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Tyrol
- This article is about the Austrian region. For the Italian part of Tyrol, see South Tyrol.
Tyrol is one of the Länder (states) of Austria, in the heart of the Alps. It consists of North and East Tyrol, separated by a strip of Salzburg and Italy. The historical region extends into northern Italy.
Regions
[edit]
| Innsbruck Stadt (Innsbruck, Igls) The regional capital. |
| Innsbruck Land (Hall in Tirol, Völs, Wattens, Zirl) The district encompasses part of the Inn Valley and the North Tyrolean section of the Wipptal Valley, along with its tributary valleys: the Stubaital, Sellraintal, Gschnitztal and Wattental valleys. It also includes the Seefelder Plateau. The district is quite diverse. Alpine areas dominate the landscape, including the Stubai Alps to the south-west, the Tux Alps to the south-east, and the Wetterstein Mountains and the Karwendel to the north. The largest population is concentrated in the Inntal valley, while the other areas (except Stubaital and Seefeld) have more untouched landscapes and comparatively less tourism. |
| Imst (Imst; Pitztal, Ötztal) The district comprises a part of the upper Inn valley, with its tributary valleys Ötztal, Pitztal, and Gurgltal, and the Mieming Plateau. The area is dominated by high alpine mountains including the Wildspitze of 3,768 m (12,362 ft), the highest in North Tyrol. Mountain ranges include the Stubai Alps, Ötztal Alps, and Mieminger Mountains. The district includes the Timmelsjoch pass to South Tyrol in Italy, the highest pass of Tyrol. Imst is less poulated, but with Ötztal a main tourism center. |
| Kitzbühel (Kitzbühel, Fieberbrunn, Hopfgarten im Brixental, St. Johann in Tirol) Similar to Kitzbühel. Very touristic with no high mountains. World famous is the capital Kitzbühel. Mountain ranges within the district include the Kitzbühel Alps, the Loferer Steinberge and the Kaisergebirge. |
| Kufstein (Kufstein, Alpbach, Brixlegg, Wörgl; Ellmau) The district comprises the lower part of the Inn valley as far as the Bavarian border, the Alpbach valley, the Brandenberg valley, Wildschönau and Thiersee. Mountain are not as high as in the western part of Tyrol. Mountain ranges within the district include the Brandenberg Alps, Kitzbühel Alps, and the Kaisergebirge. The largest lakes are the Reintal lakes, Thiersee, Hechtsee, Hintersteiner See and Walchsee. |
| Landeck (Landeck, St. Anton, Galtür, Ischgl, Kappl, See; Kaunertal, St. Christoph) The uppermost part of the Inn valley and its tributary valleys Kaunertal, Stanzer Tal, and Paznaun. Mountain ranges in the district include parts of the Ötztal Alps, the Samnaun Alps, parts of the Verwall Alps and the Lechtal Alps, and the Arlberg area. Low poulation density but Important tourism area in Paznaun and Stanzer Tal (Arlberg). |
| Schwaz (Schwaz, Achenkirch, Jenbach, Maurach, Mayrhofen, Pertisau, Steinberg am Rofan; Eng) The district comprises a part of the lower Inn valley, the complete Zillertal valley with its tributary valleys and the Achental valley with the Achensee. Mountain ranges within the district include the Tux Alps, Zillertal Alps, Kitzbühel Alps, the Karwendel and the Rofan. |
| Reutte Reutte (Reutte, Ehrwald) The district comprises the valleys of the Lech, the Tannheimer Tal, and the so-called Zwischentoren between Reutte and Fern Pass. Mountain ranges in the district include parts of the Lechtal Alps, Wetterstein Mountains, Allgäu Alps and Tannheim Mountains. Prominent lakes include Plansee, Heiterwanger See, Haldensee, and Vilsalpsee. |
| Lienz (Lienz, Kals; Hohe Tauern National Park) East Tyrol, the eastern exclave of Austrian Tyrol, separated from the northern part by a strip of Salzburg and Italy. It is a very mountainous region with a low population and little tourism. However, it is very natural and untouched. |
These subregions are the administrative districts, which don't really correspond to tourist or travel regions. As most roads follow the valley and passes between them, the natural regions are valleys (German: Tal). The Lower Inn Valley is large and covers much of central Tyrol.
Cities
[edit]Innsbruck Land and Innsbruck Stadt
[edit]Imst
[edit]Kitzbühel
[edit]- 8 Kitzbühel – a medieval town; famous and exclusive ski resort
- 9 Fieberbrunn
- 10 Hopfgarten im Brixental
- 11 St. Johann in Tirol
Kufstein
[edit]Landeck
[edit]Reutte
[edit]Schwaz
[edit]- 24 Schwaz
- 25 Achenkirch – The largest town in the Achen Valley and popular ski resort in winter with extensive ski infrastructure. It sits at the border with Bavaria.
- 26 Jenbach
- 27 Maurach – In the Achen valley
- 28 Mayrhofen
- 29 Pertisau – In the Achen valley
- 30 Steinberg am Rofan – A small town deep in the Rofan mountain range
- 31 Fügen – ski area with thermal
East Tyrol
[edit]Other destinations
[edit]Innsbruck Land and Innsbruck Stadt:
- 1 Stubaier Gletscher – a Glacier
Imst:
Kufstein:
Landeck:
Schwaz:
East Tyrol:
- 8 Hohe Tauern National Park – at 1,834 km2 (708 sq mi) the largest nature reserve in the Alps, including the Grossglockner and Grossvenediger massifs.
Understand
[edit]
North Tyrol borders the German state of Bavaria to the north, Vorarlberg to the west, the Swiss canton Graubünden to the south-west, Salzburg to the east. South Tyrol is in Italy, part of Trentino-Alto Adige.
Like its sister provinces of Bavaria in Germany and Salzburgerland in Austria, Tyrol is the very definition of the Germanic Alpine stereotype. With its romantic lakes, castles and folkloric traditions deeply rooted in the Alpine landscape and seasonal changes, the area can seem like a fairy tale to visitors. Innsbruck is the only real "bigger" city, with the rest a beautiful natural panorama. The roads get clogged with tourists in the summer and winter months.
Talk
[edit]As in nearly all of Austria, Austro-Bavarian is the main everyday spoken language of Tyrol (except in Reutte district where it is Alemannic). The Tyrolean dialect is even often tricky to understand for residents of eastern Austria (including Vienna) let alone from northern Germany. But, as in all of Austria, standard (Austrian) German is the official language used in all official publications and schools, so the vast majority speaks it. English is spoken by most middle aged and young people, and Italian is also quite prevalent due to the proximity of the South Tyrolian border and a small immigrant community in Innsbruck. Tyroleans greet each other with Servus or in formal situations with Grüß Gott.
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]The main entry point by air is the 1 Innsbruck International Airport 
(INN IATA) which has scheduled flights to Vienna Airport, Frankfurt Airport, Londonand Amsterdam Schiphol over the whole year. In winter, there a additional regular flights from various cities like Athens, Berlin, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Madrid, Warsaw, Bristol, Reykjavík or Manchester
Munich Airport (MUC IATA), 2 hours away by road transport from Innsbruck, is another alternative. There are vans that will meet you at Munich Airport and take you directly to your lodging in or around Innsbruck for the price of a comparable train ticket.
The 2 airfield of St. Johann in Tirol has a 750 m (2,460 ft) asphalt runway but no scheduled services.
By train
[edit]
Considering the topography rail connections are impressive and a highly scenic and relaxing way to see the Tyrol. Trains also connect the "three Tyrols" via rail and tunnels. One of the most scenic train tracks is the Arlberg railway and the Karwendel railway.
Innsbruck has connections to all major cities in Austria such as Vienna, Graz, Salzburg, Linz and Bregenz.
Between Munich and Innsbruck, there is usually one train per hour with stops at Kufstein, Wörgl and Jenbach and trip times between 1:45h and 2:30h.
By ski
[edit]Skiing into Tyrol is very easy from Switzerland when crossing the Silvretta above Samnaun. The mountain ridge is the border between Switzerland and Austria, and multiple lifts take skiers to the ridge from either side. Descending the mountain on one side leads back to Switzerland, the other side leads into Tyrol. There is no border checkpoint for obvious practical reasons and because both countries are members of the Schengen treaty, but skiers with a keen eye for detail may notice a ceremonial border guard who "patrols" the border on skis!
Get around
[edit]The alpine geography creates obvious chokepoints for both road and rail traffic and during busy times there may be restrictions on driving with visitors using local roads having to prove they are indeed visiting local accommodation and not transiting the country. Many road and rail tunnels have already been built, but the politically contentious situation is likely to remain difficult until the opening of the Brenner Base Tunnel which will hopefully divert a significant share of transiting freight transport from road to rail. If you can arrange a rail based troop to your destination, do so for the sake of your own sanity.
See
[edit]
Do
[edit]- 1 Achenseebahn (Achensee Railway), Jenbach, Tyrol (Near Jenbach train station). Ride Europe's oldest steam-operated cog railway which opened in 1889.
- Erlebnistherme Zillertal in Kapfing has indoor and outdoor pools and wellness including water slides and fun park.
- 2 Weisskugelhutte. 4h, Blue-class hike, Melag
- 3 Kaunergrathutte. 11h/2d, Red-class hike, Plangeross to Trenkwald
- 4 Similaunhutte. 9h/2d, Red-class hike, Vent
- 5 Wildes Mannle. 4h, Black-class hike, Vent
- 6 Hohe Mut. 5.5h, Red-class hike, Obergurgl
- 7 Stubaiet/Peiljoch. 4h, Blue-class hike, Dresdnerhutte to Sulzenauhutte
- 8 Furtschaglhaus. 5h, Red-class hike, Zamsgatterl
- 9 Greizer Hutte. 6h, Red-class hike, Ginzling, Tristenbachalm park
- 10 Erinnerungshutte. 5h, Blue-class hike, Gaistal, via Scharnitzjoch, Gehrenspitze hard
- 11 Laliderer tal - Eng hutte. 5h, Blue-class hike, via Falkenhutte
- 12 Stripsenjoch(haus. |content=3h, Blue-class hike, Grieseneralm
- 13 Ellmauer tor. 5.5h, Black-class hike, Wochenbrunner Alm
- 14 Griesener Kar. 4h, Red-class hike, Grieseneralm via Fritz-Pflaum-Hutte
Stay safe
[edit]- Fire department 122
- Police 133
- Rescue/emergency doctor 144
- Mountain rescue 140
- Emergency medical service 141
- Accident and breakdown assistance, towing service: 120 (ÖAMTC), 123 (ARBÖ)
The cell coverage is quite good, but be aware that in isolated parts (Karwendel, Ötztal alps) there is often no coverage.
Eat
[edit]Knödln (dumplings), Nudln (pasta), Nockn (smaller dumplings), Plenten (polenta), these are the four Tyrolean elements. Tyrolean cuisine has its roots in the rural cuisine of the 18th and 19th centuries and is characterized by a very sparing use of meat. Certain Italian influences are of course present, just as the cuisine in South Tyrol, Friuli and the Veneto - with regional differences - has strong North Tyrolean influences. Nowadays, the advantage of this basic, rural cuisine is that it is healthy, low in carbohydrates and often suitable for vegetarians.
Typical Tyrolean dishes include Speckknödel (bacon dumplings), Käsespätzle, Tiroler Gröstl (fry-up with beef and potatoes) and Schlutzkrapfen (stuffed pasta like ravioli). Other specialties include Krapfen (dough food, not to be confused with Faschingskrapfen but also deep-fried) and Kiachl (made from yeast dough). A typical regional specialty is ham, especially bacon. Bread specialties include the “Schüttelbrot” long-life bread and the Vinschgerl flat rye bread with spices, originally from Vinschghau. As far as long-life sausages are concerned, Kaminwurzen are particularly worth mentioning.
Tiroler Speck (bacon) and Bergkäse (mountain cheese) are special to Tyrol and have a Protected Designation of Origin. Another typical cheese is Graukäse (sour milk cheese). Originally eaten only by the poor, it is now appreciated for being low in fat and high in protein.
Drink
[edit]The famous Schnaps (a spirit) has many local variations and is made with different fruits. Popular non-alcoholic drinks include Almdudler lemonade, which is similar to ginger ale and is served throughout Austria and also Germany, as well as local lemonades such as Chabeso and Tirola Kola, which is a cola with a Swiss pine flavour.
Sleep
[edit]Go next
[edit]- Bolzano/Bozen — capital of South Tyrol
- Brenner Pass and Timmelsjoch are scenic ways of getting into Italy.
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