тенісні корти і стайні для катання на конях.

В цілому, відпочинок в Майрхофені – вельми різноманітний і не обмежується тільки гірськими лижами, відпочити тут можна як пасивно, так і дуже активно, в залежності від Ваших власних побажань. Клімат і природа місцевості розташовує до зимових видів спорту, а й влітку Майрхофен відкриває свої двері для відпочинку в аквапарку, на тенісних кортах, на піших, кінних і велосипедних прогулянках, а також для освоєння скелелазіння.

Майрхофен влітку

На головній і прилеглих вулицях безліч магазинчиків з сувенірною продукцією. Є чим зайнятися. Навіть просто прогулятися ввечері по місту, неквапливо вбираючи його ритм, дуже приємне проведення часу. Екскурсії в Інсбрук і музей Сваровскі, а також Мюнхен будуть відмінним доповненням до перебування на місцевості.

Такий ось він, виходить, гірськолижний курорт Майрхофен. Яскравий, живий, затишний, сонячний. Хоча за статистикою тут далеко не завжди світить сонце і часто бувають туманні дні з опадами, але це не накладає суттєвого відбитку на враження. І коли ви повертаєтеся додому і вас запитують, який вийшла поїздка, ви говорите: «Сонячною!». Якщо не в прямому, то в вже переносному сенсі точно. Магія? Загадка? Спробуйте самі розгадати, приїжджайте кататися в Майрхофен.

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