Nordkette Cable Car Round-Trip Ticket Innsbruck

The Nordkette cable car from Innsbruck city centre

The Nordkette is the great limestone range that rises directly behind Innsbruck, and the cable car is what makes it possible to go from the old town to the high peaks within half an hour. The journey starts at Congress station, near the centre, where the Hungerburg funicular, with its curved glass-roofed stations designed by the architect Zaha Hadid, carries you up the first stage. From there, cable cars continue to Seegrube and then to Hafelekar.

If you are searching for Nordkette cable car tickets, this round-trip ticket covers the whole route and stays valid all day, so you decide when to ride and where to stop. Operating times follow the season and the weather, and the booking panel shows the available time window for your chosen date.

Hungerburg, the first stop above the city

Hungerburg is the first stop, on a sunny terrace roughly 860 metres above sea level, around 300 metres above the rooftops of Innsbruck. It is a village-like plateau with cafés, a viewing terrace and the start of several easy trails, so it works as a quick breather even if you plan to continue upwards. This is also where families get the first look at how steep the city's mountain backdrop really is.

Hungerburg is the easiest Innsbruck viewpoint to reach, and the funicular takes only a few minutes from the centre. Your ticket lets you get off here and then re-board the next cable car later in the day.

Seegrube, the Alpine terrace at 1,900 metres

Seegrube is the middle station, at about 1,900 metres, and the place where many visitors choose to spend most of their time. A large terrace looks out over the city and the valley, a mountain restaurant is open for meals and snacks, and marked trails start from here for walkers of every level. In winter the same slopes belong to skiers and snowboarders, and in summer to hikers and paragliders.

Late afternoon is a favourite time for the view, when the light turns the Inn valley golden. Seegrube is where the question of whether the Nordkette is worth visiting usually answers itself: the contrast between a lively city street and a quiet mountain meadow takes less than twenty minutes.

Hafelekar, the top of Innsbruck

The final cable car brings you to Hafelekar, the top station above 2,200 metres, often called the Top of Innsbruck. A short walk from the station leads to the summit viewpoint and its cross at about 2,300 metres, with views across the Karwendel range, the Stubai Alps and the whole valley. The air is noticeably cooler and thinner than in the city, so give yourself time to walk slowly.

The best time to visit the Nordkette for clear views is a morning with little cloud, and from late spring to early autumn for walking. Bring a warm layer even in July, check the weather before you go, and remember that the cable car may pause in strong wind.